March 2023 Newsletter

Greetings from NDICA!
We hope this newsletter finds you well. As we welcome the month of March, we have some exciting news to share with you.
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of women throughout history and recognize the progress that has been made towards gender equality. At NDICA, we believe in promoting diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry, and we recognize the important role that women play in this movement.
NDICA Mentioned in Hiphopsince1987
We are proud to announce that NDICA was mentioned in Hiphopsince1987 for our January expungement event. With the help of Greater Legal Aid Chicago and promotion from Shake N Baked Selected, we broke records with 380 people starting the process of getting their expungements started. We are grateful for the recognition and remain committed to serving our community.
February Expungement Event
On February 22nd, from 3pm-6pm, we hosted an event in partnership with UCan Chicago, Hardwell Smitty Smith Foundation, and Impact Social Solutions at Metro Family Services in Chicago, IL.
The event provided resources and support to justice-involved and justice- impacted individuals, helping them to move forward and start fresh. We would like to thank our media partners, Chicagomediatakeout, for their coverage of the event.
We were also featured in Black Cannabis Magazine for our efforts.
We are grateful for the support of our volunteers and partners who helped make this event possible.
Partnership with PVJOBS and superbad Inc for Workforce Development
We are excited to announce our partnership with PVJOBS and superbad inc to provide workforce development in the cannabis industry, offering pathways for justice-impacted individuals. PVJOBS recently won a $6 million grant to provide training and career development in various industries, including five career pathways, with cannabis being just one of them. PVJOBS will pay individuals aged 17-44 up to $2,800 to learn about cannabis career paths. We are proud to support this initiative and encourage our community to take advantage of this opportunity.
Senator Justin Wayne Introduces LB 22 in Nebraska
NDICA board member Senator Justin Wayne has introduced LB 22 in Nebraska, a proposal to decriminalize the use and possession of marijuana. We support this effort and hope to see it become law in the near future.
Oklahoma to Vote on Recreational Cannabis
On March 7th, 2023, Oklahoma will vote on the legalization of recreational cannabis through the Yes on 820 initiative. We believe that this is a positive step towards ending the war on drugs and ensuring access to cannabis for those who need it.
The Grasshopper: First Independent, Black-Owned Dispensary in Illinois
We are excited to share the news about The Grasshopper, the first independent and black- owned dispensary in Illinois, as a result of the state’s social equity program. We support initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry.
In March we begin our Peace Circles in partnership with OAI & Lifehouse.
Thank you for your continued support of NDICA. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Best regards,
The NDICA Team