Marlon Peterson is a writer, speaker, social justice advocate, and the Executive Director of College and Community Fellowship (CCF), a for-purpose 501(c)(3) organization advancing equity for women impacted by mass incarceration through education and advocacy. Born to Trinidadian immigrants and raised in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights, Marlon’s early experiences shaped his commitment to justice reform. During a decade-long incarceration, he earned an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and mentored fellow inmates, catalyzing his work in advocacy. Following his release in 2009, Marlon founded The Precedential Group, addressing the intersections of race, gender, and violence. He also launched youth programs like H.O.L.L.A! and YO SOS, focused on gun violence prevention and leadership development. His memoir, Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist’s Freedom Song, and his TED Talk, Am I Not Human?, amplify his call for transformative justice, reaching audiences worldwide.
As host of the DEcarcerated Podcast, Marlon highlighted stories of resilience among formerly incarcerated individuals. He’s engaged communities globally, visiting South Africa, Trinidad, New Zealand, and the UK to share insights on abolition and systemic change. Marlon holds a Bachelor’s in Organizational Behavior and Change from NYU, where he was inducted into the NYU School of Professional Studies Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and a Senior Atlantic Fellow. Recognized as one of Ebony Magazine’s “100 Most Influential Black Leaders,” Marlon continues to champion a world of endless possibilities for people for people at the margins of society.
Matthew Ichihashi Potts was appointed the Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church and the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals in 2021. Matt has served on the faculty at Harvard Divinity School since 2013, and has focused his teaching on sacramental and moral theology, ministry and pastoral theology, religion and literature, and preaching. He is the author of two books, Cormac McCarthy and the Signs of Sacrament: Literature, Theology, and the Moral of Stories (Bloomsbury, 2015) and Forgiveness: An Alternative Account (Yale University Press, 2022). He has also published scholarly essays in several leading journals and invited essay collections, and he sits on the editorial board of the journal Literature and Theology. He is also co-host of the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text.
The Abolition series examines how the humanities - history, language, storytelling, and the imagination - informs the activism and vision of movement leaders. The series is convened by Thomas Dichter, Lecturer in History and Literature at Harvard University
LOCATION:Thompson Room (Barker Center 110) STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20250414T220000Z DTEND:20250414T233000Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR