Community leaders, elected officials, and longtime advocates gathered on Dec. 16, for a ribbon-cutting celebrating Malaki Amen’s work in community economic development and the completion of construction for the new STIIIZY Sacramento cannabis dispensary, located at 4080 24th Street in Sacramento.
The Black-owned dispensary, founded by longtime Sacramento activist and policy leader Amen, is opening in partnership with STIIIZY, the nation’s best-selling cannabis brand. The ribbon cutting marks the pre-opening phase of the store; STIIIZY will announce the dates for its grand opening community events in the coming weeks.
The opening of STIIIZY Sacramento is more than a business entering the market; the ceremony represents a pivotal step forward for cannabis equity in the city. As a Black-owned dispensary led by an advocate with deep roots in policy reform, the launch signals meaningful progress toward ensuring that Sacramento’s cannabis industry reflects the communities most harmed by the war on drugs.
“Our fight has always been about empowering ourselves to heal and repair the harm of criminalization,” Amen said. “Equity becomes real when the communities targeted by the war on drugs are not just included, but are thriving economically.”
Amen has long been one of the region’s most vocal and effective advocates for communities that endured higher arrest rates, deeper economic loss, and fewer pathways into the legal cannabis market. His data-driven advocacy and community organizing shaped Sacramento’s Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) ordinance, a landmark policy that opened pathways for individuals harmed by past drug enforcement to benefit from Sacramento’s emerging $500 million cannabis industry.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the culmination of that journey, coming full circle.
“STIIIZY is proud to partner with Malaki Amen in bringing this vision to life. His leadership is a blueprint for turning equity into real opportunity, restoring ownership and economic power to the communities most impacted by prohibition. This Black-owned dispensary reflects the community it serves and sets a new standard for inclusive growth in Sacramento’s cannabis industry,” said Tak Sato, President of STIIIZY.
This week’s ribbon-cutting brought together the partners, advocates, and local leaders who have supported the years of work leading to this moment. A formal soft opening for the broader community was followed on Saturday, Dec. 20.