NU Intercultural Engagement Center and Student Government Association Host Yusef Salaam Lecture
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month, the Niagara University Intercultural Engagement Center and Student Government Association are pleased to host Yusef Salaam for a lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. in the Salvatore Dining Commons Extension.
In 1989, at just 15 years young, Dr. Yusef Salaam was tried and convicted in the “Central Park jogger” case along with four other Black and Latinx young men. After almost seven years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, Yusef’s case was overturned and he was set free.
His life was forever changed by this experience, and since his release he has advocated for criminal justice reform, prison reform, and the abolition of juvenile solitary confinement and capital punishment.
Yusef has shared his story and stance on these issues on CNN, MSNBC, REVOLT TV, NPR Atlanta, FOX, and more, and recently released his memoir, “Better, Not Bitter,” detailing his journey where in the face of misjustice, Yusef found hope.
This past November, Yusef was elected to serve as a New York City councilman representing Harlem. As part of his campaign, he focused on being better for his experiences, not bitter, stretching out his hand in partnership to offer hope, not despair.
