Dear MoveOn member,

Sha'Carri Richardson captivated the entire nation when she won the Olympic
trials for the 100-meter sprint in her iconic orange hair and large
eyelashes and ran into the stands to find her grandmother.^1 She earned
her spot to represent our country, but the United States Anti-Doping
Agency has handed down a harsh punishment forcing her to miss the 2021
Olympic games—which is why MoveOn members and allies delivered nearly
600,000 signatures in person yesterday to demand that Sha'Carri be allowed
to run. 

Elena, a MoveOn member and runner, was excited for the upcoming Olympic
games, only to be crushed by the news that Sha'Carri was banned from
competing for an outrageous, outdated, and irrational rule around
marijuana. So she signed a MoveOn petition along with nearly
600,000 members, calling upon USADA, the International Olympic Committee,
and the World Anti-Doping Agency to let Sha'Carri run.  

And it's why Elena organized alongside Isabella and Tom to deliver the
petition to the USADA. Check out fellow MoveOn members, our partners at
NORML Colorado, state Representatives Naquetta Ricks and Jonathan Singer,
and drug policy expert Professor Santiago Guerra supporting Sha'Carri at a
run and rally in Colorado Springs, where the USADA is headquartered—an
action covered by Westword and local news station KRDO, all of which added
to the weeks of publicity which has pushed this issue and the greater
cause of rewriting our marijuana laws into the public discourse.^2,3 

[ [link removed] ][IMG]MoveOn members' demands are clear: Reverse Sha'Carri's suspension
and remove THC/marijuana from the banned substances list. Marijuana is not
a performance-enhancing drug, is legal where Sha'Carri was, and for
decades has wrongly been used to criminalize Black and brown communities. 

And we're not alone in being outraged by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's
decision. Check out some of what has transpired over the last two weeks to
support Sha'Carri: 

* Almost 600,000 MoveOn members signed the petition, the second largest
petition so far this year. 
* Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamie Raskin formally
asked the USADA to end Sha'Carri's suspension.^4
* The hashtag #LetShaCarriRun took over Twitter, with celebrities and
influencers like Debra Messing,^5 David Zirin,^6 and Adina
Porter^7^ showing their support in droves.
* The massive petition by MoveOn members was included in tons of
articles by ESPN, "The Today Show," NBC's "Nightly News," NPR, Black
Enterprise, and many more.^8,9,10,11

The fight against the criminalization of Black, brown, and
Indigenous people and communities for marijuana use continues. This week,
U.S. Senators Cory Booker, Charles Schumer, and Ron Wyden introduced
legislation that is a historic first step in undoing the harms caused by
unjust drug policies. The legislation would decriminalize weed and invest
the profits in restorative justice to individuals and communities who have
long suffered.^12 

The story of Sha'Carri Richardson is one of hope, greatness, and the power
of collective action. Together, we can keep this momentum going. [ [link removed] ]Will
you share this graphic on Twitter today to show your solidarity with
Sha'Carri Richardson?

[ [link removed] ][IMG]

Thanks for all you do.

–Isbah, Oscar, Chloe, Erik, and the rest of the team

P.S. [ [link removed] ]Don't forget: Anytime you get outraged or want members to take
collective action with you, you can start a petition here. It takes only a
few minutes and can create lasting impact. 

Sources: 

Sources: 

1. "Olympic track star Sha'Carri Richardson: Hug with grandmother was
'unforgettable,'" "TODAY," June 25, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

2. "Marijuana Supporters Rally in Colorado Springs for Sha'Carri
Richardson," Westword, July 15, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

3. "#RunforShaCarri rally & petition delivery happening at U.S.
Anti-Doping agency Thursday," KRDO, July 15, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

4. "AOC urges U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to end Sha'Carri Richardson's
suspension," Axios, July 3, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

5. Tweet by Debra Messing, July 2, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

6. Tweet by David Zirin, July 2, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

7. Tweet by Adina Porter, July 4, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

8. "'Let Sha'Carri run!' - petition for Sha'Carri Richardson to run in
Tokyo nears goal," ESPN, July 8, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

9. "Sha’Carri Richardson’s 1-month suspension means she will not compete
in Olympics," "TODAY," July 5, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

10. "Saturday Sports: Sha'Carri Richardson Suspended For Positive
Marijuana Test," NPR, July 3, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

11. "PETITION FOR SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON’S REINSTATEMENT HAS GARNERED OVER
450,000 SIGNATURES; SUSPENDED AFTER POSITIVE MARIJUANA TEST," Black
Enterprise, July 5, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

12. "Senate Democratic leaders unveil draft bill to legalize
marijuana," Roll Call, July 14, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

 


Want to support our work? Together, we made Donald Trump a one-term
president! Now, it's time to expand access to health care, fight for
citizenship for the undocumented, reform policing, and tackle the climate
crisis.

Will you chip in to power the fight for bold, progressive change?



[ [link removed] ]Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.





You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]