This week Women With a Vision, Inc. Executive Director Deon Haywood joined an array of racial justice activists from across the country at the Facing Race National Conference being held in Dallas, Texas, November 13-15, 2014. The conference is presented by Race Forward, and will feature plenaries, workshops, sessions, and panels on racial justice issues impacting the country.
Dean will present on the panel “Marijuana, Racism, and the Future of Reform” on Friday, November 14th from 11:00am to 12:30pm.
More about Deon’s panel:

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.

For more information on the conference visit here.