Building Joy, Justice, and Play for Every Child

An Interview with KABOOM! CEO Lysa Ratliff

On a sweltering summer day in Blackville, South Carolina, a young girl named Bryanna played with her toys on a cracked, outdated playground, with no shade from the sun. Observing Bryanna, Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!, was inspired to make it her mission to give young people safe, fun, and accessible places to play and build communities. 

KABOOM! is a national nonprofit working to end playspace inequity in America. Ratliff and her team are working to transform how America thinks about play—not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental right. Her work reinforces the idea that playspaces are not just built for children, but with them and within their communities. 

Scaling Up for Equity

For years, KABOOM! has been known for mobilizing volunteers to build playgrounds, often in a single day, transforming empty lots into vibrant and safe play spaces. But Ratliff knew that to address inequitable access to these spaces on a larger scale, the model had to evolve.

That’s when the 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity originated, setting out with the goal to eliminate playspace inequity in communities across the U.S.

“We’re partnering with city leaders, school districts, and community organizations to create systemic solutions: citywide assessments, community-led design, and large-scale investment in infrastructure,” Ratliff explains. “Our objective is not just to build playgrounds but to transform how cities prioritize play as a public health and equity solution.”

Communities Leading the Way

A powerful example of this vision came to life in Oakland, California. Working with the school district, local partners, and environmental organizations, KABOOM! worked alongside young people to design green schoolyards.

The kids imagined shade structures, gardens, and nature-based play elements—spaces that reflected their cultural identities and environmental needs. 

“Because the designs came from them, these spaces are loved and sustained,” Ratliff notes. “That community ownership is everything.”

Addressing Inequity

In communities across the country, playspace inequity falls hardest on Black, brown, and low-income communities, where decades of disinvestment and structural racism have stripped children of safe places to play. KABOOM! has put equity at the very center of its strategy.

The organization also developed the Playspace Inequity Prioritization Index, a data-driven tool that pinpoints which communities would benefit most from improved playspaces. By combining this data with the lived experiences of children, parents, and community leaders, KABOOM! ensures that resources needed to build playspaces are directed where they can close the deepest gaps.

Momentum is also growing across sectors. Leaders in public health, education, and climate resilience increasingly recognize that play is not optional but a critical part of development. Communities across the country are stepping up, advocating for equitable investments in parks, playgrounds, and schoolyards.

And while playgrounds may look like simple slides and swings, Ratliff reminds us they are much more.

“They’re about joy, healing, and justice,” she says. “When we invest in play, we are investing in healthier, more connected communities for generations to come.”

To hear more from Lysa Ratliff, and other public health leaders, tune in to the Bloomberg American Health Summit live on September 30 at 9:00 a.m. ET. Click here to learn more.