PROGRESS Distinguished Speaker Series Presentation:

"Facing Gakirah: Life and Death on the Digital Streets"

On Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, PROGRESS hosted a compelling presentation by Desmond Upton Patton, PhD, focused on his upcoming research memoir, Facing Gakirah, which explores the concept of "digital streets" by tracing the life of Gakirah Barnes, a Black teenager in Chicago. This presentation allowed audience members to engage with and learn from Prof. Patton's new research in gun violence prevention.

Watch the full presentation below: