October 7, 2022
Star Buds Becomes Illinois’ First Predominantly Black-Owned Licensed Cannabis Company
Illinois’ first predominately Black-owned craft grow house is open for business and providing licenses to social equity applicants.
Rockford, Illinois welcomed the 2/3 Black-owned cannabis business, thanks to a partnership with Star Buds, an established weed company from Colorado.
According to Black Cannabis Magazine the Illinois Department of Agriculture held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the first of over 340 licenses given out in the past year to open its doors.
“If you’re really looking at eradicating the generational wealth gap in minorities you’ve got to bring access and diversity into business such as this that can do just that,” said Tiffany Hightower, part-owner of Star Buds.
View this post on Instagram
South Rockford has become the chosen location for Star Buds as they hope to contribute by providing jobs to the city’s ecosystem, which was reportedly hit hard by the war on drugs.
“Proud to [be] a part of an amazing team with an amazing group of people. We all really worked our butts off to get here. To be the first Responsible Vendor approved by the state of Illinois, The First Cannabis Transportation license, and now to be the first predominately Black-owned craft grow to open is a Blessing,” said partner Victoria Williams.
Reportedly, 67% of the 2021 licensees identify as non-white in regards to the licensing cohort Star Bud is a part of.
AfroTech reports that only two percent of Black entrepreneurs have ownership in the cannabis space to distribute within the states including Black farmer, Terry Donnell Gwinn, a licensed medical marijuana operator in Florida. Gwinn’s application was selected for licensure by the Florida Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana Use, according to his attorney, Jim McKee.
He looks forward to working with the office to complete the final steps to licensure,” McKee said in a statement provided by the Orlando Sentinel.