A Brooklyn nonprofit founder embodies the intent of New York’s equity law – yet after three years, his dispensary remains closed.
By the time Shanduke McPhatter finished building out his cannabis dispensary in Brooklyn—after following every step the state laid out—New York had already opened hundreds of licensed adult-use stores.
His wasn’t one of them.
The floors were done. The space was compliant. The paperwork had been submitted. And every month, the rent kept burning. Nearly $250,000 so far. Nearly three years into New York’s social equity licensing process, McPhatter was still waiting to open a store the state had already told him he was qualified to run.
“Every single month,” he said, “you’re looking at that list, looking for your license to be on there. For three years, man. For three years.”
McPhatter is a Brooklyn-based community leader, a formerly incarcerated entrepreneur. He’s also the founder of G-MACC—short for Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes—a nonprofit focused on gun- and gang-violence interruption, reentry support, and community stabilization in neighborhoods most harmed by the war on drugs.
When New York launched its Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program, this is the kind of applicant it said it wanted to prioritize.
His doors are still closed.
Not an Abstract Equity Story
McPhatter’s relationship with cannabis predates legalization. It was part of his life long before the law caught up.
“I’m legacy,” he said. “Everybody says legacy, but everybody ain’t legacy.”
He grew up in Brooklyn and cycled through New York’s correctional system from his teens into his early thirties. During his final sentence, he began building what would become G-MACC, drawing on his own experience to help others avoid the same pipeline.
“Never got any opportunities, no programming, no mentors, nothing,” …
Read More
Author: Gregory Frye / High Times
