Mensa is on a mission to reinvest in the communities that have been disproportionately affected by outdated laws and prejudices regarding cannabis consumption.
Chicago rapper, actor, and activist Vic Mensa has unveiled his new brand 93 Boyz, an equity-focused cannabis company which is the first Black owned and led in the state of Illinois. As Chicago’s first Black-owned cannabis brand, at the core of 93 Boyz’ mission is a reinvestment in the communities that have been historically and disproportionately affected by outdated laws and prejudices while increasing Black equity in the cannabis space.
Among the community-based initiatives that the brand will be undertaking is a partnership with Books Before Bars, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing books to underserved Illinois prison libraries, providing inmates with potentially transformative resources. It will also collaborate with Mensa’s long running nonprofit SaveMoneySaveLife, an organization that empowers BIPOC individuals through facilitated experiences that integrate contemporary cultural art and community service.
Speaking on his new venture, Mensa says, "Selling weed was my first hustle. It taught me work ethic, entrepreneurship, and funded all of my first music projects. As someone with a lifelong experience of anxiety and depression, it's amazing to be able to help people facing those and other issues while working with something I love. The war on drugs has had a devastating impact on my community, and yet our representation in the cannabis industry is less than 2%. 93BOYZ is changing that narrative while combining high quality, tastemaker weed with socially conscious initiatives."
Mensa is also focused on providing a premium, eco-friendly product. In its pursuit to become a company focused on holistic good, 93 Boyz has joined forces with aeriz, the largest aeroponic cannabis cultivator in the world, to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly products from plant to person (aeroponics is a cultivation method to grow product without the use of soil or an aggregate medium). The product line includes premium flower eighths, premium preroll, and strain-specific vape cartridges, encompassing a range of different options from sativa to indica to custom hybrid blends.
