The "State of Activism in the United States" will be discussed by Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson on Monday in the Russell House Theater at 8 p.m. The keynote address will kick off the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs' Social Justice Month.
McKesson is famous for his social activism in the Movement for Black Lives, and he is currently running for mayor of Baltimore. He uses social media as his main medium to relay information on civil activism. His active participation in the Ferguson and Baltimore protests has brought him much recognition as a civil activist.
This dedication to bringing an end to police and state violence has allowed McKesson to partake in the creation of Campaign Zero, which seeks to end police brutality. His focus will be on issues of innovation, equity and justice.
McKesson also attended the first service at Mother Emanuel AME Church after the Emanuel Nine shooting in June 2015 and stood by the community of South Carolina that pushed for the removal of the Confederate flag in front of the Statehouse in Columbia.