POWER PLAYERS: MPP’S STEVEN HAWKINS ON THE FUTURE OF EQUITY
Marijuana Policy Project is having a landmark year.
That wasn’t necessarily the expectation. When Steven Hawkins joined as executive director in Summer 2018, MPP was under a cloud following past allegations of sexual harassment against founder and executive director Rob Kampia. The group also confronted questions about its role in the post-prohibition era.
In this presidential election year, MPP had a “dream map” of ballot initiatives and other legalization efforts on the table. The pandemic truncated much of that and delayed legislative REC pushes in New York and elsewhere. (Nonetheless, it appears MPP-backed efforts in Montana(REC), South Dakota (REC) and Nebraska(MED) reached the ballot.)
MPP is generally considered an industry ally. But Hawkins, who has held senior roles at Amnesty International and the NAACP, emphasizes legalization as a civil rights issue. He’s now guiding the organization at a moment when the American public may be receptive to the idea as never before. When we caught up last week, he discussed how MPP views cannabis equity, the true cost of criminalization and the coming “radical transformation” of police work.
On Wednesday, MPP hosts virtual conference: “Reimagining Justice: Race, Cannabis and Policing.“
Related:
- MPP was involved in Illinois’ equity law, which some advocates consider the best in the U.S. thus far.
MJBiz - Equity entrepreneurs agreed to drop a lawsuit against Los Angeles, after the city revised its licensing guidelines. ????WW California has more.
Los Angeles Times - Facing economic pressures, Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s Executive Director Betty Aldworth and deputy director Stacia Willis said they would lay themselves off.
