Out of the blue, I was invited to a conference call last week with the stars of Just Mercy, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Literally jumping for joy I shared my “win” with my fellow entertainment writers.
This was an amazing opportunity and I have no clue how I scored an invite.
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Just Mercy Conference Call
Well, that conference call just ended. And it was interesting. And a call I don’t think was meant for bloggers, writers or anyone like me.
I’m not exactly the religious sort. I don’t hate it, but it just doesn’t have a space in my life. But this call was for faith and community leaders.
Um, that ain’t me.
Unless you call my online readers a community. Which I guess they are, but not how they were using the word.
So, here I was praying with some of the top religious leaders in the US and I’m lost. They opened the call up with a prayer, we heard stories from religious leaders, and finally got to talk to Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan… For like 5 minutes. One question and done. And that wasn’t one question each. That was one question period.
And back to stories from religious leaders and one final closing prayer.
How did I end up in a prayer group with Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx? I’m still asking myself the same question.
But I did have some revelations – I’m not a good enough person to be included on that call. These are leaders in their communities and I barely know my neighbors. They work daily to make a difference and I don’t even shower daily.
But there I can get the word out about the film.
Get the word out.
And then they dropped the call for us to do something more. To do something to promote justice and mercy.
So, I signed up with JusticeWeekend.org and vowed to take a group to see Just Mercy opening weekend. Beyond the religious aspect which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, Just Mercy is a powerful tale based on a true story. And it’s a film that inspires conversations that need to be had. I’m willing to have those tough conversations and to continue the talks long after the movie has run it’s course.
About Just Mercy
“Just Mercy” follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan might have had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system—stacked against them.
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