Blog

I have two book recommendations: The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. The Color of Law brilliantly lays out the housing policies that have produced and promoted residential racial segregation.

Just Mercy lays bare the institutional racism inherent in the criminal legal system, and it does so in an accessible manner. I recommended Just Mercy to my white grandfather—who was born, raised, and still lives in Texas—and after he finished reading, we had a meaningful and engaging conversation about the book. During this conversation, he said that Just Mercy sparked critical reflection he hadn’t done before on the role race has played in his life and the role of racism within the criminal legal system.