the EQUALITY issue
WE REACHED OUT to dozens of members of the Cannabis industry from a diverse range of backgrounds to get their candid takes on important questions regarding equality and equity in the Cannabis space. We wanted to know what equality and equity mean to the people cultivating this community, what’s working, and, crucially, what needs to change for us to construct this industry in a way that benefits us all.
VOICES OF THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY CINDY DE LA VEGA “EQUITY IS BEING ESTABLISHED, HOWEVER IMPERFECT THE PROCESS MAY BE.”
CEO | STIIIZY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA
What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity?
I believe that the equity program is one way that equity is being established, however imperfect the process may be. Not only does the Office of Cannabis facilitate business licenses through the program, but also helps advocate for equity partners in challenging situations, such as with their investor partnerships. Another important piece is the work being done by grassroots organizations like the San Francisco Equity Group, which is a coalition of verified equity applicants who are also community leaders and advisors, including myself. We aim to improve and expand on the opportunity for as many equity applicants as possible, showing that the program can work, leading by example, and helping communities across the country secure ownership in the Cannabis industry. Ultimately, our goal is real ownership and sources of security for people most affected by the War on Drugs – not only themselves, but their families, communities and generations to come.
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What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? I’m pushing for equity, which is
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you?
a bit different from equality. Equality normally refers to everyone being treated the same, whereas equity is an effort to ensure those who have been held back get extra support – so that we all end up with the same ability to succeed. Equality doesn’t take history into context, and the history of Cannabis is one where some groups suffered legal consequences far more than others. People of color specifically, as well as cultivators of all colors, have been targeted for arrest, harassment, extortion, loss of their children and much more. In order to have a mutually supportive Cannabis industry, we must be pushing for equity over equality.
It means non-whites having more than less than 1% of ownership within the space. What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity? Honestly, not much,
MIKE ROSATI
because we aren’t in the rooms making the decisions.
leafmagazines.com
STIIIZY.COM
TUCKY BLUNT
FOUNDER | BLUNTS + MOORE OAKLAND, CA BLUNTSANDMOORE.COM
Can you give us an example of something equitable you’ve seen happen in the Cannabis space? Oakland creating
the equity program from the ideas of Keith Stephenson and championed by Desley Brooks. As a result of their efforts and my work, I became the first equity-owned retail brand in the world.
“AS A RESULT OF THEIR EFFORTS AND MY WORK, I BECAME THE FIRST EQUITYOWNED RETAIL BRAND IN THE WORLD.”
AUG. 2021
JASON ORTIZ
What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity? New states are
“EQUALITY DOESN’T TAKE HISTORY INTO CONTEXT, AND THE HISTORY OF CANNABIS IS ONE WHERE SOME GROUPS SUFFERED LEGAL CONSEQUENCES FAR MORE THAN OTHERS.”
state contribute significant funding ($50 million) in start-up capital for SEA to access. Places like Oakland are funding cooperative kitchens and using equity cohorts – groups of businesses as the foundation of how equity support is distributed. I think this model of state funding providing hard assets like buildings and equipment to groups of businesses that are mutually supportive, is the future of equity-first economics.
CO-FOUNDER | MINORITY CANNABIS including mandatory set asides of licenses for BUSINESS ASSOCIATION | equity applicants at a minimum of 50% of all HARTFORD, CT MINORITYCANNABIS.ORG licenses. Places like Connecticut are having the
