Bryan Stevenson, author of the award winning book “Just Mercy,” came to the Cooley Auditorium, on Wednesday, March 9, to talk about the justice system, and what we can do to help fix the problems going on with race relations.

Stevenson is a public-interest lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)  based in Alabama. According to the website eji.org. EJI “is a private, nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to indigent defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair and just treatment in the legal system.”

When Stevenson walked onto the stage, the first thing he said was, “I want you to change the world.”  He acknowledged that to make a change on the level he was talking about would take a lot of hard work and dedication.

Stevenson emphasized the problem with the incarceration rates in the United States, which has the highest documented incarceration in the world. Stevenson also spoke about poverty and its correlation to current incarceration rates.

According to his website, Stevenson stated, “One in three black male babies are expected to grow up and go to prison in their lifetime.”

Stevenson laid out a four- point plan of what we can do to help change the world for the better.

The first thing he told us to do was, “Commit. You’re not going to change anything if you’re not committed.”

Secondly, Stevenson told the audience that we need to “change the narrative,” the narrative behind oppression, poverty and racism.

Third he said, “Be willing to do uncomfortable things.” He explained that what he does isn’t a cakewalk and that in order to make change on a big level you are going to have to do things that our outside of your comfort zone.

Lastly, he emphasized the need to “be humbled and hopeful.” Stevenson urged the audience not to lose faith because of the tragedies going on in the world.