Carri Twigg Headshot
Photo Courtesy: Carri Twigg
A Former Special Assistant to President Obama and Director of Public Engagement for Vice President Joe Biden, Carri Twigg is a leading cannabis social justice warrior. Twigg is a founding organizer of Possible Plan, one of the first brand agnostic foundations working for equitable access and reparatory justice in the marijuana industry.
Carri is a Social Justice Warrior. She fights injustice and she does this with every fiber of her being. Carri is charged with attempting to identify the incongruities pertaining to some really sensitive issues in the legal cannabis industry. She is smashing stereotypes and she calls attention to certain racial disparities in drug laws. Carri is a brawler. You have to have tough skin to take on adversity of this level. To take on the status-quo, it’s required to have the guts of bar-fighter in a room brawlers. She is not going to sit by and watch others take advantage of the past to benefit their own success. She never will forget the bad-old-days of jails filled with people of color, charged and convicted for minor cannabis violations.
We have to do better!
She’s tough! Thank you. WB
Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about your path to social justice in the cannabis world? I live in NJ and have been negatively impacted by the antiquated laws of the land, how do you fight this stigma and what do you propose can be done to stop this arrest and incarceration for insignificant weight?
Carri Twigg=CT: I have worked at various intersections of justice for my adult life and career. As the discussions of transforming our criminal justice system has gathered steam over the last few years, one of the clearest and most obvious disparities has been in our drug laws. The fact that we have a burgeoning legal cannabis industry that is accruing billions of dollars in value to a small group of people while others are still being prosecuted at alarmingly high and disproportionate rates, and are currently sitting in a jail cell or prison, is so obviously unjust and painful that it’s hard to ignore. In fact, it’s our responsibility to do something to immediately address this critically pressing issue.
The direct result of our drug laws is a complete intergenerational disruption for black and brown communities who have disproportionately received the brunt of a failed war on drugs. However, while we have seen communities of color negatively impacted by outdated drug laws, a group of predominantly white men has gained massive amounts of intergenerational wealth – this vast disparity demands our collective attention. This is largely in generalities of course, but it’s backed up by statistics reported by law enforcement, leading community-based organizations and those tracking the business of cannabis.
It’s clear that we need a major focus on legalization as well as a reparatory approach to right the wrongs of the past. As states legalize the cannabis industry, it’s paramount that they include comprehensive expungement policies, meaningful inclusion, equity & access measures and pathways for those who participated in the legacy marketplace to be included in the soon-to-be multi-billion dollar legal marketplace.
WB: Where are you from? What did you want to be when you “grew up”? What expectations did your parents have of you?
CT: I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. My mom’s family has been in Ohio for generations, my father grew up in Barbados and immigrated to the US in the 70’s. From the time I was very young, I wanted to be deeply involved in politics and government, specifically to work in the White House. Something I accomplished in my 20’s during the Obama Administration. My parents have always emphasized the importance of being engaged in civic life and expected that my siblings and I live lives that were concerned with promoting the welfare and wellbeing of others.
WB: Do you cook? If so, what kind of things do you cook to feel less impacted by your work? Who taught you to cook? Mother? Father? Do you have a favorite restaurant? Where? What kind of food?
CT: I do! I love to cook. As I became an adult, taking the time to make something with my hands became an important part of my day. So much of my work is emails and phone calls driving outcomes that may not come to fruition for weeks, months or maybe years. So, being able to begin and complete a meal is delightful. My father taught me to cook. Growing up he made all of our meals at home. There are many restaurants that I love – but abcV here in New York is a favorite. Its plant-based, non-GMO, sustainable, artisanal and organic whenever possible. The food is sourced locally and globally from small and family farms. They make beautiful, delicious food that reaffirms my connection to the ecological process.
WB: What obstacles do you see in your path? How would you recommend removing those obstacles? What is your six month and one-year plan?
CT: Possible Plan (www.PossiblePlan.org) is beginning at the dawn of a new industry. While it’s growing rapidly, there is still time to prompt the leaders of this industry to pause and ask themselves important questions about what this industry will be, what will be the culture and narrative of the industry and how will those most impacted by prohibition benefit from the growing cannabis economy.
To us, those questions start with: Who has been harmed in the run up to us now being able to make this money? What is our responsibility to those who have been criminalized, their lives derailed, their families torn apart? How can we build an industry with responsibility and humanity and interdependence at its core? That’s a new way of thinking for a lot of the leaders in this industry. Bringing them into the conversation in a thoughtful and engaged way may prove difficult. But I’m hopeful.
Over the course of the next six months to one year, we will be emphasizing the vast scope of harm that has been done and start demonstrating that meaningful positive impact can be made. They should join us in ensuring that those most impacted by cannabis prohibition are centered and prioritized. Ultimately, we are working toward collectively building an inclusive era of cannabis, one where we are moving from a painful past to a future of possibility.
WB: What is your passion?
CT:I am passionate about the American experiment. About actualizing the profound and lofty ideals of this country. I strongly believe that in order for us to do that, our society has to continually push itself to be more just, more equitable and more welcoming. Whether through policy, governance or cultural values, I’m passionate about who we are as a society and how we create the country and world that we know is indeed possible.