*POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES BLOSSOM FROM SEEDS PLANTED IN UNCULTIVATED COMMUNITIES*
In a time where careers have almost become a thing of the past and entrepreneurial efforts are increasingly rising in urban areas, one must begin to explore innovative, relevant, and equitable ways to make a considerable profit in order to maintain the basic needs of their household. According to an article published by Forbes Magazine in March of 2021, the cannabis industry had an impressive sales increase of 46% in one year from 2019 to 2020 rounding off to an estimated $17.5 billion with legal sales for adult use in 14 states and for medical use in 36 states across the United States. The staggering revenue totals have propelled more rallies for cannabis to be legalized in areas where it would commonly make the most economical sense – one area being the State of Ohio. The inner cities of Youngstown and Cleveland have seen the surge of “Now Hiring” advertisements and unfortunately, almost simultaneously, have felt the effects of employers closing their doors after years of service to these communities due to the lack of employable individuals to fill vital positions necessary for their sustainability.
*United Returning Citizens Initiates Cannabis Education Program Partnership with Cleveland School of Cannabis*
“Major corporations have been making millions off of cannabis. How wonderful would it be to change the narrative and educate individuals who may have been incarcerated for distribution or growing at home in the proper and legal operations of the cannabis industry? Everyone says – Oh, they just want to grow it so they can smoke it. No. Cannabis has helped grandmothers with difficulty eating while suffering from the effects of Cancer, or helped calm the anxiety of a brother suffering from restlessness as a result of Autism, or has been used as an aid to wean off a mother struggling with an addiction to pills. There are so many health benefits about the flower that many people do not understand, but WE do. We understand, firsthand because our communities have been exposed to cannabis for years – whether we were growing it ourselves, purchasing it, utilizing it as a means of income to feed our families, or to help ease the ailments of family members or friends suffering from PTSD, or any of the various diseases our communities face. Many community residents already had the innate ability to grow cannabis – How much more rewarding would it be to provide the education about cannabis, its beneficial uses, and its positive effectiveness.” said Dionne Dowdy-Lacey, Executive Director of United Returning Citizens & Founder of URC Grows.
“With all the growth in the cannabis industry we have still seen a lack of equity. Less than 10% of the industry is represented by residents of the BIPOC community. The industry struggles to right the wrongs from the war on drugs that still affects impacted individuals today. How can we not do right by our community members that have been hurt the most as they watch so much economic opportunity with no ability to take advantage of it. CSC is committed to helping returning citizens and others with similar interests gain access to the cannabis industry and benefit economically. We are proud to have a partner like URC to drive this mission home.” said Kevin Greene, Vice President of the Cleveland School of Cannabis.
About United Returning Citizens – URC Grows is an agriculture-based educational and employment program providing education, employment, and social justice for individuals that have been incarcerated for marijuana-related charges. This program will help bring more specialized jobs to the Youngstown area. URC Grows will deliver a point of entry into the cannabis industry for entrepreneurs and professionals which will yield significant economic and social opportunities for the Youngstown community.
To learn more about United Returning Citizens, visit https://www.unitedreturningcitizens.org
About Cleveland School of Cannabis:
Cleveland School of Cannabis fosters adult learning through high-quality, residential, and online education that integrates personal development along with career-oriented skills and knowledge related to cannabis, science, and business, to prepare graduates for entry-level employment in the industry. Cleveland School of Cannabis is the only State Approved Career School for Cannabis education east of Colorado. CSC has industry leading affiliates in all major sectors of the cannabis industry. CSC works diligently to offer top notch cannabis education. Employers can be confident that when they hire CSC alumni, they are getting individuals who are well equipped to represent their company with dignity. CSC is setting new standards to bring a level of prestige and professionalism that the cannabis industry has yet to see. CSC develops leaders and provides their students with the skills and education necessary to take advantage of every opportunity that arises because of a new budding industry.
To learn more about Cleveland School of Cannabis educational programs, visit
https://www.cscschools.edu
Communications Contact – Danielle N. Anderson
communications@unitedreturningcitizen.org
United Returning Citizens
Dionne Dowdy-Lacey, Executive Director
execdirector@unitedreturningcitizens.org
Cleveland School of Cannabis
Kevin Greene Vice President
Kevingreene@cscschools.edu
