Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | December 25, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 23 202 Brigham St., Northborough, MA • 508-393-2444 For Tee Times: www.juniperhillgc.com Juniper Hill Golf Course Celebrating 90 Years of Golf • Friendly Atmosphere • Two well groomed, established courses • No membership fee • Excellent meeting facilities • 36 Challenging Holes • Top 10 Public Golf Course in Massachusetts • Golf Teaching Center Call us at 508-351-9500 Give the gift of golf Gift certificates for golf, lunch, lessons and equipment are available in the Pro Shop 508-393-2444 Outings & Functions 3 to 300 guests in a variety of settings Both of these figures have declined when compared to Massachusetts data collected in 2022, where racial minorities made up 14.5% of ownership and women made up 11.5%. Of the four other states included in the study, only Massachusetts saw a decline in these figures. is decline comes despite the fact the state has taken efforts to make the industry more equitable. e Cannabis Control Commission's Social Equity Program provides free technical assistance and training to qualified applicants in order to create pathways into the industry for individuals who have been most impacted by the War on Drugs. Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to launch such an equity program. "Since Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to require equity in our legal cannabis industry, the Cannabis Control Commission has set standards for our peers to follow and successfully advocated for landmark changes that will only enhance our continued progress," Commissioner Bruce Stebbins said in a statement provided to WBJ. "Revised regulations we have filed will make more employment opportunities available to communities harmed by the War on Drugs and ensure municipalities embrace our shared responsibility to build an inclusive industry in the Commonwealth. Combined with the forthcoming Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and other ongoing efforts, such as our monthly review of licensee diversity and positive impact plans, I am confident Massachusetts will continue to set itself apart as a leader in this space." Marijuana Business Daily conducted the report by gathering data through an anonymous, industrywide, online survey of cannabis business owners and professionals. Data was also collected from different state cannabis regulatory bodies. Worcester State names daughter of Malcolm X as inaugural DEI fellow Worcester State University has named Ilyasah Shabazz as the school's inaugural DEI fellow for the 2023-2024 school year. Shabbazz is the daughter of civil rights icons Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz. Shabazz, a doctoral alumna of Worcester State University, will support initiatives in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity, according to an Oct. 1 press release from WSU. Shabazz will provide recommendations to the university, as well as teach courses in the history and political science department in the spring semester. "We're committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all students. is fellowship will help us shape the desired culture we envision for our students, one which fosters an environment of respect, cultural and diverse awareness in which all can thrive," WSU president Barry Maloney said in the press release. Shabazz is co-chairperson of e Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center in New York City, and has spent her career dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has served as an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and authored the "Growing Up X" memoir. Shabbaz holds a bachelor's degree from State University of New York at New Paltz, a master's degree from Fordham University in New York, and a doctorate from Worcester State, according to her LinkedIn profile. Ilyasah Shabazz, inaugural DEI fellow at Worcester State University W PHOTO | COURTESY OF WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY

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