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Despite Ryan Basore’s, The President of the Redemption Foundation, efforts to comply with state and local law, the DEA, State Police, and National Guard raided his state-legal cannabis operations in December 2010. He was ultimately charged with 13 federal counts related to the manufacture and distribution of marijuana in 2012.
Ryan served a 4-year sentence in FCI Morgantown, West Virginia, and after his release he decided to dedicate his life to restorative justice.
The Redemption Foundation is a direct response to the injustices that currently and formerly incarcerated individuals and their families and communities experience.
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Ryan Basore used his business experience gained from working in the insurance industry to open one of Michigan’s and Lansing’s first medical marijuana dispensaries in 2010. Through his provisioning center, Capital City Caregivers, Ryan saw first-hand how cannabis could improve lives by getting people off dangerously addictive painkillers and preventing debilitating seizures.
Basore had believed his caregiver grow operation was in “full and substantial compliance with state law,” which was the line drawn by the Obama Administration to avoid federal scrutiny. Despite his efforts to comply with state and local law, the DEA, State Police, and National Guard raided his state-legal cannabis operations. He was ultimately charged with 13 federal counts related to the manufacture and distribution of marijuana.
After serving his 4-year sentence in FCI Morgantown, West Virginia, Basore decided to dedicate his life to cannabis reform. In 2018, he organized support behind then-candidate Dana Nessel to defeat Pat Miles Jr. to be the Democratic Party nominee for Michigan Attorney General. Miles Jr was the person responsible for indicting Basore and his family.
Following the passage of 2018’s Proposal 1 to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, Basore helped launch the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association and grew it to more than 200 members before leaving to pursue his own cannabis business ventures in part thanks to a $50,000 social equity grant from GAGE Cannabis Co.
Basore, a proud life-long Michigan resident, is now the CEO of the Redemption Cannabis line of premium flower and concentrate products, which is headquartered in Lansing’s Old Town district.
Redemption stands out in Michigan’s cannabis market by being the only company to dedicate 10 percent of all proceeds to The Redemption Foundation, the non-profit Basore created to help others who have been harmed by the injustices of cannabis prohibition.
Mark Passerini co-founded Om of Medicine, one of the very first cannabis retailers east of the Mississippi River, in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2010. Om (now named Mission Ann Arbor) was acquired by 4Front Ventures in 2019. He founded the Ann Arbor Medical Cannabis Guild (A2MCG) which he served as president for its first two years. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MICIA) and Vice Chair of the Board for the Redemption Foundation. Nationally, Mark recently stepped down from the Board of Directors for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA). In his hometown of Chicago, he was the founding President of the Illinois Cannabis Industry Association (ILCIA). After the Om of Medicine was acquired by 4Front Ventures in 2019, Mark joined 4Front as the VP of Retail Operations and later became EVP of Business Development for the organization. Most recently, Mark has taken on the role of Vice President of Business Development for Redemption Cannabis.
Mark was instrumental in crafting local licensing and zoning ordinances in Ann Arbor & working w/various state legislators to further clarify existing Michigan laws to ensure patient access. He was an early member of the ArcView Group, a private cannabis investment & market research firm. Mark had the honor of organizing and emceeing Hash Bash, the nation’s longest running cannabis reform rally, for 8 years. He was invited to speak at the Chicago Cannabis Conference at Navy Pier and the National Cannabis Industry Association’s (NCIA) first Midwest Symposium on the topic of responsible dispensary operations. Mark has made it his mission to reverse the numerous injustices that the prohibition on cannabis has led to. His interest in the cannabis sector stems from not only his love for the plant but also from his passion for the promise of a natural, holistic alternative.
In his spare time Mark enjoys travel as a medium to learn and understand diverse human perspectives. When in the Midwest, he is a member of the Board of Directors and is a volunteer hospital magician at Open Heart Magic, a non-profit organization dedicated to using the therapeutic power of magic and laughter to energize and strengthen critically ill children in 14 area hospitals.
Rachel Pell is an accomplished entrepreneur renowned for her expertise in launching and scaling plant medicine brands across Michigan and Ohio. With over two decades of experience in the industry, Rachel has successfully introduced innovative products into multi-state retail locations, and launched multiple retail locations for vertically integrated operators. Her visionary leadership, strategic acumen, and adeptness at navigating complex regulatory landscapes have established her as a leader in the plant medicine sector.
Prior to her entrepreneurial ventures, Rachel gained valuable experience in the financial services industry, where she honed her skills in client services management, digital transformation, and mergers and acquisitions integration.
Rachel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Eastern Michigan University. She is deeply committed to advancing understanding and acceptance of plant medicine, advocating for drug policy reform and social justice.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Rachel enjoys yoga, outdoor activities, and spending quality time with her family. Through her work and advocacy, she strives to foster a more informed and compassionate society where plant medicine is recognized for its potential benefits and as a catalyst for broader social reform.
Jess Jackson is a writer and speaker committed to promoting intersectional equity and learning content strategy. She is an award-winning author of “Sis, You’re Copper,” a book that offers a comprehensive self-help wellness framework based on Jess’s experiences as a Big, bi-racial Black Queer woman from Detroit who was diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
Jess founded Copper House Detroit, a cannabis-themed, community-centered short-term rental located in Detroit’s Northwest side. She is also the insightful host of the Art of Impact Podcast, where she shares her knowledge and expertise on mindful discussions and actionable insights to empower leaders.
Jess’s remarkable journey and expertise have been recognized on various platforms such as Mic, Thrillest, Association for Talent Development, TedX, Michigan Advance, Learning Solutions Magazine, and ACPA. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a concentration in Sociology and a sub-concentration in Economy, Business, and Society. Jess holds both an M.ED and MBA, graduating Summa Cum Laude in each discipline.
Jess is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion and has gained international acclaim for her impact-driven strategies in education and DEI. She authored TorranceLearning’s Cultivating Racial Equity in the Workplace (CREW), a groundbreaking curriculum that offers a comprehensive micro-learning training program rooted in evidence-informed best practices derived from social psychology research. Her dynamic facilitation and training skills have made a lasting impact on large education-focused organizations.
Jess is also a trailblazer in the cannabis industry, advocating for the visibility and inclusion of marginalized communities. As the former Director of External Affairs and Social Equity at Common Citizen, Michigan’s largest vertically integrated cannabis producer, Jess strategically directed external affairs initiatives related to social responsibility and community benefit partnerships. She managed a 1.1 million-dollar reinvestment portfolio, leading philanthropic efforts and earning recognition from state regulators for her Gold-Star program design.
As a vocal community advocate, Jess has served on multiple non-profit boards, including Michigan NORML, the Redemption Foundation, and Pink Sesh, solidifying her position as an influential leader in education and the cannabis sector. For inquiries, reach Jess at iamjesshuman@gmail.com, and join her on the journey towards a more inclusive and empowered future by connecting with her on social media @IamJessHuman.
Katie Lynch Lindgren is a dedicated advocate and co-founder of Green Stem, a family cannabis business in Niles, MI. With a pre-qualification in 2018, she played a pivotal role in establishing the successful retail store, which now serves over 255,000 customers annually. Katie’s instrumental role in Green Stem’s success encompasses expertise in relationship-building, marketing, advertising, tourism, and public relations. Renowned for her commitment to radical honesty and approachability, Katie sits on the board of the Redemption Foundation and the legislative committee for the MiCIA. She actively engages in consulting, event sponsorship, and advocacy for responsible stewardship in the cannabis industry. Katie’s advocacy is fueled by her passion for bodily autonomy, women’s empowerment, and creating opportunities for young adults entering society and the workforce. She believes in the transformative potential of cannabis and mushroom medicine, which she credits with saving her life, and is inspired by her daughter, Arwen, to strive for a better world.
Jamie Fricke, from the Metro Detroit area, is recognized for her work across Michigan and internationally. She specializes in lean and innovative processing and business management, and has consulted with companies since 2011.
Since 2009, she has been a prominent figure in the legal cannabis industry. Her advocacy led to her arrest in 2012 and 2016, sparking a decade-long legal battle. Jamie founded Holistic Earth Provisioning Center, Remedy’s Medicinals, Terpene Sciences, and two marijuana clinics. She also established The Thin Green Line, which began an annual Christmas drive in 2014, now part of The Rick Thompson Memorial Fund, both organizations support the families of fallen and imprisoned comrades. As of March 4, 2024, her cannabis-related convictions were expunged. She is now eager to reintroduce her food and product lines to the Michigan market.
Jamie is “beyond excited” to join the Redemption Foundation family after years of support and volunteering with us. As one of Ryan Basore’s biggest supporters, Jamie was a long time penpal to him while he served his sentence.
Jamie says, “My heart lies in social justice and reform issues, as my hero Martin Luther King Jr.’s work remains unfinished. The effects of prohibition on Black and Brown communities in America and worldwide are a shameful travesty that has devastated our nation’s people and crippled medical research. Equity and inclusion for those affected by prohibition should be at the forefront of every government body and company’s strategy in this industry.”
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