Jay Pitter

YOU BETTA REEEEEEEAAAAAD.

I don’t know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is

Good night to everyone but especially to the large number of women who’ve given me literal and metaphorical flowers. 💕

I’ll be starting my IG Live in 20-minutes (noon EST). Pop in if you’re interested in hearing me chat with the Mayor of Memphis about Black Public Joy and public joy more broadly in his city!!!

An exciting edition to the study of public life and the literature of urbanism and cultural studies! Black Public Joy, by Jay Pitter, explores Black people’s public joy histories, sacred rituals, movements, and contemporary expressions. /x

A parent/caregiver having to push a baby stroller in the roadway due to deficient sidewalk design or maintenance is a top tier municipal failure.

#SundaySilence

Clear from this thread that y’all have never attended a Black Pentecostal church. The first hour is a literal concert — full band and dancing in the aisles :)

This coming week, I will be engaging students, scholars & practitioners at Harvard University. It’s the first of two book talks I’ve been invited to deliver to their campus community (the second engagement is in April). Both are internal engagements, so I don’t have public links to share. Honoured.

Yesterday, I delivered my first book-related keynote as part of an internal event hosted by Toronto Dominion Bank. After a year of intentionally declining both clients and keynotes to complete Black Public Joy, it felt like another meaningful milestone in bringing the book into the world.

Impossible to select a favourite moment or response from my incredible conversation with Mayor Evans but his point pertaining to public joy and infrastructure was particularly powerful. Lots of people think public joy = festivals but very few think Brownfield development & green space.

“Give us enough sauce” is a universal courtesy and metric for excellence.

An example—one of many—of why every environmentalist should be an advocate of environmental justice.

Final reminder that my IG Live series starts tomorrow! If you can, please join Mayor Evans and me tomorrow at 2 PM EST. If you’re teaching, consider integrating our chat into your class, ask colleagues to log on, take a slightly late lunch break. The convo will be 30 minutes!

Viral Toronto snow-loving dog is winning over hearts around the world Toronto's historic Jan. 26 snowstorm wasn't just the day that buried the city in record-breaking snow — it was also the day a canine star was born. F…

What an adorable pup. Just had to share him with everyone.

www.blogto.com/city/2026/02...

Beyond privileged to have another major feature for the second weekend in a row. This time in The Walrus, where excerpts from Black Public Joy are summarized—including a snippet of my research & a couple of stories. That kind of editorial engagement is rare for authors, and I’m deeply grateful.

Ossoff: "You're seeing what I'm seeing, right? The president posting about the Obamas like a Klansman."

If there were a gold medal for swagger, Haitians would be takin’ it home. A beautiful example of Black people’s public joy expressions. Designer: StellaJean 🔥

#BlackPublicJoy #Haitians #Olympics

For Black History Month, I’m starting with Black mayors & I’ll be expanding the conversation to mayors (and deputy mayors) of all identities afterward. I hope you’ll join me — and share this announcement—as this conversation is both urgent and celebratory.

When I first imagined this series, I knew it was an audacious swing but that’s exactly why I pursued it. Mayors are incredibly important and powerful civic leadership partners help shape how we experience public spaces—from policies & public space investments to the tone of our civic conversations.

Inspired by my book Black Public Joy and my evolving Public Joy Framework, these conversations highlight the importance of public joy not simply as a feeling, but as civic, cultural, and spatial infrastructure.

Proud to announce that I will be launching my first episode in an IG Live series featuring conversations with mayors on the topic of public joy. To begin, I have the distinct honour of speaking with Mayor Malik Evans of Rochester, New York this coming Tuesday at 2:00 PM.

Thanks so much for your support. I look forward to hearing your thoughts when we connect next!

Picked up my copy of Black Public Joy by colleague, @jaypitter.bsky.social . Looking forward to getting into this unique perspective on public space.

One week since launching Black Public Joy. So much gratitude for the immense support.

Thanks so much for your kind feedback. I’m really pleased that the book’s narrative and themes have broad resonance.

My editor just brought this to my attention—I’m featured in Indigo’s newsletter this month. I especially appreciate the extra descriptive call-out they included for my book. It feels both accurate and expansive, aligned with the book’s vision.

Attention #UrbanismBookClub lovers! My friend @jaypitter.bsky.social’s really important new book “Black Public Joy” is out there for purchasing! Congratulations Jay! I encourage everyone seeing this to check the book out and help spread the word. It frankly couldn’t be more timely. #BlackPublicJoy

I’m independently leading the U.S. strategy so any American journalist and editor leads would be super appreciated.

Media kicked off the moment Black Public Joy hit shelves. I did two, in-studio radio interviews the day of the launch, the next day I did a pre-interview for an amazing television show, and thanks to my Canadian publicist Curtis Samuel, I have several other upcoming interviews/profiles.