From the Court to the Cosmos
Every Sunday, the streets of Rochester’s Mt. Hope Avenue echo with the sound of basketballs bouncing on the asphalt of Gateway Park. The Hood 2 Hood Basketball Tournament, now in its second season, gathers neighborhood teams for a series of friendly yet competitive games that aim to bring men from across the city together.
Organizers say the league is more than a sport; it is a deliberate effort to foster peace and unity in a community where tension often runs high. Racquel Stephen hosts a discussion on the show ‘Connections’ about how such initiatives can help reduce violence, and she is joined by Jamie Anderson, co‑founder of the tournament, as well as Raheen Gayden, founder of Guns Down Gloves Up, Norman Simmons, a longtime community organizer, and David Williams, founder of Church In The Wild.
The program also features a rebroadcast of astrophysicist Adam Frank, who explores the search for extraterrestrial life in his book The Little Book of Aliens. Frank, a Ph.D. and Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the Department, brings his scientific perspective to a broader audience, linking the spirit of community outreach on the court with humanity’s quest among the stars.