Story by Catherine Yeoman
On Monday, Jan. 29, a group of Mount Vernon High School students traveled to Iowa State University to hear Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy, speak. Stevenson told his story; about his life, his family, becoming a lawyer, and he shared some stories of people who weren’t treated unjustly by the judicial system. Stevenson devotes his career to helping low-income people who are wrongly condemned due to prejudices in our society.
After reading his book, Just Mercy, Senior Ben McGuire, enjoyed hearing Stevenson speak. “It was powerful hearing some of the stories we’d read being told right in front of us. He talked about how society puts us in boxes and labels us, and that we are so much more than those labels we’ve been given. My biggest takeaway was that you don’t have to be a Harvard graduate lawyer to change the world.”
Junior Anika Perry, was also affected emotionally by listening to Stevenson’s stories he told in his book, in person. “For me, the stories just sunk in more. I took away how hard it is for African Americans. I really admire how hard Bryan worked for his clients, and even for himself to get to where he is today.”
Stevenson continues to do what he can to help the justice system become fairer towards minorities, juveniles sentenced as adults, the mentally impaired, and for people who do not have a strong voice in society.
