Just Mercy: Bryan Stevenson Speaks to NC State

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption is the 2016 Common Reading Selection for NC State, and is required reading for incoming undergraduate students in the College of Humanities & Social Sciences. Written by Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, the book is his account of the widespread racial and social inequities in the American criminal justice system and a call for compassion, understanding, and mercy. Our very own Dr. Stacy De Coster nominated the book for consideration as the 2016 Common Reading Selection. In his NCSU convocation address, he challenged students to get proximate to the “broken” people in society, to change the narrative surrounding race, poverty, and injustice, to embrace discomfort, and to remain hopeful. 

In the following TED Talk from March 2012, Bryan Stevenson shares how his lifelong work as a lawyer and social justice activist strives to address the inequalities perpetuated in the administration of justice.

Bryan Stevenson: We Need to Talk about Injustice

Join the NCSU community in the conversation about race, poverty, and justice inspired by Stevenson. Scheduled events can be found at: Common Reading Calendar.