Luis “Suave” Gonzalez, who is known for being sentenced to life in prison as a juvenile offender, will be speaking at Penn State Abington later this month. Gonzalez was released from prison when the Supreme Court ruled that automatic life sentences without parole for juveniles was unconstitutional. He has done Ted Talks from SCI Graterford, received his Bachelor’s Degree from Villanova while incarcerated (despite being told he had a very low IQ), and has been an advocate for “education over mass incarceration.” He became president of the Latin American Cultural Exchange Organization (LACEO), which is based at SCI Graterford and has awarded several $500-$2000 scholarships to students in Philadelphia, Chester, and Bethlehem. He also frequently speaks of racial injustice with regard to the criminal justice system.
He will be speaking in 112 Woodland Building at PSU Abington on Wed. Feb 26 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm.