Apply Now For Virginia’s Marijuana Regulatory Boards (VA)
Apply Now For Virginia’s Marijuana Regulatory Boards (VA) Are you interested in ensuring the equitable legalization and sale of marijuana in Virginia? Do you have a unique background, perspective, or experience that you believe should be considered as Virginia prepares to legalize and sell marijuana? Consider applying for the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board or the Cannabis Control Authority!
The Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board (CERB) and the Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) will determine how marijuana will be sold and who will benefit from the legalized market. It is absolutely crucial that the people serving on these boards take a racial justice approach and prioritize repairing the harm the War on Drugs has had on communities of color. Doing that requires the boards to be populated with people of varying perspectives and lived experiences. Creating diverse boards is the best way to ensure the legalization and sale of marijuana are done right.
Board applications are now open and appointments will likely be made in June. Check out the descriptions of each below and consider applying to serve.
Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board (CERB)
Open seats: 13
What you’ll do:
- Decide how to invest millions of dollars in future marijuana tax revenue in communities disproportionately harmed by drug enforcement.
- Develop educational and vocational resources, including scholarship programs, for marginalized youth.
- Award grants to support community development initiatives, such as workforce and mentoring programs, job training and reentry services.
Who should apply:
- Those who value racial and economic equity and justice.
- Anyone who lives and works in areas disproportionately impacted by drug enforcement and mass incarceration
- Anyone with strong working/personal relationships in impacted communities
- U.S. citizens
Open positions & how to apply:
- 5 Governor appointees. For the following positions, apply at this link (click the drop-down ‘Authority’ tab to select ‘Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board’):
- 4 community service providers or community development professionals, with a focus on workforce development, youth mentoring and education, job training and placement, and reentry
- 1 representative from the VA Indigent Defense Commission
- 5 Speaker of the House appointees. For the following positions, send an email nominating yourself and explaining your qualifications to Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn, Speaker of the House, at DelEFiller-Corn@house.virginia.gov:
- 1 expert on Virginia’s foster care system
- 1 expert on workforce development
- 1 representative from one of Virginia’s historically black colleges and universities
- 1 veteran
- 1 entrepreneur with expertise in emerging industries or access to capital for small businesses
- 3 Senate Committee on Rules appointees: For the following positions, send an email nominating yourself and explaining your qualifications to Senator Mamie Locke, Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, at district02@senate.virginia.gov:
- 1 person who has been previously incarcerated or convicted of a marijuana-related crime
- 1 expert in the field of public health with experience in trauma-informed care, if possible
- 1 expert in education with a focus on access to opportunities for youth in underserved communities
Deadline: Submit your application/nomination ASAP. Recommended by 5/28/21. The board will begin working on July 1, so the sooner you apply, the better.
Cannabis Control Authority (CCA)
Open seats: 5
What you’ll do:
- Set the rules for how retail marijuana is made, sold, handled, and used in Virginia.
- Ensure producers, sellers, buyers, and workers follow the law, including standards for health, safety, diversity, and equity.
- Oversee the business licensing process to ensure fair and equitable opportunities for underrepresented minorities and people harmed by marijuana prohibition.
Why it matters:
- This board sets the values for Virginia’s marijuana industry and can ensure a market based on equity, inclusion, diversity, and justice rather than a market that concentrates power and wealth in the hands of a few and criminalizes marginalized population.
- Those who value racial and economic equity and justice.
- Anyone who lives and works in areas disproportionately impacted by drug enforcement and mass incarceration
- Anyone with strong working/personal relationships in impacted communities
- Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Virginia resident for past 3 years
- Will live in Virginia during tenure
- Has a Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field
- Has at least 7 years of business or legal experience
- U.S. citizen
How to apply: Apply at this link (click the drop-down ‘Authority’ tab and select ‘Cannabis Control Authority Board of Directors, Virginia’)
Deadline: Submit your application/nomination ASAP. Recommended by 5/28/21. The board will begin working on July 1, so the sooner you apply, the better.