Scant minority ownership in Nevada’s cannabis industry, spurring calls for social equity reform
Minority ownership of cannabis businesses in Nevada is rare, and there are few signs that situation is likely to change anytime soon... (read article)
Zion Gardens – DOPE Magazine Nevada Garden Feature
On the north side of Las Vegas, there's an up-and-coming with a modest mentality taking an unconventional approach when it comes to cannabis farming. Zion Gardens has been licensed and operational for... read more.
Our Big Pot Feature – Desert Companion
“We are the standard-bearers for the country — our position gives us a unique opportunity to be pioneers,” says Aaron McCrary of Zion Gardens cannabis cultivation. The Silver State’s green rush has spawned over 100 grow facilities, all sharing a mission to create the best product, but each in their…
The Marijuana Double Standard (via Ball Bearings Magazine)
Minorities in the legal cannabis industry are attempting to surpass legal and societal barriers to promote diversity and representation in their line of work. Aaron McCrary became the first black owner, operator, and cultivator of a cannabis business in Nevada after the state legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2017.…
Cannabis Captains, Aaron McCrary of Zion Gardens
Aaron McCrary is the first black owner, operator and cannabis cultivator in Nevada, but he doesn’t care so much about the title. “It’s not about being first or second,” the Zion Gardens master grower says. “It’s about breaking down barriers for people who are traditionally excluded from ownership in the…
Minority Owned Cannabis Businesses
Aaron McCrary got his start as a cannabis cultivator in Washington state, working first underground and then within the legal medical marijuana market. When Nevada voted to legalize cannabis, he took a chance on the emerging market and is now known as the first black master grower in the state.…
Nevada’s first black master grower is keen to drive the local marijuana scene
Aaron McCrary, Nevada's first black master grower, uses about a quarter of Zion Gardens' 6,000-square-foot warehouse for growing, but he plans to quadruple that setup and expand to another building by January. “Everyone wants to be the biggest and the best," he said, "but our idea is to grow conservatively…
Marijuana’s diversity problem: Many potential black entrepreneurs are being left out of the budding industry
On one hand, you can count the number of black-owned or -operated marijuana businesses in Southern Nevada: Zion Gardens, Nevada Wellness Center, G5 Cultivation, NLV Organics and Nature’s Kindest. Sixty medical marijuana facilities and 88 dispensaries have been licensed in Nevada since 2015, when the first establishment opened. Nearly…