On Sight

This is On Sight's hub for the movie, live events, and content

about

Dr. Micah E. Johnson is an associate professor of Family Medicine at UCLA. He is a medical sociologist focused on the social determinants of behavioral health, particularly addiction and violence. Dr. Johnson has authored 30 scientific articles and multiple books, including Never Had a Friend and The Police Youth Dialogues. He was awarded four million dollars in active research grants from the National Institutes of Health. His work has been cited by the New York Times, ESPN, Senator Bernie Sanders, Charlamagne tha God, and others. He is the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Research Achievement Award at the University of South Florida and the 2023 Community Peacebuilder of the Year Award from the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. Dr. Johnson’s research and advocacy have helped reduce decades of prison sentences and overturn death penalties for individuals with behavioral health needs in over 100 capital and felony cases throughout the country. He is also pioneering the use of edutainment lectures as interventions to engage diverse communities and enhance behavioral health.

This is On Sight

October 15, 2025

On Sight — Summary & Key Highlights

On Sight is a SAG-AFTRA film and live performance that delivers practical mental health and violence-prevention tools through comedy, storytelling, and lived experience. Created and performed by Dr. Micah Johnson, a UCLA Associate Professor and nationally recognized trauma and violence researcher, the project translates evidence-based behavioral health strategies into an accessible, culturally grounded format that resonates with youth and adults alike.

The film is based on real conversations with incarcerated youth in Florida and follows a gripping, often funny, and deeply human exchange about trauma, fear, retaliation, and survival. Through stand-up–style storytelling, audience interaction, and narrative scenes, On Sight teaches emotional regulation, de-escalation, stress management, and nonviolent decision-making without lecturing or moralizing.

Core Highlights

SAG-AFTRA Film + Live Experience: A hybrid project that functions both as a high-quality filmed special and a powerful one-person live performance.
Executive Produced by DC Young Fly: Brings mainstream credibility, cultural fluency, and comedic authority.
Evidence-Based Impact: Grounded in behavioral health science, trauma research, and real-world justice-system experience.
Proven Audience Response: Screenings and live events report increased self-control, reduced emotional reactivity, and new tools for managing conflict without violence.
Large-Scale Engagement: Generated 2,000+ RSVPs for a live taping, hundreds of in-person attendees, and strong post-event testimonials.
Cultural Accessibility: Uses humor, street-level language, and storytelling to reach audiences often missed by traditional mental health programs.
Academic + Community Bridge: Designed to work in universities, community venues, justice settings, and public health spaces.
National Reach: Screened and performed at major universities, theaters, and community venues, with a growing tour and festival strategy.
Public Health Focus: Positions youth violence and mental health as urgent public health issues, offering tools rather than punishment.

On Sight is not awareness-only. It is a scalable mental health intervention disguised as comedy, built to change how people regulate emotion, respond to conflict, and choose safety in moments that matter most.

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