Ep 25: The evidence is in the bag. An interview w/ Casey & Dan Dalton - Co-founders of Evidence & Ocean Grown Extracts

Casey and Dan Dalton, sibling co-founders of the socially conscious brands Evidence and Ocean Grown Extracts in Los Angeles, California - partnered with Damian Marley. The team purchased a former private prison facility in Coalinga, California where they manufacture and distribute their cannabis products.  Now, they are growing weed at a prison to help those who are in prison for growing weed.

Instead of guarding incarcerated people,  former prison guards are employed to guard marijuana.  Their brand, Evidence, is selling its cannabis products in actual police evidence bags—the intent being to make the consumer aware of and uncomfortable with the injustices around the war on drugs.  Check out our latest episode!

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Transcript

Ronjini Joshua  0:11  
This one's a family affair. Casey Dan and Kelly Dalton co founded socially conscious brands, evidence and ocean grown extracts. They tell us how they partnered with Damian Marley to purchase an abandoned prison facility in Coalinga, California, how they figured out how to win the city over as well as a municipality to establish their brand, their commitment to social justice and their deep involvement with the last prisoner project. Now let's step into the green room.

Casey Dalton  0:42  
Changing the regulations in order to allow outdoor cultivation. There were a lot of questions. But we we've been the first along the way. So we were the first in manufacturing in the in the county of Fresno, where the first outdoor cultivation in the county of Fresno. And we have partnered with cookies. And we'll be opening the first consumption lounge in the retail store and a consumption lounge in the city of Coalinga. But again, first in Fresno County. So being first is always going to have a little bit of a pushback. But again, like the conversations and and just being completely transparent and open, has made the Community Trust us has helped the Community Trust us. So even though there are questions that come up, and their concerns that come up addressing them head on, has been our best approach yet.

Unknown Speaker  1:38  
We've talked about that a lot with our guests, and transparency and education seems to be the things that that are really pushing cannabis forward. So thank you for that.

Casey Dalton  1:47  
Sure, yeah, I

Ronjini Joshua  1:48  
think there's a lot of new, like you were mentioning, and maybe people who are listening to this and think thought, you know, this has been around for a while, but it is very still still very, very new. And I think that's what people are, maybe not so much realizing, or not understanding what the big deal is, is that a lot of these regulations and all the things that you work so hard to kind of, you know, come across, it's just, it's all still kind of new and shifting and, and changing the way the whole industry is going to be operating. But in like two or three, four or five years, you know,

Casey Dalton  2:28  
yeah, and there's a huge responsibility in that, that I didn't know, I didn't know existed when we were when we were starting. It was just like you were kind of begging and pleading. And, you know, I think the whole the whole industry was right, like you just say like we you know, it's okay, if landlords charge three times the amount just allow us to operate, it's okay, if you put us in the industrial area to have a retail store even though these other businesses operate here. It's okay, if we don't have banking, it's okay. We just Can I think the industry just continued to say, We want an opportunity to participate. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. We're really hurt us and I'm well aware of it now being as active as we are with last prisoner Project $1 from every bag we sell goes to LTP goes to last prisoner project. And and my brother Dan sits on the board and we're we're very close and active and operating closely with the trying to get these prisoners out. And then those that are coming out there it reentry process. But where I think we need to be careful, is because we continue to say and not not necessarily including I'm also operating, we're also operating in a different city as well. But continuing to say it's okay, it's okay. It's okay. gets you in major Trouble, trouble when it comes to social justice. It gets you in major trouble when you have these others you are the role model, right? You're the older sibling, you're the one that they're going to follow whether it's another city, another state, another country, and the fact that we've taken social equity and social justice and made it an afterthought is a problem. So here we have New York, right, that's just getting ready to regulate. One of the things that they've that they're speaking about putting into their regulation is right out of the gate, taking those tax dollars and reinvesting them into the communities that were damaged by the war on drugs of black and brown people. You know, so I think that there are there are, this is our chance as as cannabis operators to get it right. Because we're first and we have a responsibility. And I think that includes making sure that those that were trampled upon and those that were the victims have a seat at the table. And the money that's used from this industry goes back into those communities that were damaged.

Ronjini Joshua  4:47  
Yeah, yeah, no, I think this is a great segue and into the last president project here a little bit more about that. And, Dan, maybe you're on the board. So I feel like this is a question you can ask. Yeah, thank you. Well, we'll see if not, Casey, you don't get off the line? Yeah, don't hang up. But yeah, tell us tell us about how you got into that we're actually going to be speaking with Steve DeAngelo. Next month, and so we're really excited to talk to him about that. So tell us how you guys got involved with it, what you're doing and how that all works?

Dan Dalton  5:24  
Sure, I got introduced to Steve, through a mutual friend. We have a project we can't talk about just yet. But a film project that we're working on, and got to know him and became friends with Steve. And so he asked me to come on, on the board early on, I mean, just as they were getting going, just as they were starting, really, I couldn't commit to too much. So I just took an advisory board position and told him I would be there when I could. And turns out that as this as we just got started from day one, it was more time than I thought I'd be putting in just because I want to it's such a it's one of the most rewarding movements that I've been around. And just being in Los Angeles, and whether it's supporting Mumia or just different events and, and missions that my friends and I took up over the years. This, this is one of those movements that you can actually touch and feel and see, right before you this isn't one of those where you just kind of give money, and you just you hope and think that it's going to, you know, get to the right place, we're actually seeing prisoners come out of jail. And,

Ronjini Joshua  6:44  
and you guys have like, showcase, you know, if you guys if people listening haven't seen, um, if you go to the Instagram page of an evidence bag, you can see like some of the stuff that you guys have been doing with last prisoner project and some of the prisoners that have been released. And I think it's great that you guys are able to also showcase that there.

Dan Dalton  7:04  
Yeah, just we want to continue to point to LPP and and that's, that's been really my role with LPP is just help them with introductions and the entertainment business and just any way for them to get exposure. Because, you know, Casey talks about this a lot that if people want to help, you know, that that's their natural instinct is to help. And when you hear about, everybody knows this one is wrong. Right here we are operating, moving pounds of flour, oil, and we are setting up our company to be extremely successful for years to come. And it's cannabis and it's the same thing. I mean, there, there are prisoners right now that LPP is fighting for that are fighting for that, that are in for life for an ounce or less. Right, and the front door is still open. Right now the front door is still open. So in case he talks about those 40,000 It's not like you know, as we get those 40,000 that number down and get people out. The front doors still open people are still being arrested to this day. So the fight is going to it's a real one. But yeah, I mean, watching Corbin Cooper come home was, was a big one for me. I when COVID broke out. I I went to Koreans home with with Nabeel elderkin, who said director photographer, and we're actually we are brought quite a bit. The case of corvin was brought to my attention by Mary Bailey from last prisoner project. And I related because I spent a lot of time in the mall from the 80s on in South Central, and some of the guys from dress five were found from South Central and other friends. So I was very familiar with the community and the people in the fabric of South Central on. So he his story I related to because I felt like that could have been me easily, easily. Like I could have been caught up on some night with some friends doing you know, I don't know. So it really hit home. And it also it also the way they described him. He was somebody I could have been friends with. And so so I said, Oh, I want to help Mary Oh, what can I do? And so I said, Well, here, I'll go shoot a video and make aware, you know, get some awareness going. So nobilo elderkin and I went to South Central, it's just when, when COVID hit, and it was a rainy day, and we set up in his backyard and interviewed his family. And because that little tent that we had popped up was so small, that only one could be back there at at a time. And the last person to be interviewed was his 15 year old daughter. Clear Yeah, and the family left. Yeah, I'm sorry.

Ronjini Joshua  10:02  
I saw a picture. We saw a picture of her on her Instagram. Yeah.

Dan Dalton  10:06  
Yeah. Yeah. So clear was with Nabeel two other guys and myself underneath this tent with no family around. And it just as a father, I have a 17 year old daughter, I just ripped my heart out like, she's back here being a brave little girl. Because it's speaking to these strange white guys, you know that she's never met before, in her backyard, in the rain, with the hopes even if it's a 1% chance of seeing her dad again, who's serving life. Right. And that just was super heavy to me because I could see her she's just such a humble smart little girl. And and it just really like affected me. And and so when we left there, and she was so strong, like when she the way she carried herself if you've seen any interviews with her, yeah.

Ronjini Joshua  10:58  
So he was very confident and yeah, and the way she speaks and yeah, yeah, yeah.

Dan Dalton  11:05  
I mean, she she's a really bright girl. She wants to go to an Ivy League school. I mean, quervain from jail taught her the stock market. Knowledge. Yeah, she is she's heavy. But so, yeah, so so when I left there, I called Well, first of all, I told the family, I said, Look, I don't know what I can do. I mean, I have a certain role with LPP to just bring overall awareness, but but I want to focus on core vein, and, and I want to, I want to just whatever we can do here, like this is killing me that, that this family is in so much pain. So we did this video, and we and we put it out. Casey and I got on with with Mary from LPP, and, and they said, Well, maybe we can do a pre roll, you know, we got caught up on the case, like what, where he was at an all of his appeals were exhausted. Really clemency, you know, from precedent was, was all was the only hope he had otherwise he was he was going to continue to do life. So we Yeah, we Casey had the idea of creating a brand more of a sustainable brand, rather than LPP had the idea of Oh, can you guys do a pre roll on his name? We were like, Sure, we can do that the case he was like, that's, it's not going to do anything, it might raise a little awareness, it's not going to make any money. Let's get a sustainable real brand. And, and teach them so you know, that expression, you know, feed a man for you to fish for a day. You know, it's kind of thing. So yeah, teach about what we did. Yeah. Yeah. So so so Casey, really, she educated she, you know, would she would speak to quervain from jail. And Anthony and L'Oreal Anthony's Koreans, best friend from for 25 years, would speak to corbion on a on a weekly basis when when he was on lockdown. And yeah, so, you know, just to see him, I mean, I won't go too deep. And you guys probably all heard the story. So, you know, eventually he gets out. Yeah. And, you know, being asked, he invited us to his, you know, welcome home party with his friends and his family. And sitting there. at that party a couple hours in, I was looking over at clear across the room sitting on the couch. And she was grinning at nothing. Right, she was just literally just smiling and looking around the room, her daddy was home, you know, and her friends are there, and our uncles are there. And then everybody's partying, and the music's gone. And I was like, that's it, man. That's, that's it right there. That's, that's the work. So and we're not, you know, I want to be very careful that we're, we don't look like we're taking credit for that kind of thing. Because male Mary Bailey and Sarah, and the team at LPP, they wake up every day, and they get after it. Yeah, and really get after all we do. And I think it's our responsibility is to just continue to shine that light on them, and support them in any way we can. And so that so being a part of that team is the rewarding, you know, part and, and I'm just very thankful, and we're just blessed that, you know, honored that we can be put in that position where they can go do the work, and when when they need us, they call on us and you know, we're organizing an event. I'm helping them with a gala. And we have some plans for like our first kind of big black tie. Gala. Maybe I shouldn't be mentioning that. I don't know. If you say that to Steve. He's gonna say Who told you that?

Ronjini Joshua  14:48  
Yeah, no, no, no. about any anything. Okay. Yeah. Nobody knows anything yet.

Dan Dalton  14:55  
Thank God, I didn't say that on a podcast. It's gonna be out there to the world. Right. Right. So yeah, that's been our role. You know, like when we first showed the bag to Steve DeAngelo. Casey, we were at a fundraiser at this infused dinner at Jim Belushi his house. And it was really early on, just like at the outset. Right kcm. And, and

Casey Dalton  15:19  
it was actually the launch. And at that time, we were the only brand to have partnered with LPP. And we made, we made the first like, donation, just believing in it, believing everything about it, and wanting to set the example for other brands to follow. And we were really excited about the bag and said, Dan, you can go on to Steve's reaction that hit me hard.

Dan Dalton  15:45  
Yeah, so Casey showed up to the to Jim Belushi his house to the function with the bag and she had told me about it, like the day before, I think. And she said, You know what, I was the girl that is genius that is so ill, because it's like, right on brand with our story. And I mean, right, you know, um, the whole

Ronjini Joshua  16:01  
the whole theme of all of this pulling together like the evidence bag, prison, the the brand, and then the last prisoner project. It's like, it's it's like perfect synchronicity.

Dan Dalton  16:13  
Yes. Yeah. Right. And Kyle, Kyle, our, our, our, you know, Master grower, if you will. He said, the other day. We're selling our we're selling flower out of their bag out of their house. And I was like, Whoa, that's kind of what it is. Yeah. So, yeah, but so Casey brought the bag, too, to that to that dinner, and gave it to me and I went up to Andrew D'Angelo and Steve D'Angelo. And I was like, here's the idea. I was telling you about Ebola. And he goes, ah, like, he was kind of funny. I don't like that. I was like, no. And he's like, just reminds me of cops. Man. It reminds me of the police reminds me of court system. I said, Yeah, but isn't that the point? Right, like, doesn't I like that. And that's kind of where we're at right now. And because this isn't, this is an evolving journey with this brand right now. And I personally, speaking for myself, like that people are a little uncomfortable by it. Because then it's like, oh, okay, so let's talk now. Right? If you just see Justin. Yeah, sorry. Go ahead.

Ronjini Joshua  17:25  
No, you're not masking the history of what's happening. And so I think, like, I agree, totally agree. It's like a conversation starter. It doesn't, it doesn't remove it makes people think rather than just doing what you're going to do. You're thinking about the whole story.

Dan Dalton  17:43  
Right? You can't forget it. Yes. It's right in front of your face now. Yeah. Yeah. So let's talk about it. And, and really though, your, I don't meet people who, it's funny, it's it's somewhat the same reaction of like, when, when people hear that we bought a prison and like, when you when people say, what do you do? It's a it's a, it's a loaded question. When people ask me what I do, so I do a lot. But as I go, Well, you know, we do and I do this and we, you know, we bought we bought a prison. And like, any word that comes after we bought a prison, people look at me like, he's one of these guys. And then I got to grow cannabis out of and then I, even when they're like, wait a minute, and then they then they kind of last minute, wait a minute, what are you talking about? You know, and but the same thing, even with the bag, the bag is the same way. Like I have a friend who worked with juveniles in LA County, and he had an evidence bag at his house. Casey talked about Terry and, and a friend. He had a couple friends over and they saw that bad day like, you get this from your work. Like Where did you get this? Do you mean did I get it from where I would have had to steal it? From what No, I didn't get that from work. Did I get this?

Casey Dalton  18:59  
feeling that the evidence out of the evidence room? You're stealing there? Yeah, no, they

Dan Dalton  19:04  
get the box out on Friday on your way out the door. It's like happy hour, you just grab one on the way out the door. Yeah, so. So yeah, with LPP, it's just been it's been a journey is really just starting this mission. Like when you talk to Steve, you know, the slogan that Steve came up with is we won't stop until every Canvas prisoner is free. He's talking about worldwide. Yeah. So even when we get to this point in the US where we're satisfied, then the work continues, you know, when and you know, as you know, so many countries are further behind than we are. And so this this this

Casey Dalton  19:45  
I think it's amazing, that we've been able to see, you know, they always say like in cannabis, everything is you know, it's all sped up like we'll see some some regulation change or or some, you know, state that that you know, It's like one Domino, right? Like we're watching all this happen, and we get to see all that happened in such a short amount of time. It's the same case, I think the part that Dan speaks about that. So almost addictive when it comes to LPP, and it's so rewarding, is we're seeing the results that and it's not just LPP, like Dan said, clarifying, like, we're not taking, you know, credit for what's happening. And it's one drop in a huge bucket, there's so many people that are all making such a tremendous amount of effort all moving in the same time, you know, marching at the same time towards this, the same goal, and it really has become a movement. But I did this this case for the evidence brand that had an orange jumpsuit and a pair of handcuffs with a glass case a pair of handcuffs and evidence bag, and randomly picked three prisoners pictures to put in there with their stories, so that someone who's reading about the brand, again, back to education, like their understanding that there's a problem here. And that was Richard tolec, Corbin Cooper, and Michael Thompson. All three are out now. That's like seven months ago, that case was put together. So it's as much as like everyone's doing this, to do the right thing. And call awareness, the reward part and the excitement. It's invigorating to be able to watch other people and to watch all these people work together. And knock this down. It feels like a movement. It feels like every like it's just one person after another is getting behind it. And we can make this change. We can do it. We can get them out. Oh,

Dan Dalton  21:41  
yeah. It just takes people to just step forward and help in any little way that they can quartermaine recently came out for brunch. Oh, I live out Agoura Hills, which is in the Santa Monica Mountains in LA outside of LA. And so Corbin and his family and some friends came out for brunch with a place called the Cornell winery in old place. And just tucked away in the Santa Monica Mountains. Very cool place. little plug right there. Yeah. And we we, we had just a killer day. But some of my friends from that area because I saw a local there. They watched the core veins story develop. And they watched it evolve from, you know, from the time that we just thought it was hopeless to here's the guy right in front of you right now. So a friend of mine, Mike Gallagher is a lawyer and a partner at a firm here in Los Angeles. And after meeting quervain and everything, so I listen here I have an idea I I want to talk to LPP I want our firm to get behind LPP and he he said if you can make the introduction and we did and he got a team of lawyers together a civil rights attorney, a former da of San Francisco who used to put people away for cannabis, who flipped and and when he realized how racist and how awful of a job he had. And he but he's a really good hearted person. And so they put a team together got on the phone with Sarah Gersten from LPP. And they are now part of that team. And they had some ideas and they're and really lent some incredible insight and resources to help up and so I think, you know, just my point with that is, is that it's contagious, you know, and I think I think this, I think the dominoes have fallen with LPP in terms of just people being passionate, and when you get in front of other people that you can't help to say, Well, how can I help? I mean, even if you're not a cannabis, consumer, you know, this is wrong. You know, this is a really shitty, horrible thing that's causing a lot of pain to people. And the destruction that has happened to date is is unacceptable. And and it just needs to you know, we need to right the wrongs now and it's a very complex journey and and answer to that question, but for us, it's just easy just to turn to LPP and follow that lead it kind of centers the Yeah, the mission you know,

Unknown Speaker  24:36  
absolutely. So what is next for evidence and for ocean grown extracts what's what's in the pipeline for you guys

Dan Dalton  24:46  
really getting evidence off the ground. And, and you know, it's been kind of a soft launch. We just, I've been putting together some of the materials Casey has been on the business side as always and organized Outside I've been we did a photoshoot with Nabeel Nabila said director photographer who's, who works with weekend Frank Ocean Kanye. Kendrick, on and on. Yeah, some of these upcoming guys. Yeah. So, but but he's just an extremely talented creative that we are blessed to have in our corner, he's now part of the company as well. And so we just did a photoshoot with some young artists from Los Angeles and black and white and urban and, and it really feels like, it's almost like the bag, it's unapologetic. You know, it's like, yeah, that's what this is, you know, this is the brand. And you were excited to start getting all of that out there. I mean, we're, we're really just getting started now. But Casey's done a incredible job at creating this vertically integrated company where, you know, we grow our own flower, and we put it on our bags at our own facility. And that's right there on the spot. And, and, you know, it's it's a it's exciting what, what's to come for evidence

Casey Dalton  26:10  
that that kind of thing. Sorry, go ahead. Go ahead. The initial the initial launch of the brand, we were in a position, it was before the we were able to get the regulations changed in the city of Coalinga. So we were in a position where we had to source and we had to source that flour initially. So the first year we were out, the demand is there. And we're in a really unique position where we have when there was more of a demand than there was flour for us to keep up with. So we're existing in 30 stores right now and keeping those stores happy. But being able to grow our own flower, and put that in the bags. And and now, as far as being able to scale, we can now completely scale like weed cookies store has just taken us on and all there to spend in all their dispensaries and many of these other stores and now we can actually properly call attention to it. Because before it was, the demand was higher than than the supply. But our tagline is, you know, we grow weed in a prison to help get people out of prison for growing wheat. Yeah, and we're super excited.

Ronjini Joshua  27:23  
Yeah, no, I love that I this is Yeah, this is really a full circle kind of story. I think it's so interesting. It's not a lot of people have all these different dimensions. One of the dimensions I wanted to just quickly touch on before we go and maybe lighten up the conversations, because we're talking pretty heavy stuff is, um, you know, as siblings, you know, just going back to the family element of what you guys are doing as a brand and coming together as siblings. How is it? How is it working together? And you know, you guys do it sounds like you guys each have your own lane. But, you know, working with your family is always interesting. So have you guys had any interesting stories as of sibling rivalry comes to play?

Dan Dalton  28:09  
No, we never we never argue we never fight. Everything's great here. Never a problem. Right, Casey? Go ahead, Casey.

Casey Dalton  28:20  
Here's the great thing. here's here's the difference between working with a sibling and working with anyone else. any of our other colleagues. You can say more than you should. But you can also call them the next morning to make a joke and pretend like it never happened. That's right. Yeah. We had our, you know, we've had our eruption. But we're all passionate about what we do. But the cool thing is, we can also call each other The next morning, make a stupid joke usually about one of the other siblings and then move on, you know? Yeah. Yeah.

Dan Dalton  28:57  
And, and it is real. I mean, it is there are challenges, but it's just like Casey said, you know, the honesty is what gets you in trouble. Just the free you know, like, when we get on the phone, we're talking, the same conversation is, is about our families and business. And personally, I just write personal and then it goes into business and then back out. And so there's, the line is pretty blurred. But the bottom line is that, you know, we we care, we love each other where we're honest. And we, and we're in this and we're rocking it so like, but it's it's not easy at times, and it's not and we can accept that. We have we have challenges in front of us. You know, we've we've This is a pretty big undertaking.

Ronjini Joshua  29:43  
Yeah, it's I mean, it's nice. It's so funny because, um, you know, Casey, it sounds like when you guys started out, she didn't seem like she thought she was going to be a part of it and she sounds like she's just you know, very crucial part of your trio that has made a lot of these things. I'm delighted I think it's it is it gives you guys a little bit of more strength when you're doing these things together. And and you guys can gel on the those missions, right?

Dan Dalton  30:10  
Absolutely. I mean she's leading this company she always asked, she's the one really driving everything. And we kind of play our roles and color that up and jump into position when she needs and wherever we think we can help but she's someone that's leading and having a woman lead and are just a runner. Yeah, the run a cannabis business is a cool story in itself. I think we're proud of that, as well. Aren't it smarter that way?

Ronjini Joshua  30:37  
It's okay. It's okay. Those guys get those guys could be so emotional. And I know. I know there's a ton of things we could be talking about. But this this conversation has been so lovely. And you guys have such a great way of bringing this brand and making it really mission focused but also growing the industry so there's there's so many really cool dynamics in what you guys are doing. So I I'd like to you know, I appreciate, definitely appreciate what you guys are doing there. Thank you. Well, thanks for having us. Yeah, yeah, you're very very welcome. We are going to have all this information we have like all these links to the last prisoner project to evidence brand. You know, all these things in the show notes so you guys can check it out and make sure you're following and subscribing and following and doing all those things. Anything you guys want to leave off on anything? We didn't talk about that maybe I missed? Not for me case? I don't think so. I would just say the same thing is you know, go check out last prisoner project calm. By evidence calm is our website. That's it. Thank you so much. Yeah, yeah, thank you for your time. We appreciate it. Green Room podcast is brought to life by green seed PR, a cannabis green tech focus PR agency, and a dedicated production team of editors mixers and show Booker's. A huge thank you to the vessel team for providing their studio for our recordings. Don't forget to subscribe and share the green room podcast with friends, colleagues and family. That way you'll never miss an episode and we can keep the lights on. If you're feeling extra generous. Please leave us a review on your favorite podcast listening platform. You can also find us on Instagram at Green Seed PR, and to live video versions of all of our podcasts on YouTube. Would you like to be on the guests on the show? Or do you have a great guest referral. Awesome. Submit your guests at Green Seed PR .com slash the hyphen green hyphen room. Thanks for listening and be well