Supernova Women fight for equity-based cannabis companies in Oakland
Supernova Women is a nonprofit fighting for a cannabis tax amnesty for small and equity-funded cannabis companies in Oakland, California after armed attacks in the week of November 15, 2021 caused them losses of up to $ 5 million.
Real representation, on time
Amber Senter, co-founder and executive director of Supernova Women, was at a cannabis party and noticed something that made her pause. At the time she was talking to her future business partner Nina Parks and they both shared the same insight: They were the only browns at this event and that had to be changed.
When Senter was working at a cannabis licensing organization in Maryland a few months later, she began to pick up on a pattern:
“When I was working in the pharmacy, there were blacks and browns everywhere on the first floor – but those were operations, so it’s a little different. When we go into the higher levels like ownership, it was only white. We see all this capital come in, and it only benefits the whites. “
A few conversations later between Amber, Nina and Sunshine, all co-founders of Supernova, the group was formed.
Senter stated that with all the information they have gathered, given the lack of ownership and representation regarding colored women in cannabis, the organization “would be so explosive that it would have a huge impact on the universe”. [of cannabis]. ”Hence the name: Supernova women.
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Struggle for expanded views on justice
Whitney Beatty, board member of Supernova Women, founder of Apothecarry and co-founder of the Josephine & Billies pharmacy, questions the mechanisms of social justice.
“We do this as a collective because it gives us more power and more reach. Not only do I want my business to flourish, I want other businesses to flourish too. “
Whitney Beatty
With her experience in the industry, Beatty finds that everyone has a different definition of social justice.
She goes on to say that most people think it is synonymous with programs that support or license black-owned companies or allow people of color to “skip the line”. But these narrow definitions or qualifications do not get to the core of social justice.
The definition of social justice should be broadened to include how legal cannabis can empower disenfranchised communities directly affected by the war on drugs but not necessarily interested in a cannabis business. Beatty raises big questions about that definition:
“In my opinion, my grandmother lived in a community that was disproportionately affected by the drug war. And she has no interest in ever having a pharmacy. Does that mean she will never get social justice, doesn’t social justice apply to her? ”
“If we take a holistic view of everything that happened as a result of the war on drugs. The people who have been locked up, the people who cannot get federal aid. There are just so many parts of the fallout. It’s so much more than just skipping a seat on the license line to do it all. “
About current events in the Oakland community
In a press release recently on the help now needed in Oakland, Senter said, “The cannabis industry needs tax breaks. Cannabis equity companies, in particular, need more money and resources. Small businesses and smallholders need help. ”
“The tax piling and hikes, and now the threat of robbery and violence, is proving to be unbearable for most cannabis operators. When we are confronted with targeted attacks, the effects are amplified. Our communities have no runway for robbery and such tragedy. We need more protection, and we need more money and resources to improve security so that we can protect ourselves. “
Supernova Women is a 501c3 non-profit that enables people of color to become sufficient shareholders in the cannabis industry. Supernova builds its base with events, panel discussions, webinar series, and blogs to ensure its community has a stable support system to benefit from.
With the mantra to keep paying it, Supernova continues to manifest greater and better ways that its mission can come to fruition.
Beatty says, “I do what I do because [we] I want to be out here teaching the industry how to deal with stock issues. “
Umarah Mughnee
Umarah Mughnee is a freelance writer working as a digital strategist in advocacy and lifestyle. Ultimately, it works for one common cause: to advance the culture without excuse.
View article by Umarah Mughnee
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