BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Medgar Evers College (MEC) Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Department is set to host a free spring event to bring awareness to the success of its Cannabis Minor Degree Program. In partnership with Digital Venture Partners, Black Enterprise, and Green Enterprise, the Outdoor Cannabis Degree Minor Showcase opens to the public with a musical pre-show at 10:30 am and the main event from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, April 30, 2022. This showcase also has the distinction of being the last stop on the Green Enterprise HBCU College to Career Initiative, with MEC joining other participating PBIs (Predominantly Black Institutions) and HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) from across the country in highlighting the importance of educating communities impacted by the war on drugs on this emerging industry.
“For far too long, black and brown communities are locked out of opportunities available at the dawn of new industries,” said Andrew Farrior, Managing Partner at Digital Venture Partners. “The foresight of the MEC Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Department to bring its innovative cannabis degree program into the heart of justice-impacted communities across the CUNY system embodies the mission of the Green Enterprise HBCU initiative. This event is a fitting way to mark the end of our nationwide campaign to bring awareness to HBCUs and PBIs about opportunities to build lives, careers, and generational wealth through cannabis.”
The first MEC degree showcase to be held entirely outdoors will turn a section of Brooklyn’s Crown Street (between Bedford Avenue and Franklin Avenue) alongside the MEC science building into a neighborhood cannabis education festival celebrating the rich diversity of the New York City cannabis community. Rain or shine, the day of education and entertainment will feature DJ sets, live music, and food trucks amongst an overview of the MEC cannabis degree program, student testimonials, and panel discussions covering topics such as Women in Cannabis, the War on Drugs, Urban Cultivation and the NY Space, Cannabis Equity, and New York State Cannabis Licensing. In addition, MEC’s Black Male Initiative will be presented, as well as thought-provoking presentations on the Legacy Cross-Sectional Study and Psychoeducation and the Creation of Safe Spaces.
“With the NY cannabis market projected to become one of the largest in the US, New Yorkers must have access to current and relevant education,” said Dr. Alicia Reid, chair of the MEC Chemistry and Environmental Sciences department. “Such education will be an invaluable tool to best position New Yorkers to take advantage of the numerous opportunities this multi-billion dollar industry holds. This cannabis education showcase will not only highlight the groundbreaking degree minor program at MEC, but will also bring together community, academia, industry leaders, and influencers to have much-needed conversations towards equipping participants with the knowledge needed for significant participation.”
Introduced during the fall 2021 semester, the MEC Cannabis Degree Minor Program is available to all students across CUNY’s 25 campuses. It is centered through four tracts, including Formulation and Testing, Cultivation, Health, and Commercialization. Exemplifying its core mission to provide educational workforce development and opportunities for economic expansion, MEC’s cannabis minor features the skill-building instructional support needed to foster new cannabis leaders and the workforce necessary to support the budding industry.
Coinciding with New York State’s recent adult-use cannabis legalization, the MEC Cannabis Minor Degree Program seeks to engage students, faculty and staff, advocacy groups, and community members, including the formerly incarcerated and those transitioning from the legacy market. The program also serves as a resource for policy-makers through its diverse instructors and relationships with support organizations, including multi-state operators, state license holders, and advocacy groups, including the cannabis leadership organization Women Grow.
“Women Grow congratulates Dr. Reid and her team for hosting this timely event,” said Gia Morón, president of Women Grow. “As the reality of adult-use cannabis comes to fruition, this free event is an invaluable resource for communities once besieged by the war on drugs to gain access to important information and education.”
To register for the MEC Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Outdoor Cannabis Degree Minor Showcase, please visit Eventbrite.com.
About Medgar Evers College
Located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Medgar Evers College offers associate and baccalaureate degrees. A four-year college within the City University of New York (CUNY) system, Medgar Evers College was established in 1970 with a mandate to meet the educational and social needs of the Central Brooklyn community. In its commitment to providing students with a sound academic foundation and an opportunity for personal development, Medgar Evers College offers high-quality, professional, career-oriented degree programs within the context of a liberal arts education. Medgar Evers College is part of NASA’s Space Grant Project and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund as a predominantly black institution. For more information about MEC, visit mec.cuny.edu.
