New Cannabis Advocacy Organization, CAURD, Launches to Empower Retailers and Champion Equity in the Industry

Today marks the official launch of the Cannabis Association for Unified Retail Development (CAURD, Inc.), a groundbreaking advocacy and support organization founded by Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees who participated in New York State’s DASNY Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund.

Born from a collective demand for justice, transparency, and sustainable economic opportunity, CAURD, Inc. is setting a new standard for equity-centered leadership in the cannabis industry. The organization unites cannabis retail licensees and applicants to navigate complex regulatory environments, drive policy reform, and develop best practices that promote innovation, compliance, and collective growth.

“CAURD licensees were promised an opportunity for generational wealth. Instead, they’ve been handed generational debt,  and the receipts don’t add up,” said Dasheeda Dawson, a spokesperson for the new association and former Founding Director of Cannabis NYC, referencing recent exposés in The New York Times and City that revealed the predatory financial terms and mismanagement surrounding the DASNY fund.

CAURD’s formation responds to the glaring disconnect between the state’s public declarations of social equity success and the real-world experience of licensees trying to build compliant, community-rooted businesses under arduous financial conditions. The organization aims to hold public and private institutions accountable while building the infrastructure necessary for long-term, inclusive success in the cannabis market.

“Our stories are powerful — and painful,” said Alexander Ortecho, Interim President for CAURD and owner of Bronx Joint. “We’ve been the face of social equity in press releases and ribbon cuttings, but behind the scenes, we’ve been burdened with broken promises and bureaucratic obstacles. The Cannabis Association for Unified Retail Development is here to change that narrative — and to make sure it doesn’t repeat.”

CAURD, Inc. Mission and Pillars

CAURD exists to empower social and economic equity cannabis retailers across the country through:

• Economic Empowerment: Strengthening the financial viability of CAURD licensees and other equity retail licensees in New York and beyond by creating access to capital, sustainable business models, and financial literacy to build true generational wealth.
• Membership Engagement & Growth: Building and fostering a strong, active community of network licensed retailers across New York and other jurisdictions supporting each other’s success.
• Government Affairs & Advocacy: Building relationships with policymakers, influencing cannabis legislation at all government levels and holding institutions accountable to the communities they claim to uplift.
• Legal Defense & Litigation Support: Protecting members from predatory practices and ensuring equity promises are upheld in the courts.