An Evening With Bryan Stevenson a Success

Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy, visited UW-Madison on Monday, October 26th, and for many, the culminating event of the day, Stevenson’s talk at Varsity Hall in Union South, was an overwhelming success.

Varsity Hall’s doors were set to open at 6:00 pm, but people were already lined up and waiting before 5:00 pm; the hall’s capacity was reached before 6:30 pm. Live streaming of the event was available for those who were not able to attend the event in Varsity Hall.

Stevenson discussed four things that need to change in order to help combat social injustice, racism, and corruption in America’s criminal justice system, and he shared anecdotes from Just Mercy as part of this discussion. The crowd was energized and responsive during Stevenson’s talk, evinced especially by the resounding applause after the talk and the question and answer session.

The number of people who attended Stevenson’s talk was higher than anticipated. Reception of the event has been overwhelmingly positive, which speaks to the important conversations surrounding social justice, race, and the criminal justice system that Stevenson’s Just Mercy has sparked at UW-Madison and in the larger community.

To watch the video recording of Bryan Stevenson’s talk at UW-Madison on Monday, October 26th, click here. (Please note that this video is only available for viewing by those with Net IDs).