Karim Mayfield, Professional Boxer, Becomes San Francisco’s Newest Cannabis Dispensary Owner
SAN FRANCISCO: At first an arrest as a teenager on a cannabis charge threatened to derail Karim Mayfield’s life. 18-years-old and living in San Francisco’s historic Black neighborhood, the Fillmore, Mayfield was suddenly chained to an arrest record that made finding a job nearly impossible until a chance visit to a local gym became a boxing career that’d make Mayfield a Golden Gloves and NABO junior welterweight champion.
Now, he’ll own a cannabis dispensary in San Francisco.
Part of a new generation of professional athletes who incorporate cannabis into their training and wellness regimens, Mayfield’s also the owner of SoulChamp, a boxing gym dedicated to providing the kind of youth mentorship that helped turn his own life around.
Mayfield’s opportunity to own a cannabis dispensary came through San Francisco’s Cannabis Equity Program. SF’s Equity Program seeks to create prosperity and secure ownership in the cannabis industry for those hardest hit by the War on Drugs, which is poised to create billions of dollars of wealth over the next 30 years.
His store opening is an especially poignant milestone after many states recently voted to repeal cannabis restrictions, all against the backdrop of the nation confronting an ongoing reckoning for social justice. That reckoning hits close to home for Mayfield as his family fights for justice after the killing of his unarmed brother by BART police in Oakland.
“The store is called Authentic 415 because I’m authentically 415, and being authentic means giving back to the city and the people who raised me. I’ll use my new position as CEO of a cannabis business to help people be safer by giving them a trusted place to purchase a product that’s finally being recognized for its benefits,” says Karim Mayfield. “On a more personal level, I’ll also serve my community by continuing the fight for social and racial justice in memory of my brother.”
The new store, Authentic 415 is located at 165 Mississippi Street in San Francisco, in Potrero Hill, and will be open for its first day of operation on January 23, 2021, at 10 AM. Authentic 415 will carry a curated collection of cannabis products from cannabis brands including Elyon, Ball Family Farms, STIIIZY and more.
