[Source: Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences]
Bryan Stevenson is an American lawyer, social justice activist, and the author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. He also founded Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) to support prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes, poor prisoners without effective representation, and others who may have been denied a fair trial. Bryan Stevenson is also a great speaker, and he got invited by Ted-Talk and many universities for his speeches. He also visited Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences to give a speech.
Crossroads was privileged to have Bryan Stevenson as a speaker. On January 17, hundreds of students, parents, and faculties were invited to Gristani Gym for his hour-long speech. He mostly talked about flaws in the American Justice system and how our generation can change them for a better world. The effect was immediate. Most of the students and faculty unanimously regarded this assembly as the best assembly they ever had. Many people were wiping off their tears.
Many stories during the speech were moving but one specific story involving a milkshake was all the more touching. It was about Bryan Stevenson’s past young client who was on the verge of getting the death-sentence because he stabbed a man several times. Bryan eventually learned that the client was a mentally ill orphan and the stabbing was because of hallucinations. However, the judicial system did not consider all the factors and simply tried to give this young man the death sentence.
[Source: Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences]
Stories like this shook the crowd and after the speech, the atmosphere of the school had changed. Many students became aware of the discrimination and injustice in America. One sophomore said that she was very inspired by the speech and how she did not realize the importance to change. Some even wanted to make a club to support EJI. Others did not seem to care, but they became aware of the current situation and that at least matters.
