This WEDNESDAY, Black LA Equity operators are holding a rally on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall.

04-14-2025

Rico "Yung Zadi" Lamitte

Original High At 9 News Story

This WEDNESDAY, Black LA Equity operators are holding a rally on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall.

These business owners are calling for action after seven years of waiting on bureaucratic delays, struggling to survive while being forced to watch the trappers thrive.

The equity operators that are still around are drowning in debt and still systemically discriminated against; despite LA’s equity program’s promise to repair these issues.

The Black Los Angeles Cannabis Council (BLACC) is fed up with the city’s broken promises and is finally taking action.

BLACC’s members say they are no longer waiting for LA’s Department of Cannabis Regulation to follow through and is taking their fight public.

The Cannabis Equity and Market Stabilization Act, which will address many of their gripes, is currently sitting on Councilmember Imelda Padilla’s desk, awaiting her signature.

Wednesday’s rally is to bring awareness to the act and they want Los Angelinos to reach out to their own city council rep and demand they vote YES.

Here’s what’s in it:

• Retroactive tax credits for businesses hurt by years of city delays

• An equitable tiered tax structure that levels the playing field

• Tangible equity program reform

• Reinstated enforcement against illegal shops

• Accountability for landlords who enable the underground market

In an emotional Instagram post featuring a who’s who of Black LA equity operators, BLACC asks for the cannabis community’s support. 

It features DJ Qwess Coast (Alfred Terrenago), Whitney Beatty, Madison Shockley, Kika Keith, Ishman Baber, Rhavin McSweaney, Aja Allen-Crosswell, Evelyn and Brandon Brinson - calling out for everyone who believes in the movement to join in Wednesday morning at 200 N SPRING ST, to rally for change.

The caption reads:

“For 7 years, we’ve been ignored. Now we’re done waiting!

On WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025 at 8:30am, WE RALLY ON THE STEPS OF LA CITY HALL. MEET AT 200 N SPRING ST LA, CA 90012 TO DEMAND CHANGE

Black cannabis operators in LA were promised equity.

Instead, we got delays, debt, and discrimination—while illegal shops flourish and our doors close.

This isn’t just about weed.

This is about justice. About repairing harm. About survival.

The Cannabis Equity & Market Stabilization Motion gives us a path forward.

It includes:

• Retroactive tax credits for businesses hurt by years of city delays

• A tiered tax structure that levels the playing field

• Real program reform and enforcement against illegal shops

• Accountability for landlords who enable the underground market

This isn’t a handout.

It’s a chance to finally make the Social Equity program mean something.

And yes—it’ll help LA’s budget, too. More legal sales = more tax revenue. Everybody wins.

If you believe in equity, you need to be there.

If you believe in Black-owned businesses, you need to be there.

If you’ve ever said you support the culture—you need to show up for the people who built it.

And during 4/20 week:

Shop Black. Shop legal. Support Social Equity.”