What if We TRULY Valued All Voices? Reimagine the Role of the BIPOC Community in Psychedelic Policy & Practices

Consider this, there are superstar rappers, politicians, billionaires, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, veterans and US military leadership in agreement that psychedelics should be legalized for medicinal use. Furthermore, millions of Americans, and millions more around the globe are eager to learn more about psychedelic medicine and therapy. With this ensemble of contrasting cultures and world views in harmony, we are in the midst of a major political, cultural and economic shift in the US and global community. With all of these disparate groups in agreement that more research into psychedelics and greater access to therapies are needed, a global majority is noticeably absent from this framing – People of Color. While there is a multitude of media on the subject of psychedelics, rarely are the unique experiences or insights of the most marginalized people in our society centered or even considered. Tens of millions of Black, Brown, Indigenous and other Peoples of Color (BIPOC) in the US, and billions around the globe are actively working to heal from centuries of discrimination and harm. Therefore, where are BIPOC voices positioned in the dialogue?Where are they ignored, marginalized and misunderstood?What happens when BIPOC people are centered and empowered to speak our truths?How are BIPOC experiences instrumental to the hope and healing that all people seek? Using poetry, music, film and photography, we will cultivate a courageous conversation about the state of psychedelic policy, research, access and representation from the perspective of BIPOC peoples. Maria Sabina, Indigenous Mexican healer and poet, credited her words and work to the mushroom, not herself. Maria wrote, “Cure yourself with the light of the sun and the rays of the moon. …Jump, dance, sing, so that you live happier. Heal yourself, with beautiful love, and always remember: you are the medicine.”