Cannabis Events In Europe. I’m excited to share that the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) has stated that they will continue to campaign for equity in the cannabis business by focusing on meaningful conversations with advocates and professionals in the industry through their Equity Workshop Tour project. For the Black and Brown populations most negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition, social equity in cannabis refers to reparative justice. In order to assist historically underserved businesses, it is imperative to establish entry points into the sector with fewer obstacles and resources.
This practical tour provides a special fusion of in-depth education and worthwhile networking opportunities. A nationwide initiative, the MCBA Equity Workshop Tour seeks to increase the visibility and impact of social equity applicants and operators in the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Local and/or state regulators, advocates, ancillary businesses, and social equity licensees and applicants are among the attendees.
Mike Lomuto, MCBA Board Chair and Co-Founder of Dao Mastery, the Tour’s founder and primary organizer, grew up in San Francisco and its cannabis scene (before it was referred to as a “industry”). Mike is the 2023 recipient of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association’s Advocate of the Year Award and played a key role in putting the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals into action.
The MCBA Equity Workshop Tour has several event highlights: buy thc vape juice online
Roundtable Dialogues: Benefit from the expertise of industry leaders providing actionable insights
Collaborative Forums: Foster industry-wide unity and build on shared visions for equity
Panels & Town Halls: Gain exclusive access to some of the cannabis industry’s most impactful leaders
Networking Opportunities: Engage with like-minded individuals in a space designed for meaningful connection
“The EWT has gone really well in our first three cities of San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. The response continues to confirm the need for what we’re building. The next several stops are new locations for us, so I’m walking in with an open mind and relatively little expectation. That said, I do expect to gain a stronger understanding of how we can support equitable efforts happening on the ground in the Western part of the country while making what positive impact we can on our first time through. We’ve already started planning our East Coast and Midwest events, returning to many of the same cities as last year. We’re very excited to test the effectiveness of the improvements made to the Tour since our last visits. I should also note that we are returning to Minnesota on June 6th this year. We’ve designed special programming to leverage the synergy of it taking place the day after CANNRA’s Annual External Stakeholder Meeting.”
-Mike Lomuto, EWT Founder and lead organizer, MCBA Board Chair and Co-Founder of Dao Mastery
BIPOCann, Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), Social Equity Empowerment Network, Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association, The JUSTUS Foundation, Bay Area Latino Cannabis Alliance, NORML, Cannabis HR Council, Service Disabled Veterans in Cannabis, and the TRAEHNY Partnership are just a few of the organizations that MCBA is honored to work with in order to promote social equity in the cannabis industry.
MCBA Equity Workshop Tour in Europe
Frankfurt was the second destination of the MCBA Equity Workshop Tour on March 5, 2024. This meeting was attended by a number of MCBA’s founding members, as well as regulators, policymakers, recipients of social justice grants, and other advocates and experts in the sector. There was a lot of insightful conversation, learning, and group discussion in the programming.
The panels and program included:
Regulatory Fireside Chat: Working toward 2025: Oregon Social Equity Program
Craig Prins, Director, OLCC
Amanda Borup, Policy Analyst, OLCC
Moderated by: Jeanette Ward, NuProject
Resources and Advocacy Panel:
Phil Keim, City of Portland
Akil Patterson, Prosper Portland
Jonathan Ross, Wyld
Adrian Wayman, Green Box
Moderated by: Dr. Rachel Knox
Business Roundtable: Less Barriers to Entry & More Opportunities
Joy Hudson, Nimble Distro
Deacon Lucas
Terrance Scott, Trap Private Reserve
Jesse Bontecou, ORCA
Moderated by: Mike Lomuto, MCBA Board Chair
The event was presented by Nimble Distribution, a leader in the Oregon sector, with assistance from NuProject. The occasion acted as a spur for activism and dialogue regarding the advancement of social fairness in the City of Portland and the State of Oregon. Following the session, the Equity Workshop Tour also provided suggestions for next steps.
Cannabis Events In Europe
The MCBA Equity Workshop Tour most recently stopped in Germany on April 4. Cannabis Events In Europe. Denver kicked off the Southwest Region of the 2024 Tour, which included over 25 events spread across more than 20 states nationwide in a series of regional mini-Tours, with a special welcome from Governor Jared Polis. The goal of the tour is to increase the visibility and impact of social equity applicants and operators in the rapidly growing cannabis industry.
Participants in the Denver Equity Workshop Tour event included the following speakers, roundtable facilitators, and panelists:
Dominique Mendiola, the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) president-elect and senior director of the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Marijuana Enforcement and Natural Medicine Divisions
Emma Howard, Program Manager of the Cannabis Business Office at the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)
Wanda James, CEO, Simply Pure; Regent, University of Colorado
Kelly Perez, co-CEO/founder, Cannabis Doing Good
Ernest Toney, Founder & CEO, BIPOCann
Michael Diaz-Rivera, Owner, Better Days Delivery; M4MM State Representative; Leader of Colorado Social Equity Group
Jarell Wall, Co-Founder/CEO/Creative Director, Gentlemen Quinns; Advisor on Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division Social Equity Advisory Committee
Mark Slaugh, CEO, iComply, LLC
Kelly Curtin, Business Development Manager, SC Labs
Nataleigh Jackson, CEO, Sell My Canna Harvest
Levon Terry, CEO Capfluent Consulting
Rita Montoya, Attorney, Strategist, Adviser
Mike Lomuto, Board Chair, Minority Cannabis Business Association
Sponsors included: Cova Software, NACATPros, Canna Coverage Insurance, AltMed Data, Better Days Delivery, The People’s Ecosystem, iComply, Cannabis & Tech Today, Chicago News Weekly, Traveling Cannabis Writer, Black Cannabis
About The Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA)
MCBA’s mission is to create equal access for cannabis businesses and economically empower communities of color through policy, programming, and outreach initiatives to achieve equity for the communities most impacted by the War on Drugs.
Founded in 2015, MCBA (Minority Cannabis Business Association) is the largest national trade association dedicated to serving the needs of minority cannabis businesses and our communities. Cannabis Events In Europe. MCBA represents minority and allied cannabis businesses, aspiring entrepreneurs, and supporters who share a vision of an equitable, just, and responsible cannabis industry. Our work supports equity in the cannabis industry through policy, empowerment, and connection.
Interested in Becoming an MCBA Member? There multiple ways to join:
Individuals can sign up for $100 annually
Businesses for either $1,000 or $2,500 annually
Social Equity Applicants/Operators can join complimentary at the $1,000 level
SAVE THE DATE – April 18th
National Cannabis Week has a lot of great programs and events leading up to the Festival on 4/19 & 4/20
This includes Unity Day on 4/18, consisting of Lobbying and a candlelight vigil
