Know Your Rights. *UPDATE 6/17*
Posted on 07/01/2025
August 2025
In August 2004, historian John William Templeton and engineer Fredrick E. Jordan founded National Black Business Month to recognize the important contributions of Black owned businesses and the challenges they’ve overcome. Historically, these businesses have faced systemic racism, wage disparities, limited access to capital, and violence most tragically exemplified by the Tulsa Massacre, which destroyed the prosperous Black business district known as “Black Wall Street.” Tulsa Massacre.
Yet, Black entrepreneurship is nothing new. Since the antebellum period, both free and enslaved Black Americans like Philadelphia sailmaker James Forten Sr. built thriving businesses, from barbershops and tobacco stores to tailoring and dressmaking enterprises. Their legacy of innovation and resilience lives on. Black Entrepreneurs.
The Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) proudly recognizes National Black Business Month. Many of our Social Equity Program participants are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) business owners. We celebrate their tenacity, honor the legacy of their predecessors, and remain committed to supporting an equitable and inclusive cannabis industry.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM THE SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM IN 2025?
The Job Board is back!
Whether you're hiring or on the hunt for your next opportunity, our updated platform is now live and ready to connect top talent with the roles they’re made for. Fresh listings, easier navigation, and new features to help you land the perfect fit—check it out now!
FREE COACHING
DCR offers over 1,500 hours of free business, professional, and workforce development coaching with subject-matter experts. Complete and submit the Coaching Indemnification Form. THEN, CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT COACHING SESSION
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The Business, Licensing & Compliance Assistance Program’s 2025 Webinar Series has begun! For the latest one on Tax Compliance click below.
FREE LEGAL SERVICES
You are eligible to apply for 10 hours of free legal assistance and 30 hours of legal assistance for $35 per hour.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LMS COURSES
THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) LETS YOU ACCESS POPULAR
TRAINING TOPICS FOR FREE
GET STARTED TODAY!
If you are accessing the LMS system for the first time, please log in using the email address linked to your DCR Accela Account and use “Password1”. If you are having difficulty logging into the LMS, contact us at dcr.sep@lacity.org.
No-Cost Expert Guidance for Social Equity Applicants
Navigate the cannabis industry with confidence! Our team of social equity subject matter experts is available to provide complimentary assistance and answer your business-related questions. We encourage all Social Equity applicants to take advantage of this valuable resource.
Meet a few of them below.
Complete and submit the Coaching Indemnification Form. Then, click here to schedule your next coaching session!
Upcoming August Webinars
Date / Time | Host | Event Title |
Thursday, August 14 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Zachary Knox | Access to Capital and Investor Agreements (Part 2) |
Tuesday, August 26 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Matt Hayashi | Cannabis Safety Standards (Part 2) |
Tuesday, August 28 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | James Yim | Cannabis Inventory Best Practices |
For more information on upcoming webinars, click here.
Watch past webinars below
Market Smarter: Event Strategy and Effective Ambassador Programs (7/15/ 2025)
California Compliance Challenges (06/17/2025)
For more information on upcoming webinars, click here.
Annual Licensing
To date, 318 retailers have received approval for Annual Licensure from the City of Los Angeles Cannabis Regulation Commission (CRC).
Community meetings are a requirement prior to scheduling a hearing in front of the Cannabis Regulation Commission, who is ultimately responsible for the approval or denial of an Annual License.
DCR continues to prioritize the review of all annual applications based on the following criteria: (1) upcoming State license expiration dates; (2) non-retail Social Equity businesses who do not have a state provisional license; (3) Social Equity retail businesses; and, (4) all other businesses.
To find out more about the Annual Licensing process, please visit our website. DCR will be releasing a guide with next steps this month for all recent recipients of an Annual License, stay tuned.
Is Your DBA On File With DCR?
Do you have a DBA (Doing Business As)? Is it registered in Accela?
If not, you will also need to submit a Modification Request with DCR (via Accela) to add your DBA.
To complete this process, please submit form LIC-4001-MOD and include the FBN filing stamped by the LA County Registrar Recorder/Clerk. Modification requests are free of charge.
Please file this ASAP as it needs to be completed before you receive a Notice of Completed Application pertaining to the annual licensing process. If you have any questions about the DBA process, reach out to your assigned DCR licensing staff member.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR DCR UPDATES
IN THE NEWS
- Cat Packer on Cannabis, Equity, and Reform
- Cannabis testing laboratories sue equipment maker alleging fraud
- Immigration raid at California cannabis cultivator Glass House sparks outcry
- Bud & Mary's pioneers cannabis research for a healthier future
- Cannabis culture hits a high note using music as a marketing tool
- Federal Researchers Claim First-Ever Detection Of Cannabinoids In Human Breath After Use Of Cannabis Edibles
- Cannabis Industry Workers Are The Happiest In Any Job Sector In The U.S., Survey Finds
- Federal Report Shows Youth Cannabis Use 'Remained Stable' Even As More States Legalized In Recent Years
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DCR NEWS
Thank you for reading our monthly CannaDispatch newsletter, designed to provide timely and useful information about DCR-SEP news, services, programming and resources for the Los Angeles Social Equity community, SEIAs, licensees and operators.
If you have suggestions for future newsletter topics, please email us at dcr.sep@lacity.org. The DCR public counter is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at 221 N. Figueroa St, Suite 1245, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Call (213) 978-0738 to speak with a DCR representative.
221 N. FIGUEROA ST.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
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Department of Cannabis Regulation.
All rights reserved.
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