Wanda L. James is the first African American woman to own a marijuana dispensary in the United States.
[1][2] In 2022, James was elected to represent Congressional District 1 on the University of Colorado Board of Regents.
She also graduated from the Inaugural Class of the Los Angeles African American Women's Public Policy Institute at the University of Southern California.
[8] Her political career has spanned over two decades, beginning in Los Angeles working on numerous campaigns as the communications director.
She also served on Senator Kamala Harris' National Finance Committee as she ran for POTUS.
[9] Before opening a dispensary, she worked as an executive for two Fortune 100 companies (Avery and Unum) and one of the largest non-profits in California (SCPH).
In 1997 she graced the cover of the February issue of Black Enterprise for following her passion and leaving corporate America.
In 2023, she was honored by Grow Up Cannabis in Canada as the Champion of Justice and Equity, and she was the first cannabis professional named to Ad Week's 2021 Trailblazer Award alongside VP Kamala Harris and Tracee Ellis Ross.