Exit-Now is creating tools to overcome oppression in minority communities

Exit-Now will host the state’s first expungement clinic and workshop on February 27. 

“Exit-Now is a minority ran non-profit organization in Missouri that is creating inclusion in cannabis through education,” explains Marne Madison. “Our sole mission is to help communities exit systems of oppression by providing tools that help educate, empower, and provide solutions to the economic disadvantages that minority communities face in the cannabis industry.”

Madison serves as Executive Director for Exit-Now. But Madison isn’t doing it alone, Mohamed Yusef serves as president of Exit-Now and is the Co-Founder of PressureCo., together with a team of industry leaders and advocates the organization aims to use cannabis to lift up the people and communities that suffered most in the War on Drugs. Exit-Now is achieving this goal by promoting the inclusion of those most disenfranchised by the cannabis industry, offering education and opportunity in efforts to overcome disparity by partnering with licensees and businesses to give back.

“We appreciate our amazing partners at Saint Louis University and SWADE Dispensaries that help to facilitate our initiatives throughout the underserved and underrepresented communities. We are working to create more long-lasting partnerships in the cannabis industry and we welcome all brands and companies to learn more on how they can become Allies for Equity at www.exittogether.org.”

Those partnerships have helped birth the Equity-Now scholarship, a scholarship through Saint Louis University’s Cannabis Science and Operations program founded in partnership with PressureCo.

“With our efforts to create inclusion in cannabis for those negatively impacted in the War on Drugs and other economic disparities to receive impactful assistance in the cannabis space we have partnered with Saint Louis University’s Cannabis Science Operations program to implement our Equity-Now Scholarship to create more diversity and inclusion in the local cannabis workforce,” Madison said. “Applicants who meet the requirements will be guided by Exit-Now in their journey through the program. Once certified under the program, these individuals will be provided with opportunities for job placement with Missouri Cannabis companies.”

Yusuf told Greenway previously, “We found that the SLU cannabis program is a certificate program that offers 16 credit hours to students to help further their education inside or outside of the cannabis industry. We quickly realized that if we wanted to be more than just an idea, we needed to make a real impact.” 

“This scholarship will pay the tuition for minority applicants to attend the cannabis science program at SLU, to create inclusion and systemic change within the industry,” Yusuf explained.

The partnership has also led to the creation of the Round-Up for Equity program.

“Our Round-Up for Equity program gives cannabis patients and consumers the opportunity to round-up their purchases at SWADE Dispensaries to help provide cannabis industry education for minorities. Each penny collected at dispensaries will go directly to the Equity-Now scholarship fund at SLU,” Madison told Greenway.

   

Madison and Exit-Now aren’t focusing solely on education as inequality and disparity have touched every aspect of life for many minorities and their families.

“Education, community engagement, job placement, policy considerations, prison reform, and social justice are some of our immediate initiatives in Exit-Now,” Madison said. “We understand that we must first build a relationship in the communities we are working in and advocating for, so we believe community outreach is the most important.”

“We believe that giving back by volunteering and becoming an Ally for Equity throughout communities that have suffered from oppression is very important. As a 501c3 we are currently taking donations to assist in our mission, as well as establishing more partnerships that provide resources for our community events and patient education drives. You can learn more on how you can help give back at http://www.exittogether.org/allies.”

Later this month, Exit-Now will host its first Community Expungement Clinic. 

“After Mayor Jones signed Bill 132 repealing outdated marijuana possession charges we knew it was time for the city of Saint Louis to have its first Expungement Clinic for those who have nonviolent marijuana offenses,’ she said. In order to ensure the event’s success, Madison and the team at Exit-Now reached out to local and state elected officials that have taken a stance to advocate for minority inclusion, social justice, and prison reform.

“Currently, we are advocating for expungement for nonviolent marijuana charges where the individual possessed under 2 ounces of marijuana flower, concentrate, or THC infused products (edibles). As well as those individuals who may have paraphernalia charges or citations in the City of Saint Louis,” Madison explained.

But organizing an expungement clinic is no easy task. “It takes organizations and communities who are actively pushing for immediate expungement in the cannabis space, as well as those who have already put these resources in place to advocate for those individuals that have non-violent marijuana charges. With expungement resources already present in the state, we are hoping to motivate attorneys and legal firms to step up and provide expungement services for nonviolent marijuana offenders.”

“Businesses can help by sponsoring and being a part of events like our Expungement Clinic, patient med card drives, implementing the Round-Up for Equity program in their businesses, as well as helping to build awareness around Exit-Now,” Madison said.

While there is work to be done, progress is being made. The team behind Exit-Now is pushing to ensure that progress is equal for everyone while working to relieve the oppression in communities held back by outdated policies and bigoted dogma.