EQUITYWORKS INCUBATOR: AMBER SENTER

The city of Oakland’s Equity Program launched two new shared-kitchen sites to help minority cannabis entrepreneurs manufacture and distribute their products. The city

aims to boost the supply chain for minority businesses as part of its Equity Program, which started in 2017.

The recently appointed managers of the Oakland-based shared kitchens, Amber Senter and Michaela Toscas, discuss the long-term goals and anticipated challenges of their new roles.

In this Q&A, Amber Senter, manager for EquityWorks Incubator, sheds light on her plans to help minority cannabis entrepreneurs run sustainable businesses. Senter, who is also the chief executive officer of BreezeBistro shares about her professional journey in the cannabis industry.

How will minority businesses benefit from the shared-kitchen sites and what sets them apart from the others that already exist?

We’ll be assisting folks in a number of different ways — from making sure they’re applying for proper funding to giving them the support they need to be successful in the kitchen.

Our support includes helping folks obtain local authorization and state licensing so they will be allowed to operate in the kitchen. We’re also helping their businesses formulate and develop products that make sense for the regulated market.

A huge milestone is that these businesses will actually have a product that’s on the market.

Another major step is that we will ensure the products generate revenue.

We’ll be analyzing the data of the products to make sure the infusions and formulations are correct. We also plan on helping with their branding, marketing, and PR in addition to sourcing for distributors.

We’re also working on a number of strategic retail partnerships to get their products on shelves; that way, their products have guaranteed shelf space. We want folks to be able to generate at least $40,000 a month in revenue to show that this program is successful.

Why do you think it’s important for the city to support minority-owned businesses and provide subsidized commercial kitchens?

The war on drugs is a war on communities of color, Black folks in particular, and the cannabis industry was built on the backs of Black and Brown folks. It’s important that we make sure these communities are included in the regulated cannabis industry.

Secondly, manufacturing and creating infused cannabis products is a high barrier of entry for minority entrepreneurs. Looking at a facility, building costs about $250,000. Black andBrown communities just don’t have access to those kinds of funds. If you come from a communitythat was

disproportionately affected by the war on drugs, you just don’t have these wealthy people around to helpyou start a business.

The city of Oakland recognizes these things. They’ve looked at the data and understand that thesedisparities exist and need to be addressed. I’m happy that they took action and created the shared spacesto address those issues.

What are some challenges that you’ve overcome as a business owner?

Crossing over to a regulated business when marijuana was first legalized was not easy. It took me a whole year to get my license and find a space to sell my product. I had to jump through all those hoops, which was hard andexpensive.

To be in a position where I can help other minority businesses is empowering for the Oakland community. I want to keep cultivating the community with my work in social equity for other business owners.

In what ways can the equity program improve to help minority businesses and the community?

Oakland is doing a great job of setting the precedent for what a social equity program looks like for the rest ofthe country.

However, the equity program should not be exclusive to those in the cannabis industry. If the goals of the equity program are to right the wrongs done by the “War on Drugs”, then why is it exclusive to working incannabis when entire communities were destroyed.

Cannabis tax revenues should be directed towards those communities. We should have housing grantsand grants that fund organizations doing grassroots work in those communities. Also, if people want tostart any kind of business, they should get some sort of assistance from cannabis tax revenues.

I hope the city of Oakland understands that and will continue to push social equity forward in ways thatare not happening right now anywhere else in the country.

Get more information and apply to participate in the program: https:// equityworksincubator.com