Past projects 1
Just Mercy in 12th Grade English
Funded Aug 12, 2020We just finished our study of Just Mercy in my English 12 classroom thanks to your generous donation! I knew my students would love the text, but I had no idea how much of an impact it would have on my students. This powerful book sparked conversations on race, poverty, mental health, the justice system, and abuse that has inspired all of us to fight for justice in our communities.
I would like to share some excerpts from my students' end of the unit reflections on Just Mercy to show you in their own words on how this book (made possible through your donation) has impacted them in their own words.
"Lastly one of the most important things Bryan Stevenson has taught me is that we need to have unending compassion for all. We need to look at others' circumstances and not be quick to judge...like Bryan said many times in the book, "we are not the worst things we've ever done. That means we are always changing, we are not even the same person we were yesterday. Everyone has the right to mercy even if that mercy is unmerited or seemingly undeserved."
"I really enjoyed reading this book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone if I could. So many people in this world need to read this book so it can open their eyes too. This world is full of so much racism and hate and I think this book really showed how you can take just a few small steps and there can be less hate and more love. I'll finish off with a couple quotes from Bryan. "We are all broken by something. We have all hurt someone and have been hurt." "Our shared vulnerability and imperfection is what gives us each our capacity for compassion."
"Just Mercy is an uncomfortable book to read. It's not supposed to make you feel good or make the rest of your day happy and cheerful. It's supposed to make you uneasy and that's a good thing. Everyday we go through our lives ignorant and unaware of the hardships our nation's prisoners face. We are not aware of the awful justice system that targets our friends and neighbors of color...But this book opened my eyes to so much more that I've never experienced or even imagined could happen. Just Mercy is an uncomfortable book to read but a necessary one. It exposes the injustice in our justice system. It shows how people are racist and classist and ableist even in our own backyards."
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share Just Mercy with my seniors. I know the lessons they have learned from this powerful text will stay with them long after graduation!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sampson
This classroom project was brought to life by Equal Justice Initiative and 9 other donors.