Black History Month '23 | A time for celebration and accountability

Black History Month is traditionally a time to celebrate the contributions and achievements of black men and women, but it’s also a time to reflect and take stock. Nearly three years ago, racial inequality was headline news 24/7 in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. During the protests in cities across the country in the following weeks and months, businesses from every industry issued statements letting their customers know that they were "listening" and "pledged to review their company's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices."

At Curaleaf, we were one of those companies. Our senior leadership team thoroughly examined how and who we do business with – from the companies supplying us with goods and services to the people we employ in our dispensaries. As we announce our plans to celebrate Black History Month '23, we're proud to present a few of the programs we launched and share the progress we've made to date.

We caught up with Raheem Uqdah, our very busy and immensely passionate Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, who agrees that Black History Month is more than a celebratory moment. "Over the last couple of years, it's become a rallying cry for how we should be operating all the time," Raheem explains. "My role at Curaleaf is evidence of how seriously the company has taken on the issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I respect Curaleaf for acknowledging that our practices weren't always equitable and that there were times when we didn't think about smaller operators. As part of our company-wide commitment to be Rooted In Good, we created our 420 x 25 initiative, and I think that's the perfect place to start the discussion on the positive changes we’ve made."

In 2020, Curaleaf pledged to do business with 420 organizations owned by members of underrepresented communities by 2025. Today, over 230 new suppliers, partners, and charitable organizations meet our 420 x 25 program criteria, and we're excited to introduce you to three of them.

APOTHECARRY

In 2015, successful television executive and mother Whitney Beatty asked herself a question that changed her life:

"If my liquor is in my bar, my cigars are in my humidor, and my wine is in my wine fridge, why the heck is my herb in a shoebox in the closet?!"

The answer was Apothecarry, a line of high-quality cannabis storage cases that are as functional as they are beautiful. In addition to Apothecarry, Beatty is the founder of Josephine and Billie's, the first cannabis dispensary designed by and for women of color. Few people have done more to destigmatize cannabis than Whitney Beatty, the ultimate go-getter, and a true ambassador.

BUY WEED FROM WOMEN

Jasmine Mans is the author of Black Girl Call Home, a collection of poems documenting her journey to become a "proud, queer Black woman." Throughout her journey, Jasmine has been an unapologetic cannabis user. In her younger days, she enjoyed cannabis for its euphoric effects. As her notoriety grew, she used cannabis to cope with the anxiety of seeing the intimate details of her life become public knowledge. Buy Weed From Women began as a way for Jasmine to promote her speaking engagements. After gaining recognition from Chelsea Handler and Gabrielle Union, it's become both a growing business and a powerful statement within our industry.

BOUQÉ
Just as a bouquet is an arrangement that maximizes the beauty of flowers, Bouqé (pronounced "boo-kay") rolling papers make your flower the star of every session. Made from sustainable hemp, these rolling papers are better for the planet, deliver a continuous burn and ensure you taste the flower, not the paper. The "self-titled cannabis savants" take the art of rolling seriously and are "by the people, for the people, and WITH the people."

Many of the 420 x 25 businesses we partner with are in the start-up phase of their development. As a result, some of them lack the resources, track record, or organizational depth we looked for in the past. In our efforts to maximize efficiency and profitability, we inadvertently created insurmountable barriers for passionate entrepreneurs, creative makers, and grassroots organizations who wanted to do business with us.

Raheem is a key contributor to the team that discovers, researches, and supports 420 x 25 organizations like Apothecarry, Buy Weed From Women and Bouqé: "The best part about my job is I get to be an activist inside the world of capitalism. I truly appreciate the privileged position I have to keep things in check." We still have some work to do to fulfill the promise of 420 x 25, but we're pleased with our progress and appreciate the positive feedback from the cannabis community. In 2020, Minorities for Medical Marijuana recognized our efforts with their Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year Award and Cannabis Doing Good honored us with their Good Neighbor's Award.

Of course, there’s much more to Rooted in Good than 420 x 25. At Curaleaf, we recognize that during the War on Drugs, people of color were overpoliced and disproportionately incarcerated for selling the same plant that we market at our dispensaries all over the country. This truth led us to develop several social equity programs, including our B Noble line of flower and pre-rolls. B Noble highlights the story of one of the many caught up in cannabis prohibition; Bernard Noble, a black man sentenced to 13 years of hard labor for the “crime” of possessing enough marijuana for two joints in 2010. We partner with Bernard and Fab Five Freddy to continue the conversation about historically disenfranchised communities, and as part of the commitment to social justice the B Noble organization donates 10% of all B Noble proceeds to organizations supporting, counseling, and advocating for people like Bernard and working to end unwarranted cannabis criminalization.

Now that Black History Month ’23 is upon us, we’re excited to bring back one of our most effective fundraising initiatives and announce an exciting new partnership.

Our Round Up program enables every medical patient or recreational customer to donate the change from their in-store purchase for us to distribute to worthy organizations. Last year, we raised $167,744 during November for our Feed The Block Campaign. With your participation throughout February, we hope to raise even more money for local organizations that are working to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in our communities.

While Black History Month has become more focused on progress and accountability in recent years, it’s still an opportunity to celebrate. “There’s a societal urge to lift up black voices, and that is especially true at this time of year,” Raheem explains. “With dispensaries all over the country, we’re in a great position to do that at Curaleaf, and we’re incredibly excited to lift up an extraordinary black voice with a lot to say.”

Janel Young is a Chicago-based artist and muralist on a mission to inspire through creativity and play. Her style of bright colors, masterful blending, geometric patterns, and signature African-inspired tribal symbols centers the rebellious idea of creating from a place of joy as a Black woman artist. Janel encourages other creatives, especially in the Black community where it is often rare, to explore the freedom of whimsicality. Her commissions, collaborations and projects include work with the U.S. Open, Yahoo, Verizon Media, Dreamville Festival, Dapper Labs for the Chicago Sky, and creating Pittsburgh’s first basketball court mural “The Home Court Advantage Project.”

Throughout Black History Month, every Budtender at all Curaleaf locations will wear custom pins designed by Janel Young, complete with a special message:

“My goal is to inspire through creativity and play. Cannabis welcomes the opportunity to achieve and embrace your most free and creative state where you can create from a place of joy. I encourage you to take a chance — be whimsical, and while you're at it, put your mark on the moon." – Janel Young

Our partnership with Janel also includes a beautiful Cliqskin she designed exclusively for Curaleaf that’s as stylish as it is meaningful.

At Curaleaf, we’re doing everything we can to be a more inclusive business and a better partner. From helping small cannabis businesses grow to supporting organizations doing important DEI work, we’re excited to help members from historically marginalized communities achieve their hopes and dreams.

As Raheem summarizes: “For me, an inclusive future is one where no one feels like they have to put on a face to fit in. Everyone can be their authentic self at all times and be accepted for who they are wherever they go.”

While there is no clear or easy path to becoming the inclusive organization Curaleaf strives to be, we believe our company is making progress, and we invite you to be part of our journey by sharing your ideas and suggestions.