Medgar Evers College Gives Higher Learning a Brand-New Meaning

(Photo Credit: Jules Antonio)

By Michael Omoruan

It was on April 30 2021, that then-Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that legalized the use and possession of marijuana for adults 21 years and older. According to the Marijuana Moment, a news publication focused on stories on cannabis, from January to March 2021. 3,687 possession-related summons have been issued by the New York Police Department with the majority issued to black and hispanic people. When it comes to arrests, a total of 148 black and brown people were incarcerated, while only six white people were arrested. Fortunately as a result of Cuomo’s signing, those formerly incarcerated on possession or other charges are set to be freed and have their criminal records expunged.

It was under the leadership of Dr. Alicia Reid, chair of the Chemistry Environmental Sciences department at Medgar Evers and member of the Cannabis Education Taskforce, that Medgar Evers College became the first CUNY to offer a cannabis minor. What initially drew Dr. Alicia Reid to start this program was interest expressed from various students and the studies she would read in her spare time. In the days following Cuomo’s decision, Reid would begin to receive requests on teaching courses about the drug. It got to the point where she put out a survey to calculate interest and over 75 percent of students expressed their approval.

With the help of other students, Alicia Reid hosted a town hall meeting with a whopping 380 people in attendance. This meeting transformed the concept of having a class into a real minor offered at Medgar Evers College.

The audience consisted of students, faculty members, and community organizers who were invested in seeing the course come to fruition. Dr. Patricia Ramsey, president of Medgar Evers, stated “Education is a key step in raising awareness of the non-recreational benefits of plants such as cannabis. Oftentimes, communities of color are the last to benefit from emerging economic opportunities.”

The cannabis minor program marks the first minor dedicated to the studying and understanding of a drug in the history of the City University of New York. Dr. Ramsey isn’t too far off from the truth. In a study conducted by the Tax Policy Center, 74 percent of eligible white adults received stimulus checks, in contrast to 69 percent of African Americans and 64 percent of Latinx Americans. The lack of BIPOC representation and opportunities for individuals working in such a white, male-dominated industry was a key factor in this plan taking off.

Much of the cannabis industry is led by those that are white and male, and doesn’t reflect the diverse student body on campus. This program will allow students to maximize job and entrepreneurial opportunities after college.

A brief overview of the tracks available to enroll in as part of the minor program. Courtesy of MEC Cannabis Education Taskforce.

In an exclusive interview with the Meridian, Vikiana Clement stated “If we didn’t educate students and get them prepared, we’d be setting them up for failure.” Clement, a Medgar Evers alum and member of the MEC Cannabis Education Taskforce, goes on to state “If you gave 100 students licensing to sell cannabis, they wouldn’t know what to do with it. This program is meant to educate and put them into every sector of the industry to maximize their potential.”

Even though the minor degree program started at Medgar Evers, it is available to all CUNY students regardless of their campus or major.

Although many more are in the works, the four tracks available to concentrate on, for the time being, are the following: Formulating and Testing, Cultivation of Marijuana, Health, and Commercialization.

Rather than expressing concern about what their children would be learning, at least three parents expressed interest and had a variety of questions, including “Will FAFSA fund this?” and “Is this coming out of my pocket?”

Adults that are returning to school or are part of a continuing education program are eligible to enroll in the fourth track of the minor. There was an overwhelmingly positive response from different community members including married couples, and one grandparent even referred their grandchild to enroll in the program.

The program was spearheaded by the MEC Cannabis Education Taskforce and is housed in the Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science. The taskforce consists of four members, two faculty and two alumni. The faculty leads are Dr. Alicia Reid, chair of the Chemistry and Environmental Sciences department, and Dr. Micah Crump, professor of Business and Entrepreneurship. The two Alumni are Vikiana Clement, a corporate software engineer and entrepreneur, and Joel Strothers, a civil and environmental engineering Ph.D. student at Princeton University.

In the interview with The Meridian, Dr. Reid stated “We’re hoping that Medgar Evers becomes the go to place for workplace development. The training ground that people come to for mentoring, shadowing, and other opportunities within the cannabis degree program.”

The Cannabis Minor Program has been backed by highly regarded operations and organizations they’ve partnered with including industry-leading medical dispensary, Columbia Care, Gotham Gives, and the Webber Wild Impact Fund. This is a $100 million impact fund led by five time NBA all-star and hall of famer, Chris Webber, to assist cannabis businesses founded by minorities.

When the approval for the minor degree was granted, students were finally notified close to a year before registration for class was open. The task force initially created a survey regarding enrollment for the approximate 140 students that expressed interest in cannabis education.

“We’re hoping that Medgar Evers becomes the place for workplace development. The training ground that people come to for mentoring, shadowing, and other opportunities within the cannabis degree program.”- Dr. Reid

The main goal was to achieve, as Clement puts it, “entrepreneurial acumen” so that students who complete the program become a watchdog of sorts in the cannabis industry. This could increase the chance that many other marginalized communities can be protected.

As for what the future holds for the MEC Taskforce, Dr. Reid hopes that initiatives and other initiatives like this, serve as a blueprint for those in BIPOC and marginalized communities. Students can now have a competitive edge in the workplace and the ability to offer resources to their communities in their entrepreneurial activities.