Equity Member Spotlight – Back to D.C. for Lobby Days

by Mike Lomuto, DEI Manager

For the second time in nine months, NCIA’s DEI Program organized a DEI Delegation as part of our annual Lobby Days on Capitol Hill. 

The DEI Delegation consists of some of the foremost advocates for Social Equity from across the country. Their leadership within their state and local communities, as well as within NCIA’s Committee structure, greatly bolsters the lobbying efforts of our organization as a whole, all year round.

Our Delegates weighed in on the organization’s talking points ahead of the event, and then provided an important perspective on the Hill.  As part of NCIA’s lobbying on behalf of the industry, our members focused on SAFE Banking, 280E Reform, Comprehensive Legalization, Veterans Affairs, and more.

Thanks to TILT Holdings and Evergreen Market for sponsoring this very important initiative. 

As stakeholders in the cannabis industry, it is important that we learn how to also properly advocate for ourselves and for others from diverse communities around the country.

We’ve already begun raising funds for next year’s DEI Delegation. If you want to ensure the return of this initiative, while also receiving year-round recognition, reach out to mikelomuto@thecannabisindustry.org

2023’s Lobby Days DEI Delegation:

Raina Jackson, Purple Raina; DEI Committee Organizer and Policy & Regs Subcommittee Chair
Dr. Adrian Adams, CGO at Northeast Extracts; NCIA’s DEI Committee; M4MM’s NY State Director
Vanessa Valdovinos, HUSH; NCIA’s Marketing & Advertising Committee Organizer
Anthony Jenkins, Next Level Edibles; NCIA’s Cannabis Manufacturing Committee

 

This is your first year as a Delegate. Why was it important to you to participate?

Vanessa:

Participating in Lobby Days allowed me to contribute my personal experiences, expertise, and insights as someone running a small business in a highly regulated market. I wanted to have a voice in shaping legislation related to crucial topics that are important to me like providing an equitable pathway in the cannabis space. By being present at Lobby Days, I could truly contribute to the development of policies that would essentially help shape policies that promote a safe, inclusive, and thriving cannabis industry for the benefit of all.

You were a member of last year’s Delegation. Tell us why you chose to return this year, and how your experience last year influenced your game plan for this year.

Dr. Adrian:

Last year was more about figuring out who in each office was the one driving the cannabis policy car, if you will, meeting them where they were, and schooling them up. This year we did a better job as a small group in each office using each of our bios to tell an impactful story regarding the impact of SAFE Banking and 280E, and tying it to what some offices have done in their home district.

Raina:

It was a wonderful experience to participate in Lobby Days 2023, especially after attending last September for the first time and learning so much. I appreciate that this year’s meetings were extended over two days, following in-person training at the glorious Michael Best Strategies office penthouse.

Like last year, I found that most Congressional staffers are quite open-minded and seek to understand our points of view to correctly convey them to the lawmakers they serve. I learned that we don’t have to agree on every single detail to come to a compromise, especially since the People have spoken and demand some form of safe cannabis access and decriminalization nationwide. Bipartisan efforts must match public opinion.

What were the main takeaways from your experience on Capitol Hill?

Raina:

Most staffers were not familiar with 280E and how it disproportionately burdens cannabis businesses with paying upwards of 50 to 70% of revenue towards federal, state, and local taxes without the tax write-offs other industries enjoy at a 30% standard rate.The new proposed Small Business Tax Equity Act eliminating 280E for cannabis businesses would greatly improve the economic landscape, while still representing a net gain for the national economy. This credit would allow more businesses to stay afloat and continue to pay taxes at a more equitable rate over a longer period. Everybody wins!

Dr. Adrian:

SAFE Banking could potentially happen sooner than I thought if it originates from the Senate side. 

Anthony:

My main experience in Capitol Hill taught me that with planning and footwork, it is possible to reach elected officials, even highly ranked officials like US Senators.  And from the feedback we received from both Democrats and Republicans, most representatives are on board with all 3 (hemp updates, 280e reform, SAFE Banking).

Vanessa:

One of my main takeaways from this experience was the immense value of hearing personal stories that shed light on the diverse perspectives within a highly regulated market. By listening to the struggles and triumphs shared by individuals, I gained a deeper understanding of the challenges we all face on a day-to-day basis. I also realized that by sharing our own truths and insights, we can provide invaluable perspectives that others can learn from. Personal stories have the ability to bridge gaps in understanding and create empathy, which are crucial for the progress of any industry.

Mike:

An important component of Lobby Days is the in-person training session. This year, Reggie Babin provided some great insights. As the former Chief Counsel to Senator Charles Schumer, who worked directly on the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, his words resonated throughout the room and our lobbying efforts over the ensuing two days. One thing that stuck with me is when Reggie compared the ten years it had just taken to get reform through on a non-cannabis issue. That bill had strong sentimental support and near-unanimous public opinion on its side. Given that context, it made it clear that we’re on schedule for SAFE Banking. It also means we need to be pushing on other legislation that may likewise take many years to push through.

He also pointed out how any one conversation that we have could be the one that flips the vote that is the final domino on passing legislation. That’s why our stories are so important.

What did you learn from your experience that you’d like others to know?

Raina:

As NCIA DEI Delegates we must control our own narratives and help illuminate the state of our industry by putting names and faces to our stories and sharing our triumphs and pain points. I’m glad we are revisiting the SAFE Banking Bill, which is vital to public safety and economic growth along the supply chain. It is paramount that the bill is passed in any version initially, with room for amendments to weave PLUS equity initiatives into the fabric. 

Dr. Adrian:

The circle of leaders at the top of the cannabis industry is relatively small and many of those folks attend the lobby days of groups like M4MM and NCIA. Your attendance is good for business as well as for the creation of informed public policy. 

Vanessa:

Another important lesson I learned was the significance of building relationships. Engaging with lawmakers directly and sharing my own personal experiences and insights was a driving force for me. It was inspiring to witness their genuine interest in hearing directly from industry professionals. Establishing meaningful connections with policymakers is key so that our industry is properly understood and represented.

Anthony:

I learned that an impassioned personal message goes a lot further than you think. Which is why we need you next year. Because we need our officials to hear your story, and how these issues affect you, your business, and your family daily.

What’s something you loved about visiting D.C. outside of the Lobby Days activities?

Vanessa:

It was the opportunity to connect with my fellow members on a deeper level that truly resonated with me. During our time together, I had the privilege of hearing their unique personal stories and gaining a deeper understanding of what had motivated them to participate in Lobby Days. These stories were inspiring and just reminded me of the incredible passion and dedication within our community.

The personal stories, the camaraderie, and the bonds we formed have created a network of support and friendship that extends far beyond the event itself. It was a truly special aspect of the trip that I will cherish for years to come.

Dr. Adrian:

Just seeing the unique D.C. cannabis market in action with entrepreneurs like Barry Doyle/Embers and others holding unique events. As Anthony Jenkins from San Francisco put it, “it was like seeing the future of cannabis in the U.S.”

Raina:

I appreciated that this year my group had time between and after meetings to visit D.C. landmarks like the Botanical Garden, the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial, and the Washington Monument. I even extended my stay to experience the phenomenal National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Anthony:

The botanical garden was dope!

P.S. Something else I’d like to note is that in the weeks leading up to Lobby Days, I embarked on the Equity Workshop Tour, a series of workshops held in four cities, bringing together industry stakeholders, leaders, advocates, and regulators. This experience was highly informative for me to hear all these stories prior to our lobbying work in D.C. It was also great to see some of the same faces that I had seen across the Tour again in D.C!

Equity Member Spotlight: Taking Events to the Next Level

by Mike Lomuto, NCIA’s DEI Manager 

Events are a major way in which the culture of cannabis is preserved and evolves. With 4/20 upon us, we felt it appropriate for this column – which is all about staying true to the culture – to focus in on some of our members who specialize in innovative cannabis events.

For this celebratory month of 4/20, we’re checking in with:

Michael Webster, Founder & Managing Member of Falling Leaves Events, and new member of NCIA’s Banking & Financial Services Committee

Toni, Founder of Toni Consulting and Wellness, member of both NCIA’s Health Equity Working Group and Education Committee

And the ladies of HUSH

Kay Villamin, Co-Founder and Creative Director, and Chair of NCIA’s State Regulations Committee

Vanessa Valdovinos, Co-Founder and Director of Events, Organizer of NCIA’s Marketing & Advertising Committee

Michael shares his infused fine dining and networking series. Toni spreads wellness through the community with her movement-based events that balance the endocannabinoid system and educate the mind. And Hush brings an innovative and highly professional approach to elevate cannabis experiences through their immersive events. 

We asked these three cannabis companies some questions about their events and the mission behind them. The journey is always part of the destination, and in this spotlight we get to hear about how these industry groundbreakers are bringing positive innovations to the culture, transforming it with each event. Read to the end to find out where to catch them next. 

What type of events do you throw?

MW: Our offerings have evolved with the Michigan adult-use market. While our early events were consumer-focused, we’ve become much more industry-focused, situating ourselves as a B2B connector in the event space. Our current event series, The Falling Leaves Infused Dinner Series, brings together operators, influencers, stakeholders, and allies of the Michigan cannabis industry for infused networking and fine dining. We are also working on a B2B cannabis industry expo to connect the many brands, cultivators, and processors here in Michigan.

Toni: I offer wellness events in the community that provide education highlighting the numerous wellness benefits and usages of the plant. My events are rooted in creating community awareness and solutions around the necessity of cannabis health equity policies.

HUSH: We host and produce high-level experiential events focused on providing immersive experiences with cannabis through interactive design, entertainment, and customized activations that provide creative ways to engage with the plant. From networking events to large conference afterparties and trade shows, we produce a wide range of experiences for brands in the industry.

What makes your events unique? 

MW: In a word – or two – Form Factor. Our choice to offer consumption via infused food and beverages is what truly sets us apart from other consumption events. Our networking component offers the opportunity to connect with other members of the industry, and has become quite an attractive feature. Our events feature a carefully curated guest list of folks targeted by sponsors to be in the room so the deals can get done. We have replicated the diplomatic dinner table, where, traditionally, wars have been averted, treaties signed, and industry deals secured. Instead of the smoky, tobacco-filled back rooms, we’re providing smoky, cannabis-filled rooms that feature equity and transparency.

Toni: I curate events that provide education in a way that helps to destigmatize the plant while highlighting its various wellness benefits and usage options, delivered through storytelling, movement, stillness, creative expression, and reflective practices.

HUSH: Every aspect and layout of our events is intentionally designed with the goals of innovation and impact. Our guest experience is first in mind from beginning to end – from accepting an invitation to when they leave the doors to go home – we think of every detail involved. We think of how we want our guests to feel when they enter and guide them in their entire journey, as well as how they can interact with the brands and sponsors we work with. We attract high-caliber, global majority leaders in the industry from all over the country.

How do you roll your mission and advocacy into your events?

MW: Beyond our core mission of equity in the regulated cannabis industry, championing normative integration of mindful, responsible public cannabis consumption remains our cause celebre. Having, in some ways, been chased from the licensed, regulated consumption event space by burdensome insurance regulations that render Michigan’s cannabis event organizer license effectively unviable, we have pivoted to the private event space as our front in this war against normalization. 

We perform a critical role in the Michigan cannabis ecosystem for the benefit of all. Our push for normalization eases pain points up and down the industry supply chain, from municipal hearings considering licensure to breaking stigmas and gaining acceptance from important community organizations intent on preventing harm outside of the supply chain.

Toni: My wellness events are rooted in creating community awareness and solutions around the necessity of cannabis health equity policies.

HUSH: Whether it’s our own hosted event or in collaboration with another brand, our goal is to highlight, serve, and work with fellow BIPOC and social equity brands in the industry. With this intention since inception, we’ve cultivated an audience that believes in the same mission. As part of our mission, we create world-class experiences that bridge the gap between small and big operators to collectively provide environments where we can normalize the consumption of cannabis. 

What can sponsors or attendees expect from the experience?

MW: Expectations from our sponsors and guests are high because that’s exactly where we set them. We operate on the more sophisticated end of the cannabis consumption event spectrum. Much like our dear friends over at HUSH Chicago, we seek to deliver an immersive experience that is powered by cannabis but involves much more. Sponsors can expect the highest level of quality engagement possible with attendees. A quote from Chris Hammond, Senior Sales Director at Kairos Labs, LLC, best captures expectations – This past weekend I went to an event hosted by Michael Webster MSc. The food was amazing, the ambience was perfect, and I got more quality contacts in one night than I have in a week at MJ Biz. Very excited for the next event!”

Toni: Sponsors and attendees can expect to learn about educational needs and ways to support wellness initiatives in communities most affected by the “war on drugs.” My goal is to spread knowledge for the betterment of communities, utilizing the old African proverb; Each One, Teach One. 

HUSH: Sponsors and attendees can expect to have all senses engaged when attending a Hush event. Each experience is different from the next as we create new ways to engage our guests. For our sponsors, we think of creative ways to activate their brand while keeping their goals in mind, and measuring metrics that will prove their return on investment. Guests and sponsors alike can expect a stark improvement on what was once considered a cannabis consumption event. Attendees should expect to pull up to the intersection of cannabis consumption and decadence, be greeted by grown folk maturity, and be prompted that it is indeed time to go home after our event, no matter how much they wish to stay.

How has being an NCIA member helped the development of your events?

MW: NCIA membership has been transformational. The ability to tap into a national network of eco-partners from disparate cannabis markets gets us out of our silos. We are influenced by empathy and shared resources. We are nurtured by the collective and dream with the expectation of an eventual common market in which to operate. Our events truly are the manifestation of the old African adage – “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Toni: NCIA has helped me identify the need for cannabis education and wellness initiatives in marginalized communities.

HUSH: Being part of NCIA has allowed our company to extend our reach beyond local and regional markets. Being a member of committees has enabled us to build relationships with a national group of leaders in the industry who became supporters and sponsors of our events. We have also received great mentoring and advice from other members. 

When and where should we expect to see you in the coming months?

MW: We continue to operate on a monthly cadence in the Metro Detroit area, but we are expanding into other municipalities in Michigan as well. In May we expect to take our show on the road and into the Show Me state. As a brand-new market, Missouri has tons of potential and can benefit from a healthy event market. Check out our website – fallingleavesevents.com –  and follow us on social @fallingleavesevents to learn about our upcoming events.

Toni: I have a new offering every other Tuesday in Oakland, CA at Snow Park. I will be leading Community Wellness Yoga where we experience movement for the endocannabinoid system with a live saxophonist. 

  • April 11th & 25th
  • May 9th & 23rd
  • June 6 & 20th

You can also catch me on my youtube channel or follow me on instagram @cannabisnursetoni for healthy-infused recipes, movement, and your daily dose of wellness. 

HUSH: We are hosting an afterparty for NECANN in Illinois on June 2nd and we are also excited to be working on a large cannabis career conference with 40Tons to take place at Malcolm X College in Chicago on Jun 19, 2023 Lookout for an announcement for a fun event in Q4 when we will be celebrating our 5th year anniversary!

NCIA Today – Thursday, April 6, 2023

Join NCIA Director of Communication Bethany Moore for an update on what’s going on with NCIA and our members. This week we discuss 13 women scientists you NEED to know, our recent podcast check-ins with members of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, discuss a recent letter NCIA sent to the Congressional Banking and Finance Committees, and look forward to the remainder of our city events coast-to-coast leading up to Lobby Days in May.

 

Equity Member Spotlight: From Equity Scholarships to Committee Leaders

by Mike Lomuto, NCIA’s DEI Manager

NCIA committees are looking, sounding, and acting more and more like the diverse faces of Main Street cannabis. And it’s not just about representation. When the diversity of our cannabis community is reflected in NCIA Committee leadership, the conversations we are having across the organization more accurately reflect the experiences of the industry. 

All of the NCIA Committee members profiled here came through the Equity Scholarship program, an initiative of our DEI Program to systematize more equitable representation at the organization.  These leaders have much to say on how we all become more successful when equity is at the forefront. 

As the proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. 

Why did you choose to volunteer to serve on a committee?

John Murray (JM), President, Sustainable Innovations, Hemp Committee – To actively contribute to the advancement of sensible industry-wide policy reforms

Samantha Sage (SS), Founder, Kind Philanthropy, Education Committee – To continue to ‘Hype-up Community Impact’ in the Cannabis industry, and collaborate with other leaders to progress social responsibility. 

Anthony Jenkins (AJ), CEO, Next Level, Cannabis Manufacturing Committee – The path for an entrepreneur aiming to obtain a manufacturing license is littered with unnecessary roadblocks and I would like to help minimize those hurdles for the next generations of cannapreneurs. 

Raina Jackson (RJ), Founder & CEO, PURPLE RAINA Self Care, DEI Committee Organizer – I volunteered so that I can advocate for myself and others facing similar challenges as cannabis license applicants and operators. 

Richard Fleming (RF), President, Altered State Cannabis Company,  Retail Committee -As a pre-operational entity the main reason is to learn as much as possible from seasoned operators and ancillary companies with experience in various markets. Just as important, is to actively participate in a group of likeminded people to further the cause of normalization. 

Toni, Toni Consulting and Wellness, Education Committee; Health Equity Working Group

Toni (T), Founder, Toni Consulting and Wellness, Education Committee; Health Equity Working Group – I volunteer to be the change I want to see in the cannabis industry. Utilizing my voice, face, knowledge, and experiences.

Kenneth Cottrell (KC), COO, Cannalean LLC,  DEI Committee – I chose to volunteer on the DEI Committee to help promote legislation to promote a more diverse cannabis industry. According to MJBizDaily, “in the cannabis space, executive positions held by racial minorities fell to a new low for the group since they began tracking the number in 2017, dropping to 12.1% in 2022 from 13.1% in 2021” (MJBizDaily 2022). 

Why is it important for committees to include proper representation from diverse communities, and more specifically from our Equity Scholarship Program?

John Murray, Sustainable Innovations, Hemp Committee

(JM) Diversity inclusion provides a broadened perspective with contributions from different backgrounds, capabilities, and regulatory environments.  It is important to work together as a team and understand all viewpoints to become and remain successful. 

(AJ) It’s very important for committees to have proper representation and include our Equity Scholarship winners in their meetings to diversify the narrative and present issues and solutions from a different perspective.

(RJ) It’s important for us to share our experiences as Equity Scholarship Program recipients on committees because we have so much to contribute to the dialogue and multi-faceted solutions. We have traditionally been excluded from economic opportunities and are rarely consulted on the important policy and regulatory decisions that often continue to harm us.

(RF) The information from a wide array of backgrounds and perspectives from all levels of the spectrum is paramount in creating and shaping a positive image in the cannabis industry. By providing a platform for us as individuals, our ideas, our businesses and our communities to reverse the stigma and become a driving force in the market. 

(T) In order for any organization to be truly useful, representation must reflect diversity. If not we end up with solutions that are not equitable.

Kenneth Cottrell, Cannalean LLC, DEI Committee

(KC) It is important for committees to champion diversity. Creating diversity on committees promotes an organization as an equal and inclusive environment. It is very important for the current members who are participating, but it will also improve talent recruitment and innovation efforts for the organization. As an alumni of the NCIA’s Equity Scholarship Program, it was the main reason I became active in the organization and used its resources to help promote my company, Cannalean.  

What has your experience serving on a committee been like thus far? Is there any committee work from previous years you’d like to share?

(JM) The committees I served on have been mainly focused on consumer and legislative education. 

(RJ) I benefited so much from my first year working with mission-focused cannapreneurs along the supply chain, that I volunteered for a second year.

(T) Health Equity working group was able to host a town hall discussion on the importance of cannabis health equity in disadvantaged communities. 

(KC) My experience serving on the committee has been amazing. I was very impressed by the kickoff zoom meeting. I also met a lot of my fellow committee members at MJ Biz Con and MJ Unpacked. I am looking forward to hearing how cannabis policy is progressing around the country and if there are any policy frameworks that I can use to lobby in Nevada. 

What are you hoping to accomplish during the 2023 committee term?

(JM) Complete educational series and contribute to sensible regulatory language for the 2023 Farm Bill, which impacts our entire industry. 

Samantha Sage, Kind Philanthropy, Education Committee

(SS) Inspire more committee members and leaders in the Cannabis industry to build community impact initiatives into business plans and build relationships with nonprofit organizations. 

(AJ) In the 2023 committee term I would like to make it easier for the states coming on to find information about how to run a successful cannabis manufacturing program that includes equity. I would also like to make it easier for future cannabis manufacturers to become licensed, and adopt best practices to help their business succeed. 

(RJ) I will continue to represent the interests of Equity cannapreneurs navigating the regulatory landscape nationwide, with a focus on CA and NY, and in May 2023 I plan to represent the DEIC at Lobby Days in D.C. As a member of the Policy & Regulatory sub-committee, I am synthesizing the policy recommendations of members of the NY Social Equity Roundtable, informed by the best practices and failings of existing programs nationwide.

(RF) I hope to inspire others to find their niche and participate in all aspects of the movement. I really look forward to being an integral part of initiatives that promote our collective goals and move the dial on the public’s education and opinion. Additionally, receiving and utilizing information from others will assist in avoiding pitfalls they have witnessed or experienced themselves. 

(T) I hope to bring awareness to cannabis health equity, policies, and initiatives that support inclusivity. I seek to inspire businesses to invest in education in disadvantaged communities in ways that provide equitable long-term benefits and solutions.

(KC) I am hoping that we bring awareness to the lack of diversity in ownership and senior-level management in the cannabis industry. I want to work on developing a cannabis leadership incubator that focuses on cannabis policy, fundraising, and supply chain. There are states like Nevada that need more comprehensive social equity programs. I want to work with the committee to propose laws and policy to present to Nevada elected officials. 

 

Update from NCIA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program

by Mike Lomuto, NCIA’s DEI Manager

Our DEI Program has a lot to share and celebrate as we gear up for Spring, when we hope to hit the road with our Equity Workshop Tour.

Keep reading for all the highlights and wins to start 2023.

But first, I want to remind you that today is the LAST DAY to throw down sponsorship dollars as part of our Lobby Days DEI Delegation.

ALL Lobby Days sponsorship dollars raised during the month of February directly fund our DEI Delegation

This allows us to provide travel stipends as part of our commitment to DEI at NCIA. Our delegation consists of some of our organization’s most engaged and knowledgeable social equity policy advocates.

This is one of NCIA’s most important functions. It’s imperative we get it in the win column so that our report back in May/June’s newsletter is one of success for our DEI efforts. 

Reach out NOW to MikeLomuto@thecannabisindustry.org to help us reach our goal.


February Highlights of our DEI Program:

NCIA’s Global Majority Caucus Launches

February marked the momentous launch of NCIA’s Global Majority Caucus

Made up of Global Majority leaders from across the organization – Board Members, Committee Leadership, Equity Members serving on committees, and leaders of DEI Program initiatives.

The purpose of the GMC is to galvanize our Global Majority voices and impact at the nation’s oldest and most established cannabis trade association. 

I am humbled by the voices that were present last week and completely inspired by what we will continue to accomplish together.

Together, we will continue to advocate for greater Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our industry as we push toward federal legalization, and the more equitable rollout of the myriad of state cannabis programs.


Season 4 of The Cannabis Minority Report podcast kicks off.

Bringing minority (aka Global Majority) perspectives to the forefront of the industry

Join us for the live recordings every Monday at 1 pm ET on LinkedIn Live

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms, and catch up on the first few episodes of the new season, featuring NCIA Board Vice Chair Chris Jackson, NCIA Board Member Rebecca Colett of Calyxeum, and Dr Mila Marshall (Vice Chair of the Education Committee)

Upcoming guests include:

  • NCIA Board Member Ben Larson of Vertosa, Chris Jensen and Tiffany Watkins (DEIC Chair and Vice Chair), Kay Villamin (SRC Chair), Keyston Franklin (BFSC Chair), and Michael Webster (host of the Power Hour)

February featured TWO Catalyst Conversations (our DEI-focused webinar series)

Catalyst Conversation: Gain an Edge & Impact – Community Benefit Agreements

Featuring Gary Little and Doug Kelly, who are blazing trails in Chicago, alongside NCIA committee members Ace Castillo and Shannon Vetto

For cannabusinesses looking for how to “crack the code” of doing well AND good. We discuss how to create positive community impact AND excel as a business as a result

Catalyst Conversations: What’s Hot for 2023?

Featuring NCIA Committee members Vanessa Valdovinos, Keyston Franklin, and Jim Makoso, as well as new Board Member Amy Larson

Especially relevant for newer leaders in the cannabis space, seeking insights into how to succeed and gain lasting power, based on the opportunities 2023 presents.


New York Social Equity Roundtable Submits Public Comments, co-signed by a dozen partnered organizations

Since Spring of last year, we have been building coalition through conducting an ongoing roundtable discussion, consisting of multiple National and New York based cannabis social equity and industry organizations to assess and provide feedback regarding rules and regulations. Big thank you to the participating orgs, including: Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), Social Equity Committee Co-Chairs of NYC/Hudson Valley Cannabis Industry Association (NYCCIA/HVCIA), NYC NORML, Black and Brown Economic Power in Cannabis (BB EPIC), JustUS Foundation, Unified Legacy Operators Council (UNLOC), Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), Social Equity Empowerment Network (SEEN), The Hood Incubator,The People’s Ecosystem (TPE), Etain, legacy operators, and social equity cannabis business owners. 

On February 13th, we submitted our latest round of public comments, in a common effort to assist the New York Office of Cannabis Management in its mission to create an equitable and inclusive cannabis industry for New York State.

DEI Committee leader Raina Jackson served as Lead Author, with support from fellow NCIA committee members Mark Slaugh, Adrian Adams, Stephanie Keeffe, and Osbert Orduna.


Get a glimpse into the impact our Equity Scholarship Program is having

The first Equity Member Spotlight blog of the year is up! 

“it isn’t hard for me to find a BIPOC leader within NCIA who shares experiences similar to mine. That has made this a motivating and pleasurable experience.” 

– Michael Diaz-Rivera, Owner of Better Days Delivery; Colorado State Rep of M4MM

The Equity Workshop Tour is tentatively (based on sponsorship) set for stops in New York, Chicago, and Detroit, synced up with our Industry Socials. More to come. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

To join NCIA through our Equity Scholarship Program, apply here:
https://thecannabisindustry.org/ncias-social-equity-scholarship-program/

Equity Member Spotlight: Checking in on NCIA’s Equity Scholarship Program

by Mike Lomuto, NCIA’s DEI Manager

Three years after the launch of NCIA’s DEI program, we are growing and going stronger than ever. One of last year’s highlights was our DEI delegation that took part in our 10th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days in Washington, D.C., a story we told in this blog, along with many other great and important stories. Now, we are checking back in with a few members to hear about their current progress. 

Why has being a member of NCIA been important to you personally?

Anthony Jenkins, Next Level, CEO:

Cannabis is an amazing plant, and I’m passionate about what it can do. NCIA’s members share that passion, which shows in their advocacy for themselves and the plant.

Michael Diaz-Rivera, Better Days Delivery, Owner/Operator:

I was a 5th-grade teacher before starting this business. Being a member of NCIA has allowed me to network with a diverse set of owners across the business spectrum, whether they are social equity operators, and/or novices like me, or established in the cannabis space for years. NCIA has helped springboard me into spaces where growth is guaranteed!

Helen Gomez Andrews, Co-Founder & CEO, The High End:

Building strong business networks is incredibly important in the cannabis industry – and of course, so is advocacy. With this industry and through communities like NCIA, we have an opportunity to reimagine and restructure how business gets done, what board rooms look like, how workers are treated, how to better respect our environment. Being a member has not only helped me strengthen those networks and provided new business opportunities, but it has provided me more channels towards the advocacy that is meaningful to me and my business’ core values. 

Why is the Equity Scholarship Program at NCIA important?

Anthony Jenkins:

It is EXTREMELY important because most new entrepreneurs don’t have the money to “test” if a program is going to be beneficial for them. The scholarship gives future cannabis business owners a chance to see the true value that comes with being a member, and once they do, they will continue their membership. 

Michael Diaz-Rivera:

Coming from a low-income background and already investing my limited savings 100% into my business, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in NCIA without the scholarship. Not being hindered by my lack of financial resources helped build my confidence in the industry.

Helen Gomez Andrews:

As the founder of a start-up in a regulatory and capital environment with tremendous constraints, the Equity Scholarship Program got me in the door at NCIA, where I otherwise wouldn’t have joined due to the standard price tag. I’ve had a chance to share in, and contribute to, the many different avenues of participation that NCIA offers, make a proper assessment of its impact and properly decide whether or not it makes sense to continue as a member beyond the scholarship period.

What has been your biggest highlight of being an NCIA member?

Anthony Jenkins:

My biggest highlight of being an NCIA member was attending the NCIA’s San Francisco conference in 2021. It was an amazing experience, and we had the opportunity to have a booth, hosted by the awesome team at The People’s Dispensary.

Michael Diaz-Rivera:

My biggest highlight has to be our weekly power hours. Whether learning from industry leaders or having real unapologetic conversations with other emerging business owners, I am walking away from these meetings with priceless jewels of wisdom.

Helen Gomez Andrews:

There are so many! But bringing my kids down to Washington, D.C. for Lobby Days in 2022 was such a highlight. My daughter, who has been a cannabis patient since she was 6 years old, watched as I took a team photo in front of the United States Capitol with a group of people that came together to fight not just for SAFE Banking, but for the federal legalization of a medicine that she uses daily – fighting for her rights and kids just like her – is a moment that our family will never forget.  

Have you noticed a shift in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the NCIA since you joined, and if so can you elaborate?

Michael Diaz-Rivera:

I don’t know if I’ve been in NCIA long enough to notice a shift in DEI, but I can say that it isn’t hard for me to find a BIPOC leader within NCIA who shares experiences similar to mine. That has made this a motivating and pleasurable experience.

Helen Gomez Andrews:

I haven’t been a member long enough to notice a shift, but the diversity of the community was noticeable and very appreciated from the onset, and it’s very tangibly not just a talking point. 

What is on the horizon for your business in 2023?

Next Level Edibles

Anthony Jenkins:

Next Level has some great things on the horizon. We entered into a partnership with a team in Southern California that will help us increase the quality and efficacy of our infused brown sugar. We are growing our partnerships with dispensaries and delivery services throughout California to broaden our footprint. We are relaunching our website. We will be launching new infused ingredients, and partnering with some of our friends in the industry to bring you amazing infused ready-to-eat products. 

Michael Diaz-Rivera:

There is much to be anticipated in the near future for Better Days Delivery and that is why we say, “Better Days Are On The Way.” Most immediately I am excited to announce that I am hiring my first delivery driver and adding more vehicles to my fleet. As I aim to be the best cannabis delivery service in Colorado, I am working to establish contracts with dispensaries throughout the state, nurture the stores I currently deliver for (Shoutout to Native Roots and L’Eagle Services), empower my drivers to be their best, all while serving the community!

Helen Gomez Andrews:

At long last, The High End is on track to introduce our clean-extracted and hand-crafted cannabis products to the Massachusetts market, partnering with independent sun-grown and living soil cultivators and processing in our solventless lab. Our indoor living soil gardens are finally in development too and will be ready to go closer to the end of this year. 

Additional thoughts?

Michael Diaz-Rivera:

Thank you Tahir Johnson for starting this program and Mike Lomuto for taking it to the next level. Infinite gratitude to all of my fellow business owners that have helped me to get to this point in my business journey! The Marathon Continues! Better Days Are On The Way

Helen Gomez Andrews:

Immense gratitude to Mike Lomuto for understanding each of our goals in business and advocacy, and ensuring we can contribute to issues that matter to us beyond the obvious DEI work. Without question, DEI advocacy is vital, but we amongst the equity scholars have a diversity of other goals as well. In particular, I’d like to thank Mike for championing Sustainability and organizing a group of members from a working group into an influential body within NCIA that has an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Equity Member Spotlight: Osbert Orduña – The Cannabis Place

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

I am a first-generation Latino of Colombian descent, Spanish was my first language and my dad spent most of my youth incarcerated. I grew up in NYC Public Housing projects, and I have first-hand knowledge of the indignity of what it feels like to personally be stopped and frisked nearly 100 times which is what happened to me as a kid and young adult for doing nothing else than being a poor Latino growing up in the hood. I was an Education Opportunity Fund scholar and the first in my family to go to college, where I received a degree in business, and a graduate certificate in law. I earned the designation of Disabled Veteran while serving in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps, and I am also a 9/11 first responder. I retired after a career in public service, and have worked as an entrepreneur for over 10 years, and know what it takes to start a business from scratch, without a rich uncle, generational wealth, or rich financial backers. 

In late 2020 and early 2021, I had the opportunity to visit 50 non-MSO recreation and medical dispensaries in five states on the east and west coast. I wanted to learn more about dispensaries and best practices across the industry, but my trip opened my eyes to a different reality. Forty-nine of the dispensaries were owned by white males and one was owned by a white female, not one owner looked like me or shared a similar background. None of these dispensary owners had been stopped and frisked hundreds of times for no other reason than just because they lived in an area with historically high rates of arrests and enforcement from over-policing. Yet they were now engaged in an industry that seemed to exclude us. My trip left me sad but determined to enter the cannabis market so that people who look like me who came from the struggle of the streets, and were collateral damage in the war on drugs could have a chance. I was determined to create a positive example for Latinos and others to follow. 

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

The Cannabis Place offers a unique value proposition which is our commitment to launching as a union cannabis dispensary on day one. As of yet, we are the only dispensary in the state of New Jersey and the nation to propose this. By launching our business as a unionized shop we are being a partner to our Jersey City, NJ community. Our value proposition promises that we will be a responsible and proactive member of the community that provides union career opportunities with true living wages that will empower our team members to provide upward mobility for themselves, their families, and the greater community. Furthermore, we are engaged as a Workforce Development partner with Cornell University, the Workforce Development Institute, and Hudson County (NJ) Workforce Development Board. With these partnerships, we will develop standardized training modules that will be utilized to train prospective dispensary workers and provide opportunities for those seeking cannabis careers in this new and emerging industry.

Our mission: To provide high-quality cannabis to clients with a consistent product and first-class service they can trust. To build our brand on the core values of client service and care, while maintaining the highest standards of quality, integrity, and community outreach.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

As the CEO of The Cannabis Place, our primary goal for the greater good of cannabis is to advocate and support a proactive approach to adult-use by providing a local and safe environment to dispense cannabis products. We operate as a social impact cannabis brand and are dedicated to providing consistent access to safe and reliable cannabis products that are ethically grown and sourced. Our aim is to launch the first unionized cannabis dispensary in New Jersey, leading by example, and demonstrating to other businesses that true success is based on placing people over profits. 

Our goals are as follows:

  • Be an accelerator for generational wealth-building opportunities among our employees from the community
  • Be a reliable source for cannabis education and awareness
  • Utilize our Community Impact grants to assist and support outreach in areas that have been disproportionately impacted

Our advocacy at The Cannabis Place is based on workers rights, especially organization, fairness and quality healthcare. We believe that it should be easier for people in all job fields to organize. At The Cannabis Place we support the implementation of legislation that will raise the minimum wage floor for all workers in our community, to provide for true living wages that place people over profits. Workers in all industries deserve more from the moment they are hired. Like many others I grew up as part of the working poor, in public housing with limited minimum wage job opportunities, without healthcare and with minimal alternatives to life on the streets. At The Cannabis Place we believe that by providing our workforce with union careers with true living wages and full benefits, our team members, their families and their communities will feel the immediate difference of financial stability, long-term growth, and the impact of upward financial mobility to help them support their family and to build a better life. 

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

Latinos are consistently underrepresented in terms of business owners throughout all industries. Now when you focus specifically on cannabis and look at a national level, just 5.7% of all license types are held by the Hispanic community. I have seen challenges in the cannabis industry in two key areas, access to capital and the real estate market. It takes money to make money so if you grew up poor, without generational wealth, no rich uncle, no hedge fund connections or oligarchs to call on, how do you raise funds to have the millions that are needed to launch a dispensary or grow? Next and along the same lines is real estate. A lot of landlords won’t lease to cannabis businesses but unfortunately, our experience has been that again a predatory market exists where cannabis rental rates are 2 to 10 times the normal lease rates for the area. The other option is to buy a commercial parcel which brings us back to issue #1 – access to capital. I am ever the optimist, and I see the Latino community growing in the legal cannabis industry as entrepreneurs, c-suite members, and as leaders in the industry bringing our unique insight and sabor to the industry while creating opportunities for generational wealth for our community. In order to get there, we need to bridge the gap through social equity grants and loans that can help Hispanic cannabis entrepreneurs raise enough capital to start their business, and receiving financial education is also crucial for Hispanic entrepreneurs in multiple phases of the cannabis business planning timeline.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

We are a Disabled Veteran and Latino-owned company with a core focus on community impact through social impact so the ability to be a Social Equity Scholarship recipient in an organization like the NCIA, a group who are actually dedicated to ensuring that small cannabis businesses have a seat at the table in Washington, D.C. and beyond, was super important to us. We look forward to learning new information and utilizing networking opportunities to help us grow and succeed in the cannabis industry.

The fact that NCIA is leading change to protect the legal cannabis industry, advocate for our state laws, advance federal policy reforms, and to make this a more inclusive and prosperous space by working together to defend the responsible cannabis industry. Creating more opportunities for small businesses rather than just the wealthiest few is the most important thing for us as members of the Social Equity Scholarship Program. 

The Cannabis Place 420 Corp is the first ever Disabled Veteran and Minority Owned Business enterprise to successfully navigate the Jersey City, NJ municipal cannabis dispensary approval process in this new and emerging cannabis market.

Equity Member Spotlights: Where Are They Now?

Where are they now? This month, NCIA’s editorial department continues the monthly Member Spotlight series by following up with three of our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members.


For reference, previous member spotlights

    1. Equity Member Spotlight: Exspiravit LLC
    2. Equity Member Spotlight: Endo Industries – Nancy Do
    3. Equity Member Spotlight: Next Level Edibles – Anthony Jenkins, CEO

Exspiravit LLC

What’s new in the world of Exspiravit? 

First off, we have rebranded. We are now Cannvas Events. The name change was part of our evolution and maturation as a startup. As we scaled, more resources became available for things like branding. We brought in Greg Hill of Brand Birth to deploy the science of branding and the end result was a new name, new logo, and new understanding of where we were situated in the regulated cannabis ecosystem. The transformation led to the planning and production of our signature Cannabis Event 2.0 offering, the inaugural Saturnalia Canna Carnival, taking place at the Trinity Health Arena in Muskegon, MI on August 2oth. We are powering a traditional indoor/outdoor carnival – rides and attractions included – with a hassle-free, normalizing consumption solution. If you’re in the Midwest, come join us as we celebrate the first year of an iconic, perennial cannabis festival. Tickets and info at cannvasevents.com and follow us @saturnaliacannacarnival

Would you like to share anything that came out of being in the Spotlight previously?

The Spotlight feature presented tremendous value. The first year of the cannabis startup journey is devoid of financial revenue. Unless you’re needle-in-the-haystack lucky, it’s not even a consideration. The money is flowing in the opposite direction. So, the only available revenue, or currency, are the relationships. If you’re fortunate, these become renewable resources upon which you can draw repeatedly, and managed properly, they have no expiration date. You can bank them like any currency and you have much more influence on their stability, than on fiat currency. For me, that one relationship was with Michael Schwamm, who leads the Duane Morris cannabis practice out of New York. Michael opened doors for me and got me into rooms that I was previously unaware existed. That access has made all of the difference for me, personally, and for Cannvas Events. And had it not been for the Spotlight, I would have never been in position to enjoy that access.


Endo Industries

Since the last spotlight, you’ve joined the DEI Committee and its Regulatory Subcommittee. Anything you’d like to share about that experience thus far?

I’m impressed by the brilliant folks on the committee, and their dedication to making cannabis equitable. It takes time out of our grueling work days to contribute time on these committees but the contribution to making the industry better is crucial during these developmental years of cannabis. Perhaps our current misguided, harmful CA cannabis policies could have been prevented with more early participation from stakeholders who are stewards of the plant. However, there were many factors involved with the way CA policies were created, including special interest money from those who don’t care or want to see the industry fail. 

It’s been a painful journey living through the consequences of these challenging policies as a cannabis operator. It takes a long time to change once it’s been passed. However, companies who are willing to work together in these important processes will survive and write a new path to move forward. Most of us can’t wait anymore for things to change so we need everyone’s active participation now, whether it’s writing an email to your constituents or being a part of NCIA!

California cannabis seems to be going through terrible challenges. Is there anything you’d like to share about what you’re seeing, or about some of the solutions our members can support with?

Overburdensome taxes and high barriers to entry for licensing throughout the state are most obvious right now. The lack of diversity and equity, consumer education, state and federal funding for further research and development also play a huge role in CA’s struggles. I’m frustrated that the State doesn’t understand that those who have been dedicated to the industry, collaboration and this plant are the only ones who can truly guide this industry forward.

NCIA members can lend support by truly including legacy, equity, and other diverse teams into your conversations and partnerships, and opening our eyes to value brought to the table by different communities. I would also encourage members to think about ways we can create awareness to our consumers to make better buying decisions. We have left all the medical properties of cannabis while legalizing, and that’s also why the industry is failing. Lastly, we need to keep pushing for more consumption lounges and events!

At Endo Industries, we built our company on principles of collaboration, science, equity and inclusion. Most notably, we offer critical supply chain support through our tissue culture services, and certified virus-free clean clones for growers, breeders and brands. If you know good operators who could benefit from our support, please send them our way. I cannot stress enough that the work Endo is doing is crucial for the success of the supply chain right now.

Would you like to share anything that came out of being in the Spotlight previously?

We’ve gotten great exposure for being featured in Spotlight. Endo and myself are more internet searchable, which in this day in age means we are real people!

People started sharing the link to the Spotlight to use as an introduction to Endo and myself as a founder. We’ve been told by clients who decided to work with us because they came across the feature when researching Endo. It solidified their desire to pick us because we are bullish about our values because our business model is strategic and collaborative. 

It’s great to be co-signed by a credible organization like NCIA, and it goes a long way for a small business that doesn’t have an abundance of marketing and PR resources. I’ve hid in the shadows for far too long. My journey and passion for cannabis needs to be told and celebrated. Endo as a company needs exposure so we can reach a larger audience. I’m grateful for NCIA and look forward to our continued relationship.


Next Level Edibles

What’s new in the world of Next Level Edibles?

There is a lot new in the world of Next Level since our Equity Spotlight in September of 2021. In December, we had a booth, sponsored by the awesome team at The People’s Ecosystem, in Moscone Center at NCIA San Francisco. It was our first time attending an expo, let alone having a booth, and it was a great opportunity to grow our brand while creating relationships for future business opportunities. In the second week of the new year we launched our 1000 mg full spectrum coconut oil in Ivy Hill Oakland. And, later that month, we were welcomed into the Third Cohort of Momentum, Eaze’s Cannabis Business Accelerator. Two weeks before classes began, in early April, we launched our infused fast-acting brown sugar in 7 Star Holistic Healing Center. And in May, we attended MJ Unpacked NYC with other graduates of Our Academy. 

California cannabis seems to be going through terrible challenges. Is there anything you’d like to share about what you’re seeing, or about some of the solutions our members can support with?

California Cannabis is facing challenges on many fronts. Countless unnecessary hurdles to legal entry, political red tape, and excess packaging waste to name a few. But the biggest challenges are around security. Every week there is news of a new dispensary, farm, distributor, and friend being burglarized. High tech security systems, gates, and cameras are no match for organized thieves and slow police responses. Until we can get a portion of our excessive taxes dedicated to funding police divisions that specifically targets cannabis thieves, the best solution to combat this is to support your favorite brands by purchasing their products through legal cannabis retail sources.

Would you like to share anything that came out of being in the Spotlight previously?

Being in the Spotlight helped our company tremendously. It allowed us to grow our cannabis network as plant-touching and ancillary companies reached out from all over the country. In addition, the visibility it provided us helped connect with the team at The People’s Ecosystem which led to our booth at NCIA’s Cannabis Business Summit and our new supply chain partners. It provided the traction we needed to help us get to the next level.

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, July 14, 2022

Equity Member Spotlight: Banyan Tree Dispensary – Adolfo “Ace” Castillo

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

My name is Adolfo Castillo. People who know me call me Ace. Before I started my first cannabis business, I had a 10-year career in the banking industry. I started in a call center as a customer service associate. I then moved into a traditional banking center where I learned sales and eventually became the assistant manager. It was at the end of my tenure in 2008 that my Tia Eloise was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the request of my mother, she asked me to get some cannabis in hopes that it would help her sister eat. Although it did not cure cancer, it really helped her appetite and gave her a bit of relief. Unfortunately, my Tia Eloise lost that battle, but it was the relief that I was able to provide that helped bring me peace when she passed away. This all happened around the same time that bill SB 420 was signed into California law, establishing statewide guidelines for Prop. 215. This law paved the way for cooperatives and collectives to begin operating legally in my city. It was at that moment that my love for cannabis became a passion. I felt a need to help more people gain access to cannabis, so I partnered with a friend of mine who sold weed and I took what I had learned about business and applied it to opening my first medical cannabis dispensary.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

I named the dispensary Banyan Tree after an experience I had in Maui about 13 years ago. It was my first visit to Maui so I decided not to bring any cannabis products to avoid any problems at the airport. When I arrived, I asked a few locals where I could find some good smoke and they all pointed me to the Banyan Tree. It was true. As soon as I found the Banyan Tree, I could tell this was the place to be. The smell was in the air and I met some really nice Hawaiians who were happy to hook me up. I want our guests to have the same experience when they visit our dispensary. Banyan Tree is a destination. A place where friends can meet to find quality cannabis.

As a local native, I understand the cannabis culture in my town. The legacy market has thrived for so long in Fresno. One of our biggest challenges will be convincing medicinal users and cannabis connoisseurs to buy their cannabis from a licensed facility and not from the streets. In order to create the best experience possible, it starts with a well-trained, knowledgeable staff. I am lucky to have two educators on my team who have helped me put together a robust employee development program that will ensure that the Banyan Tree staff will be primed for success.

My goal for Banyan Tree is to be the #1 dispensary to work for. I truly believe that the success of your business relies heavily on its employees. I want our employees to have purpose and feel proud of the work they do. Banyan Tree was built upon the idea of helping our surrounding community achieve wellness and enjoyment through cannabis. When you come to Banyan Tree, you will not be rushed, you will feel safe, your questions will be answered, and the price you pay will not shock you.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

I am hopeful that I will see full legalization in my lifetime. As a cannabis business operator, I would like cannabis to be recognized as a normal commodity and not this taboo substance that has so much negativity around it and red tape. As a business owner, I would like cannabis commerce to transact and be accepted without any special rules in regards to banking and filing federal income tax. As outdated stereotypes are finally fading away, more and more consumers view cannabis as an integral part of their health and wellness routine. I’m confident that in 20 years we will look back at the history of cannabis and just laugh at all the nonsensical rules surrounding cannabis in the early 2000s.

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

Most cannabis operations are running all-cash businesses because mainstream, national banking institutions are not willing to support a federally illegal industry. A small number of state-chartered banks and credit unions have offered financial services to compliant operations, but establishing these relationships continues to be a significant challenge for operators. 

An equally frustrating financial challenge is IRS Tax Code 280E, which states that “no deduction or credit shall be allowed in running a business that consists of trafficking a controlled substance.” This archaic code impacts cannabis businesses across the nation, causing unnecessary fiscal and operational stress.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I joined NCIA through the Social Equity Scholarship program to extend my network of cannapreneurs and to help develop best practices and guidelines that will shape the future of our industry. I would say for me, the best part of being a member of NCIA is the synergy. One of my favorite parts of the program is the “Power Hour.” Each week, Mike Lomuto hosts a zoom meeting dedicated to Social Equity members. It is where we have an opportunity to share ideas and find solutions to the issues we all face in our industry. I am very capable, but I recognize that by fostering relationships and collaborating with others in my industry, I can achieve far more than I could ever achieve on my own.

 

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, June 16, 2022

NCIA Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

Happy Juneteenth, Happy PRIDE!

Register now for NCIA’s Colorado Industry Social on July 28!

 

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, June 2, 2022

Happy PRIDE! NCIA Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff.  Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

Make the investment, take the time, and do the work to position yourself for success in the Empire State!

Join us on the “Insights & Influencers: NY Opportunity Tour” coming to Albany, Rochester, and NYC next week!

Equity Member Spotlight: Ontogen Botanicals – Dr. Adrian Adams

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

Hello, I’m Adrian Adams, EdD. I spent a decade teaching Biology and Chemistry as well as coaching football. I chose to spend several years as a stay-at-home dad (the hardest job by far) and then worked in the pharmaceutical industry. I know many of the physicians in my area. While at dinner one night with a couple of doctors, the conversation revolved around having to combat the misinformation that patients come in with from “Dr. Google.” Minutes later, one doctor asked the others what they were saying to the increasing number of patients who come in asking about cannabis therapy. There was a prolonged silence until another doctor said “I just tell them I don’t know anything about that and to look online.”

Another doctor said, “me too.” The irony within the few-minute span was worthy of a fork drop. The FDA has approved CBD as a medicine. To me, not educating a patient about a legal, safe, and effective treatment option meant they just didn’t have the cannabis knowledge. That also meant more legal, safe, and effective products needed to be made for doctors and their patients. In that moment, Ontogen Botanicals CBD was born.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

We offer reduced costs, which can be a barrier to entry for consumers. And a deep knowledge of the intersection between cannabis and medicine. Physicians are a choke point for the industry that is overlooked. Simply put, doctors are good people. Most of them have simply had zero training on the endocannabinoid system as it was only identified in the 1990s. Ontogen Botanicals believes if they knew better, they’d do better. We offer doctors the information to make an informed decision on the utility of cannabis for their patients. We also offer the ability for doctors to provide legal cannabis products for their patients right in their office as part of a sound treatment plan.

Ontogen provides effective CBD products that are truly full-panel lab tested for safety. We strongly believe in starting at a low dose, which also lowers cost. Using the least medication necessary is part of medical training. Low-dose products work for many people and reduce the cost barrier of entry to try CBD and other cannabis products.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

We want to increase the healthcare provider and patient knowledge of what this plant can do, as well as provide quality of life-improving products. Now we’re expanding to help the population at large. Medically speaking, cannabis is as good as advertised. The more people use it, the more legitimate the industry becomes.

Cannabis gets a bad rap for being a gateway drug to the opioid crisis. In fact, doctors are beginning to address the pain that often starts and underlies chronic opioid use. You cannot pull opioids and not address the pain that drives many folks back to opioids. Regulated cannabis can reduce pain without the many harmful side effects of opioids – especially unregulated heroin.

With industry growth, and Ontogen Botanicals‘ growth, will come the capital for Ontogen to address the challenges that poverty creates for people who may have much less access to healthcare and prescription drugs to get the medicine they prefer. There is enough money in cannabusiness to use it for social good.

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

A big problem for any small business is finding the right people to do business with. Minority business owners face discrimination and mistrust when trying to do business in general. Now add cannabis to the equation. I’ve been asked for $5K just for the right to open a business checking account.

Groups like NCIA, MCBA, and Minorities for Medical Marijuana help us find each other to do business with as well as bridge the gap between us and traditional business communities like banking for access to capital.

This industry has shown the ability to help remediate the cannabis criminalization harms done to minorities during the war on drugs. Big tobacco and many other industries are already investing and awaiting federal law changes. I fear that once the flood gates open to large companies investing billions of dollars, the feeding frenzy will create an extinction-level event for smaller minority-owned companies. We need federal and state-level legislative dams in place before then to protect minority-owned smaller businesses.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I joined to try to help advocate for social equity and social justice for minorities to have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to start an industry. The best part about the NCIA Social Equity program is that it brings minority entrepreneurs together weekly to support each other. We’ve locked elbows, pick each other up in hard times, and celebrated the good.

 

Equity Member Spotlight: Puff Couture LLC – LaVonne Turner

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

I am LaVonne Turner, President of PUFF COUTURE LLC. Before my interest in cannabis, my career was focused on marketing, communications, public relations, event management, and community advocacy. After working for non-profit and for-profit organizations, I became increasingly interested in public policy and community advocacy to help the underprivileged and unrepresented. I hold a bachelor’s degree in executive leadership/marketing, a master’s in public administration, and currently working on a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. I am a block club president and serve on a couple of boards and committees. I have spent many years mentoring children and youth.

 My journey into the cannabis industry as an entrepreneur started when my mother began experiencing debilitating pain, and her only relief was prescribed medication. While I still haven’t found the right product to deal with her pain, I have taken great interest in the industry and the incredible products born from seeds. I plan to open a microbusiness and consumption lounge in Detroit, MI, that serves aromatic, exotic strains and infused products.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

PUFF COUTURE LLC is a minority-woman-owned cannabis company slated to open a microbusiness and consumption lounge in Detroit. We want to bring a sophisticated community-driven cannabis business that offers a contemporary atmosphere for clients. It will convey the importance of the cannabis flower by providing a chilled environment for clients to consume unique, flavorful, and aromatic cannabis. PUFF COUTURE will support mental health counseling, volunteerism, public policy, and minority representation in the cannabis industry, especially among women. According to a recent special report by MJBbizDaily Women and Minority Report, only 3.8% of Blacks or African Americans are cannabis business owners, the percentage of minority women in Michigan is even smaller; our responsibility is to open doors for future female entrepreneurs and people of color.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

PUFF COUTURE LLC would like to change the face of cannabis through participation and contributions to critical public issues that affect the community values of our clients and neighbors, as well as giving back through donations and mentoring. The organization will support issues affecting women who suffer from traumatic situations through our community advocacy campaign. Still, there will be plenty of time for spoken word, intimate art shows, parties, etc. PUFF COUTURE will take care of our people, support the cannabis industry, and create an atmosphere of excitement.

What challenges do you face in the industry, and what solutions would you like to see?

A few years ago, I couldn’t get anyone to advise me or take the time to mentor me. However, after many no’s, I have been blessed to partake in the City of Detroit’s Homegrown cannabis program and training by the Detroit Cannabis Project. LUME’s Vice President of Retail Operations, Michael Dowdell, has taken the time to speak with me and allowed me to observe the business sales and operations of one of the company’s recreational and medical stores. That first opportunity let me know I could continue to grow in the cannabis industry given a chance.

I have continued to expand my knowledge about cannabis, staffing, and cultivation through a mentorship provided by one of the award-winning co-owners of Oak Canna, LLC/CannaBoys, Jason Tueni. Mr. Tueni has devoted a great deal of time to educating me about caring for the flowers at every growth stage. I am currently interning at the cultivation center, which allows me to see everything first-hand, e.g., flowers, business, human resources, all aspects of creating and running a successful microbusiness and consumption lounge. These types of opportunities should be more readily available. I often hear people complain about not having access to mentors, which I completely understand. I joined the CRA DEI workgroup and from there was able to make a connection to LUME and Mr. Dowdell, who by the way is African American, and I asked for the opportunity. I did the same thing with Mr. Tueni. I was at a Weedmaps event and started talking to people and let them know I was looking for a mentor and from there, introductions were made. We met a few times for two to three hours, a couple of months after, and I asked if I could intern at the cultivation center and he said yes. We continue to meet, although not as often, and I see him on a regular basis. Hopefully, when the time is right, we will partner on a project.

Both of these events have provided a great deal of information for me in preparation for my future cannabis venture and I won’t stop reaching out for more knowledge and advice. Knowing how mentorship has helped me, I will continue to look for opportunities to build my business and while doing so pay it forward by mentoring future Detroiters interested in the cannabis industry. As important is my need to stay involved in public policy and community advocacy.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member of the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I joined the NCIA to learn and network. Through the social equity scholarship, I serve on the DEI Committee and am also serving on the Cannabis Regulatory Agency-DEI Workgroup for the state of Michigan. The weekly social equity meetings held by the DEI Director are informative and build camaraderie among social equity entrepreneurs. The added weekly conversations help push to get to the finish line. I believe many social equity members will have an opportunity to work together in the future.

I look forward to growing with the National Cannabis Industry Association. 

 

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, April 7, 2022

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.


This episode of NCIA Today is brought to you by Senseon Secure Access, offering concealed protection, monitoring, and workflow management for dispensaries. Senseon is ready to provide you with an exceptional customer experience, plus improved efficiency and compliance, not to mention slim and modular aesthetics. Learn more about their security solutions and cost benefits at Senseon.com.

Equity Member Spotlight: Modesto Cannabis Collective

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

My name is Deanna Garcia with Modesto Cannabis Collective. I was born and raised in the city of Sacramento. I am a mother of five amazing humans and a loving wife. I started growing cannabis in my garage for my personal use as a patient. In 1996, I found cannabis to help me with the arthritis symptoms and pains I was experiencing. During this time I joined as many cannabis groups as possible such as NORML, Americans For Safe Access, and different collectives around Sacramento and Oakland to educate myself.

20 years later, in 2016, the city of Sacramento allowed me to register as a cannabis cultivator. I purchased a warehouse in the city of Sacramento where I would give tours to government officials and staff to help form the legislation and regulations currently being used today. I later sold my indoor grow to help fund and start Riverbank Cannabis Collective, Dixon Wellness, Modesto Cannabis Collective, Napa Cannabis Collective, Chuck’s Wellness, Tracy Cannabis Collective, Khemia Cannabis Dispensary, Khemia Manufacturing, Yolo Family Farms, and Woodland Roots Farm, along with my best friend and business partner Kimberly Cargile (NCIA Board Member). We have been tremendously blessed by God to win so many cannabis licenses across the Central Valley of California.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

Our companies are unique in that our board’s ownership all comes from an incubator program at A Therapeutic Alternative, a retail store in the city of Sacramento. All of the CEOs started as staff members of A Therapeutic Alternative, some working in the very first dispensaries in California prior to that. As trailblazers, we believe in locking arms and rising together making staff into owners sharing and creating generational wealth. So far we have been successful and able to help over 25 people become owners of cannabis companies and we are not finished.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

My goal is to help as many people as I can, that have been in the legacy cannabis industry become licensed cannabis business owners before it is out of reach forever. I want to keep spreading education on cannabis and its healing powers. I also seek to help bring safe access to every part of California, by attending one Board of Supervisors and or City Council meeting at a time to educate the officials and citizens. 

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

For owners and operators that have been in the legacy cannabis industry and are now becoming owners of newly regulated cannabis businesses, the challenge they face is the cost. The capital is just not there to start up, or for upgrading to the new regulations. The banks will not work with the industry and we can not go to the small business administration.  The cost is so much more money to become a licensed regulated cannabis business and the obstacles are extreme. We are now going up against billion-dollar companies for licenses in cities and counties across California. Before you know it, all of the California cannabis industry will be taken over by huge corporations and billionaires. We are just trying to help the ones still hanging on. I am working on the Diversity Inclusion Social Equity team with the California Cannabis Industry Association and with the city of Modesto to help form more social equity in the state. I would love to see a state equity program to include the people of every city and county. The same guideline, the same application. One state-funded and run equity program.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I joined the National Cannabis Industry Association to help build reasonable responsible regulations across the United States. I enjoy the supportive community through the weekly calls with other Diversity Equity Inclusion members and appreciate the opportunity to access NCIA’s full member benefits. The best part is the overall support of NCIA’s DEI program in order to help begin to alleviate the injustices from the war on drugs by those most impacted. And of course to free a loving, caring, and healing plant from over-burdensome regulations and corporate greed. 

 

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, March 24, 2022

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff.  Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

Equity Member Spotlight: Euphorium Oakland

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

Euphorium Oakland is a Black-woman owned, Black family-operated delivery-only concierge service founded by mother and son duo & HBCU graduates, Tee Tee Brown and Bryce Savoy in 2016. Having over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical sales, my mother wanted to use the skills she acquired over a couple of decades to help heal people.

As a single mother and primary caretaker for her mother, she saw an opportunity to further her purpose of service. For me, being an independent rapper and Founding Member of Bay-Area-based non-profit organization, The Black Neighborhood I saw an opportunity to create a pathway to generational wealth, as well as be able to empower and uplift others, which is at the heart of everything I do.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

Euphorium offers superior customer service and an unparalleled family touch. With her prior background in sales, my mother offers a wealth of knowledge to anyone looking for advice and direction about which products to purchase for their specific needs.

Our primary offerings are that we have high-quality products at affordable prices, which cover all cannabis categories, serve the local community through our philanthropic endeavors, and ensure anyone who does business with us feels like family. We also strive to go above and beyond to make sure our clients’ needs are met. Anyone who shops with us can feel reassured knowing that they are spending money with a fully Black-owned company, that epitomizes what it means to be Oakland natives.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

Our goal for the greater good of cannabis is to create a blueprint for other Black people looking to enter the industry, at any level. With so few of us being business owners, it is not enough for us alone to thrive; we want others who look like us to also have a seat at the table.

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

Like many of us who are small business owners understand, access to consistent capital is everything. With customer spending habits fluctuating now more than ever, consistent revenue is for and far between. However, maybe even more important than that is being able to market and promote our business/services in effective ways to gain new clients. Being that this is the first business that my mother and I have operated, there are a lot of things we had to learn by trial and error. Having proper incubation/business consultation would help us tremendously. All in all, a solution we would like to see is city and county agencies truly being intentional about providing equity businesses and entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to become successful in an ever-changing industry.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

“Equity is not a competition, it’s a community.” – A quote from a gentleman I heard at the March 10 Power Hour session. This is the exact reason why we joined NCIA. We have found more often than not, equity business owners tend to operate in silos: for one reason or another, we do not communicate with each other, although we are almost always experiencing the same challenges.

The best part about being a member of the Social Equity Scholarship Program thus far is the opportunity to build relationships with people from all walks of life and sectors of the industry. Also, from the information we gathered in the short time we have been a part of the program, our success is not predicated upon our popularity. We are looking forward to what is next!

Video: NCIA TODAY – Thursday, March 10, 2022

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

Video: Voices of NCIA’s DEI Scholarship Recipients

Laws and regulations need to be designed and implemented with equity and fairness in mind. NCIA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee is focused on recommendations that will create access to opportunity for those most adversely affected by cannabis prohibition.

A more diverse cannabis industry means a more prosperous one. We aim to foster a more equitable industry where participation and success are possible regardless of the numerous factors that have historically held many people, businesses, and communities back.

At the core of NCIA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program is our Equity Scholarship Program, which provides our Equity Members one year of complimentary membership to NCIA. Hear from some of the business owners who became a part of NCIA’s DEI Scholarship Program in this video.

If you share our vision for a more inclusive and equitable cannabis industry, please support NCIA’s DEI program through sponsorship. DEI program sponsors not only help us continue to provide complimentary memberships to equity operators, but it also comes with benefits! Click here to learn more about the program.

 

Equity Member Spotlight: YS Cannabis Delivery Services

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

Originally from Ecuador, Yadira Elizabeth Silva Leon, I came to the United States when I was only 16 years of age. I graduated with honors from Sheridan High School and Arapahoe Community College in Colorado. Then I graduated from the American Intercontinental University online, with a BA in Business Administration. I own my construction clean-up company, officially named YS Construction Clean Up Services.

As a single mother of two and minority business owner, I started to become more involved in the world of cannabis after two separate accidents, leaving me with a damaged spine. Doctors prescribed medications and pills that began to damage my nervous system and I started to lose sensation in my legs, inhibiting me from taking care of my children. It was around this time that Colorado legalized cannabis, and after becoming legally accessible, I decided to take advantage of the medicinal benefits of cannabis to calm my pain. Cannabis inspired me to begin a new career in the cannabis industry. Serving people who are in pain by bringing their medicine in the comfort of their home in a timely fashion became an interest and passion of mine. 

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

The health and safety of our patients, customers, and employees is our top priority. We see the future where our company impacts the wellbeing of our drivers and the life of our planet. That is why YS Cannabis Delivery Services was created. 

We specialize in transporting cannabis products business to business and business to customer. We also collect empty containers from customers to recycle properly, and return clean, disinfect, and sterile containers for businesses.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

Securing the life of carriers, and our environment. We are working on a new security system where we use AI (Artificial Intelligence) and VR (Virtual Reality) to deliver cannabis from business to business with efficiency and security. While we are expanding security to protect cannabis shippers and vehicles against prohibited intrusions, we are also making sure plastic containers get to the right place and be recycled properly. 

What kind of challenges does the industry face, and what solutions would you like to see?

COVID-19 created many challenges for most industries, but the cannabis industry faced more threatening challenges such as violence and robbery. What we would like to see is the safety of cannabis employees become a priority. That is why we are looking into virtual reality as a security measure. 

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I joined the National Cannabis Industry Association to collaborate in the development of my company at a national and international level. Because of NCIA, I was able to receive access to the resources my business needed to grow and thrive. I was able to speak with leaders, consultants, and other like-minded professionals. 

 

Equity Member Spotlight: Toni Brands with Toni Scott

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

I grew up in Connecticut in the 70s and was repeatedly reminded of the cannabis stigmas, witnessing others partake in regular consumption, yet never noted any of the proclaimed stigmas; in fact, it appeared the exact opposite.

I’m a Master’s prepared Registered Nurse and Certified Yoga teacher, working in the healthcare industry for over 30 years. As a child and well into adulthood, I suffered from debilitating eczema, anxiety, and depression, treated with high-dose topical steroids, sedatives, and antihistamines, eventually leading to overuse. In the mid-’90s, I smoked my first joint; I also began pursuing my first nursing degree. 

A few years after graduation, I began working as a travel nurse in Newborn Intensive Care Units across the U.S.  Although I was very aware of the relief cannabis brought to my physical and mental wellness, I utilized it with underlying shame, guilt, and fear of a positive urine drug test, a legal pre-employment requirement for nurses.

By the early 2000s, I suffered a traumatic professional burnout; at the time, my health was poor, my stress-induced eczema exacerbations left me with painful cracked skin on my face, hands, arms, and legs. I was prescribed the highest dose of topical steroids and antihistamines with no resolve; I was a mental and emotional wreck.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t my first time feeling defeated in my skin; as a child, I ingested various prescribed medications. I can vividly recall feeling like a walking science experiment, constantly misdiagnosed and prescribed drug after drug. Nothing worked; in fact, the treatments left me worse off; it wasn’t until the professional burnout that I decided to take charge of my physical, mental and emotional health. I stopped taking ALL prescribed and over-the-counter medications; instead, I began to intentionally utilize yoga, meditation, dietary changes, and cannabis for self-care. 

I began to dig deeper into the plant, educating myself about the endocannabinoid system phytocannabinoids, researching the history, and regular visits to local dispensaries. It was during the dispensary visits that I identified a massive pain in Gen X and Baby Boomer populations. Stigma, fear, and uncertainty keep many in this demographic away from reaping educational and wellness benefits of a healthy balanced endocannabinoid system, incorporating phytocannabinoids, physical movement, stillness, and creative expression.

I launched my brand to become the sought-after wellness thought leader, educator, and advocate for cannabis health equity in communities most affected and continue to be affected by the war on drugs.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

I bring my personal experiences of the therapeutic effects I’ve received from cannabis. As a nurse, I understand human anatomy and physiology, including the endocannabinoid system. Through continued education, I’m well versed in the relationship between endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids and the effect they have alone and together on human wellness. I understand how incorporating movement and stillness practices in partnership with cannabis can provide many health benefits.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

I have three primary goals for the good of cannabis.

  1. Wellness Thought Leader – As an aging woman who utilizes many Eastern wellness practices, my goal is to share with others a new approach to aging, using my handcrafted CBD-infused topical skin products, yoga, meditation, and creative expression practices. 
  2. Education – Cannabis stigma is a significant barrier between acceptance and usage in Gen-X and Baby Boomer populations. It’s my goal through easy to comprehend education, storytelling, retreats, and practice to begin breaking these barriers. Including educating our community leaders, political figures, dispensary owners, and religious leaders. 
  3. Advocacy – Cannabis health equity is not something Black and Brown folks should need to beg for; it’s my goal to be a voice for the voiceless, actively work towards better health and wellness in communities that are often overlooked when it comes to education, yet flooded with legal and illegal access to cannabis without any instruction or understanding. The lack of economic, social, and political health equity in these communities is a recipe for failure as adult use becomes legal and the impending federal legalization. We can’t afford to wait and see this out; we must address cannabis health equity now.

What challenges do you face in the industry, and what solutions would you like to see? 

Unfortunately, being an African American woman in this industry is a challenge. My personal experience with the plant, professional education, and long-standing career in preventative wellness doesn’t seem to hold much weight. The industry is more vested in the marketing and sales of cannabis, touting social equity along the way for good measure. That’s not enough; cannabis health equity, education, resources, and sustainable outcomes must be provided. I’d like to see multi-state operators hire diverse directors of health services to their c-suite. A diverse leadership team can provide a balanced focus on cannabis social and health equity that serves the industry and the end-users.  

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member of the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I joined NCIA for the opportunity to meet, learn, grow, and collaborate with other industry professionals. The membership fees can be steep for those bootstrapping, and I wanted to see what NCIA was about and if they walked the talk before committing to a full membership. It’s been a fantastic journey so far. I’m on the Education Committee, its retail sub-committee, and health equity working group. Our weekly social equity “Power Hour” is highly beneficial, a safe space to collaborate and support each other. It’s also been a great resource, and I appreciate the educational webinars, complimentary conference tickets, and business development support.

 

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, February 10, 2022

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

Equity Member Spotlight: Legacy Greens, LLC

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

My name is Dr. Donise Floyd and I am the founder and managing member of Legacy Greens, a vertically integrated cannabis company. I was born and reared in Detroit, Michigan and I am a product of the public school system. I have a BS and MS from U of Detroit Mercy. I also have a Ph.D. in Leadership. Throughout my career, I have been instrumental in developing teams, building sustainable programs, formulating compliance models, and have been instrumental mentoring and impacting the community. I have been an administrator, educator, professor, mentor, business owner, and advocate for the community. 

I experimented with marijuana when I was younger and like many others around me understood the value of the product for medicinal and recreational purposes. When I was younger, I would hear individuals reference marijuana as their medicine. In the late 1970s up to now, people use the plant to treat things like anxiety, depression, stress, and cancer. It was referenced and/or used as a medicine before it was popular. What is now known as the cannabis industry was known as a “side hustle” in my family and in some cases, a full-blown business that thrived and supported families and communities. But it was illegal. I look back now through very educated eyes and think how things could have been different if there were no legal implications. There was a high price to pay if you were caught! Especially if you were Black! 

I have witnessed my family, friends, and community pay for it with their lives. Whether it was long-term prison sentences or loss of life; the sacrifice was tremendous and the impact far-reaching and long-lasting. I have seen, felt, witnessed, and lived the fallout of the war on drugs that ultimately decimated my community. We knew the penalty for “hustling” this plant was either incarceration or maybe even death. Today, the very thing that destroyed communities and families has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Legacy Greens was birthed to assist in restoring the community, build generational wealth, and repair some of the harm in family dynamics. Our goal is to vertically integrate this company so that it can lend itself to support, educate, and fund other entrepreneurial ventures that are connected, directly linked or outside of the cannabis space. 

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

Legacy Greens is a minority female and social equity-owned and operated company. We are committed to connecting the community to resources. Our desire is to build a network and partnerships with other minorities, BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+ and veteran-owned companies both in the cannabis and ancillary space. The goal is to build relationships that would build wealth, opportunity, community, and lasting relationships. 

While Legacy Greens is a for-profit cannabis company, our vision and mission are rooted in a philanthropic belief and value system. We are currently raising capital to launch phase one of our plan to open a dispensary leading to a fully vertically integrated company. We have submitted applications for several licenses beginning with an event planner. Others include dispensary, grow, and processing. Our business will use its profits to restore the community and part of our purpose is to build bridges that will lead to the creation of pathways to business ownership.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis? 

Part of our goal is to “turn the black market green” by building bridges to access (one entrepreneur at a time). That is to say that we will support businesses with undocumented years of plant-touching experience with no resources and maybe even a lack of understanding with running a formal business. Legacy Greens is committed to R.I.D.E. for its community – Restore, Invest, Develop, and Educate. 

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see? 

The major barrier, at this time, is access to capital. We have been bootstrapping this initiative and have been faced with many challenges that we have and are still overcoming. Access to capital is a huge barrier but being a minority women business owner is another. It would be great to see more access to capital for the BIPOC community. It is so disheartening that in some cases the access is limited because of the color of your skin. We shall overcome all barriers and become a successful business that builds wealth not only for itself but for the community.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

NCIA has been a great networking tool. Their commitment to support social equity businesses is extremely valuable. The access to information has been very beneficial. The relationships and exposure have been immeasurable and the connections have been extremely rewarding.

It is my goal to continue to build relationships and maybe even partnerships. In some cases, it has even been a support system. Having the opportunity to discuss and roundtable ideas or challenges has proven to be an invaluable resource. NCIA has been an extremely valuable resource for Legacy Greens and its efforts.

 

Video: NCIA Today – Thursday, January 27, 2022

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every other Thursday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

 

Equity Member Spotlight: Raina Jackson – Purple Raina Infused Self Care

NCIA’s editorial department continues the Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

I am an Oakland-based hemp CBD & cannabis brand strategist, product developer/educator, and cannabis industry advocate who recently became a member of the NCIA DEI Committee. 

I am a Black “urban hippie” born and raised in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury neighborhood who earned a B.A. with honors from Stanford University in cultural anthropology and sociolinguistics as a first-generation graduate and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

A product junkie with over 15 years of experience in sales/marketing management, personal care product development, and education. I have worked in the cannabis industry in sales management, distribution, and field marketing since 2015 and have been a Verified San Francisco Cannabis Equity Applicant seeking a cannabis business permit and license since 2018. 

PURPLE RAINA Self Care is the culmination of my personal and professional passion for self-care products, the color Purple, and the artist Prince. Prior to entering the cannabis industry, I worked for top NYC beauty/personal care companies Maybelline and L’Oréal Professional, trained at the Vidal Sassoon school in London, and taught cosmetology at The Aveda Institute in SOHO NYC. 

Upon returning to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2013, I became enamored with cannabis dispensaries and the local cannabis culture. While waiting for my permit, I decided to offer a hemp CBD version of PURPLE RAINA to show proof of concept, gain market feedback, and to promote the benefits of hemp CBD to a broader audience. The THC:CBD version will be launched in mid 2022. 

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

PURPLE RAINA Self Care offers topical infusions that soothe sore muscles and joints, nourish the skin from head to toe, and pamper the senses with aromatherapy. PURPLE RAINA Self Care promotes “mindful self-care and grooming” and seeks to appeal to our collective humanity focusing on our common need for daily grooming and self-care on a physical, mental, and spiritual level.  

PURPLE RAINA offers a fresh approach to the category through multi-purpose infused topicals that will serve a range of self-care and grooming needs from head to toe, regardless of gender. Most topical products addressing pain relief overlook daily skin/hair care, personal grooming, and aromatherapy. Many have unpleasant odors and can be irritating to sensitive skin. I created PURPLE RAINA for people like me seeking to moisturize dry/sensitive skin and to soothe sore muscles with aromatherapeutic plant-powered products free of allergens and artificial ingredients.

PURPLE RAINA will eventually employ people from the community. I plan to recruit a “Purple Posse” of brand ambassadors who will conduct impactful in-store product demonstrations for consumers and retail staff. The “Purple Posse” will earn income and gain valuable sales presentation skills training. 

What are some lessons learned from the beauty industry that you brought into your cannabis business?

My career has more recently reached the intersection of beauty/personal care and cannabis products. I recently learned that some of the largest cosmetic/personal care companies in the world are now incubating emerging brands instead of regarding them as competition to be squashed or absorbed. Some are being groomed for future acquisition but not always anymore. It’s a more mutually beneficial business relationship.

These beauty behemoths realize the importance of an ecosystem of high-end products, mid-priced and value brands, mature institutional brands, and young indie/niche brands readily available online and in stores. It best serves the customer when they have multiple quality choices at a range of price points. These companies are also assuming their corporate responsibility to the industry and society. They are abstaining from unfair competitive tactics aimed at eliminating competition from emerging brands. 

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

The cannabis plant, as a metaphysical healing force, deserves to be represented by an equitable accountable industry under a new breed of conscious compassionate capitalism valuing Profit & People / People & Profit like Yin & Yang. 

During the 2021 Meadowlands conference/retreat at Camp Navarro, CA, surrounded by majestic redwood trees, I imagined the notion of a relationship between big trees and little trees as an analogy for cultivating an equitable cannabis ecosystem where little trees can still thrive to grow among the big trees, some eventually becoming big trees themselves. Imagine if big trees could share the nutrients in their roots with neighboring little trees, as a metaphor for how corporate financial, technical, and educational resources could be redirected to help benefit emerging equity and legacy businesses. This doesn’t exist in nature but imagine the social and financial impact it would have on so many who have been systematically excluded and discriminated against, as well as on those who contribute these resources. 

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

Challenges: I face financial challenges like so many other cannabis entrepreneurs. Yet this is compounded as a Black woman, a member of an underestimated undervalued group that is underrepresented as cannabis business executives and owners. We receive the lowest amount of investment funds across industries due to racism and sexism, though we are the fastest-growing group of business owners in the U.S. and tend to be successfully bootstrapped and financially savvy. 

Additionally, there is a big disconnect in current equity programs between the criteria to qualify and the financial resources and business acumen necessary to succeed if you don’t have access to investors and sound cannabis business and legal advisors. Late in the game, I was even told that I didn’t need a cannabis license to make my products and can just hire a manufacturer to produce them under their license. This is a viable option initially to go to market but not long-term. I would have wasted significant time and money and missed the whole point if I abandoned the pursuit of my own license. Also, as a brand of customized topical formulations manufactured by contract manufacturers, my rare business model tends to be overlooked by local and state cannabis regulations. For example, it took a few years and forfeited application fees for the type 13 transport only/self-distribution license I now seek to be introduced, representing the only feasible path to licensure and the only way I could go to market, other than the type-S shared license which doesn’t work for me.  

Solutions: As part of a corporate responsibility mandate, successful profitable cannabis businesses along the supply chain, MSOs, and future alcohol and tobacco corporations entering the industry should make contributions into a Cannabis Equity/Legacy Fund collected by state licensing agencies and administered by an industry non-profit like the NCIA or a group of B-corps operating in the highest integrity. These big trees would contribute financial resources and access to key technical services as part of their platinum “industry membership fees,” a standard cost of doing business. In the same way their license fees are proportionate to projected revenue, their contributions into the fund would be proportionate to recent and projected revenue. 

Our allies are instrumental in helping those who are resistant or just don’t know what to do to recognize their responsibility to use their privilege for the greater good, ultimately benefiting all parties’ bottom lines and corporate morale. There’s no need for guilt or blame, just empathy, goodwill, good works, and collaboration to help undo historic wrongs over time.

I want to see U.S. cannabis legalization soon with equity and anti-monopoly policies already in place. The cannabis industry should under no circumstances become fully dominated by oligarchies/monopolies like the early telephone and utility companies that had to be split up or even the current social media and tech giants under scrutiny. This policy should demonstrate recognition of the value DEI and BIPOC partners bring to the cannabis industry along the entire supply chain. Government solutions would include SBA grants and forgivable PPP-like loans like any other industry receives. 

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

I always wanted to join the NCIA since I attended an annual conference years ago but couldn’t afford it. The best part of being a member through the Social Equity Scholarship Program is the weekly Zoom call held by Mike Lomuto for equity cannabis entrepreneurs and allies nationwide. We check in to discuss our triumphs and challenges and share valuable business insights and ideas for building a more equitable cannabis industry. These calls inspired me to apply for the DEIC and to intensify my cannabis equity advocacy and thought leadership.

 

Equity Member Spotlight: Better Days Delivery Service

This month, NCIA’s editorial department continues the monthly Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

I grew up in Colorado Springs in a single-parent home, overcame poverty, violence, houselessness, and a felony for marijuana possession to get to the place that I am in today. I’ll never forget the immediately depressing feeling of knowing that I’d lost opportunities, let my mom, my family, and my community down when initially being charged with a felony for marijuana distribution. Thankfully my people reminded me that I am much more than this scarlet letter F represents. I did my time, paid my restitution, and kept on grinding. Now a father of two beautiful babies, their presence is a constant reminder that I can’t give up. Left out of the weed industry, I focused on community and education as a 5th grade teacher. I decided to leave the classroom to start this business because I wasn’t happy due to the politics and wasn’t feeling valued in my career. I have worked hard to break out of the cages/boxes that I was placed in. I have been turned down for housing, employment, and have had doors closed because of this felony but I keep the belief that when one door closes another opens and because of that I’m determined to succeed. The weed industry seems much more of a fit for me, I chose delivery because it was the easiest point of entry however I dream of one day being vertically integrated.

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

Our company, Better Days Delivery Service, offers a community aspect that is sorely missing in the industry. In my opinion, most of the industry hasn’t done their due diligence to truly serve and build relationships with patients. We have partnered with the nurse network so that they are able to give true medical advice while we work on the discreet, quick, personable service that we have become known for. Safe, affordable, discreet service is mandatory, we offer luxury and frequent flyer convenience as well. By focusing on the customers that are often overlooked, I am confident that we can provide a service that will revolutionize all of the industry. We want to deliver weed with the personable service that existed before the industry existed, I want to remind people that it’s still possible. Who wouldn’t love a delivery company that reminds our customers that our worst days are behind us? “Better Days Are On The Way.”

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

In the words of 2Pac, “better days got me thinkin’ ’bout better days!” My goal for the greater good of cannabis is to remind people of the healing aspects of the plant. I want to help free everyone that has been incarcerated or charged for anything to do with the plant. I want to contribute to scientific research that will help heal and help people live despite their ailments. I would love to see it totally decriminalized and if I am able to pay my bills and make it better for my family in the process even better!

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?

Michael Diaz-Rivera

The biggest challenge that I have is a lack of capital both financially and socially. It is not cheap to get into the industry and I have been bootstrapping and using my savings thus far. Having access to all of the money that I would need to reach my dreams and create generational wealth would be perfect. I’ve also noticed that in this industry, it pays to know people as a social equity licensee. I feel like the majority of the industry looks at us as if we’re begging for scraps. Because of that, I’ve worked to build relationships with powerful people who have a true commitment to equity and support for those who have less. 

I’ve also begun the steps to make my business a social enterprise. The true challenge in being a business that works for social good will be to find a balance between profit, sustainability, and social impact. I aim to do exactly that!

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member of the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

It was important for me to build a network and NCIA is just the trade organization to help me do that. NCIA has been a platform that helps me get into the doors that I usually wouldn’t be able to access. I am able to ask important questions about the development of my business to those with answers. The social equity program allows me to chat with those from similar upbringings while sharing the tools and resources to help us all succeed. The most valuable part has been the sounding board and emotional support that the group continues to provide.

As a nation, we have to be accountable for the “war on drugs” as everyone turns their eyes toward federal legalization. Without accounting for the harm that continues we’ll never get to the “better days” that the people deserve.

 

Video: NCIA Today – Friday, November 5, 2021

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every Friday on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

On the latest episode, Bethany announces the keynote speakers at #CannaBizSummit this December in San Francisco, shares a bit about Exspiravit this month’s Member Spotlight recipient, and covers compliance and extraction.

Registration to the Cannabis Business Summit in San Francisco is now open with special limited-time super early bird pricing on tickets available, head to our website for more information today.

Equity Member Spotlight: Exspiravit LLC

This month, NCIA’s editorial department continues the monthly Member Spotlight series by highlighting our Social Equity Scholarship Recipients as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program. Participants are gaining first-hand access to regulators in key markets to get insight on the industry, tips for raising capital, and advice on how to access and utilize data to ensure success in their businesses, along with all the other benefits available to NCIA members. 


Tell us a bit about you, your background, and why you launched your company.

My name is Michael Webster, and I am the Founder & Managing Member of Exspiravit LLC, a licensed Michigan cannabis company. I earned a bachelor’s degree from the Harvard Extension School in Liberal Arts, and a master’s degree in Composition and Rhetoric from New York University. As a native New Yorker, I tried to wait patiently for cannabis legalization at the state level, but Michigan represented a unique entry point to the regulated market.

Like many NYC kids, my introduction to cannabis occurred at an early age. It was part of the local culture. However, it wasn’t until my late teens that I indulged. And it was even later, when my mom – a fierce cannabis advocate – was diagnosed with breast cancer, that I was introduced to the medicinal benefits of cannabis. I went on to write my graduate thesis on this very topic. From there, I embarked on my cannabis career path.

I launched Exspiravit for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which was to access a burgeoning market that held such promise for the creation of generational wealth. But as a frontline victim of the war on drugs – a simple possession charge of less than a gram of cannabis that temporarily derailed my academic pursuits – I saw an opportunity to educate and destigmatize this amazing plant, that, up until about 80 years ago, had been a staple commodity in human society. 

What unique value does your company offer to the cannabis industry?

We are currently deploying our Cannabis Event Organizing license for consumption events throughout the state of Michigan – both large and small – while we raise capital for the build-out of our solventless extraction lab. We believe in clean plants and derivatives and are working closely with the Cannabis Certification Council on securing the “made with organic flower” seal. The event organizer license has proven the perfect complement to our other ventures, as it has allowed us to redefine what “an event” really is, and to take our show on the road. We also offer consultancy to other social equity and small operators, with a focus on regulatory compliance, helping to share what we’ve learned on our journey.

What is your goal for the greater good of cannabis?

When it comes to our company values, Exspiravit advances a unique position on social equity. For far too long, social equity has been considered a gift or non-transactional offering. We at Exspiravit believe equity – social or otherwise – is earned and therefore OWED. Most current social equity initiatives in the cannabis industry broadcast messages of handouts and favors. This is the wrong message. When accessing the equity in your home, or other assets, neither you nor the bank treats those transactions as gifts. Social equity represents a debt owed from those who have weaponized their racial or class privilege to monetize a commodity market that was built on the willful destruction of black, brown, poor white, and otherwise marginalized communities. Debts are owed. Debts are to be paid. And their payment represents the satisfaction of an obligation and not a benevolent gesture. 

Quite the opposite, those tapping equity are claiming what is rightfully theirs. Again, equity is earned, accrued, developed, and owed, but certainly not to be asked or begged for. Exspiravit plans to use its voice to correct this adversely impactful interpretation of social equity, in hopes of realigning access to resources in the regulated cannabis sector. In addition to our work on the social equity front, Exspiravit’s goal for the greater good of the cannabis industry is to advance the for-purpose market. We believe that flower and euphoria only represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to products and outcomes. We envision an ultra-specific and ultra-targeted market that features purpose-driven derivatives for a highly informed consumer.

What kind of challenges do you face in the industry and what solutions would you like to see?


Like many social equity cannabis operators, accessing capital has been our greatest challenge. And this challenge is intrinsically linked to our greatest criticism of social equity initiatives –- the lack of social equity funding. For social equity applicants, the process can be grueling. And for those of us who make it through to licensure, being greeted on the other side by predatory investment opportunities exacerbates our challenges. Social equity initiatives MUST feature a robust social equity fund. Without it, social equity operators are being positioned for failure. Diversion of existing tax revenue or special taxes levied against large and multi-state operators can easily address these challenges. Too, we would like to see more collaboration than competition. Regulated cannabis markets should be rolled out in ways that foster greater opportunities to collaborate. Support for collectives, and other similar strategies, are low-hanging fruit when it comes to solutions.

Why did you join NCIA? What’s the best or most important part about being a member of the Social Equity Scholarship Program?

We joined the NCIA for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it was accessible. Through its outreach, the NCIA met us where we were and provided us a robust package of resources that weren’t intended to lure us into paid membership, but rather to help us stand up and be able to recognize the benefits of such association. You can’t effectively inform a starving, homeless, injured person until you have fed, housed, and rendered aid to them. And that appears to be the NCIA’s philosophy – meet the immediate, pressing needs of social equity operators, positioning them to then effectively and efficiently access industry resources. The perfect example of this strategy is NCIA’s decision to offer one year of complimentary membership to social equity operators, including access to the national and regional conventions. The value here, to one’s first year of operation, is immeasurable. These events have provided the opportunity to forge important and lasting connections with other industry stakeholders that have made all the difference for us. Without question, we would not be enjoying such forward progression without the genuine efforts of the NCIA.

 

 

 

Video: NCIA Today – Friday, October 8, 2021

NCIA Deputy Director of Communications Bethany Moore checks in with what’s going on across the country with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s membership, board, allies, and staff. Join us every Friday here on Facebook for NCIA Today Live.

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