Marlon Peterson '15

Marlon Peterson '15 Headshot

Distinguished Young Alumnus Award

Marlon Peterson is founder and president of Precedential Group, a social justice consultancy that works to address the trauma revolving around the intersections of race, gender, violence, police violence, and community violence. His TED Talk, “Am I not human? A Call for Criminal Justice Reform,” has amassed over 1.1 million views. He also is the host of the DEcarcerated podcast, which highlights the journeys of resilience, redemption, and success of formerly incarcerated people. Peterson has spearheaded the creation of two youth development programs in NYC, How Our Lives Link Altogether (H.O.L.L.A!) and Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets (YO SOS). He has written extensively, and his pieces have been featured in USA Today, The Huffington Post, The Nation, Ebony, and on Gawker.

Peterson is working on his first book: Bird Uncaged: Promise to Sing About Me, with Bold Type Books. He earned a BA in organizational behavior and change from the NYUSPS Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies, and an associate of applied science in criminal justice from Ashworth University.