…. What is Our Academy anyways?
It’s a workshop, mentorship, and resource group of individuals and companies in the cannabis industry that are open to knowledge sharing and supporting social equity qualified applicants, partners, and other disproportionately impacted and targeted communities of the war on drugs (i.e. refugees, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community).
Why?
There are not enough spaces for social equity applicants and others affected by the war on drugs to gather and discuss current opportunities as well as the predatory practices they face. By advocating for and creating space for potential equity applicants and experienced equity partners alike.
Our Academy will foster normalization through community-building. The ability to share stories and resources as well as strategize with other equity and community-focused allies and organizers is critical to ensure disproportionately impacted communities are being empowered in an authentic way, and that programs built to serve them are supported through national collaboration with roots in impacted communities.
Ok. Cool. What’s the mentorship program about though?
It’s a digital social equity mentorship, workshop, and networking opportunity designed to increase interaction and open discussion between conscious cannabis companies, ancillary service providers, investors, and social equity programs (‘SEP’) through digital ’round table talks’ aka zoom meetings.
We will also be facilitating one-on-one mentor and mentee relationships that allow for more specific one-on-one growth. All mentees will be given access to curriculum and compliance regulation resources.
How is this structured?
We are collectively holding an 13-week workshop with “round table” digital classes held by a few sponsor partners with expertise in their specialized field(s) in cannabis. Based on the mentees’ applications, they will be partnered with a mentor for the duration of the program and asked to also have monthly check-ins post-workshop for four months.
Everyone admitted will be added to a private Slack workspace and added to specific Slack channels to collaborate with one another. Everyone involved will also have access to our partner’s platform called Althea where worksheets and curriculum will also be hosted on.
For a breakdown of the schedule CLICK HERE
How often are we meeting?
On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 pm PST.
Tuesdays will switch between workshops or informational panels with lawyers and group cohorts to brainstorm subjects with a cohort to ‘digitally network’ and provide/ receive feedback.
Thursdays will be solely for round table discussions.
Timeka Drew is an operating social equity license holder. Prior to managing her own license she was the EVP of Strategy and Innovation at 4Front, where she was responsible for deploying 4Front Catalyst funds raised to support social equity applicants in disproportionately impacted neighborhoods to start and own their own businesses. In this effort, Timeka is building a suite of programs and initiatives to reinvest in the communities most impacted by the war on drugs. She is also a co-founder of 
