When Karim Mayfield was just 18 years old, he had a run-in with San Francisco cops, who arrested him and his friends for possessing weed. Those marijuana charges nearly derailed his life, with a criminal record making it difficult to find a job.
Given the state of the free-flowing, legal cannabis industry today, it’s upsetting and wild to imagine how a little weed could completely destroy someone’s life. But that was the case until only very recently —and still is in some places—with the war on drugs disproportionally targeting people of color.
Luckily, Mayfield found an outlet and a community during this difficult time: a boxing gym. This is where he discovered his passion for the sport and launched a career as a professional boxer. He went on to became a Golden Gloves and NABO junior welterweight champion. Today, he is the owner of SoulChamp, a boxing gym dedicated to youth mentorship like he received as a teenager.
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Mayfield, who grew up in the Fillmore district of SF, experienced firsthand the systemic racism in our laws and policing when he was a teen, and yet again in 2018 when he lost his brother at the hands of the BART Police in Oakland.
Today, as weed becomes legal in more states, one of the biggest points of discussion in the industry is how to make reparations for the damage marijuana arrests caused to Black people and to make sure people of color have stake in the new legal market. After hearing about San Francisco’s Cannabis Equity Program, which aims to create prosperity and secure ownership in the cannabis industry for those hardest hit by the war on drugs, he decided to pursue the opportunity to open a dispensary through the program.
This month, he opened Authentic 415 — San Francisco’s newest dispensary, located near the Chase Center. It’s a meaningful moment for Mayfield and the city as the community reckons with the need to step up and fight harder for social and racial justice.
“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,” Mayfield says. “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.”
Authentic 415 is located at 165 Mississippi Street in Potrero Hill. It will open for its first day of operation on January 23 and will carry a curated collection of cannabis products from brands including Elyon, Ball Family Farms, STIIIZY, and more.
We caught up with Mayfield to congratulate him on the opening and ask him more about his thought on the current state of the cannabis industry.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The Bold Italic: You mentioned you were arrested as a teenager for possessing marijuana. Could you talk more to that experience and how it affected you?
Karim Mayfield: When I was 18 years old, I was arrested on multiple charges for cannabis. I was with a few friends in a parked car after a basketball game smoking weed when the cops suddenly rolled up. In a flash, I was facing jail time and a tarnished record but also the shame confronting family and loved ones, and then of course barriers to employment.
During that time when I was trying to get a job but couldn’t, I happened to visit a local boxing gym. That moment turned my life around and led to me becoming a Golden Gloves and NABO junior welterweight champion.
I’ve been able to translate my boxing career into a youth program called SoulChamp, which provides a full-body boxing routine including meditation to kids here in SF. Starting on February 2, we will start hosting SoulChamp at the Potrero Hill Recreation Center, which is close to my new store.
What do you think of the state of marijuana in California — do you think enough has been done to make reparations for the damages the war on drugs did to communities of color?
The Social Equity applicant process isn’t easy and did take a while to be completed, but there are so many factors involved. The San Francisco Office of Cannabis is made up of a small team, and while there are improvements to be made, I have had a positive experience with my partnership with them and the Authentic 415 brand, which is owned by Shryne Group.
Of course, social stigmas and continued senseless criminalization still surround cannabis. But stories like mine need to continue to be told, so these types of programs can be supported, and more brands will be interested in getting involved. The cannabis industry is only continuing to grow, so it’s hugely important we show that social equity can work, even if it’s at a slower pace than we’d all prefer.
What motivated you to open a cannabis shop?
Not only have I found cannabis to be very healing both personally and as an athlete, I’ve also seen cannabis help heal several loved ones, including an aunt with arthritis, and a friend who was addicted to opioids.
I was introduced to the San Francisco Social Equity program by a promoter at a boxing event, and started the applicant process quickly after. After these several years, I think I am an example of how the program is supposed to work.
San Francisco’s prosperity has often come at the expense of the people from underserved communities. As CEO of Authentic 415 dispensary, I can help correct that by taking ownership and bringing prosperity back into the community.
How will your shop differ from others in SF?
The Authentic 415 cannabis experience will be true to the culture at an accessible price point. The store will carry a curated collection of world-class cannabis products including equity brand Ball Family Farms, which is also Black-owned, as well as Elyon, STIIIZY, and more.
I am also excited about the opportunity to hire people within the community to work in the store and represent the neighborhood.
Eventually, we see the store being uniquely positioned to serve both local community members and folks coming from out of town to the Chase Center, showing them the best cannabis the Bay has to offer.
One of my longer-term goals is to have enough revenue from the store so that I can donate to causes and organizations I believe in, including local nonprofits that work to provide resources to families like mine.
