New York – Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is pleased to announce that Jason Ortiz will serve as the organization’s new Director of Strategic Initiatives.
Jason has been on the frontlines of the cannabis equity movement, and as a a founder and President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, Jason led efforts to create model cannabis equity policies at the state and municipal levels.
In his recent role as Executive Director with Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), Jason pushed federal drug reform by leading an act of civil disobedience at the White House that demanded pardons for those in federal prison for cannabis crimes. He also mobilized a National Federal Lobby Day in DC advocating for cannabis prisoner release, increased accessibility to psychedelic research, and pushed the Department of Education to allow harm reduction on college campuses. In addition to participating in both of these events, LPP worked with Jason to successfully pass prisoner release legislation (HB6787) through the Connecticut House of Representatives.
Jason will also use his deep knowledge of the drug policy space to help LPP assess new opportunities for strategic growth. As more jurisdictions decriminalize other substances LPP has the opportunity to leverage the model they have successfully built for cannabis criminal justice reform to other drugs including psychedelics.
“I became an activist because of how the criminal justice system treated me as a youth, where I narrowly avoided incarceration. I’m eager to focus all of my energy toward making sure no one is left in prison over drug crimes,” said Jason. “Freeing my community from the criminal justice system has always been my passion, and it is an honor to join a team that is focused and effective at freeing our people. With the cannabis and psychedelic industries growing at a rapid pace, my energy is most needed making sure that no one is left behind, and that is exactly what I intend to do as the newest member of the Last Prisoner Project team.”
“When the first states legalized cannabis, there were no social justice measures attached to legalization laws. It has taken years to provide even the most basic forms of retroactive relief for cannabis offenses in states that were early adopters of legalization. It is imperative that we do not repeat that mistake and ensure from the start that as we begin to legalize and regulate other drugs, and as some stand to profit from a regulated market for psychedelics, that we are also ensuring retroactive relief for those who have been unjustly impacted by the criminal legal system.” said LPP Executive Director, Sarah Gersten. “We are thrilled that Jason has come on board to help us not only fulfill our mission, but to broaden our services to meet the needs of many deserving victims of the ongoing War on Drugs.”
If you are interested in supporting LPP’s work, you can reach out to [email protected] for more information.
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.
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