<div>Hello Family, Friends, Tribe, Industry, and Community....

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<div>It’s taken me a week to find the words for this. Between the excruciating physical pain, doing my best to stay away from REAL drugs, and just the total emotional weight of this experience.... I’ve had to sit with some deeply spiritual moments about humility, vulnerability, and what it means to ask for help.

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<div>Those who follow my writing work know I often reference ATA - short for “All the Above.” It’s my way of honoring the divine forces that guide me to include the universe, my ancestors, and God. I use that phrase to remind myself and others that no matter our beliefs, the same or different, that we remain alike in the truth that we must stay grounded in faith and hope. Right now, I’m holding onto both ridiculously tightly.

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<div>On Saturday, what should have been a joyous weekend (the eve of my company’s, The Other Side Dispensary's, one-year anniversary celebration) became a nightmare I can’t stop replaying.

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<div>One moment, I was recording content for a rental property in Jersey City project that’s currently under contract....to the next, I was struck by a flyingggg vehicle that missed my young son, Enzo, by only inches. By the grace of God, he was spared. The car hit me instead....and so fast, it threw me nearly eight feet into the air. With now a constant reminder of the incident because I was still recording when I landed, crushing what felt like every bone in my body.

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<div>Enzo is safe. 

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<div>And I’m BEYOND grateful for that miracle. But I was left with a multi-fractured right leg, now held together by rods from my knee to my ankle and plates throughout my foot. With the wild reality  that I will have to learn to walk again - looking at a 6 month journey at best.

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<div>Because it’s my right leg, I’ve also lost the ability to drive and handle much of my day-to-day responsibilities. I’m facing a long and painful road ahead — physically, emotionally, and financially. And apparently spirtitually. 

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<div>See I have been in combat zones doing difficult work, worked in government doing difficult work and then started this really hard business called a legal dispensary but im faced with the hardest lesson yet....asking for help.

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<div>What most people don't know I work in the shop on Monday &amp; Friday to be present in my store.....but it's also to save on payroll, as I STILL dont pay myself.   I also, WFH with Enzo Tues-Thursday because I get to spend time with him unlike my experience with my first kiddo however....we also save on childcare. So the luxuries in my life, are also set up as cost savings and now....we have more needs than ever, more expenses, and with income significantly dwindling.

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<div>And I know no one asked. Some would still give even so, but that's my lesson in this. THIS is hard enough....asking for help is another layer of torture I didnt ask for, but ATA has stripped me of it all. However what I realized this week is he didnt strip me community and love. SO many people have showed up for me and that's what's given me the courage to ask. 

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<div>I am a solider through and through. I believe in leading from the front and making sure my people are good. Sadly....now I have to face the fact that i've put myself in such a vulernable position that now im personally not good --which means my family won't be good and now ATA has put me in a place where I cant do anything else but look to my community. 

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<div>This accident has humbled me in a way nothing else has. I’ve spent my life fighting battles - for equity, for my family, for my community, for an industry that wasn’t built for people like me to survive in. I’m strong, independent, and I’ve always found a way to rebuild, brick by brick. Everyone already knows this about me. 

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<div>All I've heard this week is you are so "strong" ...but God has a way of bringing even the strongest to stillness when it’s time to learn a deeper lesson. This has broken me in ways that I cant even explain. However as I lay in that hospital bed, I realized this is that lesson. He’s asking me to ask.

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<div>It’s easy to fight for justice, to advocate for others, to lead with conviction but it’s clearly hard as hell to fight for yourself. Fighting through shame, ego, pride and saying, “I need help.”

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<div>But I do. We do. My family does. And it isn't worth suffering in silience.

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<div>I have lived in JC for many yrs going to NJCU, being active in student government and working as a babysitter for many families downtown. Then after graduation I went off into the Navy at 23 and spent 10 years service while also working in public service at the MTA in New York before stepping into the cannabis industry full-time in 2022. My transition from military and public service was already a challenge - as I was recovering from another injury at the time and searching for a new way to live out my purpose. I was getting too close to opioids and cannabis saved my life, which is what drove me to get involved as a business. 

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<div>I believed cannabis could be that bridge — a path to healing, entrepreneurship, and community. But the truth is, this industry is not built to support small, local, mission-driven operators like us. The red tape, regulations, and financial barriers are suffocating. We own the only minority owned, funded and led dispensary in the nation and the government in New Jersey did not help my endevour which drove me to close SW3AT Wellness, another business I owned in the community and sell my home in Jersey City as my project was severly underfunded. I believe in this medicine, this industry, and the power of the plant so I've went all in. 

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<div>It took 33 long months to get my dispensary — The Other Side — open and over 1.3 million to the doors opening. We finally launched in October 2024, and against all odds, we made it through our first year. We served our community, created jobs, and became one of New Jersey’s most trusted dispensaries. I’ve poured my heart, my savings, and my health into keeping my 10 employees paid and our doors open - still without paying myself a single dollar and still paying a considerable tax bill to Jersey City.

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<div>I walked away from a six-figure career at the MTA for freedom, purpose, and community impact — not knowing that meant walking straight into financial sacrifice. My wife has been my rock, working full-time at Rutgers but she is now preparing to take leave under FMLA to care for me, which means another financial hit for our household.

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<div>This accident couldn’t have come at a worse time. 

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<div>We were finally seeing a turnaround, with the house finally selling, and the business having significant collaborations and closer to our lounge license (which has also contributed to the financial challenges imposed from JC) .... and now everything has changed in a second. 

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<div>Now, I’m faced with unexpected medical bills, mobility limitations, and the months of rehabilitation and I’m asking my community to help me keep going.

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<div>Your donations will help cover:

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<li>Medical and rehabilitation expenses like outfitting my house for accessibility/mobility

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<li>Transportation support while I’m unable to drive

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<li>Temporary household and childcare needs

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<li>Basic living expenses/FMLA support  while we both recover physically and financially

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<div>Anything you can give ( big or small ) will help me patch the hull of this ship that’s taken one too many blows. I feel like I've been pushing a boulder uphill for a decade and right now, it’s like it's rolled back on me... but somehow.... I still believe in getting up again. That's that resilience and grit everybody must talks about with me huh.

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<div>And you know what, I'm not even angry. My son is here, so this is the greatest outcome. I have gratitude that god felt I was also worthy of another day. And yes the days ahead will be difficult, but the reality is the worst days are behind me and every day can only get better. 

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<div>I know the world is heavy for all of us right now, so I don't take this as lightly... we’re all just trying to stay afloat, raise our kids, and hold on to a little hope.

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<div>But if my story has ever inspired you, if my work has ever helped you, if you’ve ever believed in what The Other Side stands for or I personally have ever been of service to you in any way - please help us through this moment.

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<div>From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me heal, rebuild, and walk again, literally and spiritually.

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<div>With love and gratitude,

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<div>Alyza 

</div>

Diana Pombo

'Debra Welch

Jacqueline Jetter

Matthew Conlin

Wanda James

Linda Jones

Cathryn Alvarado

Camelia Perez

Janine Nunez

Alice Purcell

Philip (Groves Family)

Victoria Martin

Anonymous

Stephanie Pfeiffer

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Chandni Pathak

KHRYS YOUNG

Meredith BURNS

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