Sparking a Weed Uprising in Minneapolis

About this episode

Angela Dawson discusses her journey as a cannabis farmer and activist in Minnesota, focusing on community support and the impact of the War on Drugs.

Angela Dawson is a fourth generation farmer, albeit the first of her name to farm cannabis. She’s also a leading weed activist in the state of Minnesota, who's currently preparing for the 4/20 soft-launch of "The Garden on 26th," a new licensed retail dispensary in South Minneapolis that will sit just steps from where Alex Pretti was publicly executed by ICE agents in January. Angela and I discuss the many ways the War on Drugs laid the groundwork for our government's current disastrous, cruel and very racist approach to immigration enforcement. How opening a dispensary focused on mutual support and cannabis education in such a heavily impacted community can offer relief, remediation and re-education. And the details of her own personal journey with the plant, including finding deep solace in weed during the most challenging stretch of her life. Angela is the co-founder of ⁠Forty Acre Co-op⁠, one of the only Black-Indigenous owned hemp cooperatives in the country, and ⁠The Minnesota Black Farmers Association⁠, the leading farmer equity voice in the Midwest region. PATREON Please ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Supporters…

People in this episode

Guest: Angela Dawson

Topics covered

• cannabis
• activism
• immigration
• community support
• education

Keywords

• Minnesota
• dispensary
• Forty Acre Co-op
• The Minnesota Black Farmers Association

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The Garden on 26th

Books & works: Great Moments in Weed HIstory

Places: Minneapolis, Minnesota, South Minneapolis, the Midwest region

More episodes of Great Moments in Weed History

• A Teenage Weed Bust Planted a Seed of Resistance ( feat. cartoonist Brian "Box" Brown) · June 10, 2026 · 54 min
• Getting Lit with Latin America's #1 Weed Enthusiast · May 27, 2026 · 1h 7m
• A Doctor Explains Why Grandma Should Probably Get a Little Lit · May 13, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Is Cannabis Rescheduling a 'High Point' to Celebrate or a Corporate Take Over in the Making? · April 29, 2026 · 53 min
• 4/20 Weed-a-Thon w/ Gabrus + Hulu's New Weed Doc Series · April 15, 2026 · 50 min
• High & Low Maintenance (w/ Ben Sinclair) · April 8, 2026 · 51 min