New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - April 19, 2024) - Josh Kesselman and the JUSTÜS Foundation have announced the three recipients of the RAW Seeds Fellowship Grant. The three recipients, Empress Modupe, Eli Terry, and Erin "E" Thurmond are all legacy operators within the cannabis industry and will each receive $20,000 to help grow their businesses in the new legalized market.
RAW Seeds Fellowship is for Legacy Operators within the cannabis industry.
The JUSTÜS Foundation is a nonprofit that facilitates the entry of legacy cannabis operators in the legal market. The RAW Seeds Fellowship grant is the result of a $100,000 donation made by RAW in August 2023. "The men and women who carried cannabis through the dark years of Prohibition should be treated like heroes-not criminals," said Steve DeAngelo, the founder of The JUSTÜS Foundation, and a Global Cannabis Times Top 100 of Cannabis winner for activism. "Instead of being excluded from the legal cannabis industry, legacy operators should be warmly welcomed into it."
Josh Kesselman, RAW Founder.
Two other recipients, Amanda Knodle, and James "Jamie" McRight, will receive $5,000 each to support expanding their businesses. The remainder of RAW's $100,000 donation will be distributed in smaller amounts to help entrepreneurs with fees for licensing applications.
"We take great pride in empowering the pioneers of this industry, all of whom showed tremendous passion and perseverance by building the cannabis industry from the ground up while battling legal issues and facing injustice," said RAW's founder Josh Kesselman. "We hope this grant is a way for these entrepreneurs to really feel like they've turned a new leaf and are provided with the opportunities they deserve. The legacy operators are the individuals who are the true lifeblood of this industry, those who were willing to risk it all in order to build an industry that has only recently begun emerging from the shadows and embracing legality. We truly believe that giving back and supporting these entrepreneurs to help them achieve success in any way possible is also a way to give to the cannabis community as a whole."
The RAW Seeds Fellowship Grants represent a continuation of RAW's commitment to fostering innovation and excellence within the cannabis industry. As leaders in the industry, Josh Kesselman and the JUSTÜS Foundation recognizes the importance of supporting emerging talent and providing opportunities for growth and development.
Further information about RAW's philanthropic work and the JUSTÜS Foundation can be found at their respective websites https://rawgiving.com/ and https://justus.foundation/.
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