Your Support Is Radiating Across The Country

Thank you for giving me the resources I need to do this work

By asha bandele DPA is fighting to build a powerful movement to end the drug war. With your help, we have recruited new allies, empowered longtime advocates, and changed hearts and minds to promote new drug policies based on the values you and I hold dear. This fight is at the heart of DPAs Movement Building Team. Our vision is to unite all of our allies those working on issues like racial justice, public health, criminal justice reform, drug education, marijuana law reform, and human rights behind our work to end the drug war. We channel your support to fund, mentor, train and provide resources to dozens of local and national organizations. And we challenge other prominent organizations across the political spectrum to take up our fight. We persistently connect the dots of drug policy issues for people and organizations coming to drug policy reform from their own experience. I truly believe that everyone is a drug policy reformer. Most people just dont know it yet. By building this movement, we have more than tripled the number of states where DPA is directly fighting for reform, and we have connected fellow reformers with others around the country with whom they can strategize their next campaign. For instance, my colleague Yolande Cadore has worked diligently with faith leaders to address the racial injustices of the drug war. She arranged for Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann and DPA Board member Rev. Edwin Sanders to lead a meeting of senior pastors to plan an exit strategy to the war on drugs at the highly-regarded Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, a gathering of hundreds of influential African-American faith leaders. This is (continued on next page)

I truly believe that everyone is a drug policy reformer. Most people just dont know it yet.
asha bandele

www.drugpolicy.org

the second year that we have worked with the conference planners to make sure that drug war issues took center stage in front of this crucial audience. On a personal note, having worked with this team since its inception two years ago and having directed DPAs Advocacy Grants Program for eight years I am profoundly moved by where our work is going and growing, because ultimately what it means is this: we are walking hand in hand with powerful new partners to win onceunthinkable victories in the movement to end the drug war. We are putting your donations to work combatting stereotypes, distortions and even outright lies. We are being guided instead by justice and compassion. We are saving lives and building the sort of society all of us need and deserve. Thank you for giving me the resources I need to do this work.

Above: DPA supporters at a rally in Los Angeles.

Help Us Make The Most of The Momentum Join The Reformers Club
These are extraordinary and extraordinarily urgent days for our movement. And the Drug Policy Alliance has you to thank for the progress weve made toward drug policy reform. We need your help now more than ever and becoming a member of the Reformers Club is a convenient way for you to make an even bigger difference. Commit to giving an amount thats right for you $10, $25, or more and well deduct it from your account each month. Its that easy. Joining the Reformers Club means no more checks to write, stamps to buy, or remembering whether or not you made a gift. And well send you less mail and email and put those extra resources to work faster. To sign up today, visit drugpolicy.org/donate or call 212.613.8031.

www.drugpolicy.org