Kalamazoo social equity cannabis chamber reports growth, 15 KVCC graduates and new workforce placements

Kalamazoo City business staff and representatives of the Social Equity Cannabis Chamber presented a year-end report to the Committee of the Whole outlining outreach, workforce development and policy work aimed at supporting equity in the local cannabis industry.

Jared Chambers, business specialist in Community Planning and Economic Development, introduced Rebecca from the Social Equity Chamber, who said the chamber ran 14 total events (six in person and eight webinars) last year, recorded roughly 900 total registrations and averaged about 57 registrations per event. Rebecca said the chamber’s most attended event, a fall job fair, drew more than 250 attendees and that a subsequent recent job fair generated at least two immediate job placements.

Rebecca described three core goals for the chamber’s first year: support existing Kalamazoo cannabis businesses, launch a jobs board and initial workforce-development work, and encourage entrepreneurship among people of color by lowering barriers to entry. The chamber partnered with Kalamazoo…