Dani is twenty-two years old. She was born in Mexico and moved to Richmond when she was three. About a year ago, she started working at a cannabis dispensary. It’s more than just a job. She identifies as a “first generation bud tender” - one of the first people to openly sell cannabis now that it’s becoming legal in California. She's proud of her role, but it hasn’t been easy. Cannabis is still not federally legal so as an immigrant, she's working in a legal grey area. Plus, her family wasn’t too happy with her work. She kept at it, because being a bud tender means more to her than just a way to make money.
DANI: Cannabis for me is a medicine and I advocate for it because it has helped many people and I am living proof to that.
This story was created for our live show, the Sights and Sounds of Richmond as part of our partnership with the RYSE Center in Richmond, California.