Friend, Happy 4/20 to all those who celebrate. Today is not only an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of Marijuana but to recommit ourselves to the campaign of restorative justice for the millions of Black and Brown people held hostage by criminal records about a plant. Over the years, we’ve made a lot of progress towards legalization – with 18 states and Washington D.C. enjoying access to recreational weed. But at the same time as these new corporate marijuana conglomerates enjoy millions in profits, others remain behind bars or are held hostage by their criminal records. Criminal records are devastating. In many states, they functionally designate you as a second-class citizen – unable to vote, denied housing or food assistance, barred from higher education subsidies, and at a significant disadvantage for gaining employment. It’s not a secret: The war on drugs has always been about race and political power. For decades, we’ve known that its original intent was a crusade against the Black community and anti-war Left. Allowing people to continue to suffer the penalties of racist policies is a choice, and it’s one that we cannot allow Biden to make. For future generations, Team Hip Hop Caucus |