“If you close your eyes and think about where you feel the most safe, you're probably not going to tell me it's in a room full of police. You feel safe where you're around people that love you, when you have food and shelter, when you're being pushed to be your best self and learn.”

American civil rights activist and podcaster

DeRay Mckesson is an American civil rights activist, progressive podcaster, and former school administrator. He is known for his work in the Black Lives Matter movement and for public advocacy around police violence. Mckesson took part in the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, and has used social media to speak about activism and public policy. He also wrote for HuffPost and The Guardian, helped launch Campaign Zero with Johnetta Elzie, Brittany Packnett, and Samuel Sinyangwe, and now works with Crooked Media as host of Pod Save the People.