The ‘poster child’ for social equity marijuana licenses looks to succeed, even against tall odds

Alicia Deals said she can’t pass up a ‘divine opportunity’ to make a difference

Alicia Deals is the poster child for Arizona’s social equity program, and she is willing to pass up an immediate payday — risking no payday at all — in order to try to forge her own path in a complex and heavily regulated industry.

Deals is one of 26 winners of marijuana establishment licenses the Arizona Department of Health Services distributed in April through a much-anticipated lottery, and she is intent on becoming a successful cannabis entrepreneur. With her newly acquired license, she hopes to bring the benefits of the cannabis industry to one of the program’s targeted areas.