At almost any New York City bodega, you can quick-draw, scratch, or mega-million your way towards million dollar jackpots. Thousands of New Yorkers play the lottery every day. But how does the lottery really work? Who is playing, and where does all the money go? Who wins and who loses?

A group of New York City high school students worked with the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP), the Resilience Advocacy Project (RAP), and CUP teaching artist Lindsay Catherine Harris to scratch beneath the surface. The group interviewed the head of the New York Lottery, a math teacher, lottery retailers, an economist, and lottery players. Their video, “Lotto Zone,” uncovers a surprising story of the connection between Powerball, policy, and public school funding.

Please join us for the first-ever presentation of this project. The group will present their video, discuss their investigative process, and conduct a live studio interview with Les Bernal, from Stop Predatory Gambling. Their conversation will focus on the role of  government in the world of gambling.