Belonging Begins in the Body
Jay Pitter, author of the book Black Public Joy, offers placemaking concepts and practices for cultivating a healthy sense of connection with ourselves and the outside world. Read More
Author / Teacher
Jay Pitter, MES, is an award-winning placemaker and author creating joyful public spaces that foster belonging, prosperity, and cultural memory. She advances this work through cultural planning, policy frameworks, and storytelling—bridging rigor and collective imagination to advance public joy as essential urban infrastructure and a human right. As an adjunct urban planning professor, she has engaged students at Cornell, Princeton, and MIT, advancing new theories of public joy that connect practice, policy, and pedagogy. Her two forthcoming books will be published by Penguin Random House, including Black Public Joy. Beyond her professional roles, Jay is passionate about cultivating everyday joy and inspiring communities to be stewards of one another’s joy—nurturing more harmonious and hopeful cities during these divided times.
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