Publications with Purpose

Explore my body of work, where rigorous science meets storytelling to uncover how social media impacts mental health, trauma, grief, and resilience—especially for youth and adults of color. My publications are grounded in social work thinking, data science, and community collaboration, all aimed at building pathways to digital healing and emotional well-being.

Upcoming Book

Facing Gakirah: Life and Death on the Digital Streets of Chicago

Author: Dr. Desmond Upton Patton | Publisher: University of California Press
“Facing Gakirah is a decade in the digital streets, showing how grief and conflict move online and how youth can teach us to build AI that protects rather than profiles.”

This book traces ten years of Gakirah Barnes’s life across social media, court files, mourning posts, and community networks. It explores how digital platforms both reflect and amplify grief, conflict, identity, and resistance among young people in Chicago — and reimagines how we might build technology that protects, not profiles, these youth.

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@uptondp I wrote a book about the life of Gakirah Barnes and her life on Twitter. Follow along to learn about how is used AI to analyze tweets, the mistakes i made and the potential of working with youth to reduce gun violence #gunviolence #gakirahkibarnes #booktok #gakirahkibarnesdocumentary ♬ original sound - DUP
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Latest Release Spotlight

Get an exclusive look at my latest book, which explores the emotional impact of social media and how it intersects with identity, digital grief, and community wellness. Rooted in research and real-life narratives, this work offers strategies for navigating trauma in digital spaces and fostering collective resilience.

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Desmond Upton Patton in SAFELab, focused on trauma recovery strategies and data science for healing.

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