Month: February 2021

Professional boxer Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield is Bay Area to the core. You can hear it in the way he talks, you can see it in the way he walks, and The Bay is most definitely in the way he fights. “I was born and raised in the Western Addition known as the Fillmore [District]. What we call the Moe. It is known as a historically Black community, and I pretty much came up there all my adolescent years, and today, I’m still there doing what I can do for the youngsters,” he told Weedmaps during a recent phone interview.

Mayfield has a record of 21 Wins (11 knockouts, 10 decisions), 5 Losses (0 knockouts, 5 decisions). He’s the 2006 Golden Gloves champion, a former NABO junior welterweight champion, and emphasizes that he has never been beaten, battered, or bruised. His hardest opponent ever? Himself. “Not to sound all cocky, my hardest opponent was myself, to be honest. I can tell you I fought a guy named Thomas Delorme, that was a little more difficult than others. No excuse, but it wasn’t the full me in there.”

Currently, Mayfield is inactive as a professional boxer, but is training for a comeback and wants Danny Garcia to stop running. “I’ve been chasing this guy for a long time. I’ve got a documentary on WorldStar called Run Danny. They are still ducking me to this day. People will say I want a big pay day, but I’m so passionate, I’ll fight him for the low.”

Past boxing, Mayfield’s passions extend to community restoration and social equity in California cannabis. “It’s very important, very essential for me to give back to where I came from. I got everything from there.” For several years, he’s had a boxing program in San Francisco named SOULCHAMP, aimed at giving kids with tough circumstances a more positive outlook. It provides a full body boxing routine, meditation, and life skills to help navigate through the difficulties of growing up in lower income neighborhoods that are more dangerous than the San Francisco we’ve seen on Full House. “Mental health is definitely a serious issue in these times.”

In the last year, the former welterweight champ has expanded into cannabis business ownership. Hard Hitta is now the Chief Executive Officer and owner — in partnership with the Shryne Group — of Authentic 415 in San Francisco. Like with SOULCHAMP, Taylor’s mission with Authentic 415 is all about giving back to the authentic San Francisco community. “Before gentrification came and moved a lot of our folks in the Bay Area, the city wasn’t that expensive at all. How we’re going to keep it authentic is we’re going to keep those price points down. We certainly look to be true to the culture and have accessible price points. We’re hiring people from the neighborhood and area.”

Karim Mayfield’s favorite weed

In addition to selling cannabis, Mayfield also loves to use cannabis, though never when he’s fighting, as THC violates the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA)’s rules, but CBD is allowed. On its benefits, he told us, “I think the benefits [are] it won’t solve your problems, but at the time you feel like things are okay. When I consume cannabis, if I do have a problem, my mind fades out and finds out a way to help that problem. I can think a little deeper at times. It also makes movies funnier.” 

Here are four weed products Karim Mayfield can’t live without.

Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm

Mayfield isn’t a big smoker at all. Instead, he’s more of a CBD user. He loves topicals, and the one that he chooses above everything else is the well-known, highly-requested, Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm. “Anytime I had a fight coming up, I would stay away from any type of psychoactive, and just make sure I was on CBD only. No edibles, no smoke, no anything.”

Papa & Barkley’s Releaf Balm is a great hemp-derived topical marketed for post-workout soreness, cramps, stretching, and muscle aches.

STIIIZY vape pens

In the very rare times that Mayfield does use cannabis recreationally, he prefers STIIIZY’s vape pens to flower and dabs. “I like the resin ones because they taste good, they’re super incognito; they’re just lowkey.”

STIIIZY’s pens and pods are known all throughout California. Mayfield loves the flavors, and price points. Currently, its website lists over 21 strains in half and full gram pods.

STIIIZY also grows flower under a brand called LIIIT. Mayfield loves their Circa strain. Circa is a sativa, which Mayfield loves for creativity.

Cookies strains

Every now and then Mayfield may smoke a little tree. He’s not a connoisseur by any means, but he knows what tastes and feels good. In addition to STIIIZY’s Circa, some of his favorite strains have been Gary Payton and Cake Mix from Cookies.

Ball Family Farms

“Ball Family Farms definitely has some good products.”

Ball Family Farms is a Black-owned-and-operate cannabis company in California. They specialize in high quality-flower, namely their famous Daniel LaRusso strain.

Daniel LaRusso is a potent hybrid with spicy and minty aromas. It provides a satisfying high that’s perfect for a day out.

Featured graphic by David Lozada.

The post 4 weed products pro boxer Karim Mayfield can't live without appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

With a new year ahead of us and a new administration in place, it will take multiple conversations to better the cannabis industry and right the wrongs of the War on Drugs and systemic racism. 

To spark these conversations and begin building a more inclusive cannabis industry, Weedmaps and Green Enterprise have joined together to produce a two-day virtual conference — Information, Education & Empowerment Summit, being held from February 22 – 23. 

Green Enterprise, a partnership between Digital Venture Partners and Black Enterprise, is a media resource for Black Americans entering cannabis entrepreneurship. Green Enterprise will virtually gather their audiences to inform, educate, and empower Black and POC entrepreneurs with new opportunities, skills, knowledge, and experience needed to be successful in the cannabis industry. Weedmaps is the event’s presenting sponsor.

“Since the inception of Green Enterprise, our goal has been to bring authentic stories to illustrate the successes achieved by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color operating within the emerging global cannabis industry. Our work with Weedmaps has already shown amazing progress in supporting our work to establish Green Enterprise as an authority in Black Cannabis media,” said  Andrew Farrior, producer of Green Enterprise.

When and where do I stream it? 

• When: Feb. 22 – 23 2020 1 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EST. 
• Where: You can watch it at Green Enterprise’s streaming page, which is here. 

What will I be watching? 

At this virtual summit, you will hear from successful entrepreneurs, Black business owners, and other leaders in the space throughout a series of panel discussions. Topics covered will include social impact and justice, social equity, raising capital and general economics, tips for investing, and other areas specific to successfully entering and participating in the cannabis industry for BIPOC individuals.

Here is the session agenda:

Some of the speakers are: 

How is Weedmaps involved in the summit? 

As a sponsor and participant in the virtual summit, Weedmaps looks to contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.

“We are excited for the opportunity to work with Green Enterprise to produce this important event and continue to share our company’s commitment to building an equitable industry,” said Juanjo Feijoo, Weedmaps Chief Marketing Officer. “As legalization continues to move forward across the country and as the cannabis industry grows, we have a responsibility to not only address the wrongs inflicted on minority communities through the War on Drugs but also create a more inclusive economy at scale. The challenges are many, but creating a forum for open discussion and education with key industry decision-makers is more often than not the necessary catalyst for real change and solutions to occur.”

Weedmaps will be programming a panel discussion called “Together for Access, Equality, and Legalization” led by Ru Johnson, Roz McCarthy, and Cedric Haynes. This discussion will focus on the importance of cannabis organizations working together to build a more equitable industry. 

The panel will also discuss WM TEAL (Together for Equity, Access & Legalization), a Weedmaps initiative that provides tools and resources to social equity-qualified entrepreneurs and businesses in the cannabis industry.

Why watch?

The cannabis industry is booming and more Americans are historically aware of the tragedy of the War on Drugs and its lasting effects. Now, more than ever, is an important time for Black and POC to be equipped with all the right skills and information to successfully participate at the forefront of this industry as it becomes more widely accepted. By bringing entrepreneurs and thought-leaders together, we can view the cannabis industry through complex lenses that will make an impact socially, racially, and economically.

And cannabis is entering new conversations and interests. Cannabis can be intertwined with countless other industries like wellness, agriculture, tech, sports, food, and music. Knowing how Black and POC entrepreneurs can influence cannabis’s direction will only make for a better, healthier, and more inclusive industry and culture. With this in mind, Green Enterprise and Weedmaps hope to drive thoughtful conversation around the challenges minorities have faced and the pathways toward success. The business opportunities ahead for Black and POC entrepreneurs are well-worth going after, and this summit aims to lay it all out for this community and their allies. 

To learn more, visit greenenterprise.live and weedmaps.com/black-lives-matter

The post Watch the Information, Education & Empowerment Summit 2021 appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

Voters passed both medical and adult-use legalization. Now politicians are trying to undermine the law.

The post South Dakota voters legalized cannabis, but state politicians aren’t having it appeared first on Leafly.

Source: lfy