.jpg)
Our story may be similar to your story.
It starts with generational trauma due to decades of persecution and
unequal law enforcement over a plant.
The Impact of
The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937
The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 laid the foundation for federal criminalization of marijuana, a common plant that had been long used for its medicinal properties. It was fueled by widespread racial discrimination against Mexican-Americans and Black-Americans and was instigated by a desperate need for funding by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.
At the time, the US federal government lacked the power to ban cannabis, so it levied a tax so punitive that no one could pay it. The effects of cannabis prohibition, inequities in executive and legislative enforcement, and mass incarceration are a direct cause to the current state in many of our families and communities.
It is important to understand this history and to be deliberate about how we leverage this industry to truly address the harms and chart a path forward that is more inclusive and equitable.
THE 1937 DIFFERENCE
While some socially responsible cannabis companies focus on expungement activities or drawing attention to those currently incarcerated for cannabis,
The 1937 Group chooses to focus on the biggest disparity in the regulated industry: OWNERSHIP.
For us, this expands beyond our aim to create a more diverse and inclusive industry through our hiring and career development practices. It extends to decisions about our approach to raising capital, who we enter into joint ventures with, and how we grow within the market and beyond. It is important that we create bridges that allow more competent and passionate back and brown entrepreneurs and investors enter the cannabis industry.
This is why we are so proud to share our quantifiable impact to black and brown individuals and communities below.
91%
75
Owned by
Minorities
New Cannabis Business Owners
89
Total
Employees
$17M
Annualized Revenue Growth Over Prior Year
Our Community Engagement Platform
In order to appropriately address an issue, it is critical to define the problem. The core problem: Communities that have been negatively impacted by the war on drugs have disproportionate economic opportunities. The types of trauma experienced as a result of the war on drugs is an interrelated cause and effect loop that includes highly complicated issues such as mass incarceration, abandonment, child abuse and neglect, and violence (e.g., gun violence, domestic violence, sexual violence).
Although this problem does not exist in isolation, it is important to acknowledge its pervasiveness and broad-reaching impact spanning generations. The 1937 Foundation’s program plan serves as a roadmap to aid in addressing this problem.
It is for this reason that the “Grow Through Adversity” program is founded upon raising awareness about the innate need to heal. The 1937 Foundation plans to engage the community by establishing dedicated resources to address trauma-related post-traumatic stress (PTS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to provide an individualized pathway toward economic viability for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the war on drugs.
The primary goals of the “Grow Through Adversity” program are:
-
Improve the mental health of individuals impacted by trauma and participants recently incarcerated;
-
Reduce the recurrence of violent offenses and recidivism into the criminal justice system by participants; and
-
Increase employment and business ownership by participants.