Cannabis Amnesty, a Canadian non-profit advocacy group, and TOQi Technologies have partnered to launch the TOQi Fellowship for Cannabis Amnesty program.
The fellowship program will support two salaried internship positions during the summer of 2022, with support from Aurora Cannabis. The internships were designed to create economic opportunities for those from communities most impacted by decades of cannabis prohibition.
Throughout the program, fellows will gain experience in advocacy and communications through mentorship, networking opportunities, and additional perspective on the cannabis industry and Cannabis Amnesty's mission.
"Historically, cannabis laws were unequally enforced by law enforcement in Canada, disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous and under-resourced communities," said Annamaria Enenajor, executive director of Cannabis Amnesty. "Cannabis convictions limit economic opportunities for people from these communities, thus further entrenching systemic racism through poverty and disenfranchisement. We are grateful to TOQi and Aurora Cannabis for their leadership in supporting our efforts to dismantle these economic barriers, and look forward to welcoming more cannabis brands to our shared vision of justice and equality in the cannabis industry."
The program will run from May through August, and prospective applicants can apply here. Applications will be accepted through April 19.
"As a proudly Canadian company, Aurora values our roots in advocating for cannabis record pardons with Cannabis Amnesty," said Miguel Martin, CEO of Aurora Cannabis. "We have a responsibility to those who have been disproportionately impacted and commit to doing our part. Canadians, or anyone for that matter, shouldn't be burdened with a criminal record for a minor, non-harmful act that is no longer a crime. We deeply admire the team at Cannabis Amnesty for their relentless pursuit of fairness and are honored to be a part of affording others the opportunity to also be a part of this critical cause."
"People of today should not bear the burden of the laws of yesterday; while the world has changed and we are able to profit from the industry, it is our civic duty to liberate those who do not enjoy this privilege," said Drew Henson, founder and CEO of TOQi Technologies. "The hard-working and passionate advocates at Cannabis Amnesty have set the stage to right some of these wrongs, and we are honored to support their cause."
