Event Advisory
KALAMAZOO — People who struggle to find a good job or safe and affordable place to live because old items on their criminal record hold them back can get a chance at a fresh start at an expungement fair being held from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at the Fetzer Center, 2251 Business Court in Kalamazoo. People interested in getting help at this free event are asked to pre-register by going to bit.ly/LumeKzMay10.
This event is presented by Lume, a farm-to-store cannabis producer based in Troy, Mich., that has also been active in criminal legal reform and hosted expungement fairs around the state, including a previous one in Kalamazoo in June 2023. Co-sponsors of the May 10 event are Safe & Just Michigan, Nation Outside, Kalamazoo Defender and the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. This event marks the 100th expungement fair organized by Safe & Just Michigan, a Lansing-based nonprofit that advocates for reducing the harms of the criminal legal system and promotes justice, community safety and healing.
Michigan’s 2020 Clean Slate law expanded expungement opportunities. Getting an expungement can be a transformative experience, as many landlords and employers routinely screen out people with a criminal record. A 2020 University of Michigan study found that people’s average wages rose 23 percent in the year after receiving an expungement.
WHO: Kamau Sandiford, Safe & Just Michigan Clean Slate Program Manager
Doug McLaughlin-Williams, Lume’s Senior Territory Manager
WHAT: Expungement Fair
WHERE: Fetzer Center
2251 Business Court
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
WHEN: Saturday, May 10 from noon to 4 p.m.; pre-register at http://bit.ly/LumeKzMay10
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Safe & Just Michigan advocates for evidence-based policies that reduce the harms of the criminal legal system and promote justice, community safety and healing. We partner with Michigan organizations and leaders from across the political spectrum, including business and community leaders, faith communities, crime survivor organizations, formerly and currently incarcerated people and their families, as well as Michigan taxpayers statewide.
Lume Cannabis Co. is Michigan’s largest single-state cannabis operator with over 38 locations, including 12 in communities identified as disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition. Through its vertically integrated model, Lume offers premium cannabis products grown and produced in Michigan, while investing directly into the communities it serves. A proud 3-time Gold Level honoree in the CRA’s Social Equity All-Star Program, Lume creates opportunity through equitable hiring, living wages, and community engagement. Lume also has a history of partnering with small Michigan businesses and looks forward to collaborating with other Michigan partners as the cannabis landscape in Michigan evolves. Whether hosting expungement fairs, sponsoring local events, or offering financial and volunteer support to nonprofits, Lume continues to fight stigma and build a stronger future for all Michiganders.
