SOMA Action Hosts Thought-Provoking Panels

Press release from SOMA Action:

Oct. 18, 2021

SOMA Action, the South Orange/Maplewood-based grassroots organization focused on driving progressive change, hosted a day of action and a night of fun at the Maplewood Tennis Club on Saturday. The indoor-outdoor event featured timely and informative panel discussions designed to support local activism on the most pressing issues facing our community, our state and our country.

Throughout the day, nearly 100 people attended the expert-led panels on key issues including:

• Climate Action: Global and Local: A Climate Committee discussion on national and local actions we can take to fight for Earth, justice and our health. Led by Matt Smith, NJ Director, Food & Water Watch; Jonathan Poor, Maplewood Environmental Committee; Jane Conrad, PhD.

• Redeeming Cannabis: Highlighting how racism has defined the war on drugs and its aftermath, and how the local cannabis industry can work to repair the harm inflicted on Black and brown communities. Led by Leo Bridgewater, Cannabis Advocate, BridgeH20 LLC; Jessica Gonzalez, Esq., Cannabis Attorney at Bressler Amery & Ross, General Counsel for Minorities for Medical Marijuana; Jill Cohen, TheCannaBossLady; Sasha Huetz, Cannabis Consultant.

• Critical Race Theory: Dismantling Systemic Oppression: Discussing how and why this landmark theory created such hysterically fearful reactions in so many conservatives. Led by Dr. Khadijah Costley-White, Associate Professor at Rutgers School of Media and Journalism; Aaron Greene Esq., Associate Counsel at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; Darryl Jefferies, President of the NAACP of the Oranges and Maplewood.

Attendees also enjoyed activities including a mindfulness session and postcard writing to voters in Virginia.

A night of fun followed, with catered meal from Reservoir, a local South Orange restaurant, Open Bar, DJ Spinning by Dirty Preston, Live Music by Epic Soul, and a warm-up acoustic session by Allison Posner and Eli Bolin. Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, gave a rousing keynote address about the urgency of protecting the freedom to vote, and issued a call to action to keep the pressure on the Democratic Party, especially those elected officials who refuse to cast aside the filibuster in order to protect fundamental rights.

This press release was produced by SOMA Action. The views expressed here are the author's own.