The Oregonian published a short documentary earlier this week, spotlighting the work of Green Hop, an entirely Black-owned weed shop and also the first hip-hop-themed dispensary in the country. As the seven-minute mini doc explains, the dispensary is unique for its Green Hop Academy program, which seeks to encourage more Black and brown people to get involved in the cannabis industry. The short film is called Reintrification, named after a term coined by rapper Roxanne Shante that refers to when previously gentrified folks generate wealth and then move back into their old hoods.
As one of the only Black-owned cannabis dispensaries in town that maintains an all-Black staff in a historically Black part of town, it’s nice to see them getting the shine they deserve for building Portland back up. In the video, Green Hop co-owners Nicole Kennedy and Karanja Crews are interviewed, and the stories of Green Hop employees are featured as well. The Green Hop crew discusses gentrification, the war on drugs, and how that’s disproportionately affected the Black community in Portland and across the nation. There’s even a local music shout-out, as the film makes use of the song “I Might,” by North Portland rapper Mic Capes. I only wish this mini doc was less mini.
For those in need of a re-up, head to Green Hop’s shop at Northeast 16th and Killingsworth.
