NEW YORK – The Last Prisoner Project’s (LPP) inaugural Journey to Justice Gala, marking the organization’s 5-Year Anniversary has added honored guests NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson and Eddie & Wendy Essefo of the Real Housewives franchise, along with comedian and actor Guy Torry who will serve as the evening’s MC. The milestone event taking place on Tuesday, September 24 at New York’s Sony Hall will celebrate the organization’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 movement.
Each gala table will include one place setting honoring an incarcerated cannabis prisoner who cannot attend – accompanied by their photo and story as well as a QR code that will allow guests to donate commissary funds directly to that individual.
The evening will also honor LPP constituents who have returned home and are using their freedom to advocate for others. Presenters include Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, Damian & Stephen Marley, Fab Five Freddy, JoJo Simmons, and Jason Flom. Additionally, guests will be treated to musical performances by M-1 and Umi of dead prez, the Chris Johnson String Quartet, and founding member of Public Enemy, Keith Shocklee.
“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.”
The premier sponsor for the event is HBI International, established independent and international producers of the RAW brand of plant-based rolling papers and innovative smoking accessories. In total, RAW has contributed $200,000 to LPP’s reentry grant program which has generated profound impacts on individuals who have recently been released from incarceration on cannabis-related charges.
The evening 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 our 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.
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 their sponsors RAW, Dutchie, Goodwin, DeLisioso, Wana Foundation, Edie Parker, The Travel Agency, iAnthus, Pax, Redemption Foundation, Jeeter, Weedmaps, GTI, Cultivated CBD, 3isfor, Nomad Strategies, Primitiv, and Ethos 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.
