Nobody else will in the mainstream media and they do it best….
Great piece on the Beard Brothers site..
Here’s a taste of what they say
The episode begins in Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, where the 2022 Cannabis Cultivators Expo is being held. At an event called the “Changing Face of Hemp Farming,” an unaware speaker delivers a request to a predominantly white crowd, further highlighting his ignorance.
Despite the irony, his words ring true to viewers who are in on the joke:
“We growers must face a harsh reality. Since the legalization of marijuana, communities of color — Black and Brown Coloradans, those most affected by the racist War on Drugs — have now been locked out of the wealth creation of the industry.”
While this statement is valid on the surface, the issue also cuts much deeper than out-of-state viewers might realize for those with prior convictions regarding cannabis. Namely, how the legalization regulations dealt with only half of the equality problems recognized at the onset of Colorado’s legislative changes.
Recently, Colorado has begun pursuing more significant equity measures, including the pardoning of over 2,700 cannabis-related charges. Additionally, with the help of the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative, $4 million was dedicated to equitable funding for cannabis businesses, alongside licenses that were reserved for potential owners fitting diversity criteria.
“From a historical perspective, we’ve watched Colorado grow its social equity programs,” says Jordan Wellington, a partner at VS Strategies in Denver. “Initial funding is $4 million. I don’t think we’re going to stop there. We’re certainly going to ask for more — but that’s a great start for this program.”
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