The Necessity of Doing Justice

"The Necessity of Doing Justice"

- Bryan Stevenson

 On Thursday, February 23, Wake Forest University's Face to Face Speaker Series hosted Bryan Stevenson, founder of Equal Justice Initiative and American justice lawyer who has dedicated his work to those who are most in need in our criminal justice system: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and those who face death row. 

Through a generous donation as well as tickets purchased by partners, Love Out Loud brought together a group of 225 stakeholders from churches, community partners, and those already engaging or ready to engage in local conversations and service opportunities in areas of justice, equity, and race (pictured in the balcony last night).

It was an amazing, stirring and challenging night with a full house of folks who needed to hear Bryan's prophetic message and life's work...including myself.

Bryan urged us to create a community rooted in justice, compassion, and love, and to boldly embrace an identity that is courageous enough to remember. He encouraged us to “resist the narrative of fear and anger, to stay hopeful, to do the right thing even when it’s uncomfortable and to get proximate enough to affirm the humanity and dignity of each other."

He closed by naming the significant moment of our post-pandemic world – an opportunity in which “we must increase the justice quotient, decrease the anger and not be afraid to talk about the power of love and WHAT LOVE REQUIRES: to act when there is injustice and to lift up justice, compassion and love."

It was a powerful evening. Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy that we will let God's call and challenge to us through Bryan take root in our hearts that we might stay hopeful and do what love requires. Read on for ways that you can continue your justice journey.

Chuck Spong

Executive Director, Love Out Loud