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| Friend, When I started as DPA’s Interim Executive Director in February I could never have imagined what this year would bring. We’re living through an unprecedented global pandemic that has dramatically affected our everyday lives and brought the weaknesses and inequities of our current drug policies into sharper relief. We’re bearing witness to police killings and mass social uprisings in response to systemic racism and state violence. And yet, we have carried on doing all we can to advance reform while addressing these crises – which has reinforced why our work to end the drug war is so essential. As I reflect on my last day here, I’m heartened by the brilliance, dedication, and passion of the staff at DPA. They’ve gracefully risen to challenge after challenge while never losing sight of the people we serve, our mission, and the larger struggle for justice. Even in the most trying times, DPA’s success should come as no surprise. Over the last twenty years, DPA has made history with incredible victories moving drug policy reform from the fringes to the mainstream while continuing to push for justice. Now DPA is beginning its next chapter and I’m confident in where Kassandra Frederique will lead us when she starts as Executive Director next Tuesday, on September 8. Before Kassandra had even decided to take this job, we got together and I was inspired by her energy, expertise, authenticity, and bold vision. I quickly realized why people call her a powerhouse and knew that she was the leader that DPA was looking for and would be lucky to have. Her story at DPA began eleven years ago as an intern on our New York policy team. She’s risen through the organization and become an architect of innovative campaigns to expand the debate around the impacts of policing, the importance of legalizing marijuana with social and racial justice at the forefront, engaging municipalities and state legislatures in comprehensive harm reduction strategies, and the breadth of the overdose crisis within communities of color. The entire drug policy reform movement has benefitted from her insight and creativity as an advocate, her ability to connect with those most affected by the drug war, and her inspiring leadership style. Please watch this video where we welcome her as our Executive Director working alongside our Board of Directors and new Board President Derek Hodel. As DPA turns the page with Kassandra at the helm and with continued help from you, I know we’ll keep making unparalleled progress even during this unprecedented moment in history. Thank you, Richard Burns Interim Executive Director Drug Policy Alliance |
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