Protests Amidst Pandemic Create Opportunities for Reform
Soo Bin Ahn • June 16, 2020
In the midst of a global pandemic the state-sanctioned murder of George Floyd reignited protests and calls for racial justice in municipalities across the nation. While systemic racism permeates every American institution, mass incarceration, fueled by the War on Drugs, is perhaps the most troubling example of the deep-rooted anti-Blackness that pervades the justice system decried by the current protests.
The War on Drugs started during the Nixon administration in the 1970’s and was messaged to the public as a push for safety and a means to reduce crime rates. However, the War on Drugs and the ensuing laws and tough on crime policies were targeted at the Black community. Although this underlying racial animus was evident by the disproportionate effect drug laws had on the Black community, this nefarious intent was made explicit by Nixon aid, John Ehrlichman – who outright stated: “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the [Vietnam] war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and the blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”
The rhetoric voiced by Ehrlichman has carried through to the year 2020 and the “mythology of Black criminology” still stands. At the same time that wealthy, white Americans are profiting off of the legal marijuana industry, the criminalization of cannabis is simultaneously being used as a pretext to harass people of color, and in many cases to kill them. In 2018, 40%
of the 1.65 million total drug arrests in the U.S. that year were for marijuana. Of those marijuana arrests, 92% were for possession and 8% were for selling or manufacturing. The ACLU
has estimated that Black people are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested than their white counterparts for marijuana despite roughly the same usage. Meanwhile in 2018, Washington State alone made $317 million dollars
in taxes from the same exact drug. Even with the legalization of weed in many states, enforcing marijuana laws cost about 3.6 billion dollars a year. The United States is spending billions of dollars a year to enforce laws to eliminate weed use despite the upward trend in legalization.
At the same time that our country is reckoning with the racism entrenched in our justice system, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is forcing the United States to grapple with mitigating the spread of an infectious disease among the largest incarcerated population globally. With the coronavirus exposing the deep inadequacies of the social safety net, the intersections of race, socioeconomic status, gender, age, etc. coalesce and implode within the realm of the criminal justice system. Specifically, incarceration facilities serve as hotbeds of the pandemic. Prone to overcrowding, with inaccessibility to healthcare and hygiene,
the high foot traffic
throughout such facilities serve to exacerbate the spread of the virus—now with the additional influx of mass arrests from the protests for Black lives.
Though COVID-19 response measures have been taken to decrease populations in incarcerated facilities, the arrests of protestors are serving as a counteractive force. Both the protesters and the public at large are placed at grave risk by police tactics that oppose the expertise of public health officials. Detained by the masses, “kettling” and detention, in general, forces protesters into confined areas that make social distancing an impossibility. Additionally, the violent uses of tear gas and pepper spray cause coughing in such spaces and create conditions in which people may need to take their masks off to breathe or to receive immediate medical treatment.
In the last weeks, over 10,000 protesters—many non-violent—have been held in detention, without access to running water or proper sanitation. Many are arguing that all low-level and non-violent offenders should be given a citation rather than be placed in detention during a viral outbreak, creating dire risks for public health. However, even before the latest mass protests and calls for reform, advocates have been calling for reform. Although varied, with state facilities trailing the response
and results of their local counterparts, efforts such as statewide emergency bail schedules (eliminating bail for low-level felony offenses and misdemeanors); authorization of the release of people in pretrial detention for nonviolent offenses; conducting special hearings to release more people from local jails; among others, have brought about the reform that activists have long pushed for. Now, the added calls for broader, systemic reform in light of continued police brutality and killings of Black Americans, may represent the greatest opportunity for real change to our justice system in our lifetime.
The overpopulated criminal justice system has disproportionately affected Black Americans and people of color. The successful carceral reform, in response to the pandemic, can serve as empirical support in envisioning incarceration in a post-COVID world. Lucy Lang, former Manhattan assistant district attorney and current head of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, remarked that the “emergency could be the spark that leads to innovation.” Looking toward a post-pandemic America, like-minded activists are proposing to capitalize on this moment in time to establish a new system that emphasizes the approach of restorative justice. With recommendations such as community policing, violence interrupters, reduced sentencing, bail reform, fairer parole policies, and decreased usage of solitary confinement, the future of criminal justice reform holds tremendous capacity for change.
Featuring Carmelo Anthony, Omari Hardwick, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, and other cultural icons, the NYC event united artists, advocates, and changemakers to advance cannabis justice.
NEW YORK, NY – September 24, 2025 – The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) will host its sold-out second annual Journey to Justice Gala on Wednesday, October 15, at Sony Hall in New York City, bringing together artists, advocates, and supporters to celebrate progress toward ending the War on Cannabis. This year’s gala will spotlight the resilience of individuals directly impacted by cannabis incarceration, sharing their stories through powerful performances and heartfelt tributes. Special guests include NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony , co-founder of Grand National with Jesce Horton, and Brandon “Beedy” Pierce—an agency supporting LPP. Also in attendance will be NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson , Eddie, and Dr. Wendy Osefo of The Real Housewives of Potomac , and comedian and actor Guy Torry , who will serve as the evening’s MC. Additional guests include Jason Flom , Khaliah Ali , and Fab 5 Freddy . The night will also feature a live performance by Joy Oladokun and Bartees Strange and a DJ set by Keith Shocklee , founding member of Public Enemy. “I’m just thrilled to lend a voice to such a noble cause, so that everyone who supports Happy Eddie through purchasing my products will know that no one should be in prison for something that is now legal in many states,” said Eddie Osefo, owner of Happy Eddie . “As we come together as a community to celebrate and advocate for criminal justice reform and lessening social stigmas around cannabis, we must remember to support organizations like LPP that provide prisoner support initiatives aiming to improve the lives of incarcerated constituents by providing them with financial and emotional support during their time behind bars." The gala will honor LPP constituents who have returned home and are now advocating for others. Award recipients include Mario Ramos , who served 13 months for cannabis before opening his New York City dispensary, Conbud, and Deshaun Durham , granted clemency by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly last year, who now champions reform efforts. The evening will also recognize the work of LPP’s Cannabis Justice Initiative (CJI) , which has saved constituents more than 350 years of unjust sentences, including seven life sentences. Additional honorees include Leonel Villaseñor and Jose Sepulveda, two federal clemency recipients who returned home earlier this year. Stephanie Shepard, who served a 10-year federal sentence and is now Board Chairwoman and Director of Advocacy at Last Prisoner Project , said, “The Journey to Justice Gala is a powerful celebration of freedom and the lives forever changed through our work. This year, we’re honored to uplift several of our formerly incarcerated constituents—like DeShaun Durham, who is now thriving and leading in his community after years behind bars for cannabis. Your attendance helps us raise the critical funds needed to support more stories like his. Join us for a night of purpose, progress, and people power.” Proceeds from the sold-out event will directly support Last Prisoner Project’s legal, policy, and reentry programs, ensuring their longevity and impact. Last Prisoner Project thanks its sponsors — Goodwin, DeLisioso, Gotham, Grand National, General Hydroponics, Vladick, Raskin and Clark, Edie Parker, Free My Weedman, Happy Eddie, Primitiv, GTI, iAnthus, ConBud, Ethos Cannabis, BATCH, PuffCo, Sweed, and Ben and Jerry’s— for making this evening possible. Additional thanks go to newly added sponsors Dutchie, Ayrloom, Emerald Dispensary, Flower Mill, 3isFor, and Canopy USA. For more information or to view sponsorship packages, visit the Last Prisoner Project Gala website. For Media Inquiries: Will Mesinger, West End Strategy Team wmesinger@westendstrategy.com | LPP@westendstrategy.com
Wednesday, October 15 at Sony Hall in New York City Notable Guests Include Carmelo Anthony, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, Dr. Wendy & Eddie Osefo, Fab 5 Freddy, Jason Flom & Khaliah Ali, Donte West, Keith Shocklee and Studdah Man of Public Enemy, and Guy Torry with a Performance by Joy Oladokun PURCHASE TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION
