Cannabis for Black Lives (CfBL), a coalition of cannabis companies seeking to support Black-led and adjacent organizations, has raised more than $170,000 over the last two years to aid communities impacted by the War on Drugs, according to the organization’s 2020-2021 Impact Report.
The advocacy organization also said it increased its bimonthly giveback range from $250-$2,500 in 2020 to between $500 and $10,000 last year. Two multistate operators, Cann and Green Thumb Industries committed $10,000 per new partner organization campaign late last year.
CfBL’s partner organizations include Supernove Women, Equitable Opportunities Now, The Hood Incubator, Copper House, Our Academy, and National Expungement Works.
Over the last two years, Copper House, which is based in Detroit, Michigan, and focuses its efforts on providing healing and love for marginalized communities, and serves as a community ambassador for the Northwest Detroit community, received $42,286 through the campaign, the most out of the six organizations. Supernova Women received $37,004, The Hood Incubator was third with $31,000, followed by Our Academy ($27,900), National Expungement Works ($21,500), and Equitable Opportunities Now ($13,000).
Supernova Women distributed its funds to social equity operators who suffered losses during the civil uprisings related to the murder of George Floyd. The organization gave five grants totaling $6,000 each.
Lanese Martin, executive director of the Hood Incubator, said the funds helped the organization hit “several organizational goals” and said the group plans on launching “some pretty exciting programs” this year including job training and legal services in California.
CfBL said that during the next cycle it plans on a “more uniform distribution” of funds to every partner organization and that it is continuing to accept member organizations on a rolling basis.
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