JASON ORTIZ

Jason Ortiz is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Last Prisoner Project  Jason was arrested for simple cannabis possession at the age of 16 in Norwich CT, and that experience inspired him to become a cannabis justice advocate.  After graduating from the University of connecticut in Storrs with a degree in Public and Community Engagement, He was one of the founding board Members of the Minority Cannabis Business Association where he empowered legacy entrepreneurs of color to become policy advocates through the organizing of 5 cannabis policy summits that brought together dozens of stakeholders of color to draft model Social Equity legislation. 

In his home state of Connecticut, Jason was a founding member of Connecticut United For Reform and Equity and the lead drafter of 2021's HB6377, “An act creating an equitable and modern cannabis workforce”, which was ultimately incorporated into Connecticut's cannabis legalization framework.  After ending prohibition in his home state, Jason took his skills to the national level as and is the immediate past Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, where he trained hundreds of students how to end the war on drugs through community organizing, policy development and lobbying, and direct action.

In addition to his drug policy activism Jason sits on the board of the CT Working Families Party and has served as President of the Connecticut Puerto Rican Agenda where he organized for economic justice for his home island of Puerto Rico.