NEW YORK – The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) will host its inaugural Journey to Justice Gala to mark the organization’s 5-Year Anniversary on Tuesday, September 24 at Sony Hall in New York City. The milestone event will celebrate the LPP’s progress toward justice made for those impacted by cannabis convictions and honor the resilience and determination of the individuals, families, and communities involved in this transformative movement for freedom.
The evening will honor LPP constituents who have returned home and are using their freedom to advocate for others. Presenters include Damian & Stephen Marley, Fab Five Freddy, M1 of Dead Prez, Jason Flom, and more to be announced. Additionally, Keith Shocklee, a founding member of legendary hip hop group Public Enemy, will be performing.
“I am incredibly proud of the progress LPP has made in the fight for cannabis justice over the past five years, securing freedom for individuals incarcerated for cannabis offenses and reforming unjust drug laws,” said Sarah Gersten, LPP’s Executive Director. “In addition to our legal and policy work, we have directly assisted hundreds of impacted families through our reentry program, enabling them to reunite and rebuild their lives. This gala marks a pivotal moment in our journey, celebrating the progress we’ve achieved and renewing our commitment to creating a just and equitable future for all.”
Along with the honorees, the night will also acknowledge the work of the multinational law firm, Goodwin. Since June 2020, Goodwin has proudly partnered with Last Prisoner Project to contribute more than 6,000 hours of pro bono legal representation as part of LPP’s Cannabis Justice Initiative (CJI), which seeks justice for individuals incarcerated under unduly harsh cannabis laws nationwide. CJI has resulted in reducing over 100 years of prison time for its constituents, including the early release of Andy Cox, who was serving a life sentence and who will be honored at the event.
Also to be honored at the gala, LPP constituent Richard DeLisi, who was one of the longest-serving nonviolent cannabis prisoners in United States history, serving 32 years. Since LPP helped free Richard, the DeLisi family has impacted millions of families across the globe through their cannabis brand, DeLisioso, shining a much-needed light on the family members affected by the incarceration of their loved ones and contributing resources required to free victimless cannabis prisoners around the world.
The premier sponsor for the evening is HBI International, established independent and international producers of the RAW® brand of plant-based rolling papers and innovative smoking accessories. Last year, RAW contributed $100,000 to LPP’s reentry grant program which has profoundly impacted individuals who have recently been released from incarceration on cannabis-related charges.
LPP Board Member, Mutulu “M-1” Olugbala of Dead Prez, said, “To have an organization like Last Prisoner Project helping people get the facts about existing cannabis injustices and doing this work of storytelling to put a human face to the stats; it’s powerful. I could be anywhere on the frontlines of the revolution, but I believe this is the front to fight because the hypocrisy is clear. We must celebrate the freedom we have won to energize our fight moving forward.”
All proceeds from the evening will go directly to LPP’s legal, policy, and reentry services to ensure the longevity and sustainability of these programs.
LPP is grateful for the support of initial sponsors Goodwin, Delisioso, RAW, and Edie Parker, who have helped make this night and their work possible.
ABOUT LAST PRISONER PROJECT
The Last Prisoner Project is dedicated to freeing those incarcerated due to the War on Drugs, reuniting their families, and helping them rebuild their lives. As laws change, there remains a fundamental injustice for individuals whose conviction is no longer a crime. We work to repair these harms through legal intervention, constituent support, direct advocacy, and policy change.
