Just Mercy: Bringing Attention to Criminal Justice Reform through Community Engagement

On Wednesday, March 24th, the student group DEAN (Diversity in Education at Norwell) held an intergenerational virtual book club discussion of Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy. DEAN is actively dedicated to celebrating diverse voices in our daily curriculum, and making the Norwell public schools more inclusive. Almost 100 participants registered for the program, including students from the middle and high schools and members of the community.

The program began with an introduction to Bryan Stevenson, the author of Just Mercy, and his work as a social justice activist. Stevenson is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal representation to those illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in prison. Stevenson’s work highlights many social justice concerns, and emphasizes the importance of respecting basic human dignity. In his book Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson strives to foster compassion and thoughtfulness for the poor and marginalized in our society. One of my favorite lines from Just Mercy is a quote often reiterated by Stevenson in his talks. It reads, “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done”. Understanding this allows us to realize the value of our lives, and contributes to a need and desire to show mercy.

For the next hour, members of DEAN led breakout groups in thought-provoking discussions encompassing the many issues discussed in the book. Groups talked about the significance of redemption and forgiveness in our society, and finding a balance between justice and mercy. Students and members of the community were able to share their thoughts on the roles we can play in dismantling inequity in our country’s judicial system. Participants even recommended several books that sparked further conversations and insight.

At the end of the program, participants were asked to submit a word to the chat that encompassed the message that Bryan Stevenson communicated in his book. Words such as “forgiveness”, “empathy”, “hope”, “understanding”, and “compassion” were used to create a piece of word art to memorialize the program.

Wednesday’s virtual book club discussion not only encouraged respectful and engaging dialogue between generations, but also illuminated some important questions: How do we bring about mercy and reform? And how do we actively work to confront injustice in our own lives?

Thank you once again to all of the students, teachers, and citizens who took part in the DEAN-led discussion of Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy on March 24. Dialogue is how change begins, and sharing thoughts across generations just made our discussion all the more meaningful. As you go through your lives, remember to be a “stonecatcher” for others, and that “everyone is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done”.