New Boston psychedelics group will advocate for equitable access and support Black and Indigenous communities
Last Saturday, more than three-dozen people congregated at historic Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester for Shroomz in the Hood. It was the official debut event of the Entheogen Melanin Collective, Greater Boston’s first-ever POC-led psychedelics advocacy organization.
Founded earlier this year by US Navy veteran Imani Turnbull-Brown, activist Julian Fox, and longtime Massachusetts cannabis equity advocate Erving Jean-Jacques, the group aims to “build a truly inclusive and effective system [for entheogenic access] that heals and uplifts.”
Entheogens are psychoactive substances, including psychedelics, that are used to help foster or facilitate spiritual development.
Turnbull-Brown has been an outspoken critic of some grassroots leaders in the Bay State psychedelics world, and in her opening remarks last weekend emphasized that EMC’s founding leaders came together for this new venture because they “knew it was time to create something for us—for our people.”
Amid a national mental health crisis that is having a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color, Turnbull-Brown added that, among other things, she and her fellow founders view the exploitation of Americans of color by the pharmaceutical industry as a catalyst for their new organization’s existence.
“We’ve been sold this idea that we need Big Pharma to save us, when in reality, nature’s been giving us what we need the whole time,” she said.
Turnbull-Brown also addressed those in attendance who had little to no direct experience with psychedelics, explaining that “entheogens are not a quick fix or some magical cure … they are tools.”
Julian Fox, a Jamaica Plain resident and psychedelics activist, echoed the community-centric sentiments of his co-founders: “I, along with my fellow co-creators Imani and Erv, have a desire—a calling—to bring together communities, to manifest education, and foster togetherness.”
In a media release about the group, co-founder Jean-Jacques detailed some of the collective’s ambitions and objectives for the near and distant future, starting with how they relate to the psychedelics measure on the ballot this November.
“Massachusetts stands at a pivotal moment where it can learn from its past and create a new, compassionate approach to entheogenic substances that truly serves those who have been marginalized,” Jean-Jacques said.
He added that those who are part of a psychedelic renaissance in Mass should learn from past missteps and scandals that have plagued the Bay State’s medical and recreational cannabis landscape. “We must ensure this industry is holistic, equitable, and culturally competent,” he said, “avoiding a rehash of the failed cannabis equity process.”
Jean-Jacques also highlighted the group’s “key actions for a just approach to entheogenic substances.” They are:
Advocate for Equitable Access: Push for regulatory frameworks that prioritize communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs, including Black and Indigenous populations. This includes supporting programs that lower barriers for Black entrepreneurs and neighborhood organizations to enter and thrive in the new market.
Support Expungement Efforts: Advocate for automatic expungement of criminal records related to these substances, which is essential to removing barriers to employment and community participation for those previously affected by drug laws.
Support Black/Indigenous Communities: Advocate for mental health relief that respects Indigenous traditions by protecting the sacred use of entheogenic plants. Jean-Jacques emphasized that as Black communities with shared culture of trauma and resilience, it is crucial to stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities, pushing for culturally relevant therapies and safeguarding Indigenous knowledge from exploitation.
Two additional key players in the Massachusetts psychedelics world were also in attendance: Emily Oneschuk, the grassroots director for the Yes on 4 campaign, and Parents for Plant Medicine Founder Jamie Morey, who is also working with the group backing the ballot initiative.
“As a fellow grassroots activist now working as the community engagement director for the Yes on 4 campaign, I was thrilled to see other advocates stepping up to organize their own community groups and events to ensure much needed diversity and representation in this movement,” Morey said. “I hope this inspires others all across the state to take similar action and host events in their local communities to share their stories of healing, raise awareness, educate their friends/families/neighbors, and join us in the fight for legal access to psychedelics in November.”
As for the collective’s stance on the Mass referendum, Jean-Jacques noted that while the proposed language “has the potential to make a significant difference for our communities,” it’s not the only path. No matter what happens in November, he and others said that POC advocates need to engage state lawmakers and fellow activists in this theater as well as through “active participation and representation,” in order to shape “policies that impact our lives.”
“We’ve learned that if you’re not at the table,” Jean-Jacques said, “you’re on the menu.”
