Why marijuana matters, and how we can end the war on drugs. | Khadijah Tribble | TEDxMidAtlantic

Summary

In this personal and thought-provoking talk, the speaker reflects on the significance of the question 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' within the context of growing up Black and female in the South. She explores how societal limitations and the war on drugs affected the African-American community. Drawing on personal experiences, including a life-changing realization at the Kennedy School, the speaker advocates for marijuana legalization, highlighting its devastating impact on marginalized communities, and shares poignant stories of people like her father and daughter-in-law, all while emphasizing the importance of advocating for justice and opportunity.

Takeaways

• 😀 The question 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' carries deeper significance, especially in the context of growing up black and female in the South during the post-civil rights era.
• 😀 Despite societal limitations placed on black and brown communities, the speaker reflects on the opportunities that emerged after the civil rights movement, like the Voting Rights Act and affirmative action.
• 😀 As a child, the speaker aspired to be a 'thinker,' a goal not easily understood by others but which shaped their later work.
• 😀 The speaker recounts a pivotal moment at a vacation Bible school, where they first publicly declared their ambition to be a 'thinker,' only to quickly change it to 'lawyer' after disapproval.
• 😀 Years later, the speaker finds themselves at the Kennedy School, where they fully embrace their role as a thinker and advocate for marijuana reform.
• 😀 The speaker's passion for marijuana reform is rooted in the belief that failed drug policies have disproportionately impacted marginalized communities, particularly African Americans.
• 😀 The criminalization of marijuana has led to over 7 million arrests, with people facing severe collateral consequences, including loss of employment opportunities and housing.
• 😀 A key example is the story of 'Keys,' a young woman whose routine traffic stop led to a marijuana-related conviction, resulting in long-term negative consequences for her family.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the inequities faced by veterans, particularly a disabled veteran who uses marijuana for pain management and risks losing their health benefits.
• 😀 The speaker makes the case for marijuana as potentially life-saving medicine, especially for people like veterans, despite the limited research on its therapeutic benefits.
• 😀 Personal connections drive the speaker's advocacy: 'Keys' is their daughter-in-law, and the disabled veteran is their father. This personal stake makes the cause deeply meaningful.
• 😀 The speaker's overall message is to challenge existing policies that continue to harm marginalized communities, particularly in the context of marijuana criminalization, and advocate for more equitable reforms.

Q & A

Why is the question 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' significant to the speaker?

The question holds deep cultural and personal significance to the speaker, especially growing up as a Black woman in the South. It represents not just a childhood dream, but also the societal expectations and limitations placed on her due to her race and gender, particularly in the context of post-Civil Rights America.

How does the speaker relate her childhood experience to the broader social context?

The speaker reflects on her childhood in the aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement, where societal advancements like the Voting Rights Act and Affirmative Action were intended to create more opportunities for African-Americans. However, these opportunities were often overshadowed by systemic barriers, which were exacerbated by the war on drugs.

What role does the speaker's experience in Vacation Bible School play in her personal development?

In Vacation Bible School, the speaker had a formative experience where she initially declared that she wanted to be a 'thinker,' an unconventional response that led to a disapproving reaction from the teacher. This moment illustrates her early desire to think critically and challenge norms, a mindset that carried over into her later advocacy work.

What was the significance of the speaker's statement at the Kennedy School?

At the Kennedy School, the speaker used her 15 seconds on stage to boldly declare that 'marijuana matters,' signaling a shift from her childhood aspirations to a more complex engagement with social justice issues. The statement marks a turning point where she connects personal identity and societal issues, particularly around marijuana legalization.

How does the speaker describe her year spent researching marijuana?

The speaker spent a year deeply immersed in the topic of marijuana, learning about its legal, social, and economic implications. Her focus was not only on the medicinal and recreational aspects of marijuana but also on its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, particularly African-Americans.

What is the connection between marijuana legalization and the civil rights movement, according to the speaker?

The speaker argues that despite the civil rights movement's advancements, the war on drugs—particularly the criminalization of marijuana—has undone much of that progress. The negative impact of marijuana-related convictions has disproportionately affected Black and brown communities, undermining efforts to achieve racial equity.

What numbers does the speaker highlight to illustrate the impact of the war on drugs?

The speaker highlights the following numbers: 5 (decades of the war on drugs), 7 million (people arrested for marijuana-related offenses in the past decade), 46,000 (collateral consequences faced by those convicted), and 23 (states with legalized marijuana). These numbers are used to emphasize the scale and ongoing effects of marijuana criminalization.

Can you explain the story of 'Keys' and how it illustrates the issue of marijuana-related convictions?

Keys, the speaker's daughter-in-law, was arrested during a routine traffic stop in Virginia when police detected the smell of marijuana. Despite marijuana being legal in many states, Keys was still saddled with a criminal record that has made it difficult for her to access basic resources like housing, employment, and education. Her story underscores the long-term impact of marijuana convictions.

What does the speaker say about the effects of marijuana convictions on children of those convicted?

The speaker highlights research showing that children born to individuals with marijuana-related offenses are three times more likely to live in poverty. This statistic illustrates the generational consequences of marijuana criminalization and its broader societal impact.

How does the speaker connect her father’s experiences to her advocacy for marijuana reform?

The speaker's father, a disabled veteran, uses marijuana for pain and mental health management. Despite its potential benefits, he risks losing his health benefits because marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. The speaker uses her father's personal experience to underscore the unjust consequences of marijuana criminalization, particularly for veterans who may benefit from its therapeutic effects.