Julie C. Roberts
SSDP Board Application
The Basics
School: Northeastern University School of Law
Email: roberts.jules@gmail.com
Major(s) / Minor(s) / Areas of study: Law
Current year in school: Second Year Law Student (2L)
Expected graduation year: 2013
What are your tentative plans after college?:
Practice public interest law
Leadership Experience
Describe your advocacy skills and experience. Include work outside of SSDP.
I worked for Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico for over four years. As registered state lobbyist, I worked to secure elected officials’ support for proposed bills and testified in legislative committees during interim hearings and annual legislative sessions. While at DPANM, I lobbied for passage of over a dozen drug policy reform legislative proposals during four NM legislative sessions including banning racial profiling, establishing the state’s innovative medical cannabis program, broadening overdose prevention policies (911 Good Samaritan) and improving access to employment for people with criminal convictions (Ban the Box). Advocacy efforts also included work at the national level to pass federal legislation allowing access to federal monies for overdose prevention and syringe exchange programs. In addition to lobbying, I conducted statewide public policy research, engaged in various public speaking opportunities, developed community awareness on drug policy topics, and established and maintained coalitions with local nonprofit organizations.
How do you plan on balancing a busy schedule as a student, an SSDP activist, and a board member?
During my first year of law school, I struggled to balance the intense schedule of the first year with my desire to be involved in SSDP. Despite the insanity of being a first year law student, I prioritized involvement with the chapter as my main extracurricular activity and did my best to stay involved. Even with such a hectic schedule, during my first year I worked to secure six co-sponsors for the chapter’s “Know your Rights” event, including NEU’s Black Students Association and the law school’s National Lawyer’s Guild; created flyers for meeting events; conducted an “Advocacy 101” training with students who were going to DC to lobby Congress; and served as a committee member representing SSDP on the state’s 911 Good Samaritan Coalition Committee. Now, halfway through my second year of law school, I have a much better perspective on time management and feel confident in my ability to not only increase my existing efforts with the Northeastern chapter, but also to take on additional responsibilities as a board member.
SSDP Chapter Experience
What formal positions have you held in your SSDP chapter? When?
I serve on the E-Board/High Council for Northeastern’s SSDP chapter. I have served on the E-board since starting school in August 2010.
Describe your leadership style, particularly within your chapter.
When I was an undergraduate student at Ithaca College, I served on the board of a student organization, Students for a Just Peace. The amazing growth I experienced as an advocate during those four years has stayed with me even today. As a law student with professional experience in advocacy, I try to allow undergraduate students the opportunity to step up and learn/make mistakes/grow/struggle/succeed based on their own decisions and ideas. While I take a central role in certain policy areas (see below), I strive to serve a supportive role and provide guidance to SSDP-NEU board members. One of the great values of SSDP is developing the future leaders of the drug policy reform movement.
While I still have so much to learn from others, I also have been fortunate enough to learn from amazing mentors within the movement. I now seek to serve as a role model to help SSDP members learn and grow as drug policy reform advocates.
Describe one project that you led or are leading. What was/is your role? What has this project accomplished?
I serve as a committee member to Massachusetts’ 911 Good Samaritan Coalition. The committee, comprised of approximately 6 other advocates (including representatives from MA AIDS Action and Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery), meets on a regular basis to develop and push forward the legislative strategy for the state’s 911 Good Samaritan and naloxone distribution bills. Most recently, on October 5th, I testified on a panel (as a representative of SSDP) to the state’s Joint Judiciary Committee in support of the 911 Good Samaritan bill. The bill received a favorable report from the committee and is now moving forward in the legislative process.
What fundraising or revenue building experience have you had in the past?
While at Drug Policy Alliance, I helped organize annual fundraising events for the state office. Fundraising efforts included targeting key private donors as well as reaching out to organization membership for smaller donations. One event planned in Albuquerque, NM featured DPA staff including Ethan Nadelmann, and raised money by registering individual attendees as official “members” of DPA. While membership costs are low ($35), the event was a great way to solidify the organization’s existing support base while identifying individuals who may be able to offer additional support to the organization. Even though these attendees weren’t labeled as “large donors,” the event was a huge success because it included those most loyal to the movement and helped individuals feel more intimately involved for donating to an organization they want to see succeed. Moreover, SSDP’s financial strategy should include both private donations as well as identifying and expanding grant and foundation support opportunities.
The Board
Why do you want to serve on the SSDP board?
As an employee of Drug Policy Alliance, I always followed and supported SSDP’s work and wished I could be involved in such an amazing organization. Now, as a student, I have the opportunity to be fully entrenched in an organization that I’ve admired for years. Serving on the SSDP board will allow me the opportunity to continue my own personal growth as a drug policy reformer and challenge and push me in new directions. The opportunity to help lead a well organized, grassroots, progressive organization, with other passionate, intelligent, and driven individuals will enhance my ability to work as part of team toward a focused goal. I look forward to facilitating a unified vision with a variety of avenues for success.
What do you believe are the board's most important functions?
The Board’s most important function is providing a unified vision through leadership, guidance and innovation to continue to propel SSDP as a leading organization passing strategic state-based legislative proposals in the drug policy reform movement. In order to achieve this, the board plays a crucial function in securing financial support for SSDP activities across the country. The Board can also play a strategic role in networking with other organizations in the drug policy reform movement to ensure success in various regions and localities in the country.
What are your goals for your board tenure (be as specific as possible)?
Every organization wants to be “successful” – for public policy organizations this often means passing legislative proposals at the federal and state level. In the past decade, I’ve lost three friends to drug-related overdose. The overdose issue is close to my heart and a driving force in developing my passion and determination in advocacy. I would love to see SSDP chapters expand efforts from campus 911 Good Samaritan policies to working at the state legislative level to introduce (and pass!) legislation in their states. Furthermore, I would want to strengthen SSDP chapter’s involvement in state legislative lobbying in a range of drug policy issues by solidifying existing partnerships with allied organizations and encouraging chapters to develop new (even unlikely) allies with other progressive student organizations. Based on my prior legislative and advocacy experience, I can play a key role in driving SSDP’s strategic (legislative) plan.
If elected to the board, would you retain a leading role and/or formal position with your chapter?
Absolutely. I will continue to serve on the chapter’s E-Board/High Council, attend SSDP bi-weekly meetings, and work as a liaison between the Massachusetts’ 911 Good Samaritan Committee and SSDP chapters in the greater Boston area.
Video (optional)
While I don’t have a video related to my candidacy for SSDP board, included below are two media clips containing interviews I conducted related to drug policy topics:
Video for Drug Police Alliance New Mexico; Interview on passage of Ban the Box legislation during the 2010 legislative session:
Video for Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico; Interview on Salvia prohibition:
