October 12 in Atlanta: 500 People to Hold Candlelight Vigil in Honor of Those Lost to the War on Drugs

Atlanta, GA – On Thursday, October 12th at 8:30pm there will be a candlelight vigil at the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta to pay tribute to all those who have perished as a result of the drug war. The vigil will coincide with the 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, taking place October 11-14 at the Omni Hotel @ CNN Center. There will also be a video presentation commemorating the dozens of drug policy reformers who have passed away since the last Reform Conference in 2015.

“We come to this place in this time because it is right and necessary for us to grieve, but not only grieve. We come to open up a space of healing and of deep recognition that the cost of this failed drug war has been real human beings. People with families. People with dreams and hopes. We recognize that loss in this space and we recognize too that this painful work has been moved forward by brave and generous souls who dedicated their lives to ensuring ours. We come to honor them,” said asha bandele, a senior director at the Drug Policy Alliance.

The Reform Conference draws attendees from all around the world who come from across the political spectrum – from those who have seen the worst of drugs and addiction, to people who are active drug users, to hundreds of formerly incarcerated people, to elected officials and policymakers from all levels of government.

Who:       500 International Drug Policy Reform Conference Attendees

What:      Candlelight vigil commemorating all those who have perished as a result of the drug war

Where:   Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta, GA

When:    Thursday, October 12th 8:30 – 10pm

The Center for Civil and Human Rights is located at 100 Ivan Allen Junior Boulevard. When entering the Center grounds, you must utilize the sidewalks along Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. and Centennial Olympic Park and are not permitted to cross Pemberton Place at any point.

The conference program is now available. Michelle Alexander, author of the bestseller The New Jim Crow, will speak on a plenary about the war on drugs, mass incarceration and criminal justice. On Friday, October 13th from 7:30-9pm, DPA and AFROPUNK will co-host a Town Hall on “The Case for Reparations.”