DEI Common Read

Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done.Just Mercy, p.17.

• U.S. News & World Report "10 Books to Read Before College" list.
• Selected as a common read book at over 100 institutions in the U.S.

A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice - from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time.

Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn't commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship - and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.

Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer's coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.

How to Get Your Book:

For all faculty, staff, and students:

1. Fill out this quick survey.
2. Show the confirmation email to your campus librarian or Office of DEI staff member.
3. Get your free book!

If you work at Brault, Pender, or are affiliated with NOVA in another way, you can get your copy from the Office of DEI (Brault 208) or by inter-campus mail. To request your copy via inter-campus mail, forward your survey confirmation to Sherrene DeLong . Please include the specific location you would like the book to be mailed to.

Students, staff, or faculty who are remote may also use the survey to request their book mailed to them. Copies of an E-book version are also available in limited quantities based on need.

PLEASE NOTE: Requests for E-books or mailed books will take around 4 weeks to complete. We highly recommend getting a print book from your campus library. NOVA Libraries also has a few E-Books available on a first come first serve basis.

For questions, please get in touch with Sherrene DeLong or ask your campus librarian for more info.

All NOVA students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in the DEI Common Read. For the fall semester reading guide, on-campus and virtual processing spaces calendar, and additional resources, please self-enroll in a DEI Common Read Canvas Course:

• Faculty/Staff self-enroll link: https://learn.vccs.edu/enroll/7EDAEP
• Student self-enroll link: https://learn.vccs.edu/enroll/6E3G3A

For frequently asked questions, please see the attached PDF. Contact Sherrene DeLong (sdelong@nvcc.edu) in the Office of DEI for questions.