The images are riveting —TV newsclips about men released from prison after serving decades for crimes they did not commit. “I just want to get on with my life,” they declare, as they celebrate with their families their long-awaited freedom.
Have you also wondered who was working so long and hard behind the scenes for this freedom to happen? I heartily recommend to you one such defender: human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson.
His memoir Just Mercy tells how he started working with death-row prisoners. He writes of children as young as 13 being imprisoned with adults — one boy being thrown into solitary for months on end. The author reveals terrible realities of why African Americans in particular are imprisoned. But he also speaks of hope that can arise when people work together for justice. I’m learning so much from this dedicated, charismatic man of God. And you can, too!
1. Listen to Stevenson’s TED talk. Compelling and significant. https://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice (23:26 min.)
2. Read the book Just Mercy. Available in a Young Adult version too.
3. See the film. Here’s an excellent review. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/24/movies/just-mercy-review.html
4. Learn more about the Equal Justice Initiative founded by Stevenson. https://eji.org.
5. Ask God to reveal how to use what you’ve learned; personally, with your church, synod anti-racism team, or in another way. May God empower all of us to do so!
— Lily R. Wu, LPF Issues Communicator, New York City