Matthew Alvarado sells cannabis by the book now, but he sold pot illegally and paid the price.
He was incarcerated multiple times, and says the Cannabis Reentry Employment Assistance and Training Experience, also known as “CREATE,” changed his life.
What You Need To Know
- CREATE is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, NYC Small Business Services and the nonprofit Housing Works
- The program connects New Yorkers who have been arrested or convicted — typically for cannabis — with specialized classroom and on-the-job training in the legal cannabis industry
- It aims to establish financial security for people trying to re-enter society after serving time, which the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice says leads to lower recidivism rates and safer communities
“It’s changed dramatically. Mainly, I’m more peaceful. That’s the main thing, because I’m not looking over my shoulder. Worried about getting locked up, worried about any street problems or anything,” he told NY1. “It’s my first time having a job and not selling drugs on the side.”…