On Tuesday, USA Track & Field officials announced what many of us dreaded was coming: Sha’Carri Richardson, a stellar Black female athlete who earned the right to …
On Tuesday, USA Track & Field officials announced what many of us dreaded was coming: Sha’Carri Richardson, a stellar Black female athlete who earned the right to represent her country, would be denied a spot on the U.S. Olympic relay team. It was her last chance to get to Tokyo. She tested positive for doing what millions legally do every day: consuming cannabis. And she apologized for breaking the rules. As a consumer of cannabis and an advocate of social equity, I want to say to Richardson: Sis, I see you, and I want to thank you. I want to thank you for being that girl, unapologetically fast and human. I see how the war on drugs and all of the misconceptions around this plant continue to negatively impact people like Richardson every single day. The fact of the matter is that she didn’t need to apologize because she has nothing to apologize for. She exercised her right to consume cannabis. The only difference between her and the millions of people who do the same is that an antiquated rule made her pain and grief front and center for the world to see.
