Cannabis Company To Host Juneteenth Fundraiser To Boost Local Economic Opportunities

nuEra, an Illinois-based cannabis company that opened a new location in DeKalb, Illinois, alongside former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon in May, is now partnering with the South Shore Chamber of Commerce to launch a fundraiser aimed at fostering business development and economic opportunities in South Shore.

According to a press release, the company will honor Juneteenth on June 19 by donating 5% of sales from its house brands and 5% of sales from a group of Black-owned cannabis brands to the South Shore Chamber of Commerce to support economic development and growth.

Jonah Rapino, nuEra’s head of Communications, said in the press release, “Juneteenth is a day of reflection and celebration of progress,” Rapino said. “We are honored to support the South Shore Chamber of Commerce in their efforts to uplift and empower local businesses, contributing to the growth and prosperity of the community.”

The initiative highlights nuEra’s commitment to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the business community. The brands participating in this initiative are: 93 boyz, Umi Farms, Royale Tree, Future of Leaf, Galaxy, Bloom, Lobo, Old Pal, Canna Bella Lux, OURS: Organic Urban Revitalization Solutions. The nuEra brands participating in this initiative are: nuEra, Interstate 420, Midweek Friday, and Alchemy. All nuEra locations in Illinois will be participating in the fundraiser. 

As the cannabis industry has become more mainstream, some HBCUs have begun offering programs related to the industry. Weed For Black Women noted in a February blog post that several programs and initiatives related to the industry have emerged in recent years. In 2015, after North Carolina’s House and Senate passed Senate Bill 313 to legalize the industrial production of hemp in the state, North Carolina A&T State University received approval to grow hemp for research purposes. They then launched an Industrial Hemp Program to identify the best varieties of hemp for CBD production, assess soil health, and research hemp cultivation.

In 2017, Florida A&M University launched its Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative to educate and inform students and the broader Florida population about medical marijuana and its potential benefits. After Alabama passed the 2018 Congressional Farm Bill, Alabama A&M University enrolled in a pilot program with a group of other universities. In 2022, the university partnered with Oregon State University, their Global Hemp Innovation Center, and Phylos Bioscience to create and promote avenues for minorities to increase their participation in the cannabis industry.

Although the cannabis industry is still overwhelmingly white, minorities have made some inroads, according to the most recent data from the MJBiz Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Report. In 2023, ethnic or racial minorities composed approximately 24% of cannabis executives, a significant and unexplained increase from the 12% in 2022. Data for Illinois, where nuEra is based, is unavailable for 2023, but data from 2022 suggests a slight uptick in both women-owned and minority-owned dispensaries should be expected.

Data for Illinois, where nuEra is based, is however, unavailable for 2023, but the data from 2022 suggests that a slight uptick in both women owned and minority owned dispensaries should be expected.

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