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Introducing "The Pen to Right History" — A Campaign by LPP and McCann NY

Apr 17, 2023

The campaign features letters hand-written by the family and friends of cannabis prisoners to demonstrate the injustice of prohibition, and the senseless pain it has inflicted on countless American communities.

NEW YORK – April 17, 2023 – The Last Prisoner Project, a national, non-partisan, non-profit

organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform, announced today the launch of

The Pen to Right History,” a new campaign developed in partnership with McCann New York that is

focused on delivering justice for those serving time for non-violent, cannabis-related crimes.


“The Pen to Right History” urges President Biden and governors across the country to free the

thousands of people who remain behind bars in the U.S. due to non-violent cannabis-related

charges. The pen with which family and friends of those incarcerated write their stories and urge

politicians to release their loved ones is being symbolically passed to the President to sign clemency

orders and “right” this long unaddressed wrong.


The campaign launches with a docu-style film chronicling the story of Richeda Ashmeade, a law

student and poet who was just twelve years old when her father, Richardo Ashmeade, was sentenced

to 22 years in prison on cannabis charges. The film highlights not just the inherent unfairness of

Richardo’s incarceration, but how the pain and suffering of the injustice meted to him has rippled

throughout his family. Through its website, digital, social and earned media, “The Pen to Right

History” campaign invites those who have been similarly impacted by cannabis incarceration to

share their stories and ask government officials to pardon non-violent cannabis convicts.


"Growing up in this country with a parent in prison makes it hard to grow up. But despite that, I did.

I’m in law school. I’m an accomplished poet. I’m an advocate. Who I am today defies what statistics

say I should be. But what does it mean when a child growing up to be educated, ambitious and

empathetic is an act of defiance.” wrote Richeda Ashemeade.


Last Prisoner Project is aiming to deliver real justice to these people by pointing out a commonly

overlooked hypocrisy – while recreational and medicinal cannabis usage become increasingly

popular and legalized throughout the United States, tens of thousands of Americans remain incarcerated for convictions like Richardo’s. People of color are especially vulnerable to this particular injustice, with Black people being four times more likely to be imprisoned for these offenses, which upendscommunities and destroys their lives and those of their families, friends and loved ones.


Sarah Gersten, Executive Director and General Counsel, Last Prisoner Project, said, “The vast

majority of Americans support this initiative and even as many states recognize the immorality of

these sentences and de-criminalize cannabis possession, tens of thousands remain in prison. Freeing

them is not only a moral good that provides those unfairly incarcerated with a second chance and

addresses the systemic racism that underpins many of these convictions, but it’s a practical win as

well…it would reduce overcrowding in prisons and save taxpayer money. President Biden took a

positive step last year in pardoning federal convictions but it’s just a step… it’s time for the President

and all of our governors to do the right thing and end this family-destroying, unjust and cruel

scourge once and for all.”


You can watch the full video on YouTube here.


Learn more about the Pen to Right History and how you can help at www.lastprisonerproject.org/pen.


About Last Prisoner Project

The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cannabis-related criminal

justice reform with the goal of releasing every last cannabis prisoner and helping them rebuild their

lives. As the United States moves away from the criminalization of cannabis, giving rise to a major

new industry, there remains the fundamental injustice inflicted upon those who have suffered under

America's unjust policy of cannabis prohibition. Through intervention, advocacy, and awareness

campaigns, the Last Prisoner Project works to redress the past and continuing harms of these

inhumane and ineffective laws and policies. Visit www.lastprisonerproject.org or text FREEDOM to

24365 to donate and learn more.


About McCann Worldgroup

McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global creative solutions company. The company is united across 100+ countries by a mission to help brands earn a

meaningful role in people's lives. McCann Worldgroup was named the world's most creatively

effective marketing services company by The Effie Awards for 2022 for the fourth consecutive year.

The core Worldgroup network is comprised of McCann, MRM, CRAFT, and FutureBrand, and

partners with Momentum Worldwide, Weber Shandwick and UM to deliver solutions across the

entire marketing spectrum.


Contact:

Scott Berwitz, SVP, Corporate Communications, McCann Worldgroup

+1-917-447-3000

scott.berwitz@mccann.com


By Stephen Post 25 Oct, 2024
The U.S. Sentencing Commission's recent data confirms a significant impact on federal sentencing, with over 4,800 drug trafficking sentences reduced due to retroactive applications of Amendments 821 Part A and Part B. These guideline adjustments are not only numbers on paper but represent lives changed, giving hope to thousands of individuals who have endured excessively harsh sentences under outdated guidelines. The Commission's two-part reform—both amendments effective as of November 2023—addresses issues related to criminal history points in distinct ways: Part A : Focused on reducing “status points,” which add to the criminal history score if someone was under any criminal justice sentence at the time of the offense. With this change, over 2,200 people had their sentences reduced. Part B : Applied a two-level downward adjustment for those with zero criminal history points. This amendment brought relief to more than 2,600 additional individuals with low-level offenses, reflecting a fairer approach toward individuals without a prior criminal record. In practical terms, these amendments acknowledge the importance of individualized sentencing by recognizing that a history of minor offenses or even prior cannabis convictions should not result in lengthy incarcerations. Last Prisoner Project (LPP) has long championed these reforms, advocating for those unjustly sentenced under the harsh legacies of the war on drugs. In fact, when the U.S. Sentencing Commission invited public comments on these changes, LPP was among the voices calling for leniency in cannabis-related cases. One of our own constituents, Clarence Adams , experienced the tangible impact of these changes firsthand. After filing for a reduction, Clarence saw his sentence reduced by a year, moving his release date up to February 2026. Yet, our work for his full freedom continues. His story is one of thousands—showing how unjust enhancements have extended sentences far beyond reason. These sentencing changes reflect a shift toward fairness, but there is still more to be done. The Last Prisoner Project urges President Biden to exercise his clemency power to free Clarence and others still incarcerated for cannabis offenses. Through our #Countdown4Clemency campaign, we’re calling on the President to grant immediate clemency, correcting the wrongs of outdated drug policies with the stroke of a pen. For more on these amendments and their impact, read the full U.S. Sentencing Commission report here . Join us in our fight for full freedom for all cannabis prisoners—because a reduced sentence is just the beginning.
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We are thrilled to share the wonderful news of Marques Eiland's release after serving 17 months of a 2.5-year sentence for a non-violent cannabis charge. Marques is now reunited with his three children, including his daughter, with whom he shared a heartfelt moment on his first day of freedom. Reflecting on his release, Marques expressed his gratitude saying, "The first day of the rest of my life. Thanks to Last Prisoner Project for all of the support!" Marques has faced numerous challenges during his time behind bars, but his strength and determination never wavered. In his own words, he described his incarceration as a learning experience, despite the feelings of powerlessness it brought. "Everything I’ve been through will just be part of the great story that I will have in the future. I’ve been through the most, but it did not break me. This is just fuel for the jet. I will take off eventually." For Marques, incarceration wasn’t just a sentence—it was an eye-opening experience. He shared how difficult it was to be away from his children and to navigate the harsh realities of prison life saying, "It’s a letdown if you have kids out there. Every day is a test. It’s all about having a strong mind." Now that Marques is free, he is focused on rebuilding his life. Last Prisoner Project has approved him for a reentry grant, which he hopes will provide some relief as he gets back on his feet. Marques’ release is not only a victory for him and his family but a reminder of the importance of continuing to advocate for those still behind bars for non-violent cannabis offenses. We celebrate this new chapter in his life and look forward to supporting him as he moves forward. Welcome home, Marques!
By Stephen Post 07 Oct, 2024
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