Introducing ACLU-WV’s new advocacy associate (though many of you know him already) Rusty Williams. Rusty is a musician/artist-turned community organizer who played a major role in getting the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act passed into law. We sat down with Rusty to learn more about what motivates him to do this work.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Born and raised in Kanawha County, I am a lifelong West Virginian. I grew up in a single parent household and seeing the everyday struggles my mother had to navigate as a single woman with two little kids in the 1980s lit a fire in me that has only grown brighter and fiercer as I’ve aged. Couple that with the fact that as a child, I found my voice in a distorted electric guitar and a love for politically charged music and I guess becoming an activist/advocate was probably an inescapable fate.
I’ve been interested in the political process for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t get involved until I was forced to stare cancer in the face without any insurance or resources. After illegally using cannabis to mitigate the awful side-effects of chemotherapy, I made the decision to dedicate my life to advocating for patients, and I’ve never stopped or even slowed down. I’m proud to have been a driving force behind the legalization of medical cannabis here in these hills and I’m even more proud to have helped create an advocacy model that can be easily replicated to create real change in West Virginia communities.
- What about the ACLU’s mission most resonates with you?
To say that I have always had a tremendous amount of respect for the ACLU of WV’s unwavering resolve in the face of what seems to be a never-ending series of legislative attacks on our rights would be a gross understatement. When the bullies in power decide to choose a new demographic to pick on, the ACLU of WV never hesitates to jump in and defend the rights of my fellow Mountaineers, and I am honored to have been afforded an opportunity to continue this work with an organization that I respect so much.
- What are you most looking forward to in your new position?
After having been on the ground at the capitol for the better part of a decade without resources or proper organizational structure, I am looking forward to navigating the political process as part of the ACLU of WV’s Advocacy Team.
I’m eager to apply the lessons I’ve learned as an advocate and grassroots organizer to the ACLU’s efforts to protect and expand the rights of all West Virginians, and I am very much interested in teaching others how to be effective advocates for themselves and their communities.
- What do you like to do in your spare time?
One of the lessons I learned while battling cancer is that spare time is a luxury afforded to few. Every single second is important, so when I’m not advocating for patients, I try to spend as many of my seconds as I possibly can hanging out with the people I love, getting lost in good books, making music with my friends, and travelling.