this is
our impact

our academy through the years

about

Founded in 2020, Our Academy is a volunteer-run 501(C)(3) non-profit workshop, mentorship, and open education resource for cannabis equity applicants, operators and others harmed by the war on drugs (e.g. incarcerated individuals, immigrants, refugees and the LGBTQ+ community).  

We offer:  

  • Free templates and resources
  • Access to pro bono service providers
  • Live workshops taught by industry leaders
  • Networking events
  • Technical compliance licensing assistance
  • Fundraising and consulting support
  • Sponsorships for social equity operators to attend conferences and other industry events
2022

our impact in 2022

0

cannabis ecosystem partners

0

total donation dollars raised

0

followers on instagram (@thisis.ourdream)

2022

our academy
mentorship & workshop
program

Program summary
  • $230,000 donation dollars allocated to funding the program
  • 241 BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs enrolled, across 14 different states, with over 39% transitioning from the legacy market.
  • 59 mentees paired with a cannabis industry executive mentor
  • 15 weeks of core programming, plus 4 bonus weeks for fundraising mentees
  • 37 workshops (over 70 hours) led by volunteer workshop leaders from the industry
  • 320 active Slack community members (including some alumni from the 20/21 Cohort)
  • 30 evergreen resources for founder fundraising, marketing strategy, and sales resources co-created with OA mentors.
SUCCESS METRICS

45

cannabis brands launching/launched by mentees in the program

22

mentees fundraising for non-plant-touching IP brands

33

verified equity applicants fundraising for S.E. licenses

4+

mentees hired into the cannabis industry through OA introductions

mj unpacked tradeshow sponsorships

new york

  • Allocated $55,000 donation dollars to sponsoring equity businesses at the trade show
  • Sponsored 12 equity businesses to have brand showcases in the exhibition hall, and both sponsored and helped prepare 4 equity businesses to pitch on the Money Stage to a room of accredited investors.
  • Sponsored businesses were able to attend the event, display, and/or pitch at no personal cost for travel, attendance or accommodation.  
  • Featured an investor mixer event at the conference for equity businesses to meet accredited investors.

las vegas

  • Allocated $23,500 donation dollars to sponsoring equity businesses at the trade show
  • Sponsored 20 equity businesses to have brand showcases in the exhibition hall, and both sponsored and helped prepare 5 equity businesses to pitch on the Money Stage to a room of accredited investors.
  • Sponsored businesses were able to attend the event, display, and/or pitch at no personal cost for travel, attendance or accommodation.  
  • Featured an investor mixer event at the conference for equity businesses to meet accredited investors.

funding allocation by project in 2022

NY WEb3 & CANNABIS EVENT (2.1%)
NY equity bootcamp (9.9%)
mj unpacked las vegas (6.7%)
mj unpacked new york (15.6%)
mentorship & workshop program (65.6%)

ny web3 & cannabis event (2.1%)
ny equity bootcamp (9.9%)
mj unpacked las vegas (6.7%)
mj unpacked new york (15.6%
mentorship &
workshop program (65.6%)

2020-'21

our impact in 2020-'21

0

total donation dollars raised

0

impact organizations engaged

2020-'21

our academy
mentorship & workshop
program

Program summary
  • $47,000 donation dollars allocated to funding the program
  • 59 mentees accepted & paired with a cannabis industry executive mentors
  • 110 BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs enrolled, across 14 different states, with over 39% transitioning from the legacy market.
  • 15 weeks of core programming, plus 4 bonus weeks for fundraising mentees
  • 30 workshops (over 50 hours) led by volunteer thought workshop leaders from the industry
  • 135 active Slack community members 
  • 50+ dispensary doors participated in Our Academy’s Dispensary Pitch Day with HERBL Solutions
SUCCESS METRICS

20

cannabis brands launching/launched by mentees in the program

20

mentees fundraising for non-plant-touching IP brands

10

verified equity applicants fundraising for S.E. licenses

8+

mentees hired into the cannabis industry through OA introductions

social equity policy advocacy handbook

  • A first-of-its-kind, open-sourced baseline guide for organizations and individuals to effectively advocate for access-driven cannabis social equity programs in their local jurisdictions.
  • OA was a founding collaborator, helping assemble a team of 13 industry organizations and brands aligned in our missions to promote and protect social equity in cannabis
  • OA fully funded the design & development of the workbook
  • 1,700+ downloads of the Social Equity Handbook, which continues to inform and educate laymans about the nuances of the cannabis industry and outline strategies to protect it's justice-impacted entrepreneurs.

mj unpacked tradeshow sponsorships

las vegas

  • Sponsored 6 equity businesses to have brand showcases in the exhibition hall at MJ Unpacked’s 2021 Vegas tradeshow, and both sponsored and helped prep 4 equity businesses to pitch on the Money Stage to a room of accredited investors. 
  • Sponsored businesses were able to attend the event, display, and/or pitch at no personal cost for travel, attendance or accommodation.  
  • Featured an investor mixer event at the conference for equity businesses to meet accredited investors.

meadowlands retreat sponsorships

  • Allocated $11,500 donation dollars to Ssponsored 30 California Equity Operators to attend Meadow’s annual cannabis industry retreat, Meadowlands, designed to build a more united, collaborative and equitable community in California and beyond.

funding allocation by project in 2020-'21

other initiatives (6.9)
meadowlands (14%)
mj unpacked las vegas (30.4%)
mentorship & workshop program (48.6%)

other initiatives (6.9%)
meadowlands (14.0%)
mj unpacked las vegas (30.4%)
mentorship &
workshop program (48.6%)

a note from our academy

A few sentences on what OA accomplished this year and it’s vision moving forward. 

While increased legalization of cannabis in the United States should bode well for increased participation among marginalized communities, less than 1/5th of cannabis business owners identify as a person of color.

The data shows that Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islanders, and other communities of color are disproportionately disadvantaged from commercial opportunities in the cannabis industry, while 80-90% of licensed operators are owned and operated by white individuals.This not only stems from the high start-up costs involved in starting and operating a cannabis business, but it is also almost always an incredibly competitive, costly, and laborious state license application process, which, in some states, requires  applicants to own or rent property as a condition to apply.

In response to staunch criticism and years of advocacy from various pro-legalization groups, legislation is now striving to promote equity in the cannabis industry with the inclusion of statutory or regulatory social equity programs, as well as prioritized licenses. Our Academy’s aim is to reverse some of the damage done on communities of color by the war on drugs and racism by empowering equity applicants to thrive as cannabis entrepreneurs and in turn create generational wealth.

our core tenets

vision

Our Academy envisions a thriving cannabis industry where previously marginalized groups have transformed the market into a more equitable space as empowered entrepreneurs and Social Equity operators.

mission

Our Academy is a socially inclusive digital cannabis space that supports minorities and fosters normalization through community-building. We advocate and create spaces for social equity applicants and others affected by the war on drugs to gather and discuss current opportunities and how to surmount the predatory practices they face, while gaining tools to effectively execute business plans.

theory of change

Through the power of sharing stories and resources as well as strategizing with other equity and community-focused allies and organizers, we ensure that disproportionately impacted communities are empowered in an authentic way, and that programs built to serve them are supported through national collaboration rooted in justice impacted communities.

values

Our Academy is a manifestation of our core values: fairness, justice and equity.

testimonials

"Without Our Academy I would not have had half of the experience or knowledge in the cannabis industry had it not been for Hilary, Jess, and the Our Academy team. They spent weeks on weeks preparing us to present and pitch at MJ Unpacked, which was an amazing experience for me to launch my brand, but also to see which facet of the industry would work for me. They also connected me with amazing attorneys and business owners that gave me first-hand experience on how to run a cannabis business. Had it not been for Our Academy, I probably would not have applied for the conditional retail round in New York. I was definitely overwhelmed and in over my head, but they took time week after week to help me game plan and now my application has been submitted and I'm pretty sure I'll be licensed in the next few months. I am so grateful for their help they've given me and so many others. I connected with so many people in our cohort and now we're not just a group of individuals working to get in the cannabis industry, but we're a family."
Jessica Naissant
NY Cannabis Adult-use Retail Dispensary Applicant
"I am part of the 2020 mentee cohort of Our Academy. Our Academy put on an amazing 15-week program that educated Black-owned and equity-owned cannabis businesses about the ins and out of running your own cannabis company. It's been instrumental in helping me realize what I needed to do to be successful in this space and they connected me with vendors and retailers in the space. Today I run my own premium lifestyle cannabis brand called the Good Smoke Company and I'm also a social equity applicant out of the city of Long Beach. I couldn't be anymore pleased with the program and all of the opportunities and connections Our Academy has presented me with. If you're considering on joining, I highly advise that you look into it and check in with Hilary and the other companies that have come out of the program, it'll be well worth your time while creating more diversity in the industry which is absolutely essential. So thank you Our Academy and I'm so excited to see the success that keeps coming from this in the future."
Nate Bowles
Founder of Good Smoke and Long Beach, CA Social Equity Applicant
"Being apart of the Our Academy cohort was an amazing opportunity working alongside individuals in similar positions was extremely encouraging. It really debunked the myth that you have to have it all figured out before you start. The tools and resources associated were beyond helpful. The guidance of a mentor was paramount, seeing and hearing a perspective of someone who had done what I’m trying to do was extremely encouraging. A real life example. Lastly, the association to Our Academy gave me a boost to my resume and helped give me an extra nod from potential employers. Shoutout to Hilary and her Team at Our Academy."
BJ Carson
Founder of 448
"Our Academy gave me the ability to work with Ted Lichtenberger from the Flower Company and make a genuine connection with someone from a different walk of life who also taught me a different way of culturally doing business. It showed me that there are people on the other side of the train tracks to bond with and learn from. The program also provided me with a built-in network to flourish nationwide. Since OA, I have worked with another mentee and social equity applicant, Tre Hobbs, and taught him what I learned in California to apply it to his launch in his home state, Michigan. OA also helped us all work together and learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses as a unit, helping us support each other’s ventures in CA and MI. Going into the next stage of my career, Tess Taylor, who’s also an OA alum, has helped me showcase my strengths in other states for consulting contracts. There’s been a positive sorority/fraternity effect where alumni vouch for one another in the real world to create more representation in the cannabis industry."
Morris Kelly
Founder of SF Roots — San Francisco, CA
"Our Academy provided a wealth of knowledge and resources to help take my business, ButACake, to the next level. The Academy is ran by a team of experienced business professionals who are extremely knowledgeable and supportive throughout the entire process. One of the most valuable aspects of the program was the networking opportunities it provided. I had the chance to connect with other business owners and entrepreneurs from all over the country. These connections have proved to be invaluable and have opened up new doors for my businesses. In addition to the support and guidance from the program mentors, I also received access to a range of tools and resources, including training materials, templates, and videos. These resources have been extremely helpful in driving the growth and success of my business. Overall, I would highly recommend Our Academy to anyone looking to take their cannabis business to the next level. It's an incredible opportunity to gain valuable insights and connect with like-minded individuals in a supportive environment. Thank you to the program organizers for such an amazing experience!"
Matha Figaro
Founder of ButACake and New Jersey Conditional Manufacturing Licensee
view all testimonials

class of '22

sponsors and partners

We are very grateful to all of the volunteers whose generosity made this program possible. We were fortunate to have the support of mentors and workshop leaders from some of the best companies in cannabis that co-created our programming, have made donations to keep this program running, and have donated their time as mentors.

2022

  • 4Leaf Consulting
  • Almost Consulting
  • Ananda Strategy
  • Backbone Software
  • Blaze Responsibly
  • Blunts + Moore
  • Botanica Global
  • Cannaclusive
  • Deeproots
  • Dragonfly Wellness
  • Eaze
  • Embroker
  • Emerge Law
  • Feuerstein Kulick LLP
  • Frigg
  • Gorilla RX
  • Green Tech Real Estate
  • Growing Impact
  • GROWOP
  • Happy Day Farms
  • Hashtag Recreational Cannabis
  • HERBL Solutions
  • Hiller PC
  • Hunter + Esquire
  • Investing in Cannabis Podcast
  • James Henry
  • JBL Venture Holdings
  • Josephine & Billie's
  • JourneyOne Ventures
  • Juna
  • Lady Bug Farms
  • Leaflink
  • Life Development Group
  • Little Saints
  • Mainstem
  • Marcum LLP
  • Marie's Deliverables
  • Marimed inc.
  • MD Numbers
  • MediaJel
  • MedMen
  • Miss Grass
  • Off the Charts
  • Pantry
  • Park Strategies
  • Poplar
  • Potli
  • Purple City Genetics
  • Queen Mary
  • RAJA
  • Rewolf Agency
  • Sana Packaging
  • Saucy
  • SC Labs
  • SEER Interactive
  • SF Roots
  • SFEG
  • Springbig Inc.
  • Supercritical LLC
  • Teach a Man to Fish Foundation
  • The Cannabis Diary
  • The Garden Society
  • Tonic
  • TraceTrust
  • TSUMo Snacks
  • Vertosa
  • Weed the People Law
  • Whiteman Family Foundation Trust
  • Wolf Meyer

2020-21

  • Althea Solutions
  • Aster Farms
  • Big Rock Partners
  • Biko
  • Cann
  • Cannabis CPA
  • Chroma Signet
  • Clark Howell
  • Cookies
  • Eaze
  • Embroker Insurance
  • Flower Co.
  • Foxy
  • Frigg
  • Garden Society
  • Green Goddess Glow
  • Herbl Solutions
  • Higher Stakes
  • I.Am.Perspective
  • James Henry SF
  • Journeyone Ventures
  • KGB Reserve
  • Kiva
  • Meadow
  • MJ Unpacked
  • Old Pal
  • Original Equity Group
  • Ragghianti Freitas LLP
  • SF Roots
  • Space Coyote
  • Sweet Flower
  • Telos CG
  • Thompson Coburn
  • Vertosa