Black Lives Matter

The recent wave of cannabis decriminalization and legalization in the United States has started to chip away at a century-long campaign of stigmatization and prohibition against cannabis.

Now that it’s legal in Illinois, we love getting to be around cannabis all day, but we recognize the fact that the history of anti-cannabis policies has been deeply entangled with the history of racism in the US. The “War on Drugs” has been primarily carried out against Black individuals and has had hugely disproportionate impacts on communities of color.

Illinois recently passed the most progressive and social justice-oriented cannabis legalization bill to date–but the fight for equity and justice doesn’t end here. We understand that it is our responsibility to be the best possible ally in the fight for racial justice and social equity.

We are committed to progressive, actionable measures that help bring real change and racial justice. Our staff work hard to be leaders in the cannabis industry, which has to include the fight against racial injustice and inequity, at home in Chicago and across the country.

Ok, that all sounds great, but what is D33 actually doing?

In the first week of June, 2020, we raised over $20,000 for the Chicago Community Bond Fund through direct contributions from D33 and by matching donations from the community of folks who enjoy and benefit from legal cannabis. The Chicago Community Bond Fund’s mission is to end pre-trial detention by paying bonds, which supports those most impacted by criminalization and policing in Cook County.

In the first two weeks of June, our staff volunteered their time to purchase over $6,000 worth of baby formula, diapers, food, and feminine hygiene products to donate directly to Black-led, community-led organizations.

To continue this effort, we created the Chicago Cannabis Food Fund to raise and match donations for food and supply drives on the South and West sides of the city. 100% of donations will be used to buy groceries and supplies for community-led food pantries and organizations.

We don’t plan to stop this initiative any time soon and we continue to compensate and support staff for their volunteer work for these and other organizations.

We are always looking to learn more and collaborate with organizations that do great work. If you have any suggestions, please send us a message!

“The Greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” - Coretta Scott King