The Bridge, a new cannabis dispensary launched by Queensbridge rapper Havoc, celebrated its grand opening in Astoria on Saturday after a two-and-a-half-year wait.
The dispensary opened its doors at 25-15 Broadway on June 6, featuring a number of live performances and appearances from elected officials.
Havoc, whose real name Kejuan Waliek Muchita, was raised in Queensbridge Houses and formed part of the hip-hop duo Mobb Deep. He said at Saturday’s grand opening that the new cannabis dispensary had been a “long time coming.” stating that the store takes its name from attempts to bridge the gap between cannabis and the local community.
“Thirty years ago, you couldn’t have told me that we would have been able to sell cannabis legally,” Havoc said at Saturday’s grand opening. “We used to be running from the cops, getting criminal records, being shut out of the conversation, and now we are bridging the gap between cannabis and community.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards also appeared at Saturday’s grand opening, describing Havoc’s ascent to dispensary owner as a “special day.” Richards said black and brown communities across the city were disproportionately impacted by cannabis or marijuana-related arrests prior to legalization in 2021, adding that black and brown communities represented 86% of all arrests.
Richards said the “damage was done” prior to legalization, with many people convicted of offenses unable to receive federal funding for college, among other impacts.
The opening of a new black-owned dispensary was an opportunity to right some of those wrongs, Richards added.
“We know what happens often when new businesses come into play. ” We’re left out of the equation,” Richards said. “Havoc is representative of us not being left out of the conversation, that this bridge was not a bridge too far.”
Bonita “Bo” Money, a TV and film producer and cannabis activist, partnered with Havoc to create the Bridge through her organization, National Diversity and Inclusion Cannabis Alliance (NDICA). The organization helped Havoc obtain a license from New York State.
“This has been a long journey for us,” she said. “We are just grateful for the Astoria community. Thank you for being so welcoming.”
Reach me at shane.obrien@queenspost.com
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