AACAP Names Bryan Stevenson as 2025 Catchers in the Rye Humanitarian Award Recipient
Washington, DC - The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) proudly honors Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), with the 2025 Catchers in the Rye Humanitarian Award. This award represents AACAP’s highest recognition for humanitarian leadership and advocacy.
Mr. Stevenson has built a lifelong career fighting injustice and advancing the rights of children, families, and vulnerable communities. He founded EJI in 1989 in Montgomery, Alabama, and continues to lead the organization’s groundbreaking work defending people who face unfair sentencing and wrongful convictions. Under his leadership, EJI has secured major legal victories, including Supreme Court decisions that ended mandatory life-without-parole sentences for children.
Mr. Stevenson also created the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum, helping the nation confront the legacy of racial injustice. His bestselling memoir, Just Mercy, and its film adaptation further amplified his message of hope, equity, and systemic change.
“AACAP proudly recognizes Bryan Stevenson for his extraordinary commitment to justice, equity, and the protection of vulnerable youth,” said AACAP President Tami Benton, MD. “Mr. Stevenson’s unwavering leadership and powerful advocacy align with our mission to promote the mental health of all children. His work not only advances systemic change but also helps create a more compassionate and just world where children and families can heal and thrive.”
Dr. Benton will present the award to Mr. Stevenson during the Opening Plenary of AACAP’s 2025 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 22, at 8:30 AM., in Chicago, Illinois.
AACAP created the Catchers in the Rye Humanitarian Award in 1990 to recognize individuals who protect and uplift children through sustained, meaningful action. The award honors people who eliminate or reduce the impact of childhood mental illness through advocacy, education, research, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and acts of compassion and courage. The award takes its name from the iconic passage in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, which captures the urgency and responsibility of caring for children at risk.
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The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry promotes the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through advocacy, education, and research. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are the leading physician authority on children’s mental health. For more information, please visit www.aacap.org
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Rob Grant, Communications Director
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www.aacap.org