By Michael Bass P ’28
Greg Mingo recently spent a day on the Hilltop engaging with our community as part of Mr. Bass’s ongoing partnership with the Innocence Project and our broader commitment to exploring issues of social justice and criminal justice reform. Mr. Mingo first spoke with the Upper School in a Diller Hall assembly, where he shared the remarkable story of his 40-year struggle to clear his name after being wrongfully convicted of a murder he did not commit. Students heard firsthand about the systemic failures that led to his conviction and the enduring resilience that carried him through decades of incarceration.
Following the assembly, Mr. Mingo joined Mr. Bass’s American Law class for a more intimate and interactive conversation. Drawing on the legal expertise he developed while fighting his own case, he discussed constitutional rights, wrongful convictions and the complexities of seeking justice from within the system. Students were able to ask detailed questions, connect the discussion to their coursework, and engage deeply with a living example of both the law’s power and its limitations.
Mr. Mingo concluded his visit by participating in a lunchtime Roundtable in the Lindsay Room, where students from across the Upper School continued the dialogue. Throughout the day, he demonstrated extraordinary positivity, generosity and empathy, despite everything he has endured. His presence offered our community a profound lesson not only in legal reform but also in human resilience, and we were deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from his experiences.
Greg Mingo of the Innocence Project meets with Upper School students in a lunchtime Roundtable in the Lindsay Room.
