Criminal defense attorney Calandra Revering will be fulfilling her dream as she prepares to welcome customers to her cannabis shop in Brooklyn Park, MN.
According to CBS affiliate WCCO-TV, Revering is the owner of The Good Zen, a store that will be selling hemp-derived THC products. She hopes to be an inspiration to other entrepreneurs.
“I hope that someone comes here, and they say, I can do this too,” Revering told WCCO-TV.
She looks forward to being a vessle to women and people of color who are looking to follow in her footsteps. Additionally, her role as a criminal defense attorney adds another layer to her intentions. Revering is seeking equity in the marijuana industry, in business and legislation.
It wasn’t until recently that Minnesotans were able to legally own and grow marijuana for recreational use, KARE-11 reports. In May 2023, the state passed legislation, and it officially took effect in August.
“I feel that the bill is written so that cannabis can remain at a local level, but I think there’s a lack of how the information is getting to minority communities,” Revering explained to WCCO-TV. “Because when I attend events, I don’t see people who look like me. So I hope to be that channel, to give that information.”
The law is also intended to clear minor marijuana convictions, benefitting over 60,000 Minnesotans. Penalties surrounding the use of the substance have primarily effected people of color, per the outlet.
“The people of Minnesota deserve this. We deserve to get into the space and make it what the bill intends. And that is to make it for Minnesotans, by Minnesotans,” Revering told WCCO-TV.
To support The Good Zen, doors will open Saturday, Dec. 9. Revering tells the outlet she plans to hang up portraits that will feature Martin Luther King Jr., Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, and Nipsey Hussle, all individuals who symbolize the ongoing pursuit of justice.
