WHO WE ARE
THE BANC STREET COLLECTIVE IS FOUNDED AND MANAGED BY TWO BROTHERS WHO ARE HIGHLY RESPECTED AND INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
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BOTH DAMON AND JARAUN WERE RAISED IN MORRIS COUNTY NEW JERSEY, AND HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE AREA.
DAMON
FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
Damon Lilton Mitchell II was raised in Morris County, New Jersey, and learned the value of community at an early age. He cares deeply about his community, having completed his elementary, high school, and university studies in the Morristown area, where he resides today.
Damon views a majority support for the legalization of recreational cannabis consumption, and the subsequent cannabis regulations passed in New Jersey as currently the most effective opportunity to promote social equity while investing in the local community.
Mr. Mitchell earned a degree in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Morristown, and quickly began a career focused on service and advocacy for community stakeholders.
His venture into the nonprofit sector, led to philanthropic opportunities in Rwanda, Uganda, and South Africa; to support in educating communities on healthcare, sustainable soil management, food security, and water purification.
Following this work, Damon returned home to Morristown and founded The United Powerball League, with a goal of supporting the youth in his community and providing opportunities to give back in a real way.
A devout scholar of horticultural techniques, Damon would continue to pursue his passion for gardening, studying all aspects of the art including, aquaponic and hydroponic systems, safe composting and fertilization techniques, soil testing, organic farming and integrated pest management — and earned a Master Gardener certification from Rutgers University.
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Since 2018, he has supported his community with an abundance of horticultural knowledge; assisting Morris County residents with gardening related questions including participating in agricultural research projects and various volunteer work.
Damon continues to utilize his expertise by transitioning into the commercial retail cannabis industry; ensuring that only the highest quality cannabis products are cultivated and sent to market, while simultaneously educating his community about safe, organic horticultural techniques, and the safe and responsible use the cannabis plant.
Ultimately, Damon has synthesized his passion for education, horticulture & gardening, and community service in order to realize The Banc Street Collective.
THE BANC STREET COLLECTIVE
51 BANK STREET
MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY 07960
JARAUN
FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
Born April 21, 1986, on Staten Island, New York, Jaraun Khaim Wright is an OFA Fellow and lifelong resident of Morris County, New Jersey. Currently residing in Morris Township, inspired by the support of community, and raised by his mother in a single parent environment alongside four maternal siblings, Jaraun has learned to live a life of service. He has become and advocate for identifying challenges regarding issues of environmental justice that affect our shared community, and has persevered by developing advocacy campaigns that make measurable progress towards the alleviation of those challenges.
An active member of The Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a graduate of The Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Frelinghuysen Middle School, and Morristown High School, Jaraun knows the importance of giving back to the community that has given him so much.
In 2015 Jaraun co-founded an organization, Planet Grow, Inc. with his former girlfriend, and with the primary goal of connecting philanthropic organizations with marginalized communities. That same year, Mr. Wright was appointed to the Morris Township Environmental Commission, and served the community in that capacity until his resignation in November of 2020.
During his tenure as a commission member, and with the support of his community, Mr. Wright planned and designed a new playground and civic center concept for the Collinsville area of Morris Township that was featured in the local news section of the Morristown Green.
In the winter of 2019, Mr. Wright was blessed to marry his girlfriend of six years. Jaraun and his wife Kristina are featured In the March 2020 issue of New Jersey Monthly Magazine. That publication highlights millennials who are changing the narrative around gaining economic independence while living in New Jersey.
In May of 2020 Jaraun earned a bachelors degree from Drew University while establishing life long friendships; not only there, but also through his studies abroad at The Singapore Institute of Management in Singapore, and at Vesalius College in Brussels, Belgium.
In May of 2021, Jaraun and his wife welcomed their daughter Luna to their home, and as new parents they are entirely overwhelmed with love and joy.
Ultimately, Jaraun is a passionate, well cultured individual aiming to provide educational support and informational resources for the disenfranchised population through local and global philanthropic initiatives.​
THE BANC STREET COLLECTIVE
51 BANK STREET
MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY 07960