Deon Haywood
Deon Haywood is the Executive Director of Women With A Vision, Inc., a New Orleans-based community organization founded in 1991 to improve the lives of marginalized women, their families, and communities by addressing the social conditions that hinder their health and well-being. Since Hurricane Katrina, she has led the organization to a vibrant locally-rooted international network addressing the complex intersection of socio-economic injustices and health disparities.
Presentations from Facing Race 2014
Marijuana, Racism, and the Future of Reform
In 2010, there were over 1.6 million drug-related arrests in the U.S. – nearly half of which were for marijuana possession alone, making marijuana a primary focus of drug-related law enforcement activities. Blacks and Latinos are arrested at much higher rates than whites in every region, even though whites, Blacks and Latinos use marijuana at similar rates. There is now growing momentum for reform, particularly in the U.S. South, but how can marijuana policy reform address the legacies of racism and social control central to the war on drugs? Panelists will discuss the current state of reform, outline proposals to incorporate racial justice into reform efforts and identify opportunities for promoting racial equity and effective drug policies.
Speakers: gabriel sayegh, Deon Haywood, Ana Yáñez-Correa, Kenneth Glasgow