5 Influential Women of Color Revolutionizing the Cannabis Industry

The cannabis industry holds the potential to uplift communities of color rather than continue a legacy of oppression.

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Throughout my life, whenever I faced injustice, I found strength, healing, and inspiration through solidarity with fellow women of color.

This community has consistently supported me, providing a space where my voice is valued and resilience is nurtured.

Recently, I discovered a powerful movement of women of color leading the cannabis industry, reclaiming authority over a substance that has historically contributed to the mass incarceration of their communities.

This emerging leadership is transformative.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 33 states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis for medical use, while 14 states plus Washington, D.C. allow recreational use for adults over 21.

Despite this, white entrepreneurs dominate the market; a 2017 Marijuana Business Daily survey found that 81% of cannabis business founders identified as white.

However, numerous women of color are breaking this trend, spearheading efforts to diversify the industry and create new opportunities for their communities.

The Legacy of Racial Disparities in Cannabis Enforcement

Historically, law enforcement has disproportionately targeted Black and brown communities for cannabis-related offenses compared to white individuals.

Data from the ACLU reveals that from 2001 to 2010, cannabis usage rates among Black and white young adults (ages 18-25) were similar, yet Black individuals were 3.73 times more likely to be arrested.

The most significant disparities appear in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Washington, D.C., where Black individuals face arrest rates 7.5 to 8.5 times higher than white counterparts.

These discriminatory practices have resulted in lasting criminal records, affecting housing and employment opportunities, and in some cases, life sentences for minor offenses.

Ironically, while communities of color have been criminalized for cannabis use, the predominantly white legal cannabis market is thriving.

Legalization efforts aim to rectify these injustices by empowering people of color to become leaders within the cannabis sector.

Trailblazing Women Shaping the Industry

These remarkable women of color are excelling in entrepreneurship, education, marketing, wellness, and advocacy, demonstrating how empowerment can arise from adversity.

Khadijah Adams

Former COO of C.E. Hutton, a cannabis business development firm focused on minorities, Adams challenges the male-dominated industry to embrace diversity and equity.

She highlights that despite rapid growth since 2014, many companies lack effective inclusion strategies, often excluding Black entrepreneurs.

Adams co-authored The Minority Report, an annual analysis spotlighting minority-owned cannabis and hemp businesses, and co-founded The GreenStreet Academy, an online platform educating investors about cannabis.

In 2020, she launched Girl Get That Money, a coaching initiative empowering women entrepreneurs.

Mary Pryor

After a Crohn’s disease diagnosis and hospitalizations, Pryor discovered cannabis’s medicinal benefits, which greatly improved her quality of life.

She co-founded Cannaclusive in California to promote inclusion through marketing, education, and wellness support.

Cannaclusive’s stock photo project normalizes images of people of color using cannabis.

Pryor also helped create InclusiveBase, a database connecting consumers with over 550 minority-owned cannabis businesses, fostering racial equity.

Her advocacy extends to Washington, D.C., supporting policy reforms like the Equity First Initiative, which integrates cannabis industry growth with racial justice.

She serves as CMO of TONIC, the only woman-owned, vertically integrated hemp company in the Northeastern U.S.

Megon Dee

Dee is a cannabis chef, educator, and CEO of Oracle Infused, a CBD wellness brand.

Previously charged with cannabis offenses in Maryland, she moved to Oregon to pursue legal opportunities.

Her experience in cannabis cuisine deepened her knowledge of dosage and cannabinoids, inspiring her to develop Cannacademy, a free online cannabis education series.

Dee advocates for full legalization and expungement of cannabis convictions, embodying restorative justice.

Sirita Wright

An award-winning advocate and CMO of EstroHaze, Wright creates platforms for women of color to explore cannabis career and lifestyle opportunities.

She co-founded EstroHaze with like-minded leaders after recognizing the lack of representation of minority women in the industry.

Wright sees cannabis legalization as a pathway to generational wealth for communities of color, encouraging education and investment.

Symone Gates

Gates, a corporate wellness trainer, founded Bädé Collection, an organic CBD skincare line targeting inflammation.

Her personal struggle with chronic pain from an intense fitness schedule led her to develop natural remedies using hemp-derived CBD.

Gates emphasizes the importance of understanding both reactive and preventive wellness measures, merging her fitness expertise with holistic healing.

Envisioning a Sustainable and Inclusive Cannabis Future

These pioneering women have opened doors for reinvention and advocacy within communities of color through their innovative work.

They provide consumers with accessible ways to support minority-owned cannabis businesses, driving industry-wide change.

By transforming marketing, education, and wellness, they serve as inspiring role models for young women of color.

Most importantly, they are reshaping the cannabis industry into a force that uplifts rather than marginalizes communities of color.

Juliana Clark is a freelance journalist and emerging audio producer based in Los Angeles, focusing on communities of color and workplace equality.

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