ryan stephenson in conversation with usher. >> ryan stephenson, man, amazing to be able to be a part of this. you're receiving the global citizen of the year. >> i'm so honored by this award and this recognition. on behalf of everybody at the equal justice initiative who have been fighting this fight for a long time, we are really humbled by this. >> what spurred the creation of the equal justice initiative? >> before i got involved in this work, i didn't really appreciate all the damage that was being done. we had politicians debating crime policy in this country and they were debating as if they could put crimes in jails and prison and they created these very harsh sentences and punishments. the truth is we can't put crimes in jails or prisons. we put people in jails or prisons. >> is there anything that you feel best effects change? >> you have to get approximate. you cannot stay isolate from where the problems are. i think that all of us have to find ways to get closer to people experiencing inequality and justice. we will never prevail in changing the world if we only do the thi