MLK Review: Stevenson a Hit

The assembly hall roared with claps and cheers as hundreds of Exonians applauded lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson last Friday. Much like Stevenson’s speech, the other Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities—workshops led by Exonians, student performances, a faculty-written oratorio and more—garnered an incredibly positive response from the student body, faculty and staff.

In addition to attending singer and songwriter John Forté’s address and Stevenson’s speech, students participated in small-scale workshops of their choosing. Optional sessions included a viewing of the documentary “A Class Divided,” a reading of the play “Crows in Eden,” a Harkness discussion about race issues and the student-run encounter workshop If You Really Knew.

Stevenson’s speech was a highlight for many. Having worked as a death row lawyer in Alabama and currently serving as a professor and the executive director of the Equal Justice initiative, Stevenson has dedicated his life to promoting the awareness of and addressing the problems within the United States’ justice system. Throughout his presentation, Stevenson interwove personal stories depicting his experiences with death row prisoners, some of whom suffered from debilitating mental illnesses. “He spoke with a lot of conviction,” upper and MLK Day Committee member Nick Madamidola said. “Some of the anecdotes that he shared were just mind-boggling.”

Even though Madamidola had already watched Stevenson’s 20 minute TED Talk, which has been viewed more than 1.25 million times, he was still influenced by the speech.

“Even though he said some of the same things today, hearing him live was amazing. When he paused, you could literally hear a pin drop. All eyes were on him,” Madamidola said.

Stevenson also addressed the incarceration of youths in America and the persecution of children as adults. He described the consequences of imprisoning young people in prisons populated with grown adults. In one particularly poignant example, he told the story of a young boy who, on his first, second and third nights in prison was physically violated and abused at the hands of older inmates.

Stevenson’s remarks were not only engaging, but also addressed problems that many think Exonians tend to ignore, simply because they are not relevant to the community.

“He brought up things that no one really thinks about,” Madamidola said. “I think that people here are focused on academics, sports and things like that. But this was just a real eye-opener.”

Many students shared Madamidola’s sentiments. As Stevenson concluded his remarks, tears were flowing freely and the line to speak with him stretched around the stage and out of the assembly hall.

“It was just the best speech I’ve ever heard,” upper Tessa Vaccaro said.

Students and faculty alike felt moved and inspired by Stevenson’s narrative-style lecture and compelling ideals.

“Bryan Stevenson was a very powerful speaker. He gave a compelling account of some of the injustices of the prison system and radicalized incarceration and made a compelling case that we need to do more to fight these injustices,” history instructor Betty Luther-Hillman said. “I hope that his talk will inspire some Exonians to become more involved in advocacy of this type, whether during their time at Exeter or in their future careers.”

Lower Kelvin Green agreed, noting that Stevenson’s remarks emphasized many points that clubs around campus have been trying to address.

"[Bryan Stevenson] gave a compelling account of some of the injustices of the prison system and radicalized incarceration and made a compelling case that we need to do more to fight these injustices."

“During the whole thing, I could hear gasps and sighs, and I was nodding along, because he was confirming a lot of the things that I personally believe, and a lot of the things that clubs like ALES have been trying to push forward,” Green said. “When he spoke about sympathizing with criminals, it’s hard to imagine that, but because he’s had such a close relationship with so many people on death row, he can share that experience with us, and it is really authentic.”

Many Exonians and faculty enjoyed the lineup of speakers for Friday’s activities. Senior Jonathan Ye felt that this has been the best MLK Day in years. “Even though MLK Day has always been great, this year was the first year that I was really, truly engaged by both the keynote speaker and the required workshop,” Ye said.

Madamidola echoed Ye’s sentiment. “The combination of Bryan Stevenson and John Forté really spoke to a lot of people here,” he said. “Both speeches were really amazing. I’m really happy that this was pulled off.”

Stevenson’s lecture was complemented by an opening address from Forté. Forté spoke at length about finding one’s own path as well as his own experience after Exeter. An alumnus of the class of ‘93, Forté was excited and nervous to speak at his alma mater. “Just for the day to be done, I feel like I can eat now. I feel very relieved,” Forté said. “Every time I come back to Exeter, it feels like a family reunion, so it was really nerve-wracking to be able to speak to so many people and to say what I feel in such a major way.” 

Although Forté was happy to participate in Exeter’s MLK Day, he tries to live consistently with the same mindset, rather than spend one day focusing upon a certain theme. “I feel like people are finally celebrating what I try to do every day,” Forté said. 

“I try to live my life very consciously, and I try to enjoy it. So when people wait for birthdays to have a great time, or they wait for Martin Luther King Day to have an important discussion, I don’t get that,” Forté said. “We should be talking about this stuff as often as we can, [and] not just today.”

Forté’s performance partner and friend Ben Taylor, son of musician James Taylor, agreed, noting that important issues are often isolated to days on which they are nationally addressed. “People talk about the issues more on a day like this because they are cognisant of the fact that it’s pertinent,” Taylor said.

Nevertheless, Forté still hopes this year’s MLK Day can be a catalyst for more comprehensive conversations surrounding the events in Ferguson and Staten Island. “I don’t expect Ferguson to be the center of everyone’s universe; I don’t expect Eric Garner to be the center of everyone’s universe. But when I do have an opinion to express on the matter, I hope that it is heard and at least entertained.”

Forté’s talk was a combination of anecdote, genuine thought and live performance; although it was not a conventional speech, he hoped it impacted members of the Exeter community. “I don’t know if I gave a coherent, structured talk—I just spoke and sang,” Forté said. “But I did it as authentically as I could. And if that resonates with anyone in the audience, I feel good about that.”

Dean of Multicultural Affairs Roseanna Salcedo noted Forté’s “sincerity and vulnerability” as well as his “willingness to talk about the highs and lows in his life” as the highlights of his talk.

Religion instructor Russell Weatherspoon also appreciated Forté’s performance and tangible nature. “He fully intended to let his songs that he chose do much of the speaking for him...His approach to the audience was very humble and very human as he tried hard not to sermonize,”​ he said.

The optional workshops, although fewer in number than in past years, were not only informative, but also carried an important message.

Lower Hannah Mackay attended the If You Really Knew Me workshop and was moved by the intimacy of the workshop. “I thought it was amazing. Honestly, in all my time at Exeter, I have never felt so close to a group of people I don’t really even know.”

The participants played games designed to reveal everyone’s personalities and beliefs, which brought every participant closer to one another. “Although scary, the game really allowed me to become closer with such a diverse group of people,” Mackay said. “It was saddening yet, at the same time, heartwarming.”

Upper and Exonian Encounters leader Efe Airewele said that the purpose of the workshop was to let people first feel comfortable in speaking their true stories and eventually feel comfortable enough to discuss the same topics in dorms and among friends without the facilitation of an organized event.

Overall, the workshops and speeches of the day affected most people in a tangible way. “The workshops, lectures and performances throughout the day helped students examine and confront our shared histories, and as a new teacher, I was so appreciative of the committee's diligence in planning for a range of conversations and of the larger community's receptiveness to these sessions,” English instructor Ah-Young Song said.

Song also admired the seriousness and attentiveness with which Exonians treated MLK Day and its lectures and workshops. “Often, when we have a day off to commemorate a person or occasion, it is in our nature to attend to our personal concerns rather than devote intentional time and space to historical reflection, so I was quite impressed by how deliberate Exonians were on MLK Day in thinking about difficult and often uncomfortable issues such as societal divisions, human rights issues and structural inequities.”

Contributions from Jack Telman