A former skinhead and neo-Nazi who is now an advocate for tolerance and racial harmony will speak at Coastal Carolina University on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 p.m. in Wheelwright Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Having become a skinhead in the late 1980s at the age of 13, he joined a gang in Philadelphia and was later arrested for aggravated assault and kidnapping. At age 17 he was sentenced to three years in a maximum security cell at Merard Prison.

 His views began to change in prison, where he befriended people of different races. After being released on good behavior, he found he couldn’t bring himself to rejoin his former comrades. The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 prompted him to begin speaking out publicly against hate groups, warning young people not to fall prey to their doctrine and recruitment methods.

Despite threats from hate groups, he has been outspoken in his advocacy for tolerance and encouragement and has been featured on “The Today Show,” “Frontline” and CNN News. He is the founder of Hockey for Harmony Foundation, which encourages youths of all races to participate in the sport.

His appearance at Coastal is sponsored by Office of Student Activities and the Diversity Program Committee. For more information, call 349-2303.