When it comes to talking about minority business owners in the cannabis industry, longtime Democratic operative Hashim Coates wants to make sure Black Brown and Red Badged is front and center of the conversation.Â
The group, founded in 2019, represents Black and brown red badge holders, shorthand for those who own a licensed cannabis company. In February, BBRB hired Coates as its executive director.
We caught up with him to discuss his roots in the Colorado political scene, his vision for Black- and brown-owned cannabis businesses and his interest in the cannabis industry.
Colorado Politics: How did you come to be involved in the world of politics? Where did that all start off?
motivation and rationale for the policy. The presentation included quotes from Equity Literacy Institute founder Nita Mosby Tyler alongside national, state and local academic data classified by racial groups.
Prefacing the demographic data, Kaplan said the district’s achievement gaps are caused by opportunity gaps.
“It is clear not everyone has the same opportunity as a white student in this district or as a wealthy student in this district or as a male student in this district,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan pointed to several data points, including how students classified as Latinx comprise 9% of Summit High School Advanced Placement classes while making up 34% of the school’s population. She also highlighted negative data disparities of more than 20 percentage points for the Latinx demographic relative to its representation in the overall student population in elementary math and English testing as well as secondary school discipline.
Students at Denver Green School Northfield learn perspectives from people impacting their own neighborhood. Author: Nelson Garcia Updated: 9:40 PM MST February 26, 2021
DENVER Just because something is new doesn t mean it cannot have history. Educators at Denver Green School Northfield want students to learn about people who have impacted surrounding neighborhoods through an endeavor called Black Excellence. This Black Excellence program is really all about wanting to highlight local achievements from the Black community, said Eric Morning.
He is a student advisor at Denver Green School Northfield, which opened last school year in an expanding area on the northern edge of Denver. This is a place where new homes draw new families who may not be connected to the history of the neighborhoods around them.
What s in a name? Colorado State Rep. Iman Mohamad Jodeh
The state s first Muslim lawmaker explains how her name and heritage play key roles in her life and legislative work. Author: Avicra Luckey Updated: 5:30 PM MST February 18, 2021
AURORA, Colo. Justice and faith are two principles State Rep. Iman Jodeh s parents carried with them when they immigrated from Palestine to the U.S. nearly 50 years ago.
She embodies both of these principles as Colorado’s first Muslim lawmaker.
The first-generation American represents the 41st House District in Aurora as a Democrat. Before, during and after her campaign, Jodeh said she’s carried her parents with her by using her name, which means “faith” in Arabic.
What s in a name? Dr. Dwinita Nita Mosby Tyler explains her journey
In this Voices of Change story, Dr. Dwinita Nita Mosby Tyler explains why she felt pressured to change her name, and why she s now reclaiming it. Author: Avicra Luckey Updated: 7:57 AM MST February 18, 2021
DENVER For Black professionals, the pressure to assimilate to universally-acceptable names cause some to dim their light and even change their names.
Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler said she was among that group early in her career. After four decades of going by Nita, she’s reclaiming her full name: Dwinita Mosby Tyler.
At just 19 years old, Mosby Tyler said her manager told her to make the change.