Had a chat recently with Jim Jenkins — producer of The 2023 Bay Area Psychedelic Convention: Discovery Sessions on April 18-19 at The Midway here in SF — eager to hear what they’ve got going on at this year’s celebration of Bicycle Day and all-things psychedelic.
Haight Street Voice: If you had a loudspeaker and could speak to everybody in the Haight, SF, and beyond, what would you tell them about what the Discovery Sessions are all about?
Jim Jenkins: Come on down and find out what’s going on today, right now. This is not stuff that you’re going to find out about 6 months or a year from now. We’ve got the medical community here, we’ve got the UCSF folks coming down — doctors, nurses. We also have the artists. It’s “Culture, Policy & Science.” What you’re going to find out is that they’re all so intertwined.
When we talk about art, we also have somebody on a panel perhaps who’s an artist but also an integrative therapist with psychedelics. We love the psychedelic renaissance that’s going on, and we don’t want people to miss out on that because it’s fun, but it’s also educational. It builds a fire in peoples’ bellies to get involved and to make this next thing, this renaissance — whatever it is — make it really count. I think it’s going to take a few more bounces, especially with the federal government and a few others, to get us where we need to be, where people can get the help they need, or just to enjoy some molecules that are not addictive, that can help them see the world a little differently.
We’ve got Mountain Girl, Seth Ferranti, Mark McCloud, Vince Kadlubek, Rhoney Stanley, Dr. David E. Smith, Hamilton Morris, and so many others — all these legendary minds in science, culture, and policy.
There’s a lot of serious content, but we also have a heck of a lot of fun. It’s not something you’d see downtown at the Hilton or whatever. They call the Midway a nightclub venue. It has the benefit of an art gallery, dance spaces, an open patio with a cafe —it’s got good vibes. I said this the other day and I keep saying it: This is not your father’s conference!
To learn more about the Discovery Sessions: www.discoverycon-sf.org
