How Our Fire Got Started
Our founder is a very proud New York City native. Raised in Brooklyn by an immigrant single mother from Trinidad and Tobago, he grew up in one of the most marginalized zip codes in the borough. After years of selling cannabis on the streets of NYC and being arrested many times for its ‘unlawful’ sale or possession, the New York State’s legalization of cannabis provided an opportunity for people directly impacted to change the conversation.
The journey to becoming the founder of FIRELEAF is marked by resilience and unwavering determination. Our founder made a conscious decision to change his life, not just for himself, but also for his children and his community. He embraced academic opportunities, earning a Bachelor of Science from CUNY Medgar Evers College and a Master of Arts from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Since then, he’s dedicated his professional career to public service as a Chief of Staff in the state legislature. More recently, after completing law school at the CUNY School of Law, our founder was simultaneously awarded a license to sell cannabis and admitted to the New York State Bar as an Attorney and Counselor-at-Law!
Today, as an Attorney with a social equity license and the opportunity to sell cannabis for the good of others, our founder is a catalyst for change in the cannabis industry. His personal journey and professional achievements challenge the stereotypes of people who consume and sell cannabis. Our founder’s role in this mission is pivotal, and his impact is significant, not just within our FIRELEAF team but in the broader cannabis community
