The Council’s mission is to create programs, partnerships, and educational content that will champion diversity, equity, and inclusion. Green Goods is dedicated to supporting and promoting underrepresented minority groups, women, and veterans, fostering a sense of belonging and equal opportunities within our local communities and across the cannabis industry.
What is DEI? We actively engage with diverse communities to address their specific needs. Internally, we foster an inclusive environment, promoting equal opportunity and belonging. In Research, we advance knowledge on DEI’s impact, ensuring equitable access to cannabis research, healthcare, and treatment. Together, we empower people and cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive cannabis community.
Through events, education, and targeted programming, we amplify our promise to right the wrongs caused by the so-called war on drugs.
Rooted in a company culture that embraces equity and inclusion in our working environment and beyond through staff training, time off dedicated to serving our communities, and staff participation in key initiatives.
Not only are we dedicated to the amplification of clinical research with the use of our own products, but also to providing low-cost cannabis-based medicine to communities designated as underserved.
Last Prisoner Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform, and their Roll It Up for Justice program is a nationwide program that raises money for the Last Prisoner Project’s clemency initiative, which works to release cannabis prisoners and help them rebuild their lives post-incarceration. Between 2021 and 2022, we added Roll It Up For Justice at 14 dispensaries across the country!
Letters from the campaign were sent to some of the nearly 40,000 people who are still incarcerated for non-violent cannabis charges. Thank you to all of our team members who assisted with this campaign – your efforts truly helped brighten the holidays for the letter recipients! Together with LPP we helped to send 1000s of letters to incarcerated individuals.
LPP supports letter-writing campaigns throughout the year – and now, you can even write a letter online! To get more letter writing tips or learn about these campaigns, click the button below.
Expungement of cannabis convictions is a company priority. Our expungement clinics strive to reduce the harm caused by the ineffective and often racially biased “War on Drugs.” We have organized and hosted multiple expungement clinics that have resulted in hundreds of individuals having their criminal convictions expunged. Expungement clinics in across the country have been held in partnership with Mitchell-Hamline School of Law’s Reentry Clinic, The Legal Revolution, Maryland Legal Aid, Maryland’s Office of The Public Defender, Minorities for Medical Marijuana, and many more.
Our company is working on exciting innovation and development and looks to afford a comprehensive educational experience to interns of all levels. Our DEI council and individuals from our corporate team are committed to enhancing the skills and acumen of our DEI Interns. Past projects have included academic papers and infographics focused on cannabis policy and health equity and cannabis in the United States.
Green Goods is proud to launch the 1937 Impact Fund. Through this fund, we will support and strengthen community organizations in all our operating markets that have been historically excluded from participating in the legal cannabis industry. This is an initiative to fund organizations dedicated to restorative justice and clemency through a targeted promotion in our dispensaries to aid in righting the wrongs caused by the so-called “war on drugs”.
Discover a series of empowering DEI events designed to ignite inspiration and foster inclusive excellence. Engage in thought-provoking discussions to elevate your understanding as you gain valuable insights from industry experts and like-minded individuals passionate about driving positive change in the cannabis industry.
Reflecting on our past events, we celebrate the impactful steps taken toward fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cannabis industry. These events have paved the way for meaningful conversations, collaborations, and positive change, propelling us forward on the path of progress.
Dr. Paloma Lehfeldt, MD, our Senior Director of Clinical Science and Partnerships, and Dr. Stephen Dahmer, MD, our Chief Medical Officer, recently spoke to David Sanchez with the National Hispanic Cannabis Council (NHCC) about cannabis itself, stigma surrounding it, and more.
The discussion touched on taboos held by some in the Latinx community around cannabis related to its current and past illegal status, concerns about appearing inebriated and negative stereotypes associated with cannabis users. Dr. Paloma and Dr. Dahmer also talked about the endocannabinoid system, finding the lowest effective dose in cannabis medicine, and more.
With the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) in March 2021, New York is creating an official statewide, regulated adult-use cannabis market. New York’s legalization law prioritizes entrepreneurship opportunities and access to quality jobs for those most harmed by generations of cannabis criminalization. In order to meet these social and economic equity goals, MRTA provides for the automatic expungement of old and new penal law marijuana convictions.
Vireo Health, in collaboration with New York’s Cannabis Workforce Initiative, Queens Public Library, Community Service Society, and Cornell’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, is offering an expungement information session to help New Yorkers with marijuana convictions open pathways to employment and entrepreneurship in the adult-use cannabis market.
A big thank you to DEI Council members Jesvin Thomas, Brittany Scribner, and Adina Mancebo for your work with our latest virtual expungement clinic for Maryland residents on Feb. 22. Thanks to your hard work, the clinic helped more people than any of our previous Maryland clinics!
The Feb. 22 virtual clinic was part of our ongoing partnership with Maryland Legal Aid.
Thank you to Lee Stangle, Wholesale Manager, Brittany Scribner, Brand/Sales Specialist, and Adina Mancebo, Sales & Marketing Manager, for representing Vireo Health at the recent Black Health Connect Happy Hour Mixer in New York! The free networking event brought together health professionals and organizations for a chance to network and share information.
Black Health Connect aims to create spaces – like the recent Happy Hour networking event and previous mixer events – for Black healthcare professionals and to advocate for and be a catalyst to increased diversity in healthcare and improved health equity.
With a mission to promote inclusivity and equity, the DEI Council spearheads initiatives that drive meaningful change in the industry. By fostering a culture that celebrates diversity, the council ensures that all voices are heard and valued. Through their proactive efforts, they pave the way for a vibrant and diverse cannabis workforce, igniting a torch that guides the industry toward a more inclusive future.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the support and collaboration we have received through our DEI Partnerships. These alliances have been instrumental in advancing our mission of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cannabis industry. Together, we are forging a path toward a more inclusive future, and we deeply appreciate the shared commitment and collective effort in making this vision a reality.
“The so-called war on drugs has affected communities of color disproportionately for almost a century in the United States. As a company, we stand with these individuals across the country and continue to fight for #restorativejustice and #clemency to right the wrongs that continue to affect these communities. There is absolutely no reason that any individual should have charges for a plant that has been deemed legal in the states in which we operate, or in any place in the world.”
“Vireo’s dedication to diversity inspired me to join the DEI Council with the hopes that all employees follow my lead in finding ways to make a positive difference in all team members’ and patients’ lives regardless of race, creed, or color. My goal is to help provide a safe space where we can learn about each other’s culture and become more aware of how different folks can live life differently, but still have the same goals, dreams, and desires”
“Being a part of this DEI council further enables me to reach more individuals to share my perspective with and to learn from others as well. When we listen to each other and feel our voices represented within our organization, we are more likely to see higher engagement with an open mind.”
“All boats rise with the tide” is one of my favorite sayings. As a newly appointed Vireo Health DEI Council member, I’m thrilled to be able to partner with New Mexican advocacy organizations who are also passionate about uplifting our communities via resources, aid, and education.”
“I joined the DEI council because of its mission to unify individuals who come from vast cultures. I highly value and respect different perspectives as it is the best way to broaden our horizons.”
“Learning about Vireo and being able to join a cannabis company that supports diversity was my goal. Assisting the Maryland market with expungement clinics to help people clear cannabis related charges is a dream. Working with a team that thrives on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and promotes social justice throughout the community and the cannabis industry is monumental!”
“I am passionate about the work we do, providing people with plant-based medicine that improves their lives. It is equally important that we continue to work to help people whose lives have been negatively impacted by the injustices of cannabis prohibition. As a member of the LGBTQ community, whose history of fighting for equality has been intertwined with the fight for cannabis freedom, I am excited to contribute to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. I am thrilled that New York’s upcoming Adult Use cannabis space has a strong focus on Social Equity and look forward to being a part of Goodness Growth’s efforts to this cause.”
If you’re a conscientious person who enjoys helping other people feel better, we want to meet you.
