Last Prisoner Project - The Pen To Right History Case Study (Cannes)

Few injustices in the U.S. are more visible yet more ignored than marijuana injustice. Marijuana is legal, but people are still labeled as criminals because of it. A pardon from a politician could erase these injustices, but they tend to ignore the issue for fear of appearing weak on crime. So we needed to make pardoning marijuana offenses look like an act of moral courage. We partnered with Last Prisoner Project on a simple goal: empower politicians to take action—and become heroes in the process. How did we do it? With a humble pen. We named it The Pen to Right History and passed it to mothers, sons and daughters who wrote personal letters pleading for justice for their loved ones. Emotional films, social pressure, and national press amplified the story. And then, the pen made its way to those who could make real impact—politicians. And it worked. On June 17, 2024, Maryland Governor Wes Moore claimed the pen and signed the largest cannabis pardon in U.S. state history—175,000 convictions forgiven.