DeRay Mckesson

Civil rights activist and author

**DeRay Mckesson** is a civil rights activist and author focused primarily on issues of innovation, equity and justice. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he graduated from Bowdoin College and holds honorary doctorates from The New School and Maryland Institute College of Art. Mckesson has advocated for issues related to children, youth, and families since he was a teen. As a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter Movement and a co-founder of JoinCampaignZero.org, MappingPoliceViolence.org, OurStates.org and ResistanceManual.org Mckesson has worked to connect individuals with knowledge and tools, and provide citizens and policy makers with commonsense policies to ensure equity. He was named one of the World's Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine in 2015 and as one of the 30 Most Influential People On The Internet by Time Magazine in 2016. Follow him on Twitter at [@deray.](https://twitter.com/deray "")