By Keith Stephenson, Founder & CEO of Purple Heart Patient Center
As cannabis retailers, we often serve as the only advocates for the industry in many communities. Several of us have also forged deep connections with our local customers, which means we have a unique responsibility to leverage our resources to ensure that the legal market is as accessible and inclusive as possible.
As a vocal cannabis advocate and entrepreneur, I have been championing social equity policies in my own city of Oakland since 2009. To me, equity in the regulated industry means giving individuals who come from marginalized communities impacted by the War on Drugs an opportunity to flourish. While the fight for equitable policies at the local, state and national level has been a long and arduous process, I believe private local businesses can take it upon themselves to bridge key equity gaps by proactively implementing hiring, retail and corporate social responsibility initiatives that uplift marginalized communities.