• The Canopy is a restorative justice-anchored workforce and industry training hub located at the Dr. Dennis Deer Community Justice Center in the heart of North Lawndale.

    We exist to open a door that has long closed—connecting justice-impacted young adults to real careers in one of Illinois' fastest-growing industries.

  • Our initial program offering consist of a 15-week intensive and hands-on industry training program serving a small cohort of justice-impacted young adults (ages 21–26) who are past or current clients of Lawndale Christian Legal Center’s (“LCLC”).

    Over 15 weeks, participants receive hands-on cannabis industry training, regulatory and compliance education, career coaching, financial literacy, and business fundamentals. They also have the opportunity to earn a credit-bearing Cannabis Applied Studies certificate through Wright College — at minimal or no cost to them.

    • 15 weeks of hands-on industry training

    • Real-equipment, real-facility experience

    • Career coaching and job placement support

    • Financial literacy and business fundamentals

    • College coursework and a cannabis industry certificate through Wright College

    • Wraparound support from LCLC's legal and advocacy team

  • The Canopy is open to justice-impacted young adults ages 21–26 who are enrolled in or referred by LCLC's alternative-to-incarceration program and reside in North Lawndale or surrounding West Side communities.

    The program is completely free for accepted participants.

    Here's how it works:

    1. Attend an Info Session: Come learn about the program, ask questions, and meet the team. Sessions are free and last one hour. Space is limited — registration is required.

    • Monday, April 28 — 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM

    • Monday, May 12 — 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM

    • Tuesday, May 13 — 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM

    All sessions held at the Dr. Dennis Deer Community Justice Center, North Lawndale.

    [Register for an Info Session]

    2. Submit Your Application Applications are open April 29 – May 20, 2026. The application takes about 20–30 minutes and can be completed on your phone.

    [Apply Now]

    3. Interview Selected applicants will be invited to a brief interview the week of May 25–30.

    4. Get Notified Cohort selections will be made the week of June 2. All applicants will be notified of their status.

    5. Start Training The Canopy's first cohort launches in June 2026. Let's get to work.

Rooted in justice. Built for industry.

Why we do this work?

North Lawndale has one of the highest rates of cannabis-related arrests in Chicago. For decades, residents here paid a steep price for an industry that is now legal, growing, and generating wealth — mostly for people who look nothing like this community.

The Canopy exists to change that.

We believe economic empowerment is part of restorative justice. Expunging records is important. So is making sure the people most harmed by criminalization have a real shot at the opportunities legalization created. The Canopy is how Lawndale Christian Legal Center puts that belief into action in partnership with Wright College Humboldt Park, and the young adults of North Lawndale themselves.

We're not just training workers. We're cultivating the next generation of cannabis industry professionals, business owners, and community wealth builders — rooted right here on the West Side.

Interested in The Canopy?

The Canopy is more than a job training program. It's a hub where young people from a community that was disproportionately targeted by the war on drugs can reclaim their futures, build financial independence, and become leaders in an industry being built right in their backyard.

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