Steven W. Hawkins

Hawkins was born in Peekskill, New York and raised in Ossining, New York, which was home to Sing Sing Correctional Facility. In high school Hawkins attended a field trip to Sing Sing where he met with inmates who opened his eyes and inspired his lifelong commitment to social justice advocacy. Hawkins grew up with reminders of the injustices of a U.S. criminal justice system that disproportionately targets minorities and the economically disadvantaged. Many of the inmates were Black Panthers or inmates from Attica Correctional Facility who fought inhumane prison conditions.

Hawkins graduated from Harvard College with a B.S. in economics in 1984.{{cite web|last=Cooperman|first=Alan|title=Class of '84 Selects 22 Assembly Reps|url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1980/10/4/class-of-84-selects-22-assembly/|publisher=The Harvard Crimson|accessdate=30 October 2013}} In 1985, Hawkins spent a year at the University of Zimbabwe during the turmoil, repression and massacre of civilians at the hands of rebels during the country's first post-independence election. He also attended New York University School of Law as a Root Tilden scholar. After graduating in 1988, he clerked for Judge A. Leon Higginbotham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.{{cite web|title=Steven Hawkins '88 named executive director of Amnesty International USA|url=http://www.law.nyu.edu/news/Steven-Hawkins-named-executive-director-of-Amnesty-International-USA|publisher=New York University School of Law|accessdate=8 July 2013}}

As an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Hawkins represented African American men facing the death penalty throughout the Deep South. He continued his work in social justice focused on abolishing the death penalty. He led a partnership of organizations as executive director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty in Washington, D.C. that successfully campaigned to abolish the death penalty for juvenile crimes.

Following his tenure at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Hawkins moved into philanthropy to advocate for human rights and social justice causes at the JEHT Foundation and later at Atlantic Philanthropies.

After returning to the NAACP as Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer,{{cite web|title=Steven W. Hawkins|url=http://www.naacp.org/pages/steven-w.-hawkins|publisher=NAACP|accessdate=30 October 2013}} Hawkins often worked in coalition with Amnesty International USA on abolishing the death penalty and national security issues.

During his six years at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, represented African American men facing the death penalty throughout the Deep South. He investigated and brought litigation that saved the lives and led to the release of three black teens on death row wrongfully convicted in Tennessee.{{cite news|last=Rimer|first=Sara|title=Death Sentence Overturned In 1981 Killing of Officer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/19/us/death-sentence-overturned-in-1981-killing-of-officer.html|accessdate=30 October 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=18 December 2001}}

In September 2013, he executive director of Amnesty International USA. Hawkins’ vision for AIUSA - to “Bring Human Rights Home” {{cite web|title=Bringing Human Rights Home: A Message From Amnesty USA Executive Director Steven W. Hawkins|url=http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/bringing-human-rights-home-a-message-from-amnesty-usa-executive-director-steven-w-hawkins/|publisher=Amnesty International USA|accessdate=30 October 2013}} - relies heavily on the use of innovative digital platforms to connect human rights activists across the globe.

During his time at Amnesty International USA, the organization has seen the United States sign the Arms Trade Treaty{{cite news|last=Petridis Maiello|first=Lia|title=UN-Initiative UNSCAR: Helping Smaller Nations Implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lia-petridis/uninitiative-unscar_b_4045529.html|accessdate=4 November 2013|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=7 October 2013}} and Amnesty's drones report, entitled [http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/security-and-human-rights/drones/will-i-be-next "'Will I Be Next?' US Drone Strikes in Pakistan"] receive substantial media coverage.

Hawkins left his position at Amnesty International USA in December, 2015.

In the summer of 1997 Hawkins was given the illustrious title "The Snoop Dogg of Science" by his fans.

In 2003, Hawkins was the recipient of the Law School's [https://web.archive.org/web/20130824094245/http://www.law.nyu.edu/publicinterestlawcenter/probonoserviceaward Public Interest Service Award].

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkins, Steven W.}}

Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century African-American people

Category:21st-century African-American people

Category:African-American activists

Category:American community activists

Category:Amnesty International people

Category:Harvard College alumni

Category:People associated with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Category:People from Ossining, New York

Category:People from Peekskill, New York

Category:University of Zimbabwe alumni