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"Breaking Ground" Senator Sanders' Cannabis Education Initiative
August 19, 2021
![Senator Sanders was joined by community leaders and supporters during his press conference launching his Cannabis Workforce Initiative.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/press-release/main-image/dsc_0042.jpg?itok=IhbO3Lok)
Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Queens) today made history as he joined with Cannabis Hub to launch the first of its kind cannabis workforce training in the nation.
The “Breaking Ground: Cannabis Education Initiative" is for individuals who want to start a business or simply get a job in the emerging cannibas industry coming soon to New York State, and made possible by the Marijuana Regulation And Taxation Act (MRTA).
Senator Sanders made the official announcement at a press conference in Far Rockaway at the Campaign Against Hunger - Far Rock Urban Agro-Ecological Center, where he was joined by community leaders and supporters.
Senator Sanders said: "There is a Chinese proverb that says, 'The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.' You don't want to miss out on this opportunity, my friends. Cannabis is going to be one of the most rapidly growing industries New York has ever seen, and those who are not paying attention will get left behind."
The teachers who devised this acredited program are the best and most respected leaders in the cannabis industry, having fine tuned their already immense expertise at the Cleveland School of Cannabis.
Students of Senator Sanders' Breaking Ground initiative will be primarily community members who have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition. They are going to get a free, world-class education with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson said: “The Breaking Ground initiative led by Senator Sanders in partnership with the Cannabis Hub is a first-of-its-kind workforce training opportunity that upholds the economic and social justice focus of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). It is powerful that our neighbors and community members adversely impacted by cannabis prohibition will gain priority access to this training program. I look forward to continued partnership with Senator Sanders to ensure justice and equity in the emerging cannabis industry across New York State."
This public announcement was preceded by a Faith-Based and Labor Leader Breakfast.at the Arverne Bay Community Center. This gathering was intended to foster conversation and learning, as it pertains to New York’s recently enacted cannabis laws.
Senator Sanders will also be discussing the Breaking Ground initiative on his weekly podcast, which will premiere tomorrow at 6 p.m. on his YouTube channel. He will be joined by Kevin Greene, Vice President, Cleveland School of Cannabis; Brian Licata, Membership Relations Manager, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce; and Brandon Jeffries, Director of Youth Programs, Queens Defenders.
Complete details on the “Breaking Ground: Cannabis Education Initiative" are listed on a fact-sheet below.
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