Visual Artist, filmmaker, and hip-hop icon, Fab 5 Freddy recently partnered with Curaleaf to raise awareness around cannabis-related criminalization that disproportionately targets people of color. Curaleaf is a leading cannabis company that is rooted in accessibility, education, and social equity. Criminal justice reform around cannabis-related offenses continues to be a hotly debated topic in states around the country. Thousands of individuals, mostly black and brown, remain incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis-related offenses and are often given some of the harshest sentences.
Bernard Noble is one of those individuals. Noble, a Louisiana native, was arrested and sentenced to 13 years of hard labor in prison for possession of the equivalent of 2 marijuana joints. He was released after serving seven years. His story is featured in the hit Netflix documentary, “Grass is Greener” directed, produced, and written by Fab 5 Freddy. The documentary film presents an unparalleled look at the racially biased history of the war on marijuana. Through a series of interviews, Fab 5 Freddy, celebrities, and experts discuss the plant’s influence on music and popular culture, and the devastating impact its criminalization has had on black and Latino communities.
Fab 5 Freddy teamed up with Curaleaf to raise awareness and create funding to defend incarcerated individuals of cannabis-related crimes. Curaleaf recently announced phase 2 of the B Noble Brand launch. Named after Bernard Noble, the product is two cannabis pre-rolls to signify what Noble was incarcerated for. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of the B Noble product will be donated to organizations dedicated to advancing social equity. The launch began in Illinois on October 14 and included the North Lawndale Employment Network, which runs programs to help formerly incarcerated individuals find work. They are one of the organizations that will receive help from proceeds from the sale of the B Noble product. According to the ACLU, Illinois has the third-highest racial disparity surrounding marijuana possession arrests in the country.
The Chicago Defender had a chance to speak with Fab 5 Freddy and Bernard Noble about equity surrounding cannabis and the decriminalization of the substance.
The documentary, “The Grass is Greener” is available on Netflix. For more information on Curaleaf, visit their website.
Danielle Sanders is a journalist and writer living in Chicago. Find her on social media @DanieSanders20 and @DanieSandersOfficial.
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