Black CannaBusiness Magazine, the premier publisher of B2B content for African Americans doing business in the cannabis industry, is pleased to announce that after a successful inaugural gathering, Black CannaConference & Expo (“Black CannaBizCon”), the only B2B conference for Black professionals in cannabis, will be returning to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2022. Following the event, Black CannaBizCon received a proclamation from the City of New Orleans and local leaders in support of their work and significance to the business community.
Black CannaBizCon partnered with multiple organizations including Minorities For Medical Marijuana (M4MM), Illinois Equity Staffing, the Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine (ACHEM), the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) and more. Sponsors who have committed to equity in the Black cannabis business space created activations on the expo floor and supported the conference. Cresco Labs created a tribute to Black Wall Street and Parallel hosted a “pitch” competition that highlighted the works of new business owners while Weedmaps and COOKIES contributed to streamlining and promoting the event. Attendees enjoyed three days of active programming and workshop sessions focused on health, social equity and ownership, business development and community advocacy within the cannabis industry.
“The cannabis industry is growing. However, the impact of a decades-long cannabis prohibition targeting Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities remains. Systemic inequality, a lack of information, limited access to capital, and other barriers to entry keep the benefits of cannabis out of reach for many communities of color, ” says Dasheeda Dawson, CHEM co-founder, and Chief Strategy Officer. “Like CHEM, Black CannaCon represents a seismic shift in this industry, providing valuable connections, knowledge, and inspiration for those interested in cannabis. Our ChemCapsule educational programming will provide participants with pathways for reaping the medical and economic benefits of the growing legal cannabis industry.”
“We are extremely pleased with the turnout and the caliber of our programming for our inaugural conference, which brought our community together for impactful educational sessions and networking opportunities,” said Kristi Price, founder and CEO of KRMA Media, Inc, the parent company of Black CannaBusiness Magazine. “We’d like to thank the City of New Orleans, our sponsors, speakers and, of course, our attendees, for all of the incredible support we’ve received this year. We can’t wait to see you again in the new year!”
The first Black CannaBusiness Leadership Award was presented to Roz McCarthy, Founder and CEO of Minorities for Medical Marijuana, for her incredible leadership and advocacy efforts. Through her organization, McCarthy has launched (M) Procure, a social equity supplier diversity training and outreach program, in partnership with Curaleaf; Black Buddha Cannabis, a social equity-driven brand; the Ready Set Grow cannabis internship program; and Let’s Talk Cannabis, a community forum for the cannabis industry.
“I am so honored to receive this award and can’t wait to work on more advocacy, outreach and education projects in the future,” said McCarthy. “I would like to thank the advocate community for believing and supporting the mission of M4MM. Your unwavering strength, support and encouragement means the world to me. You are all the best.”
About Black CannaBusiness Magazine:
Black CannaBusiness Magazine is a subsidiary of KRMA Media Inc, a Black woman-owned multi-media company helping Black professionals accelerate their involvement in the cannabis industry through the distribution of curated B2B content, the production of experiential events and the development of original video programming. Our sponsors prioritize diversity and are committed to doing their part to create a more inclusive industry.
