Cannabis Leadership Awards 2021 Recipients. From left to right: Kevin Kuethe, Lume Cannabis Co.; Troy Meadows, Legion of Bloom; Lilach Mazor Power, Giving Tree Dispensary; Ngiste Abebe, Columbia Care; Josh Malman, Jushi Holdings Inc.; Graham Farrar, Glass House Brands

For almost two years, cannabis conferences were either fully canceled or ran at a limited capacity, but now that the world is starting to get back to somewhat “normal”, the conference circuit is ours to enjoy again.

Attending conferences is a big part of being in the cannabis industry. Entrepreneurs can gain new ideas, perspectives, and guidance from conference topics or people they meet at these events. People come together to learn about the newest innovations, technologies, and initiatives that are designed to push the envelope of cannabis and its industry further. Brand awareness is built as attendees get 1-1 opportunities to learn about specific brand attributes. People get the opportunity to come out from behind the Zoom screen to engage in real life and to forge stronger connections. Most importantly, cannabis conferences are a celebration of how far we’ve come with an intention to continue to build the industry to be one we’re all proud of.

Representing BIPOCANN at Various Conferences, Events & Expos

BIPOCANN likes to have a strong presence at cannabis conferences when we are able. While we never claim to speak on behalf of all BIPOC people in cannabis, we attend so we can share perspectives of our members while also ensuring that ALL people are represented at the table when it comes to discussing cannabis and its future.

We’ve pulled together a list of three cannabis conferences for BIPOCANN members, allies, and entrepreneurs to attend this summer. We really like that these conferences represent different regions, topics, and sizes of events, proving that there truly is something for everyone.

Cannabis Marketing Summit

When: June 7-9, 2022

Where: Denver, Colorado; McNichols Building in Civic Center Park

What it Is: Presented by the Cannabis Marketing Association, Cannabis Marketing Summit is the annual event for cannabis marketers and communications professionals. The event will evaluate the current state of cannabis marketing and teach the practical tools, tactics, and data that produce effective strategies and campaigns for cannabis brands across the country. This is Cannabis Marketing Summit’s first in-person event, and will feature 32 educational sessions, an expo floor, an outdoor lounge, yard games, and an after party at Tetra Lounge – Colorado’s first licensed cannabis consumption lounge.

Why It’s Important: “It’s incredibly difficult for cannabis businesses to navigate marketing. They often have small budgets, small teams, and have to maximize their return on investment in an advertising environment that isn’t very friendly to the cannabis industry,” said Lisa Buffo, Founder & CEO of Cannabis Marketing Association, “The content at the Cannabis Marketing Summit is designed to help cannabis marketers that are serious about propelling their businesses to the forefront of the global industry.”

What to See or Experience: Once sentenced to life without parole for cannabis charges, Corvain Cooper was granted clemency last year. Now Chief Brand Ambassador at 40 Tons, Cooper will be keynoting the Cannabis Marketing Summit and sharing his story.

BIPOCANN founder Ernest Toney will be moderating a panel called “After Licensing Happens: Removing Barriers for Cannabis Social Equity Businesses & How Marketing Can Help” which includes members of the BIPOCANN network discussing their experiences with licensing, social equity programs, and the role that marketing can play to create opportunities for equity businesses to thrive within the cannabis industry.

Where to Learn More or Purchase Tickets: https://thecannabismarketingassociation.com/events/cannabis-marketing-summit-2022/. Subscribe to the BIPOCANN newsletter and access a promo code for $50 off Cannabis Marketing Summit tickets.

Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo

When: July 28-31, 2022

Where: Chicago, Illinois; Community of Pilsen, spanning 8-blocks down Cermak Road

What it Is: This isn’t a cannabis conference, this is a cultural movement. Fiesta del Sol is the largest Latino festival of its kind in the United States and averages more than 1 million visitors each year. This year’s Fiesta del Sol (50th Anniversary), in recognition of its rich history and with an eye toward amplifying the Latino culture, is inviting cannabis industry partners to the event with the goal of bringing the opportunities and potentialities of the cannabis industry to the Latino market.

Why It’s Important: MJBizDaily’s Women and Minorities in Cannabis report showed that Latinos make up only a small percentage of ownership of businesses in the cannabis space. In Nevada, for example, Latinos make up 12.8% of cannabis business owners, yet that number falls to 1.5% in Michigan. 

Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo is an important opportunity to engage our Latino friends in the possibilities of the growing cannabis industry. In addition, Fiesta del Sol is the primary fundraiser for Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, a community stakeholder with more than 70 years of history and tradition in the Pilsen and Latino community. The proceeds from Fiesta del Sol make the community organizing, leadership training, and service programming Pilsen Neighbors provides throughout the year possible. 

“Latino communities, businesses and stakeholders have largely been left on the outside looking in as far as the cannabis industry goes. We see this as a missed opportunity for everyone considering the size of the Latino market and the role Latino consumers can play in helping to normalize the industry,” says Julio Urritia, Co-Founder at Hyve and Chair of the Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo, “Fiesta del Sol is an ideal venue to begin to create the partnerships in the industry that will make the opportunities of the industry available to Latino communities and entrepreneurs.”

What to See or Experience: Fiesta del Sol is a free, community event. The event features a Ferris Wheel, and over 100 booths with some of the best tacos, tamales, and tostadas in town. Artists and musicians share their talents throughout the event and on two performance stages. The inaugural Cannabis Expo will include networking and educational programming to inform attendees about the opportunities to participate in the cannabis industry.

Where to Learn More: If your company is interested in becoming a vendor for this exciting event, connect at https://www.fiestadelsol.org/participate/#becomeavendor. If your company is interested in being a sponsor for the Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo, contact Julio Urritia or info@bipocann for details.

Cannabis Conference

When: August 23-25, 2022

Where: Las Vegas, Nevada; Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

What it Is: Cannabis Conference 2022, presented by Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower, is the one conference where professionals of plant-touching businesses from across the U.S. and more than 30 countries convene to explore the biggest challenges and opportunities of the legal cannabis and hemp industries.

Why It’s Important: The event provides an opportunity to meet others facing the same day-to-day hurdles, learn how to overcome those roadblocks, and anticipate the changes to come during a time when business growth and legalization are intersecting in new markets almost every day. The event is highly focused on education for cultivators, retailers, and processors, expanding its educational offerings with a track dedicated to the cultivation and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products.

What to See or Experience: There is a wealth of knowledge to be taken from Cannabis Conference for emerging entrepreneurs, with sessions like “Create A Winning License Application”, “What’s Your Company Worth? How To Build A Business Valuation” and “Marketing 101: A Step-By-Step Guide To Building A Cannabis Brand.”

The Cannabis Leadership Awards, presented by Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Conference, with the support of FOHSE – Future of Horticultural Science + Engineering, will honor five cannabis industry professionals who exemplify the leadership qualities needed to inspire and empower those around them and who work toward the betterment of the entire industry. Honorees will be recognized at a special awards reception at Cannabis Conference 2022.

Where to Learn More or Purchase Tickets: All the information you need to attend or exhibit can be found at https://www.cannabisconference.com/. 

3 Fall Conferences to Schedule into Your Calendar

The conference circuit definitely doesn’t stop at the end of summer. In fact, in many ways, it’s only really ramping up.

On October 17-19, BIPOCANN will have a role at the Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo in Parsippany, New Jersey. There, on October 17, BIPOCANN founder Ernest Toney will be moderating a panel called “The Future of East Coast Cannabis: Social Equity, Justice & Legalization”. Stay tuned to our member newsletter for a promo code for 15% off Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo tickets. 

November 3-5 will see the return of the Black CannaBusiness Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Black CannaBusiness  Conference and Expo focuses on the acceleration and success of Black businesses in the cannabis industry. Join hundreds of cannabis business leaders to network and learn from the most influential Black voices in cannabis today.

This leads up to the largest cannabis conference of the year, MJBizCon, to be held in Las Vegas. Celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2022, the award-winning show is held at Las Vegas Convention Center and showcases over 250,000 square feet of exhibits, a 3-day conference, pre-show forums, and over 140 speakers plus extraordinary networking and partnership-building opportunities. More than 30,000 cannabis executives are expected to attend in 2022.

MJBizCon 2021 panelists. From left to right: Ernest Toney, BIPOCANN; Kristi Kelly, Sozo Companies; Tom Nolasco, National Association of Cannabis Businesses; Tahir Johnson, U.S. Cannabis Council and Marijuana Policy Project

BIPOCANN participated in Associations Day last year, and Ernest Toney, founder moderated the panel “Increasing Minority Participation in the Cannabis Industry’s New and Emerging Markets.” BIPOCANN will be participating at Associations Day, once again in 2022. Stay tuned to our member newsletter for a promo code for 10% off MJBizCon tickets.

Join BIPOCANN for Conference Access

BIPOCANN works on behalf of our members to secure partnerships and promo codes to ensure that these events are financially accessible. Please stay tuned to our website, blog, and our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss a chance to save some money while building your network, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the cannabis industry through these important events. Learn more about becoming a BIPOCANN member and the benefits of joining our network.

April 20 has been a decades-long “holiday” celebrated by cannabis consumers across the world through various gatherings and events. The genesis of 4:20 can be debated, but it is most often traced back to a group called the Waldos in San Rafael, California who set 4:20 as the time they’d meet after school to smoke. The day has now turned into a huge consumer event with cannabis sales soaring.

Headset, a data analytics company that looks at cannabis sales across markets reported that in 2021, the U.S. daily sales on April 20 increased 113%, with the days leading up to the cannabis holiday proving to be profitable for cannabis retailers and brands. This year is expected to be no different.

A Day to Honor the Sacrifices of Many

Despite the profitability of the day, with brands and businesses eager to create catchy 420 deals that will get consumers purchasing more, April 20 is also a reminder to consider and honor the path that got us to increased legalization, and the people who sacrificed so much to get us to this point.

BIPOCANN is a membership-based organization that promotes the participation of BIPOC entrepreneurs and companies within the cannabis space through networking, business-building resources, and elevating the contributions of BIPOC people to the cannabis space. 

As people make plans to celebrate 420, we’d like to highlight some of our supporters, allies, and advocates from the BIPOCANN membership, encouraging the cannabis community at large to support these new, growing, and established businesses that are working to create an equitable industry. 

10 Cannabis Businesses in the BIPOCANN Membership Network to Support on 420:

Prime Harvest

Where They Operate: Prime Harvest is based out of the San Diego, California area, and is spreading its operations across the state.

What They Do: Prime Harvest Inc. is a technology-focused full-service cannabis corporation. The company is horizontally diversified across various segments of the cannabis value chain including licensing acquisition and compliance management, state-wide delivery, and direct-to-consumer operations.

What We Like About their Work: Prime Harvest is passionate about seeing minorities succeed to build generational wealth from the cannabis industry. They are concerned with seeing the communities they serve capture their fair share of the industry’s benefits including financial profit, employment opportunities, environmental enrichment, innovation through R&D and education, new markets expansion, and improve the lives of cannabis operators in the US and beyond.

Prime Harvest is a member of the Community Alliance Program (CAP), a foundation that seeks to make a difference in local communities by providing financial assistance for educational programs, housing homeless veterans, creating urban farms, and holding local arts initiatives for children and adults. CAP also helps explore the natural healing attributes of medical cannabis through research, development, clinical trials, and advocating for the safe access of cannabis to those in need. Currently, CAP are focusing on PTSD, CTE, epilepsy, cancer, chronic pain, autism, education, mobilizing resources, and fostering resilient and sustainable community support systems.

How to Support Them: Prime Harvest’s flagship brand is Jaxx Cannabis, a dispensary located in Ramona, California. The company offers products based on how you want to feel, providing product selections based on different states of mind such as relax, move, focus, create, and energize. Jaxx offers delivery across San Diego county.

Colorado Kush Company

Where They Operate: Colorado Kush Company is formerly known as 719 Dispensary, which operates in Pueblo, Colorado.

What They Do: 719 (now Colorado Kush Company) is the first medical cannabis dispensary in Pueblo, Colorado, which strives to offer the best medical/recreational marijuana dispensary service in the city with the friendliest treatment and the best cannabis experience.

What We Like About their Work: What makes the Colorado Kush Company special is its owner, Steven Duran, who overcame so much adversity due to his use of cannabis and so many roadblocks to open 719 medical cannabis dispensary in 2014, also moving to open Cookies Pueblo in 2021. “Ultimately, [BIPOC] laid the foundation for the industry and paid the heftiest prices,” Steven told BIPOCANN in a recent interview, “There should be a lot more of us and people like us that are represented at the higher levels.”

How to Support Them: Visit Colorado Kush Company to learn more about its medical cannabis program and compassionate pricing. For recreational users, consider supporting Cookies Pueblo in Pueblo, Colorado, or order online to see the variety of Cookies brand products as well as the products curated in-store.

Gentleman Quinns™ 

Where They Operate: Denver, Colorado

What They Do: Gentleman Quinns™ Blunt Company is an independently-owned and operated pre-roll cannabis company, handcrafting since 2015.

What We Like About their Work: Gentleman Quinns™ was founded by Jarrell Wall, who has strong interests in seeing more Black representation within the industry. “People should know that we work with the state on rules within the industry and we work hard to make sure many voices are heard in those rooms,” said Wall in an interview with Voyage Denver. “I’m serious about cannabis social equity as there aren’t many licensed owners from my background in Colorado.” In an interview with Go Solo, Wall said, “There aren’t many black owners in the industry, and I’m motivated to hold the door open the best I can.”

How to Support Them: Gentleman Quinns™ flagship product is the High Class Big Ass Blunt™, containing what Wall deems as the best flower in the state of Colorado, and distinguished by the unique hand-rolled process that ensures a uniform look, feel, and smoke. Their products can be found at Simply Pure (Denver, CO), Xclusive Cannabis Aurora (Aurora, CO), Dispensary Exit 243 (Idaho Springs, CO), and Smokeys 420 (Garden City, CO).

Better Days Delivery 

Where They Operate: Better Days Delivery operates in Denver, Colorado, offering delivery services through their dispensary partner, L’Eagle.

What They Do: Better Days Delivery’s mission is to provide cannabis delivery services that ease and support the transaction between the dispensary and the customer while simultaneously helping the community to grow.

What We Like About their Work: Once criminalized for cannabis, the founder of Better Days Delivery, Michael Diaz-Rivera is now a license holder in the industry as a result of the cannabis Social Equity programs that supports those who have been impacted by the War on Drugs. Michael’s story is not unlike so many Black people who have been unjustly targeted by the criminal justice system for cannabis. “I realized the War on Drugs was a War on Us,” he said in a recent feature by BIPOCANN, which fuels his motivation to a national, if not international, brand.

How to Support Them: Those in the Denver area can support Michael Diaz-Rivera’s mission through Better Days Delivery by ordering products through L’Eagle.

Green Qween

Where They Operate: Set to open in April, Green Qween’s first location is in Downtown Los Angeles, California.

What They Do: Green Qween is a LGBTQ+ BIPOC owned and curated dispensary with a mission to give back to its community through seed to sale. The anchor of Green Qween’s plan for impact is its dedicated funding of the DTLA Proud Community Center. The Center will consist of LGBTQ+ programming around housing, employment, health, & legal services, as well as a non-profit incubator establishing itself as a hub for LGBTQ+ support and development in the region.

What We Like About their Work: Green Qween is filling an important gap for the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles. Their vision and mission are to create a unique queer community-driven socially conscious experiential retail environment and dynamic lifestyle brand that breaks from the typical hypermasculine dispensary model by creating an affordable safe space that invites LGBTQ, BIPOC, and allied consumers to choose Green Qween as their preferred cannabis resource. “We create these spaces so people know that they’re loved,” said Green Qween founder Andrés Rigal, when we caught up with him as they prepared for their April open. In addition to the aforementioned DTLA Proud Community Center, Green Qween is also a member of the Crysalis program which helps people who experience employment barriers reconnect to the workforce.

How to Support Them: As Green Qween prepares for its April opening, there are a few ways you can support them. Follow them on Instagram at @shopgreenqween, or consider becoming a Community Partner to help make their mission and vision a reality. You may also consider giving a donation to DTLA Proud to help make the DTLA Proud Community Center a reality.

Rebel Spirit Cannabis Company

Where They Operate: Rebel Spirit operates within Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

What They Do: Rebel Spirit embodies environmental sustainability at every level of their cultivation, from mixing their own soil, to using rainwater, and using all-natural nutrients.

What We Like About their Work: Rebel Spirit truly honors the past of cannabis and the tough sacrifices that many have had to make during cannabis prohibition. Rebel Spirit’s farm is working to preserve the legacy of Mark Brian Ingraham, aka. “Uncle Mark”, their “original rebel” who was incarcerated in 1992 for growing cannabis within a self-sustaining community he had built with others who shared his vision. He died while in prison and Rebel Spirit operates on his farm. Rebel Spirit is partnered with The Last Prisoner Project to help eradicate the injustices within the criminal system against those who have been charged with cannabis crimes.

How to Support Them: As Rebel Spirit’s mission states, “There is a rebel inside each of you that is ready to be awakened and taken on an adventure that we are cultivating for you.” Rebel Spirit’s selection of top-quality cannabis and superior strains can be found in 45 locations across Oregon.

Wana Brands

Where They Operate: Wana Brands operates out of Boulder, Colorado, but has distribution across the U.S.

What They Do: Wana Brands is considered a major leader in the cannabis edibles product category, known for their vegan, terpene-enhanced, melt-proof recipe.

What We Like About their Work: Wana Brands’ mission is to enhance people’s lives through the power of cannabis… but they don’t just mean with their products. A grassroots, woman-owned business with deep ties to their Boulder community – and a commitment to enriching all the communities they serve – they’re working every day to enhance our world, with a special focus on issues of food security, housing, domestic violence, LGBTQIA+ rights, and racial justice within the cannabis industry.

How to Support Them: Wana Brands products can be found across most states where medical or recreational cannabis is legal.

Columbia Care

Where They Operate: Columbia Care’s medical cannabis dispensaries operate across 16 states in the U.S.

What They Do: Columbia Care is a patient-centered organization setting the standard for compassion, professionalism, quality, caring and innovation, working in collaboration with some of the most renowned and innovative teaching hospitals and medical centers in the world. The company also offers a variety of health and wellness brands and products.

What We Like About their Work: Columbia Care in Virginia is partnering with BIPOCANN on the Virginia Initiative, which connects black cannabis entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals to the new Virginia cannabis industry economy. “We need to make sure the industry is fully accessible to all people while making sure people can actually navigate the process,” said Columbia Care’s Vice President of Public Policy, Ngiste Abebe, in a BIPOCANN interview, “We can achieve equity by rethinking our systems with a more equitable lens and more inclusive strategies.”

How to Support Them: While Columbia Care operates across 16 states, we invite our network in Virginia to visit Columbia Care’s Richmond, Virginia Beach, Short Pump, and Portsmouth locations in that state to directly contribute to the Virginia Initiative.

Cresco Labs

Where They Operate: Cresco Labs has one of the largest footprints in the U.S., operational in 10 states, with dispensaries in seven.

What They Do: Cresco Labs owns 50 dispensaries in seven states under the Sunnyside*™ brand, possesses 51 licenses, and runs 21 production facilities.

What We Like About their Work: Cresco’s Social Equity and Education Development (SEED) initiative is designed to ensure that all members of our society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work in and own businesses in the cannabis industry. From collaborating with universities to develop cannabis-focused curriculum to working with local agencies and community organizations to sponsor expungement events, the SEED initiative consists of impactful programs and actionable solutions-based approaches that Cresco Labs believes will help make the cannabis industry a highly inclusive force for job creation. Zach Walker, who now currently works for Cresco Labs was BIPOCANN’s first staff member helping with social media initiatives, and Zach takes the values that brought him to BIPOCANN into his work at Cresco Labs.

How to Support Them: Cresco’s bright, welcoming Sunnyside*™ cannabis retail locations can be found across Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. Explore the various brands produced by Cresco Labs.

Where’s Weed

Where They Operate: Where’s Weed operates across the U.S. and Canada.

What They Do: Where’s Weed is the comprehensive online consumer resource that connects visitors with relevant cannabis businesses across the US and Canada. They showcase a variety of different directories to help people find dispensaries, delivery services, MMJ doctors, smoke shops, branded products, and related deals — plus relevant cannabis news and culture.

What We Like About their Work: Where’s Weed believes that advocacy is a group effort, teaming up with other leaders in the space including BIPOCANN, with a goal of creating a more accessible and profitable legal cannabis industry for BIPOC business owners and professionals. Where’s Weed sees that the cannabis industry is a work in progress to reach an equitable landscape for everyone, and hope that they can do their part to help shed light on these issues in the future.

How to Support Them: Where’s Weed is a resource that will act as a central hub to connect you to your favorite brands and products in your area. Be sure to look at their advocacy section to see some of their posts that demonstrate their dedication to an equitable cannabis space.

Promote Diversity in Cannabis with BIPOCANN

As you pick up your products and gather for your 420 celebrations, we hope you take a moment to recognize, honor, and give back to the people who fought for the legalization we’re currently enjoying. Each of the BIPOCANN membership businesses we featured today has a stated and demonstrated goal to create an equitable space within the cannabis industry in alignment with the work of our organization.

Consider becoming a member of BIPOCANN, which helps promote diversity in cannabis by reducing barriers for BIPOC and minority-owned businesses to access industry education, networking, partner conferences and events, and resources to support their growth.

The national cannabis business membership network includes black-owned cannabis brands and ancillary startups, social equity operators, media & event partners, and ally companies who support BIPOCANN and its mission pillars of visibility, representation, and cannabis social equity. Be sure to browse our business directory of BIPOC-owned, women-owned, and cannabis social equity businesses as you make informed choices that help build generational wealth within the communities whose sacrifices paved the way for the industry we benefit from today.

BIPOCANN was founded on the idea that the cannabis industry needed more representation from various groups that have traditionally faced barriers to entry as the industry grows.

Women have always been underrepresented in business and leadership, with a national average of 30% executive positions within the mainstream economy being held by women. The representation of women in cannabis is sadly below this average. 

MJBizDaily’s 2021 Women & Minorities in Cannabis Report revealed that while female executive representation was up to 36.8% in 2019, this number fell to 22.1% in 2021. Furthermore, the same report reveals that only 13% of executive positions are held by minorities, down from 28% in 2019 after rising from 16.8% in 2017.

The recently-released Women in Cannabis Study showed that many BIPOC women are choosing to work in ancillary services as business owners, with 44% of BIPOC women indicating they owned an ancillary company compared to 22% who owned plant-touching companies.

Simply put, the industry was built for those of privilege and ease of access to funding and licenses, while women, BIPOC, and other underrepresented groups faced barriers to such necessities for market entry into plant-touching opportunities. Interestingly, Headset revealed in 2020 that women who make up Generation Z – those born in 1997 or after – are the fastest-rising demographic of cannabis consumers. With an industry with almost 80% male executives, almost 90% of which are white, are the needs of the consumers truly being recognized?

Last month, we honored the contributions of Black ancillary service providers in the cannabis industry for Black History Month, encouraging the cannabis industry to celebrate these innovators and visionaries year-round. With March being Women’s History Month, we are taking the opportunity to recognize six women who are making a difference in paving the way towards a more equitable cannabis industry for women and BIPOC leaders and companies.

Lorena Beltran, CannabiSalud

Where She Operates: Lorena Beltran is located in Mexico, with a global network and experience in the early cannabis industry in Denver, Colorado.

What She Does: Lorena Beltran is a long-time participant and globally recognized speaker within the cannabis industry, having been part of the team behind the infamous Charlotte’s Web products in Denver in 2014. She was involved in the legal reforms around cannabis in Mexico, prompting her to found CannabiSalud, the first international medical cannabis congress for health professionals in Mexico, which has positioned itself as one of the most important educational platforms for the health and business sectors. In 2018, Beltran moved to Mexico City and co-founded the company Mexicannabis, which focuses on research, advice, and activities within the legal framework. In 2020, Beltran co-founded a non-profit association called Alianza Latinoamericana de la Cannabis (ALCANN); that same year she became Chairwoman of the Board at GPS Global, and joined the advisory board at Regennabis.

What She Has to Say: “I just need to see the legalization [of cannabis] in Mexico mainly for justice reasons,” said Beltran in a recent YouTube interview, “That was my first drive when I saw everything happening because I’m from Chihuahua and I lived on the border for many years and I saw the War on Drugs front of me. I was working for Univision as a news anchor and news reporter, so I was covering all of that during those years of terrible violence in my country.” She explains that she saw that the War on Drugs included and often targeted cannabis. “I moved to Colorado [and] nothing made sense to me. I was like ‘these gringos prohibited marijuana to the world and now they’re legalizing, making money, not getting people out of prison, and doing a lot of crazy things that don’t seem right’. But at the same time, it’s a great step to start legalizing drugs so that was the first thing that got me into the industry.”

Where to Find More Information: The last CannabiSalud event was held in November 2021. Stay tuned to the CannabiSalud website for future event dates.

Christine De La Rosa, The People’s Ecosystem, The People’s Group

Where She Operates: Christine De La Rosa operates in the San Francisco Bay area and Austin, TX

What She Does: Highly regarded as a Latinx woman entrepreneur and advocate to watch, Christine De la Rosa is the CEO and Founder of Oakland, California’s The People’s Ecosystem, which is the expansion of the original The People’s Dispensary. Her work involves creating spaces and curating businesses throughout the entire supply chain that enhance the lives of our communities, individually and collectively. The People’s Ecosystem believes that cannabis is an alternative medicine that is a basic human right and sources cannabis from women and BIPOC cultivators. De la Rosa is on the Board of Directors of the National Cannabis Industry Association and is the Chair of their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and is the committee chair of the DEIC Integration Committee. She is the lead author of Gender Parity in the C-Suite and co-author of Pathways to Equity Ownership in the Cannabis Industry as part of National Cannabis Industry Association’s and The Arcview Group’s co-sponsored Gender Equity Cannabis White Papers. Additionally, she serves as part of the New York Cannabis Industry Association Special Advisor Group – Social and Economic Equity and Social Justice and sits on the advisory board of Tetragram, Cannabis Doing Good and Regennabis.

What She Has to Say: In an interview in Authority Magazine, De La Rosa explained her work in gender parity in the cannabis industry: “I think many things can be done to support gender parity, but I also think none of those things can happen unless the foundation is set for that to be a reality. Gender Parity will only be achieved when discrimination and oppression are systemically addressed in policies and leadership. So, we as an industry need to work on those things first and foremost.”

Where to Find More Information: Learn more about this mission of The People’s Ecosystem at their website. Follow Christine De La Rosa on Instagram at @mizchris or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Sumayyah Emeh-Edu, Canopy Growth Corporation

Where She Operates: Emeh-Edu works for Canopy Growth, one of the largest cannabis companies in the world, in Denver, CO.

What She Does: Sumayyah Emeh-Edu is focused on ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities are reflected and measured throughout Canopy Growth Corporation, with a priority on implementing talent-driven practices fundamental to an open and inclusive environment. Emeh-Edu is charged with providing consultative strategy and guidance for Canopy with the goal of further empowering the company to address complex business and social realities related to cannabis through a truly inclusive workforce.

What She Has to Say: “I am inspired and excited to be leading Canopy’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion and embrace this as an opportunity to enable people from historically excluded groups to not only participate but benefit from an industry where criminalization has historically negatively impacted them,” noted Emeh-Edu in a Press Release upon entering the position of Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion with Canopy Growth, “I see the power of cannabis in improving people’s quality of life and am eager to work with the leadership and workforce of Canopy to co-create an environment capable of addressing complex issues while cultivating spaces and tools that instill diversity and inclusion into every facet of our industry.”

Where to Find More Information: Learn more about Canopy’s Corporate Social Purpose on their website and connect with Sumayyah Emeh-Edu through LinkedIn.

Niriksha Kannan, LeafLink

Where She Operates: Niriksha Kannan works in social impact at LeafLink, the platform that simplifies the wholesale cannabis supply chain for brands, distributors, and retailers in over 30 markets. She works on building equitable programs for both LeafLink employees and the larger cannabis community and is based in Brooklyn, NY

What She Does: Niriksha Kannan is driven by the power to inspire transformational change. She believes there is so much to learn from one another, and so much we can accomplish when we come together. Through her work as Social Impact Manager at LeafLink, she is focused on how to use the company’s platform to create equity, build community and reshape the modern workplace through innovative programs that allow people to bring their whole selves to work.

What She Has to Say: “I view my work in social impact as honoring the human dignity that we all deserve. Growing up as the daughter of immigrants and seeing how hard they worked to create a life of opportunity for me and my family, I was finely tuned from a young age to understand the importance of being seen, heard, and celebrated. Working in the regulated cannabis industry, there is such an opportunity, and important duty, for us to create space for underrepresented communities and ensure everyone can prosper, especially those who paved the way in the legacy market.”

Where to Find More Information: Connect with Niriksha Kannan through LinkedIn to learn more about her work to create a more equitable industry.

Sarah Kiah Morton, LOCKGREEN

Where She Operates: Sarah Kiah Morton is based out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, with LOCKGREEN stash box products being available for shipping across the U.S.

What She Does: Sarah Kiah Morton is the President and co-owner of LOCKGREEN, a 100% Black-owned, Virginia-based company selling locking, smell-proof, and water-resistant stash boxes and ancillary products. With the goal of providing protection, promoting safety, and supporting the values of Responsible Consumers, LOCKGREEN products are carefully curated to be used for secure storage and travel. In addition, the company’s mission is to educate the community on cannabis laws in hopes of preventing unnecessary law violations.

An active community member and board member, she was recognized as one of Hampton Roads, VA’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2019. During the COVID pandemic, she left her Vice-President level position with one of the largest employee benefits brokerages in the country to stay home with a newborn baby and two children in virtual schooling. It was then that her entrepreneurial ambitions had an opportunity to flourish.  Sarah enrolled in Purdue University’s Master of Science in Communications program with a concentration in Integrated Communication and Advertising and began building a business plan, which resulted in the birth of LOCKGREEN.

What She Has to Say: “A big piece of our company is educating the community so Virginians can prevent marijuana convictions that could be avoidable if they knew the law,” she explained to her local news station, “Less than 4 percent of marijuana companies are owned by Blacks, and we are excited to have a positive impact on the industry.”

Where to Find More Information: Learn more about LOCKGREEN’s stash boxes and education on cannabis laws at their website. Follow them on Instagram @lockgreenproducts.

Kim Napoli, Vicente Sederberg LLP

Where She Operates: Kim operates within the Greater Boston Area of Massachusetts, yet serves clients across the nation with Vicente Sederberg LLP.

What She Does: Kim Napoli is the Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the leading cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLP. In this role, Napoli is responsible for assisting clients in the creation, implementation, and progress made towards their goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Since 2017, Kim has served on the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s Cannabis Advisory Board as the appointed expert in minority business development, helping this body in the development and implementation of the state’s cannabis regulations and policy. In 2021, she joined the U.S. Cannabis Council’s Task Force, which works to shatter barriers to access for Black entrepreneurs. At Vicente Sederberg LLP, Kim is part of a team that advocates for environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) practice within cannabis businesses.

What She Has to Say: In an article in MJBizDaily, Napoli recognized the need for leadership in cannabis to be representative of the consumer. “Buying power among diverse consumers is going up exponentially, so you want to be able to represent the communities that you want purchasing from you,” Napoli said.

Where to Find More Information: Read more about Kim Napoli and her professional journey and services offered here.

These women leaders in cannabis demonstrate that success is found by having a big vision for the cannabis industry, which includes creating spaces and opportunities for women, BIPOC, and all underrepresented people to thrive.

BIPOCANN’s mission is to increase BIPOC visibility to advance representation and economic growth in the legal cannabis industry, which includes elevating the women leaders within our membership who are truly working towards a more equitable industry. Browse our extensive and growing Business Directory, where you can view Women-Owned businesses within our network.

Learn more about BIPOCANN and the membership options available for individuals and businesses here.

This Black History Month, BIPOCANN is bringing attention to eight Black-owned cannabis businesses that offer services that support the growth of the industry.

While the contributions of BIPOC and historically racialized and underrepresented people and businesses must be celebrated year-round, Black History Month provides a space for celebration of achievements by Black people and a time for recognizing their central role in shaping history.

With the spread of cannabis legalization across North America came significant oversight of Black communities that have been historically racialized, disproportionately criminalized, and underrepresented in the industry’s composition. Black business ownership in cannabis is shockingly low as a result of the policies enacted under the long War on Drugs.

The Lingering Effects of the War on Drugs

Within the long and racialized history of the War on Drugs, policies became attacks on Black people, starting with Henry Anslinger of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics unjustly and wrongfully equating cannabis use to jazz music and Black culture as the culprits of some of society’s problems. This asinine view planted the seeds for laws and government-sponsored programs to advance the War on Drugs spanning over several presidencies, that would further criminalize Black people for cannabis. 

The ACLU reported in 2020 that between 2010 and 2018, six million Black people were arrested for cannabis in America. On average, and to this day, a Black person is 3.64 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than a white person, even though Black and white people use cannabis at similar rates. Criminalization and criminal records become a direct barrier to obtaining a cannabis license, with recent estimates pinning Black ownership in cannabis businesses at around 4% of the entire industry. 

Canada, where cannabis is federally legal is no different, as the racialization of Black people is a common characteristic across the Americas. The country went through its own War on Drugs that resulted in a persisting disproportionate criminalization of Black people, resulting in only 1% of leadership positions in cannabis in Canada being held by those who identify as Black. 

Celebrating Black-Owned Cannabis Business Service Providers

The mission of BIPOCANN is to increase BIPOC visibility to advance representation and economic growth in the legal cannabis industry of the Americas, which encompasses both plant-touching and ancillary services. For Black History Month, we’re highlighting eight Black-owned ancillary cannabis businesses within the BIPOCANN membership to support, recognizing that supporting Black-owned businesses goes beyond just cannabis and into the services and structures designed to support the advancement of the plant and industry.

1. Winston Engineering

Where They Operate: Wildomar, California, providing services across the United States and Canada

What They Do: Winston Engineering Inc is a Black-owned firm that was founded in 2015 by Anthony Winston, P.Eng. They started providing MEP Engineering construction permit plans for the cannabis industry in 2017. To date, Winston Engineering Inc has provided Mechanical (HVAC), Electric & Plumbing Engineering plans for well over 20 cannabis facilities across the United States. These facilities encompass indoor cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, retail and distribution. Winston Engineering Inc also provides solar, battery backup, generator and Fire Protection design. 

What They Have to Say: “The War on Drugs has decimated the Black community and I saw it first-hand as a kid growing up. I have relatives that have been locked up for it, and it’s terrible how the Black community was used as a pawn by the government. It fractured our communities. When cannabis started becoming legal, I thought this was a great opportunity to level the playing field, especially in wealth disparities,” Anthony told BIPOCANN in an interview, “We’re now so many years into legalization and the number of Black folks in cannabis is minuscule. My mission is to educate as many Black folks on how they can overcome hurdles to entering this industry.”

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at www.winstoneng.com or follow them on Instagram at @winston_engineering_inc.

2. Virginia Minority Cannabis Coalition

Where They Operate: Hampton Roads, Virginia

What They Do: Virginia Minority Cannabis Coalition (VMCC), founded and led by Paul McLean, provides powerful training opportunities and eliminates the red-tape to help minorities capitalize as the cannabis industry rapidly expands in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

In their goals to empower Black and Brown communities to become shareholders in the cannabis industry, the Virginia Minority Cannabis Coalition has three main activities surrounding advocacy: 1) Expungement – The VMCC engages with politicians to expunge the records of those adversely affected by cannabis-related arrests, 2) Education – The VMCC provides powerful training and a detailed roadmap for minorities seeking to legally enter the State’s exciting new cannabis market, 3) Opportunity – TheVMCC helps minorities capitalize as the cannabis industry rapidly expands across Virginia. The VMCC offers a 4-week Cannabis Bootcamp that aims to help people build generational wealth through cannabis.

What They Have to Say: “Our cannabis business bootcamps exist to help build generational wealth through Virginia’s emerging legal cannabis industry by giving people resources and a headstart,” said Paul McLean to BIPOCANN, “We make the process of building a business accessible, by applying what we know about the intricacies of cannabis, and supporting people the entire way – from the seed of an idea to developing a written business plan.”

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at https://vmccequity.org/.

3. Social Equality Smoke House (SESH)

Where They Operate: Chicago, Illinois, providing services across the United States

What They Do: Social Equality Smoke House (SESH), is a cannabis resource company. Their mission is to foster their passion for cannabis through services, training, and events. SESH challenges the status quo by creating equal opportunities for businesses of all sizes to succeed within the cannabis community.

What They Have to Say: “My focus has always been making an impact in the community, specifically for people of color who are trying to find their way in the cannabis industry,” said Derrick Levy, co-founder and Director of Training, “It’s important to allow ourselves to grow in the space so that we can then bring the opportunities back and serve as role models in our community.”

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at https://www.seshcity.com or follow them on Instagram at @seshcityunlimited

4. Roux Black Consulting

Where They Operate: Denver, Colorado, providing services across the United States

What They Do: Roux Black Consulting is a woman-owned and Black-owned project management agency that focuses on campaign development, marketing, strategy and operations by creating actionable plans with lasting impact. Using her gifts as a master facilitator and observer, the work of Ru and her team marries the brands of cannabis and music together in unique ways that impact the arts world, while deepening community connections and decreasing the effects of the War on Drugs. In both the cannabis and music industries, Roux Black has mastered a formula for demographic expansion using methods of facilitation, brand development, and high level strategy.

Founded by consultant, strategist and operations specialist Ru Johnson, Roux Black’s specialty is working with cannabis brands to expand their audience and scale their efforts to reach and serve the industry. They are thinkers, producers, operational experts and can take any idea from nothing to something of their client’s wildest dreams. The team creates and executes campaigns around messaging, social impact, and the importance of an equitable industry.

What They Have to Say: “Creating a network of BIPOC individuals in the cannabis space is such a valuable component to increasing participation amongst professionals of color,” said Ru Johnson to BIPOCANN, “This kind of network and coming together allows for iron to sharpen iron and for a greater sharing of experiences in the industry that really impact change.”

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at https://rouxblack.com/, reach out directly to Roux Black at ru@rouxblack.com or follow them on Instagram at @rouxblack

5. JAC Accounting

Where They Operate: Phoenix, Arizona, providing services across the United States

What They Do: JAC Accounting, operated by Jean A. Casey, is a woman-owned and black-owned business providing accounting, bookkeeping, and tax preparation services to the cannabis industry niche. JAC Accounting recognizes that proper accounting for a cannabis business is unlike accounting for any other industry, due to complex compliance issues, banking laws, tax limitations and reporting requirements. JAC Accounting is dedicated to helping cannabis businesses run smoothly utilizing General Acceptable Accounting Practices (GAAP) and outsourced CFO services.

What They Have to Say: “American poet, Mattie Stepanek, said ‘Unity is strength…when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved,’” said Jean A. Casey to BIPOCANN, “I believe this quote is fitting for our culture in the cannabis industry.” 

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at https://www.acaccountingteam.com/jac-accounting-llc or follow them on Instagram at @jacaccounting01

6. Illinois Equity Staffing

Where They Operate: Chicago, Illinois

What They Do: Founded by Lynette Johnson and Shawnee Williams, Illinois Equity Staffing is Black-Owned business (MBE), Woman-Owned business (WBE), and disabled-owned business that makes it easier, more efficient and more profitable for people to run their business as they navigate the emerging cannabis and hemp market. Teaming up with Illinois Equity Staffing allows cannabis businesses to access a powerful, enterprise system for recruiting, staffing, onboarding and benefits administration, training, payroll, compliance, and social equity/diversity reporting.

What They Have to Say: “It’s not up to the legislators to do everything for us. It’s really on the industry to right wrongs, and to make things right.”- co-founder Shawnee Williams regarding the challenges facing cannabis social equity in the industry.

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at https://www.illinoisequitystaffing.com/ and follow them on Instagram at @illinoisequitystaffing

7. Delaney Policy Group

Where They Operate: Boston, Massachusetts

What They Do: Founded in 2012 by Daniel J. Delaney, the Delaney Policy Group (DPG) is a Boston-based, Black-owned government affairs and strategic consulting firm focused on delivering high-value outcomes in complex policy environments.  With a proven track record of success in the cannabis industry, health care, biotechnology and economic development, DPG specializes in strategic engagement for specified outcomes rather than brute force lobbying. From engaging Massachusetts state and municipal officials to brokering critical interactions with community and industry thought leaders, DPG helps their clients navigate conversations with the decision-makers who can determine the success or failure of their agenda.

What They Have to Say: “It’s just the fact that it’s very hard to get off the ground in the super-expensive, sort of novelty industry if you’re getting in at the mom-and-pop level,” Delaney said in an interview when asked about minority representation in an industry pervaded by big corporations, “There needs to be more active incubator nurturing of the minority-owned companies,” Delaney adds.

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at http://www.delaneypolicygroup.com/ and follow them on Instagram at @delaney_policy_group

8. Black CannaBusiness Magazine

Where They Operate: Houston, Texas, providing services across the United States

What They Do: Founded by Kristi Price, Black CannaBusiness Magazine is a woman-owned and Black-owned company helping Black professionals accelerate their involvement in the cannabis industry. Black CannaBusiness Magazine actively supports the growth of Black-owned cannabis businesses through education, outreach, and business partnerships. They also produce the Black CannaBusiness Conference & Expo, a national event focused on the acceleration and success of Black-owned cannabis businesses in the industry.

What They Have to Say: “I’m an advocate for inspiring us, with us. We’re not new to this, we’re true to this. Building an industry and business is what Black people have done since forever.” – Kristi Price, in an interview with Leafly. 

Where to Find More Information: Visit their website at https://blackcannabusiness.com/ to learn more about opportunities for Black-owned cannabis businesses, and follow them on Instagram at @blackcannabusinessmagazine.

Towards an Accessible & Profitable Industry for Black Cannabis Entrepreneurs

Black-owned businesses and their founders and operators are not only dedicated to their own craft and expertise, be it engineering, advocacy, marketing and communications, lobbying, accounting, staffing, or media, but they have all dedicated to advancing Black ownership in cannabis businesses through the BIPOCANN network.

BIPOCANN is a Black-owned cannabis business membership organization and consulting firm that is working to shape a more accessible and profitable legal cannabis industry for BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals in the Americas. Membership in BIPOCANN helps promote diversity in cannabis by reducing barriers for social equity and BIPOC-owned cannabis businesses to access industry education, networking, events, and resources to support their growth.

BIPOCANN also offers resources to cannabis companies that are choosing to shape a more equitable and inclusive industry, while providing the cannabis industry as a whole a business directory of BIPOC-owned plant-touching and ancillary-services they can do business with. “This is a unique period in time,” said BIPOCANN founder Ernest Toney in a recent panel discussion that addressed racial inequity and promoting social justice in cannabis,  “We have an opportunity to create an industry that is different from traditional industries.” 

Learn more about BIPOCANN and the membership options available for individuals and businesses here.