>> WELCOME BACK EVERYONE TO
OUR CANNABIZ SPECIAL
LEGALIZATION GOES MAINSTREAM IN
THE
CANNABIS INDUSTRY HAS SEEN
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OVER THE
LAST DECADE YET BLACK
COMMUNITIES STILL
REMAIN SYSTEMICALLY SHADOWED BY
HIGH INCARCERATION RATES FROM
CANNABIS RELATED CRIMES AND
THEY STILL FACE BARRIERS IN
ENTERING THE LEGAL
CANNABIS SPACE. ONE COMPANY IS
AIMING TO CHANGE ALL THAT THAT
BY EMPOWERING MINORITY
OWNERSHIP THROUGHOUT
THE INDUSTRY. SO JOINING US NOW
IS THE CEO OF ILITCH DAN
PETTIGREW DAN GREAT TO HAVE YOU
HERE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US SO I WANT TO TELL
OUR VIEWERS A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR
COMPANY VILLAGE YOU'RE WORKING
BASICALLY TO CREATE EQUITY
WITHIN THE
CANNABIS INDUSTRY AND ACCORDING
TO THE NYPD PEOPLE OF COLOR
MADE UP ABOUT 94% OF THE
MARIJUANA ARREST IN 2020 WHICH
IS AN ALARMINGLY HORRIBLE
NUMBER SO TALK TO YOUR COMPANY
IS REALLY STARTING TO TACKLE
THIS ISSUE HERE.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, I
MEAN OBVIOUSLY THE OF CERTAINTY
OF THAT SPEAKS TO ITS SET OF
THE OTHER THINGS EQUALLY ABSURD
IS NATIONWIDE.
MINORITY OWNERSHIP IN THE SPACE
IS ABOUT 3%. SO YOU HAVE THE
STATE'S LICENSING CANNABIS AND
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE. WELL THE SAME TIME YOU
HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE INCARCERATED FOR MINOR
MARIJUANA FENCES. AND WHAT WE
AIM TO DO IS KIND OF LEVEL THAT
PLAYING FIELD
RECENT OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES,
WE UNDERSTAND THAT
PARTICIPATION IN THE INDUSTRY
IS EXCITING YOU CAN SAVE
PEOPLE'S LIVES. BUT WE FEEL
LIKE THE MOST
MEANINGFUL WAY. THIS IS THROUGH
OWNERSHIP AND THAT'S WHAT WE
AIM TO INCREASE.
>> AND OBVIOUSLY THE MONETARY
FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THIS IS
PART OF A HUGE REASON AS TO WHY
WE'RE
NOT SEEING A LOT OF BUSINESS
OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR IN
THIS INDUSTRY AS WELL SO HOW
ARE YOU GUYS OVER VILLAGE
TRYING TO REALLY SORT OF FIX
THAT PROBLEM.
>> YOU KNOW I
HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THAT
FINANCE FOLLOWS OPPORTUNITY AND
GIVE YOU FREE 5 REAL
OPPORTUNITY THE
MONEY WILL FOLLOW SO WHAT WE'VE
TRIED TO DO IS A TARGET YOU
KNOW SPECIFICALLY BLACK
CAUCUS MEMBER A FOUNDER OF
IOWA, WHICH IS LARGE SLACK ON
CAMPUS COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY
ALONG WITHOUT HEARING CENT AND
AS A RESULT OF THAT WE HAVE A
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE
BUSINESS ON OUR SIDE. SO
INITIALLY WANT TO DO IS REALLY
DEAL WITH THE LEGISLATORS WHO
HAVE YOU KNOW
HONORABLE INTENTIONS, BUT
REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT MANY
PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN SPEAK TO
THE CAN SHARE THE EXPERIENCES
FROM A BUSINESS
OWNER STANDPOINT AND THAT IS
VERY AND WANTS THE OTHER THING
WE WANT TO DO IS CREATE A BASIC
LEVEL FAIR THIS AND THE
APPLICATION PROCESS AND THE
AVAILABILITY OF THE LICENSES.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE LICENSE
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE
LEGAL MARKET AND AS STATES
ISSUE THESE LICENSES.
YOU KNOW ONE EXAMPLE IS MARILYN
AND 20 CULTIVATION LICENSES FOR
THE STATE AND IF YOU'RE NOT
♪
PARTICIPATING IN THAT LEVEL
YOU'RE REALLY KIND OF OPERATING
WITH YOUR HANDS TIE. SO OUR
MAIN GOAL OR OUR
INITIAL GOAL IS TO CREATE
POLICY THAT CREATES FAIRNESS OR
ALLOWS
FOR FANS, YES AND THEN HELP AND
LEVERAGING UTILIZE OUR
EXPERTISE AND RELATIONSHIPS IS
COMPANY OR OPERATORS THAT HAVE
BEEN IN SPACE FOR
10 YEARS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY
IN HELP CREATE DIVERSITY.
>> AND DAN ARE YOU SEEING
IN INTEREST FROM A LOT OF
PEOPLE REGARDING TAKING
OWNERSHIP AND BEING A PART OF
THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY WHEN IT
COMES TO EQUITY IN THIS
INDUSTRY ARE YOU SEEING PEOPLE
CONTACTING YOU
IN TRAINS ABOUT THIS
POSSIBILITY ABOUT BEING IN
THIS INDUSTRY.
>> THAT DEATH AND I MEAN THE
IT'S IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE
AMOUNT OF INTEREST EVERYBODY
WANTS TO PARTICIPATE. THE MAIN
THING IS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO STOP
EVEN CAPITAL YOU KNOW WHERE
WHERE THE THE YOU KNOW THAT ALL
BLACK PEOPLE
ARE POOR, YOU KNOW THAT'S
THAT'S A MISCONCEPTION AND
THEIR BUSINESS MEN AND
WOMEN THERE ON SPIN OR IS THERE
ATHLETES ENTERTAINERS REALLY
WANT TO GET INTO SPACE BUT THEY
FEEL LIKE THEY'RE KIND OF LEFT
ON THE CURB BECAUSE THE ONLY
OPTION THEY HAVE IS COMPANIES
INVESTING IN PEOPLE THAT DON'T
LOOK LIKE. SO
FOR US YOU KNOW WE THINK THE
OPPORTUNITY IS OUT THERE, IT'S
JUST A MATTER OF RALLYING IT
AND ALSO THAT YOU KNOW MISING
IT YOU KNOW THE SITUATIONS HAVE
TO
BE FAIR. ONE EXAMPLE IS
ILLINOIS YOU KNOW, ILLINOIS IS
GOING TO A BILLION DOLLARS IN
THE
LEGAL MARKET 3 YEARS AGO THEY
STARTED ON THIS JOURNEY TO
ISSUE THESE EQUITY LICENSES AND
CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT ONE
BLACK OWNED BUSINESS IN THE
STATE. SO
AGAIN I FEEL LIKE THE
OPPORTUNITY THE MONEY IS GOING
TO FOLLOW THE OPPORTUNITY WHAT
WE HAVE TO DO IS CREATE
LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE COLOR AS WELL AS WELL AS
WOMEN.
>> I WANT I WANT TO FOLLOW UP
ON THAT BECAUSE I FOUND THAT
STATISTIC THAT YOU JUST MENTION
A WARM
AND DAN YOU BECAUSE A LOT OF
THESE GOVERNMENTS ESPECIALLY
HERE IN NEW YORK STATE
IN PARTICULAR HAVE PUT EQUITY
REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF
WHO'S GETTING THESE LICENSES
WHO'S BEING ABLE TO RUN A LOT
OF THE SHOPS AND IF THE IF YOU
CAN THERE ARE ABOUT EQUITY IN
THIS INDUSTRY THAT SEEMS REALLY
GREAT BUT ARE YOU ACTUALLY
SEEING RESULTS OF THAT ACTUALLY
MATERIALIZING HERE AND IF NOT
WHAT DO THESE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
NEED TO DO TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.
>> WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE,
YOU KNOW IN THE PAST 2 YEARS
WE'VE BEEN AWARDED 10 LICENSES
IN 2 STATES. WE'RE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT STATE OF NEW
GREAT RELATIONSHIPS, GREAT
RELATIONSHIP WITH A LOT OF THE
LEGISLATIVE BODY. I MEAN THERE
AND IT DEFINITELY IS A
PRIORITY. BUT I THINK.
I'M A POSITIVE
PERSON AND I BELIEVE THAT
PEOPLE HAVE THE BEST OF
INTENTIONS AND THEY JUST
HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THE PROPER
SOLUTION YET. A LOT OF THIS IS
DEALING WITH THINGS THAT
NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THE
CANNABIS SPACE IS NEW
HOLISTICALLY YOU KNOW EVERY
STATE IS REGULATED DIFFERENTLY
THERE'S NOT THE FEDERAL
OVERSIGHT THAT WHO
TRADITIONALLY HAVE SO I DON'T
WANT TO MINIMIZE THE CHALLENGE
BUT WHAT I CAN SPEAK TO
THE CURRENT RESULTS AND WHAT I
ALWAYS SAY YOU KNOW MY PARTNER
NOW AND 2 MEN AND 2 MILLION
DOLLARS IN THE NBA. WE'VE BEEN
DOING THIS FOR
10 YEARS STARTING, I'VE BEEN IN
CANNABIS FOR 15 YEARS I STARTED
IN 2008 HIS CAREGIVER AND WE
JUST FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE
TO BE GREEN. YOU KNOW, I MEAN
YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO
BE GREAT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO IN
OUR SITUATION CURRENTLY WITH
PEOPLE CALLING REALLY HAVE TO
BE THE BEST OF THE BEST,
AND IT SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMEBODY
WITH THE REACH AND THE
RESOURCES THAT
WE HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMAL
AMOUNT OF SUCCESS THE 2 SIDE
AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE
AND WE'RE GROWING BUT YOU KNOW
WHAT WE FOUND IS OF WHERE THE
ONLY ONE AT THE TABLE PRETTY
SOON YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON
THE TABLE.
>> YEAH, I LISTENED VERY VALID
POINTS AND I WORKED MY WAY WE
LOVE AL HARRINGTON EVERY TIME
HE COMES ON CHEDDAR NEWS AND
TALKS ABOUT ALL THE GREAT
THINGS THAT HE'S WORKING ON AS
WELL DAN I ONLY HAVE ABOUT
ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO LEFT WITH
YOU WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SORT
OF SEE HAPPEN IN THIS INDUSTRY
OR WHAT SORT OF PREDICTIONS TO
SEE HAPPENING NEXT YEAR WITHIN
THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY.
>> I THINK THE STATE OF NEW
YORK IS GOING
TO OPEN AND UP YOU KNOW THE
PEOPLE RUNNING THAT PROGRAM I
THINK ARE EXTREMELY COMMITTED
TO DIVERSITY. MY HOPE IS THAT
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES BECOME THE
STANDARD-BEARER FOR THE REST OF
STATES. I'M REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
BANKING I THINK BANKING IS THE
GREAT EQUALIZER I THINK THAT'S
GOING TO ALLOW ACCESS TO
FUNDING, YOU KNOW THESE
APPLICATIONS IN
SOME STATES THE COST FOR
$500,000 TO PUT A COMPETITIVE
APPLICATION IN PLACE. AND AT
THE END OF THE DAY IF YOU LOSE
YOU COME
AWAY WITH. SO THERE IS A BIT OF
A POKER PLAYING INVOLVED AND I
LIKE TO SEE KIND OF THE ODDS GO
UP IN THE RISKS GO DOWN AND I
THINK THE LEADER IN THAT
CURRENT HE IS THE STATE OF NEW
YORK BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS
I'VE HAD AND WHAT
THEY'RE SEEING. SO I'M EXCITED
ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND
NEW YORK IS NEW YORK AS MUCH AS
EVER.
>> HE GETS. YOU KNOW YOUR COULD
POTENTIALLY BE
REGULATION HISTORIC. ANYTHING
REDLINING AND HOMEOWNERSHIP YOU
KNOW THE FEDERAL AND AS ALWAYS
BEEN YOU KNOW THE LAST OUTLET
FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE
I WANT TO SAY PERSECUTED BUT I
THINK THE FEDERAL LEGALIZATION
IS THE END ALL ANSWER TO
PROVIDE THE CONCLUSION THAT I
THINK EVERYBODY SPEAKS TO
BUT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN
AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE