News & Commentary

When the General Assembly approved the final amendments to the marijuana bills on Wednesday and put legalization over the finish line, we celebrated. But we are keenly aware of the faults in these bills and know that our work is far from over.

This op-ed was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Dec. 19, 2020. Ashna Khanna is the ACLU-VA's legislative director. Chelsea Higgs Wise is the executive director of Marijuana Justice.

Giving Tuesday, the global day of giving, is an opportunity to deepen a culture of philanthropy in our communities. The spirit of Giving Tuesday goes beyond the number of donations made. It’s about each and every one of us chipping in and throwing our support behind a worthy cause. It’s an attitude, a resolution and a groundswell of hope that together, we will be able to go far and build a more equitable society for all.

The special session – which ran longer than regular sessions – is finally ending. The session was convened for two purposes:

Americans have exercised their right to vote, the votes were counted, and it appears that Joe Biden has won the presidential election.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed our lives and shown the enormous impact of systemic racism and inequities in America. Caught in between two pandemics, Black and Brown Virginians continue to bear the brunt of not only COVID-19, but also unjust, unfair systems that devalue their lives and leave them behind.

On July 1, hundreds of new laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year went into effect. The Virginia legislature made great strides and greenlit a handful of important reforms that had been rejected time and time again in the past. Rather than attacking people’s rights and freedoms, lawmakers passed legislation that made it easier for people to vote, expanded abortion access, protected LGBTQ+ people from discrimination and started chipping away at the countless injustices in our criminal legal system.

No longer should we wait until women are gripped by the claws of the criminal legal system, but take action before their backs are pressed against trying walls.

It's time for Commonwealth's Attorney Collette McEachin to show up, lead, and do the right thing, right now. Demand she drop all charges against protesters, set standards for police in calling an unlawful assembly, and make sure Marcus-David Peters' case is re-opened and gets an independent investigation.