First Grand Rapids Central Station Expungement Resource Fair Recap

Host: The Rapid Central Station Sponsors: Ascend Cannabis, The City of Grand Rapids (Office of Public Oversight & Accountability)

Partners: Safe & Just MI, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Kent District Library Lead Organizers: Denavvia Mojet, Wardell Frazier, A'Keydra Abrams, Stephen Gunter, Kamau Sandiford, Noah Joseph, Wende Randall, Amaad Hardy, Claire Werne

The Grand Rapids Expungement Fair was the Black and Brown Cannabis Guild's first in-person community event in over a year. The leadership team prioritized registration and legal support services while collaborating with new partners to ensure that attendees had access to employment and education resources like never before. Employment and workforce development services were offered by Goodwill Industries, West Michigan Works! and others. Childcare services were offered by Childcare-On-The-Go while most children played at the KDL Bookmobile station. Over the sound of children playing, buses arriving and departing, and conversation, DJ GanjaGirl provided a steady soundtrack of hip hop/r&b chart toppers and classics. 109 registrants floated through the legal support and check-in with approximately 80 holding consultations with pro-bono attorneys, law students, and legal professionals.

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