Sue Taylor is still glowing about a dream that became a reality as she celebrates the fourth anniversary of Farmacy Berkeley, the first and only Black woman-owned cannabis dispensary in Berkeley, California.
The former Catholic school principal never imagined she’d be working in the cannabis industry. After a close friend of hers lost their battle with cancer, she learned about the health benefits the plant offers, ABC 7 reported. This enlightenment caused a shift in her perspective on cannabis since elements of it are beneficial to senior citizens.
“I feel some kind of way in my heart that I didn’t serve as well because my mindset wasn’t on cannabis. Because I was secretly afraid of it because of the reefer madness that was instilled in me as I was growing up,” Taylor told ABC 7.
To help inform more elders about the positive impact marijuana can have on their lives, Taylor gathered support from her peers and family, who all invested money to help her reach her goal of opening a dispensary. In addition to the funds she received from her village, she used all the money in her retirement savings account. Despite the entrepreneur having financial support, it was still an uphill battle for Taylor and her team. During this time, she says she was denied buildings, loans and more due to racially charged reasons. After eight years of advocating and overcoming obstacles, they finally received a permit.