pushing for change
JOE SCHILDHORN/BFA.COM
the EQUALITY issue
36
Bernard Noble + Fab 5 Freddy
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
Bernard Noble, Fab 5 Freddy and Curaleaf partner up to fight the war on drugs SIRENS BELLOWED across the Manhattan sky, placing Bernard Noble in a frightful fit. The 54-year-old tossed a lit joint aside, sprung from his seat and attempted to flee. With his anxious mind running faster than his feet, Noble fell to the pavement, a finger bending backwards upon crash landing. “I saw a cop car, so I started to run inside!” he laughed. “I should’ve realized where I was. It’s nice not to be targeted here [in New York] for [Cannabis].” Noble was previously sentenced to 13 years of hard labor in a Louisiana prison after being arrested for possession of less than an eighth of Cannabis. The New Orleans native was released on parole in 2018 – seven years after his initial incarceration. His trials and tribulations are spotlighted in the Netflix documentary “The Grass is Greener” in an effort to highlight the larger injustices committed by an antiquated U.S. judicial system. Since his release, Noble has reacquainted with his family and begun to use his newfound fame to partner up with the film’s director, Fred Brathwaite – a well-known visual artist and hip-hop pioneer, better known to fans as “Ten percent of proceeds Fab 5 Freddy. The dynamic duo are embarking on from the sale of each a mission to promote B Noble – a Cannabis brand which aims to raise awareness and create funding to B Noble product will defend people from Cannabis-related criminalization. be donated to a local “The film began to haunt me,” said Brathwaite, fororganization dedicated to mer host of MTV Raps! and native of New York City. “I got an in-depth education about the history and advancing social equity and truth around Cannabis. With all I learned and all that providing opportunities to was said, I thought, I’ve got to continue to tell these those directly impacted stories of the people who have been incarcerated. For by the War on Drugs.” what? Because of a plant that kills no one?”
JUNE 2022
The B Noble brand partMassachusetts products will nered with Curaleaf to disbenefit MASS CultivatED, an tribute a national rollout of organization that supports product that intends to Cannabis reform and helps increase awareness, beprovide pathways toward ginning with Maryland a successful post-incarand Massachusetts on ceration future. July 13, 2021. The In Maryland, proceeds date represents the “When this team of amazing people will go toward Changing seven years of the came into my life, they gave me an Perceptions – an orga13-year sentence he amazing new outlook on my name.” nization working with served. The symbolic previously incarcerated -Bernard Noble delivery continues beindividuals seeking to hind a plan to release two-packs of re-enter the workforce. “high-quality one-gram pre-rolls” – “It’s really a blessing and an ina nod to the two grams of Cannabis credible opportunity,” Fab 5 Freddy for which Noble was arrested for. said, complimenting Curaleaf on “I never had this much interest their diversity program. “They’ve got in my own name,” Noble proudly great, smart people dialed in on all smiled. “When this team of amazing the issues.” people came into my life, they gave “I’m here hanging in New York me an amazing new outlook on my City,” Noble smiled. name. So I’m pushing for change.” “I have this platform now and Ten percent of proceeds from the I’m going to teach the people to sale of each B Noble product will be informed, to be educated and be donated to a local organization to be noble,” he said. “I’m here to dedicated to advancing social equity help take this experience, learn the and providing opportunities to those medical benefits of the plant and directly impacted by the War on Drugs. erase some of its criticism.”
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE for NORTHEAST LEAF
