01:27
Adam Foss Highlight
I have this privilege and power because of the letters behind my name. This [doctoral] degree is a massive sword in the fight for the communities that we care about.
About Adam
- He was adopted as a baby from Columbia by an Irish-American family in Massachusetts—grew up as one of the only people of color in his small town.
- Was arrested when he was 19 for selling marijuana, but received little punishment due to the fact that his father was a white police officer—says, “That was the most unjust thing I’ve ever seen.”
- Is a first-generation college student—calls the experience “difficult, but empowering.”
- Originally went to college to be a doctor, but as an undergrad he took a class on restorative justice called “The Science of Violence”, which inspired him to change course and pursue law.
- He took an internship at a small municipal court in an impoverished neighborhood of Boston known for having a dangerous reputation; knew then that he wanted to work in the criminal justice system.
- Says that his main motivation in going to work is helping people stay out of prison, which is in contrast to the typical view people have of prosecutors.
- He is a passionate advocate for criminal justice reform and reinventing the role of the prosecutor in order to end mass incarceration.
- Was an Assistant District Attorney for over 10 years in Boston and is the founder of Prosecutor Impact, a nonprofit with the mission of retraining prosecutors to improve community safety.
