38 min) Tells the electrifying true story of the 1970 occupation of Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx—known to locals as “the Butcher Shop” for its unsafe and neglectful conditions. On July 14, 1970, a group of mostly Black and Puerto Rican activists in their late teens and early twenties, members of the Young Lords, barricaded themselves inside the hospital and demanded safe, dignified healthcare for their community.

The Young Lords, originally a Chicago street gang that transformed into a revolutionary Puerto Rican and Latinx liberation organization, were inspired by the Black Panther Party and other community-based movements for self-determination. Formed in the late 1960s, they fought for community control of land, schools, and health services; against urban neglect; and for Puerto Rico’s independence. In New York City, they became known for high-visibility direct actions—garbage cleanups, clinic takeovers, and food and education programs that combined survival work with political organizing.

Directed by Emma Francis-Snyder, the film reconstructs the one-day hospital takeover using archival footage, re-enactments, and interviews with the surviving organizers. It reveals the carefully planned, strategic nature of the action: organized security teams, coordinated media outreach, bilingual spokespeople, and a precise list of demands—better maternity care, clean and functioning equipment, rodent-free wards, bilingual services, and community oversight. Their organizing framework made healthcare not just a medical issue but a demand for human rights and self-determination.

The occupation succeeded in forcing city officials into negotiations and exposing deep structural racism in the healthcare system. It led directly to one of the first Patients’ Bills of Rights, transforming how hospitals nationwide were expected to treat patients—with respect, transparency, and accountability. The action also sparked the creation of community-run clinics, harm-reduction and detox programs, and a broader movement for neighborhood-controlled public health.

More than a historical retelling, Takeover shows how young people—with courage, vision, and organizing discipline—can transform neglect into power. It stands as both an inspiring story of community action and a tactical blueprint for movements fighting privatization, racial inequity, and medical injustice today.

Appropriate for all ages, the film is ideal for classrooms, organizers, and anyone studying how direct action can drive structural change in public health.