Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University.
You may recognize Malik Yoba from his television and film career spanning 30 years.
Mr. Yoba has had acting parts in dozens of movies and TV shows, including co-star of “New York Undercover ‘’ from 1994-99. His portrayal of Detective Julius Clarence “J.C.’’ Williams, earned him three consecutive NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.
But there’s more to Mr. Yoba than his acting resumé.
Mr. Yoba describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” with a history in real estate development and his recent entry in the cannabis space.
A core value of his business philosophy is “social equity,” and with that in mind he is advocating for changes in the cannabis marketplace to give people of color more opportunities to enter it and share the wealth it’s generating.
“The things that led me in business are, how do we have equity?” he says.
The cannabis industry’s lack of diversity and inclusiveness is a problem Mr. Yoba would like to help solve with his background in real estate.
“There is value in sharing information, sharing opportunities, sharing resources and working collectively,” he says. But, he adds, “In order to be in this space, you have to be incredibly resilient and know that you’re going to hear ‘no’ more than you hear ‘yes.’ I don’t chase the money. I chase the passion and the mission, and in my experience, the money will follow when you move on purpose.”
Mr. Yoba has become a legal consumer of cannabis, primarily using it medically. Last year, at the age of 53, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery. He says there’s a history of heart disease in his family.
“It is quite painful recovering from heart surgery, trying to sleep and get comfortable. Without question, what got me to sleep is CBD and THC gummies,” he says.
Visit https://bit.ly/3rspd9Y to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum on YouTube featuring actor Malik Yoba. For more information on medical marijuana and to sign up for the MMERI newsletter, go to http://mmeri.famu.edu.
[EDITOR’S NOTE – Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8JLV-ZgdZk]
