2015-2016 Annual Report 14 320 4312 Countries Campuses Student Activists
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2015-2016 Annual Report 14 320 4312 Countries Campuses Student activists 135 532 3326 Policy change initiatives Attendees at #SSDP2016 Actions recorded in the Chapter Activity Tracker 674 48 & 4% 86 One-on-one support Members who identify as Students preparing to conversations with students women & genderqueer become peer educators 2 Dear Supporter, In 1998, a few dozen students who had been chatting online became the first cohort of Students for Sensible Drug Policy: members of the DARE generation who understood the broad failures of the drug war and sought each other out to raise their voices against a broken system and start making sense. Since that time, we’ve expanded our presence to more than 300 campuses in 14 countries and have mobilized tens of thousands of young people to advocate for a more sensible approach to drug laws. Countless policy reforms led or supported by SSDPers now protect people from punishment if they call for help during an overdose, help students access education regardless of drug citations, and provide safe access to cannabis for adult or medical use. In 1998, emerging technology provided a rudimentary platform from which we collaborated and debated instantly across a small network of campuses. Now it unmasks, for us all to see, the inhumane horrors wrought by the vast and tentacled drug war from Ferguson to Manila. We’re still fighting the stigma and racism that fueled the drug war 18 years ago, but now we fight with new allies who understand that the War on Drugs is a tool for systemic bias and marginalization of young people, poor people, and people of color. In the past year we have been inspired to focus on the intersectional nature of our work by emerging movements and the growing number of students joining us from outside the United States, as you’ll note when reading about UNGASS, the international program, and investment in anti-racism and inclusivity. We’ve taken a fresh look at how technology can support advocacy and built tools for the modern activist, responded to the desperate need for qualified drug education on campus with Just Say Know, and pulled our elders closer in the Alumni Association. From this report, you’ll get a sense of what makes SSDP so unique and effective. Like you, our passion and sense of purpose are continually stoked by the dynamic, thoughtful, and forward-thinking members of SSDP family. We’re eager to work with you to inspire young leaders like those highlighted in this report in the years to come. Your investment in SSDP is an investment in the future, and brings us closer to our goal of ending the drug war. Stay sensible, Lauren Mendelsohn ‘09, Chair of the Board of Directors Betty Aldworth, Executive Director 3 SSDP Staff Betty Aldworth Jake Agliata ‘11 Tyler Williams ‘11 Colin Fitzgibbon ‘11 Executive Director Regional Outreach Regional Outreach Florida Coordinator Coordinator Campus Coordinator Stacia Cosner ‘05* Scott Cecil ‘10 Emory Basso ‘12 Oliver Zerrudo ‘15 Deputy Director Regional Outreach Operations and California Coordinator Administration Associate Campus Coordinator Lauren Padgett Frances Fu ‘11 Austin Davis Development Officer Regional Outreach Massachusetts Coordinator Campus Coordinator *Throughout this report and on our website, you’ll notice a year following many names. This indicates the first year that 4 a person got involved with SSDP. Think of it as an alum’s “SSDP Class of” year. Boards of Directors & Trustees Betty Aldworth** Eric Gudz ‘14** Kayvan Khalatbari* Kat Murti ‘09** Katie Stone ‘09 Ex Officio Vice Chair, Board of Directors Denver Relief Consulting Cato Institute University of California University of California Davis Davis Monique Chavez ‘14 Shawn Heller ‘98* Kris Krane ‘98* Vilmarie Narloch, PsyD ‘09 Shaleen Title ‘02* Secretary, Board of Directors Treasurer, Board of 4Front Advisors Roosevelt University THC Staffing Group University of New Mexico Trustees School of Law Kevin Garcia Randy Hencken ‘05* Lauren Mendelsohn ‘09** Evan Nison ‘05 Sara Velimirovic Florida International Chair, Board of Trustees Chair, Board of Directors Terra Tech Corp Paris School of Interna- University Seasteading Institute University of California tional Affairs of Sciences Irvine Law School Po Dan Goldman ‘99* Eric Hogensen ‘99* Sarah Merrigan Jeremy Sharp Jane West* Vice Chair, Board of HSG Campaigns University of Nebraska University of North JaneWest.com Trustees Omaha Georgia Miranda Gottlieb ‘15 Stephanie Izquieta ‘13 Reid Murdoch ‘13 Eric Sterling ‘98** University of Tennessee SUNY Binghamton University of Michigan Criminal Justice Policy Law School Foundation *Member of the Board of Trustees ** Member of both the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors 5 Events With content envisioned and the challenges of emerging developed almost exclusively by cannabis industries, drug education students, #SSDP2016 delivered in the modern era, oppression six plenaries and 30 sessions from and privilege in the drug war and 100 students, authors, experts, and reform movement, and the global leaders in the drug policy reform conversation driven by UNGASS. movement. From this foundation, the 532 particpants educated, inspired, We celebrated our contributions to and empowered each other. drug policy reform during the awards ceremony and dance party. Perhaps The SSDP2016 program provided most importantly, we created the classic skills training in community bonds that will keep us pushing organizing, policy change, and forward until the drug war has education. It also took a direct look been replaced by policies rooted in at the most pressing issues facing evidence, compassion, justice, and the drug policy reform movement: human rights. Save the date for SSDP2017: March 24-26 in Portland, Oregon! SSDP2016 6 UNGASS April’s United Nations General During the session, more than 30 Assembly Special Session on the SSDPers and youth allies observed world drug problem provided a the proceedings and represented the unique opportunity for the global youth voice through interventions and community to debate the outcomes intensive social media engagement. of the international drug control UNGASS should have been an conventions and country-level inclusive, impartial venue to discuss responses to drug control. much-needed reforms in global drug policy. Instead, youth were On April 18th, the eve of this historic ignored and insulted by supporters session, SSDP vibrantly lifted the of the status quo, sparking our voices of young people outside #GrowUpOrShutUp campaign. the UN. We bused more than 150 Nevertheless, we also witnessed how SSDP students, alumni, and allies fragile the global drug consensus has from SSDP2016 to New York City become. As we prepare for the next for a youth-led open soap box special session in 2019, SSDP will demonstration. Young people spoke continue pushing to ensure that the out against the drug war by sharing voices of young people are at the front personal stories, spoken word art, of the discussions around global drug reflections, and calls to action. policy reform. 7 Events NovemberNovember 2015 2015 FebruaryDate 2016 Date ModelModel UNGASS UNGASS Irish3rd Annual SSDP During the 2015 Reform conference, 60 SSDP students created a Conference two-dayDuring Modelthe 2015 UN-style Reform simulation conference, of theSSDPEvent upcoming students UNGASS. participated Title SSDP Irish SSDP membersin a two-day selected Model a nationUN style to simulationrepresent andof April’s developed United research Nations Sixty students gathered in documents,General Assembly with the Special advice Sessionof leaders on inthe theLorem World global Drugipsum reform Problem dolor movement, Cork,Regional Ireland in February for Around 60 students gathered exploringexpoloring(UNGASS). its its Studentsdrug drug policies policies each and pickedand positions. positions. a country Threesit Three toamet, represent,committees committees consectetur studied deliberat delib - - the 3rd annual SSDP regional in Cork, Ireland in February ederatedup throughout on throughout the drug the policies firstthe first session; and session; positions on the on of thesecond those second countriesday allday delegatesall towards delegates held a conference hosted in Ireland. adipiscing elit. for the 3rd SSDP regional Generalheldthe ainternational General Assembly Assembly sessiondrug conventions, session to debate to debate andand votewere and on placed vote a final on in a oneoutcome final of out -doc- Irish students presented conferences hosted in Ireland. umentcomethree document whichcommittees recommended which on therecommended first sensible day to revisions sensiblevote on recommendationstorevisions policies to impacting policies the reports on their chapters’ ac- The conference featured Irish moneyimpactingcommittees laundering, money would laundering, environmentally present to environmentally the General degrading Assembly. degradingeradication On eradication the practices, second tivities over the past year and students presenting reports cannabis,practices, andcannabis, harm andreduction harm reductionfor injection for drug injection users. drug users. expert speakers discussed top- icson suchtheir aschapter’s medical activities marijua - na,over naloxone, the past year,nightlife along harm reduction,with several and expert environmental speakers harmwho discussed reduction. topics Following such as themedical conference marijuana, programming, naloxone, studentsnightlife harm engaged reduction, in a public and awarenessenvironmental action harm in support reduc- of thetion.