Bryan Stevenson Captivates Crowd at Trinity Presbyterian Church

Atlanta/Buckhead…. Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) and author of “Just Mercy,” drew a crowd of 1,000 to Trinity Presbyterian Church last week. His presentation was the church’s 2nd Annual Rosemary Kittrell Memorial Lecture. The program was free and open to the public.

Stevenson’s lecture “American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference” focused on what people of faith should do in the face of injustice. Quoting Micah 6:8, he said that we are called to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Stevenson said that there are three steps to help people who have suffered from injustice. First, get close to those who are oppressed. Second, change the narrative. Currently, oppressed people must navigate the presumption of dangerousness and guilt. Third, we must be hopeful. “Hopelessness is the enemy of justice,” he said.

"This was an extraordinary moment in Trinity Presbyterian Church's history," said Rev. Rebekah Close LeMon, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church. "Stevenson has spent his life fighting for systemic change, and there is no better person to educate Atlantans about the issue of racial inequality and the fight for justice. We were thrilled that the Atlanta community joined us for this educational and inspirational evening."

EJI is a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama where Stevenson established the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in 2018. These institutions chronicle the legacy of slavery, lynching, and racial segregation as well as the connection to mass incarceration and contemporary issues of racial bias.

Under Stevenson’s leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. Stevenson said that when he heard a death row inmate sing “Plant My Feet On Higher Ground,” he knew he wanted to work with condemned prisoners. When we work with the oppressed, we are reflections of grace and mercy, “ he explained.

Stevenson’s book, “Just Mercy”, won critical acclaim from the New York Times, Time Magazine, CNN, and many other news sources. The book was made into a major motion picture.

Stevenson is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Government.

The lecture series is made possible through an endowed fund established by the estate of Rosemary Kittrell, a well-regarded Atlanta attorney and a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church for 43 years. Trinity Presbyterian Church is located at the intersection of Howell Mill and Moores Mill Roads in Buckhead (3003 Howell Mill Road).

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