Gia Moron Archives - Green Market Report

StaffJuly 20, 2023
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The Daily Hit is a recap of the top financial news stories for July 20, 2023.

On the Site

Parallel Exiting Pennsylvania Marijuana Market After Defaulting on Rent

Atlanta-based multistate operator Parallel Cannabis is shuttering three facilities and exiting the Pennsylvania medical marijuana market following financial troubles that led to a lawsuit from its landlord, Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. (NYSE: IIPR), alleging almost $6 million in unpaid rent. Read more here.

Women Grow President Gia Morón Steps Down

Gia Morón, president of Women Grow, a professional network for women in the cannabis industry, is set to depart from the organization, effective July 31. Morón is stepping down to devote more energy to her business ventures. The company’s board chairwoman and CEO, Dr. Chanda Macias, will maintain her leadership role. Read more here.

Unrivaled Brands Reports Steady Q2 Revenue, Rising Margins

California-based Unrivaled Brands Inc. (OTCQB: UNRV) reported preliminary revenue of $8.6 million and a gross margin increase to 51% for its second quarter ending June 30, demonstrating financial resilience in a fluctuating market, the company said Thursday. Read more here.

Psilouette Founder Derek Chase on Taking Risks in Psilocybin Products

The limited legality of most psychedelic products hasn’t stopped some people from trying to get an early advantage. Case in point, Derek Chase founded L.A.-based entheogenic wellness company Psilouette to take advantage of what he called a “lucky period” for the industry. Read more here.

Maryland’s New Adult-Use Market a Bright Spot for the Legal Cannabis Industry

Maryland’s adult-use cannabis market, which launched on July 1, has been a bright spot for the legal industry, and the momentum is looking to keep rhythm for the time being. The boon came before it even started. On June 30, the last day when only medical cannabis was legal, there was a 55.6% surge in sales compared to the previous four Fridays, according to industry data from Headset. Read more here.

In Other News

MKX Oil Co.

A cannabis supplier alleges a client owes it $187,000 for the cost of producing and storing thousands of vape cartridges, saying it incurred substantial labor and fees to produce the distillate. In a complaint removed to Arizona federal court Monday, GMT Management LLC says it issued an invoice based on instructions from MKX Oil Co. for 50,000 vape cartridges for a total price of $127,500. Read more here.

SAFE Banking

A key Senate chairman says that a bipartisan marijuana banking bill will “not” get a committee markup next week, according to an advocate who spoke with him. And that means it will not be addressed during the summer session as leadership had hoped. Read more here.

 


Video StaffMay 16, 2022

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On April 28, 2022, the Green Market Report hosted its first Women’s Summit in New York City. This panel was titled “Media and Cannabis.” Public Relations can make the difference for companies getting attention or fighting to be noticed. But PR is expensive and often the first line item to be cut when money gets tight. How can emerging companies afford PR? How can companies assess and pick the right PR company for them? What can you do on the cheap and when do you know it’s time to level up? How to make advertising decisions. this panel featured Gia Moron – Founder GVM Communications, Cynthia Salarizadeh – Founder Salar Media Group, Ann Donohoe – Managing Partner KCSA, Shawna MacGregor – Founder Maverick PR and was moderated by Elana Frankel – Founding Editor-in-Chief, Women and Weed Magazine Thank you for watching the Green Market Report! Be sure to subscribe to our channel and our newsletters.


StaffApril 20, 2021
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Gia Morón is the Founder & CEO GVM Communications, Inc a public relations, brand strategy and business development firm. She launched the company on April 20, 2012. The firm’s client base ranges from small to midsize firms to successful entrepreneurs. Ranked in Forbes in 2019 as one of the leading PR firms in cannabis, Gia and her team work closely with lobbying firms, policymakers, MSO to small operators. Her diverse team of professionals collectly have over 3 decades of experience.

In addition to GVM Communications, Gia is also the President of Women Grow, the largest professional network for women in the cannabis industry. At the company, Gia oversees the company’s day-to-day operations, internal and external communications, education programming, and strategic partnerships.

With over 25 years of experience in communications, prior to launching her firm and Women Grow, Gia was a Media Relations Officer in the Corporate Communications department for fifteen years at the investment banking firm Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Before joining Goldman Sachs, she was Director of Promotions and Publicity for six years at The Fremantle Corporation, an international television distribution and production company. Outside of her professional accomplishments, she continuously works with a number of non-profit organizations and mentors up-and-coming young women entrepreneurs across the country. She is a board member for Minorities for Medical Marijuana, advisory board member for CWCBE, and Coalition Member for Start-SMART NY. Gia currently resides in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY, with her daughter.

GMR Executive Spotlight Interview Q & A:

Full birth name: Gia Morón

Title: Founder & CEO

Company: GVM Communications, Inc

Years at current company: 9

 

Most successful professional accomplishment before cannabis: Instead of successful I would like to say most helpful professional experience before cannabis was working on Wall Street. The knowledge and experience I gained during my time there prepared me for the cannabis industry. But to directly answer the question, launching this company was my most successful accompaniment. I did it by myself. Self funded. No financial assistance from anyone. While GVM reflects the initials in my name, the company name actually stands for Great Visions and Minds Communicating.

Company’s most successful achievement: Lending our expertise in advising some influential people inside and outside of the industry. Seeing their brands and strategies flourish feels rewarding knowing we had a part in their success. Due to confidential agreements we cannot disclose names or details but we have full confidence in our knowledge and talents.

Has the company raised any capital (yes or no): No

Any plans on raising capital in the future? Yes, we have goals to expand into other areas of communications.

Most important company 5 year goal:  Our goal is to expand to multiple communications platforms to provide service and education. COVID heightened our awareness that key tools are missing for small businesses and I strongly believe we can deliver a need to the business community as we see a necessary shift evolving.

 

 


Brenda LougheryMarch 18, 2021
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Last month, for the second time, the Emmanuel Baptist Church (EBC) in Brooklyn New York teamed up with Women Grow, the largest professional network in the cannabis industry, for the Business of Cannabis Summit. Launched in 2019, the Summit is designed to be a resource to help Black and Latinx communities enter the burgeoning legal cannabis and hemp industries. 

The inaugural Business of Cannabis Summit took place in 2019, with 400 people gathered in attendance at the church, and over 60 speakers. The two-day summit brought business leaders, industry experts, and advocates together discussing topics from social justice, to winning a license and creating products, to reinvesting in communities. After the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Summit took place virtually over two days: February 19th and 20th, and more than doubled its inaugural audience, welcoming over 2,000 virtual attendees.

Rev. Anthony L. Trufant, EBC executive pastor, author, and nationally noted church development consultant, noted that the “collaborative experiment” between EBC and Women Grow may be seen as an “unorthodox partnership,” but one that has been successful at addressing the health disparities and economic discrimination that negatively impact communities of color — particularly African Americans.

“As Black entrepreneurs in the legal cannabis market, we appreciate the role the church has always played in our community,” says Gia Morón, President of Women Grow. “Creating a partnership with a Black church, especially one as large and influential as EBC, can be critical in helping the community better understand and accept responsible uses of cannabis as a medicine, and its potential as a business.”

The Summit featured live discussions from cannabis industry leaders and innovators including Niambe Tosh, daughter of reggae legend Peter Tosh; Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Kassandra Frederique; Wanda James, the first Black person to open a licensed adult-use dispensary (Simply Pure); and Dr. Chanda Macias, the first Black woman to open a licensed medical marijuana dispensary (National Holistic Healing Center) and CEO of Ilera Holistic Healthcare, which partners with Historically Black College/University (HBCU) Southern University in Louisiana as one of only two cannabis licensees in the state. Through that historic partnership, SU became the first HBCU in the country to create and launch hemp and cannabis products. Others included Regina Smith, Executive Director of Harlem Business Alliance, Leo Bridgewater a cannabis advocate and veteran from New Jersey, Roz McCarthy of Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Jawanza Williams Director of Organizing of Vocal New York, Jessica Gonzalez a New Jersey Cannabis Attorney, Mary Pryor of Cannaclusive, Melissa Moore of Drug Policy Alliance, Cristina Buccola a New York Cannabis Attorney, Chenae Bullock of Shinnecock Nation Tribe and Jacqui Williams of 99 Solutions.

Medgar Evers Community College (CUNY) in Brooklyn, NY announced at the summit the Fall 2021 launch of its Cannabis Minor program. This will be the first community college in New York state to launch such a program.  

Topics discussed included adult-use legalization in New York and New Jersey; how to start a cannabis business; careers in cannabis; creating CBD hemp products; trademarking your cannabis business; investing in cannabis stocks and businesses; majoring in cannabis (college/continuing education programs); understanding land use and cannabis real estate; and how the cannabis industry can reinvest in our communities. 

Sponsors of the 2021 Business of Cannabis Summit included Curaleaf, Etain, Columbia Care, Zelira Therapeutics, Cresco Labs, Keystone Canna Remedies, Phytolive Organic,  Nicolle Munroe Designs, and GVM Communications.

 


Cynthia SalarizadehOctober 22, 2020
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Women Grow, the largest professional network for women in the cannabis industry, is uncertain if their annual Leadership Summit will return in 2021.
“We’re still uncertain if we will return next year. When we considered the risk and our protocol is everyone’s safety is first. Yes, we are a business but our community is important to us,” said Gia Morón, President of Women Grow. “But with no Leadership Summit this year, we had to come up with other creative ways to stay engaged so we shifted to social media LIVE talks. Meet them where they are,” said Morón.
In March at the start of the pandemic, the company shut down all of its Signature Networking Events (SNE) before lockdowns began. The shift to social media joined Women Grow with the ranks of their peers but it was during the lockdown the company launched its #adulthomeschooling program.
Women Grow took all the elements it used at its SNE and applied it through various education options.
“We wanted to keep our community engaged just as they would at SNE or summit except virtually. We’ve partnered with some amazing companies like Green Flower Arcview, Curaleaf, and M4MM with more partnerships to come. The idea of a virtual conference is still on the table but we’re still in talks,” said Morón.

StaffMarch 6, 2020
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In honor of International Women’s Day, we are releasing our annual “Most Important Women in Weed” list for 2020. This list includes women in the industry that have collectively moved the industry forward with all of their hard work, continuous dedication and effort.

This year we opened up the list for nominations and received almost a thousand nominees. After consideration of each, we have developed what we feel is one of the most inclusive and carefully curated lists of the most accomplished and impressive women in the cannabis industry.

As we could not name them all, we would like to thank and celebrate all of the women who have dedicated their precious time to the advancement of cannabis globally.

It is because of each one of these ladies that this industry remains in the lead above all others as far as female leadership is concerned.

This list is in no special order. Each one of these women provide a great contribution to the cannabis industry in their own unique and badass way.

Thank you to every one of you for all that you do!

The “List”

Dr. Chanda Macias

Yvonne DeLaRosa Green

Mara Gordon

Rosie Mattio

Shawna McGregor

Lori Ferrara

Gaynell Rogers

Stormy Simon

Trista Okel 

Lori Ajax

Amy Dawn Bourlon-Hilterbran

Kim Rivers

Amanda Soens

Dona Frank

Kat King

Sara Payan

Hannah Daphna

Sandra Castaneda

Erin Gore

Wendy Kornberg

Kristin Nevedal

Wendy Turner

Parisa Rad

Brittany Nicholson

Emily Paxhia

Jessica Billingsley 

Gia Moron

Andrea Brooks

Tahira Rehmatullah

Tracey Mason

Lindy Snyder

Jasmine Rose Gunderson

Shannon Hattan

Adelia Carrillo

Karen Petersen

Wanda James

Barbara Blaser

Ophelia Chong

Amanda Ostrowitz

Pamela Nicole Epstein

Melissa Mentele

Jamie Cooper

Sarah Remesch

Jessie Gill

Erica Daniels

Lizzy Jeff

Lelehnia DuBois

Whitney Beatty

Dr. Michele Ross

Manndie Tingler

Chef Lauren Gockley

Kyra Reed

Jamie Evans

Kristin Jordan

Ellie Siegel 

Sara Brittany Somerset

Linda Marsicano

Heidi Groshelle

Amber Senter

Nique Pichette

Jennifer Price

Molly Peckler 

Bonita Money

Susan Hwang

Judy Yee

Julie Chiarello

Leah Heis

Leslie Andrachuk

Terra Carver

Nancy Whiteman

Luna Stower

Karen Paull and Wendy Robbins

Beth Stavola

Alison Gordon

Penny Green

Sara Gullickson

Dr. Lakisha Jenkins

Pamela Hadfield

Jessica Peters

Dr. Rachel Knox and Dr. Jessica Knox

Tiffany Bowden

Mary Jane Gibson

Michelle Janikian

Dr. Uma Dhanabalan

Taylor Blake

AC Braddock

Kerri Accardi

Heather Sobel

Betty Aldworth

Cathy Jordan

Suzanne Sisley

Nina Parks

Eliza Nova Maroney

Selena Xochitl Martinez

Angelika Penuela-Ruiz

Sarah Mitra Payan

Gretchen Gailey

Nikki Lastreto

Ann Lawrence

Sheena Shiravi

Christina Ianuzzi

Kassandra Frederique

Shannon Buyers

Celia Tapp

Kelly Archer

Katie Field

Randi Sether

Shannon Reed

Katrina Yolen

Ngiste Abebe

Brooke Westlake

Courtney Maltais

Katrina Tso

Anne Don0hoe

Alicia Rose Kelley

Dr. Jacqueline Harding, PhD 

Mary Pryor 

Dr. Uma Dhabalan

Olivia Mannix

Heather DeRose

Libby Cooper

Leslie Hoffman

Yvonne Perez Emerson

 

Again, thank you to all of the women who do so much in our industry day in and day out. Your work does not go unnoticed and is deeply appreciated.

Happy International Women’s Day to all women around the world!

Special shout out to our Green Market Report co-founders Debra Borchardt and Cynthia Salarizadeh on this day!


Cynthia SalarizadehJanuary 29, 2020
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As journalists, brand owners and industry professionals, daily we must interact and engage with communication specialists to accomplish a myriad of goals. Like anything, some individuals tend to be more efficient, trustworthy, effective and more of a pleasure to work with overall.

There is nothing more upsetting than wasting time and money on services that do not meet your company’s needs, especially if it can be avoided. So understanding who these people are can help us in our collective decision making when it comes time to scout talent or in hiring firms and consultants.

Over the last year and a half, our team at the Green Market Report has created a running list of the top communication professionals that we feel warrant recognition. After careful consideration among the GMR team, we have selected the top ten that we feel you and your company can engage with effectively.

We feel comfortable recommending each person in this group for their work and accomplishments within their special areas of the industry for communications.

Each one of these individuals rank among the most knowledgeable, influential, helpful and professional to work with.

 

Daniel Yi, Chief Communications Officer at Shryne Group Inc.

Daniel is a seasoned communications executive with more than two decades of experience crafting narratives that connect with audiences.

In 2016, he joined a little known cannabis management firm called MedMen and helped the brand become one of the most recognized names in the industry, earning the company more than six billion earned media impressions in 2018.

As a former journalist, Daniel understands and believes in the power of narrative to change minds and hearts. In the span of a 10-year career at the Los Angeles Times, he covered several beats and later transitioned to marketing communications and public relations, helping organizations like the Port of Long Beach, the County of Los Angeles and Edison International connect with diverse audiences.

Today, Daniel is the chief communications officer of Shryne Group, a vertically integrated cannabis enterprise focused on California, the largest, most mature legal cannabis market in the world.

 

 

Rosie Mattio Founder & CEO of Mattio Communications

Rosie is the founder and CEO of MATTIO Communications, the preeminent cannabis marketing agency in the U. S. She helped usher in the New Cannabis Age, garnering global media coverage in mainstream publications for clients, including the first cannabis article ever published in Oprah Magazine.

Over the past year, her New York firm has grown alongside the industry, adding marketing and communications services for clients, including content, SEO, investor relations, event planning, and influencer marketing.

Today, Rosie is considered a market maker in the world of cannabis. She has been acknowledged in High Times Female 50, and Forbes Fifteen Powerful and Innovative Women In Cannabis. MATTIO Communications has been named in MG Magazines Top 50 Cannabis Employers and Green Entrepreneur’s Top 100 Cannabis Companies.  Ranked the #1 cannabis PR firm by Greenmarket Report, Rosie is a strategic powerhouse, industry connector and influencer. 

 

 

Jason Erkes, Chief Communications Officer at Cresco Labs 

Jason joined the leadership team of Cresco Labs as their Chief Communications Officer and Spokesperson in 2018 after working with the company as a consultant since its inception. Cresco Labs (CL:CSE), based in Chicago, is one of the largest vertically integrated multi-state operators in the United States. The company has a mission to normalize and professionalize the cannabis industry and bringing in subject matter experts like Erkes greatly helps Cresco move closer to that goal.

Erkes has been a journalist, political advisor, entrepreneur, Influencer, turnaround expert and philanthropist. He has been identified as a “rising star” as a Crain’s Chicago Business “40 under 40”, won Emmy Awards for excellence in journalism through his work at ABC and FOX News, and received national political recognition as a recipient of the prestigious Reed Award from Campaigns & Elections Magazine.

Erkes has been instrumental in helping craft and share Cresco’s narrative overseeing the company’s media relations, employee relations, investor communications as well as working cross-functionally with all departments on any external communications.  Most recently he facilitated the company’s launch for Illinois adult-use sales achieving a record one billion earned media impressions in the first week for their Sunnyside* Dispensaries.

 

Gia Moron, Founder and CEO of GVM Communications, Inc

Gia is the Founder and CEO of GVM Communications, Inc. a public relations, brand & business development consulting firm launched in 2012. She has a team of consultants & freelancers work with an array of clients in the Arts, Education, Financial Services, Diversity & Inclusion, Publishing, Sports & Entertainment, Technology, and Wellness.

In 2015, the firm expanded its services into the cannabis industry. Gia leverages her 25+ years of experience in corporate communications, and her firm remains equally vested in diverse markets of business ranging from: (Non-Profits, privately owned to Publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. The firm has a client base that ranges from small to mid-sized businesses, non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, authors and celebrity clients).

Prior to launching her firm, Gia was a Media Relations Officer in the Corporate Communications department for fifteen years at Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. While at Goldman Sachs, Gia oversaw various business areas from Private Equity, Urban Investment, Investment Research and Technology to the firm’s organizational focus on Corporate Engagement, Diversity, Recruiting, Human Resources and Corporate Services. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Gia was Director of Promotions and Publicity for six years at The Fremantle Corporation, an international television distribution, and production company. 

 

Linda Marsicano, VP Corporate Communications at Green Thumb Industries

Linda Marsicano joined Green Thumb Industries in February 2018 as Vice President of Corporate Communications and manages all aspects of media and public relations. She has more than 20 years of experience in communications working for publicly traded companies, private entities and nonprofit organizations.

Her background includes leading external communications for Fortune 500 nuclear power company Exelon Corporation, serving as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Playboy Enterprises, and Vice President of Public Relations for mortgage lender Guaranteed Rate. She has also overseen public relations for medical societies and not-for-profit professional associations. Linda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Miami University in Ohio.

Marsicano serves on the advisory board of the Civic Leadership Foundation, an educational organization dedicated to preparing under-served young people for college, career and active citizenship. She lives in Chicago with her husband and 12-year-old twin daughters.

 

Alex Howe, Head Of Corporate Communications at Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc.

Howe has two decades of experience working in corporate strategy and communications for cannabis, consumer, technology, Fortune 50 and sports and entertainment companies and has helped launch dozens of companies and build brands across industries.

Howe is currently the Head of Corporate Communications for Harvest Health & Recreation Inc., a vertically-integrated cannabis company with one of the largest and deepest footprints in the U.S., where he leads communications and strategy focusing on patients, consumers, media, regulators, investors, local communities and partners.

Howe formerly served as president and co-founder of Powerplant Global Strategies, the first strategic partnerships, communications and investor relations firm exclusively focused on the legal cannabis industry. At Powerplant he worked closely with many of the best-known companies in the cannabis industry, including PAX, Arcview, Merida Capital Partners, I Heart Jane, THC Design and many others. In 2018, he was named one of Marijuana Venture magazine’s “40 Under 40.”

Prior to joining Powerplant, Howe was a director at fama, North America’s premier boutique PR firm for technology companies, where he launched startups and developed thought leadership campaigns for enterprise companies in the B2C and B2B spaces. Before fama, Alex was a vice president at Global Strategy Group in New York City, where he provided public affairs support, digital, traditional and crisis communications and produced award-winning campaigns for Google, Formula 1, UFC, Nestlé Waters, Time Warner, Inc. and the New York Road Runners.

 

Shawna Seldon Mcgregor, Founder & CEO of Maverick Public Relations 

Shawna Seldon McGregor is the founder of Maverick Public Relations, which was established in 2018 and quickly garnered recognition as one of the most effective cannabis PR agencies.

McGregor’s cannabis and hemp experience is unparalleled, working from the inception of adult-use in Colorado to bring brand messaging to the national stage and working closely with national and trade reporters, as well as infiltrating specific emerging markets. With two decades of experience in New York City and Denver, McGregor has deep experience representing a multitude of sectors including health & wellness, biotech, agribusiness, associations and media. Her mission is to provide big agency expertise with outstanding client service by seasoned and knowledgeable communications expert.

She’s passionate about good journalism and wants to see the Fourth Estate not just survive but thrive. She is hands-on, sincere, genuine and responsive, and oversees a diverse team based in metro Denver, California, Florida and Pennsylvania.

 

Lewis Goldberg, Managing Partner at KCSA Strategic Communications

Lewis is a Managing Partner at KCSA and oversees the firm’s public relations practice.For more than 20 years, Lewis has worked to implement eminence, thought leadership, and public affairs programs designed to build business and garner fairer valuations.

Lewis developed a campaign mentality working in national, state and local politics for U.S. President Bill Clinton, U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli and then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. He designs programs with a specific business objective in mind, a targeted timeframe, attention to maximizing limited resources and a measurable ROI.

In 2015 Lewis helped found KCSA’s cannabis practice and has become recognized as one of the most effective strategic thinkers in this growing field. He is the co-host of KCSA’s weekly podcast, The Green Rush, and speaks regularly at conferences on the use of strategic communications to achieve specific business objectives.

 

Evan Nison, Founder & CEO of Nison Co.

Evan Nison is the youngest member of the NORML Board of Directors and sits on the Board of Directors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. He is the founder of the PR firm NisonCo, which connects leaders in the legal cannabis, medical marijuana, and hemp industries with influential journalists across the U.S. and world. As part of his mission to build socially driven businesses, he co-founded Whoopi & Maya, a women’s-focused cannabis brand with actress Whoopi Goldberg and fellow NORML board member Rick Cusick. He then went on to co-found Emerald Farm Tours, a Northern California-based cannabis tour company to give the public a transparent hands-on view of the cannabis industry from seed to sale, and Bloody Good Vape & Smoke, a smoke shop in New Jersey he founded with a victim of cannabis prohibition who was held in jail for a year awaiting trial.

Evan has been mentioned in news sources such as the NY Times, CNN, Politico, USA Today, NBC New York, Bloomberg TV, Forbes, and has been profiled in The Cannabist, Civilized, Ithaca Times, Home News Tribune, The Marijuana Times, and the Sun Times. He also received the 2011 NORML Student Activism Award and High Times Freedom Fighter Award for his advocacy. He also received one of the pens used to sign the New York 911 Good Samaritan Law and New York medical marijuana law for his involvement in the passage of both bills.

Heidi Haller Groshelle, Founder & CEO of Groshelle Communications

After four decades of technology public relations, which included launching consumer products like the first plasma TVs, the first mobile phone for kids, and the first flying car, Heidi tackled the cannabis industry in 2015. Heidi’s passion for the plant has allowed her business to thrive with a stellar client roster including PHILTER Labs, PLUS Products, PrestoDoctor, CannaBiz Connections, TraceTrust, and Solful Dispensary to name a few. 

In the past five years, Heidi has introduced the first cannabis-infused gum, rolled out the first line of doctor-designed and approved cannabis topicals, and launched dozens of cannabis brands onto the national stage. 

Heidi has earned numerous accolades for her work including the Hermes Award, Bulldog, and Communicator awards. Heidi’s unique approach to cannabis (and her stellar client roster) has given her a reputation as a leader in the cannabis market and more importantly as a champion of all women in the industry.

 


StaffSeptember 26, 2019
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Editors Note: This article was reprinted with the approval of the writer Mai Perkins. 

It was late spring 2018 in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, not far from Biggie’s old stomping ground, when Emmanuel Baptist church hosted a free financial empowerment workshop called Exodus: Exiting Egypt. The all-day seminar was well attended by members of the congregation and featured panels on general topics like debt relief and estate planning.

What would set this event apart from others likely to be held at churches around the country with a vested interest in their community base were two unexpected workshops: Understanding Bitcoin, and The Business of Cannabis.

Being a member of EBC, I was amazed to discover that I could explore both topics of interest at my home church in a completely judgment-free zone, and decided to attend. I understood that these just were not your average subjects among Black churchgoers, and particularly not discussed at the house of the Lord. Or so I thought!

SOURCE: BREWERS ASSOCIATION, WINE INSTITUTE, FORTUNE, CANDYINDUSTRY.COM, STATISTA AND EUROMONITOR NOTE: UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, COMPARABLE INDUSTRY FIGURES ARE FOR 2014

I’ll be honest. Part of my motivation was to attend just to see who else would be in the room. And considering the handful of people who sat around the table listening to Gia Morón, Executive Vice President of Women Grow, it didn’t really dawn on me that eight months later her organization would collaborate with Emmanuel to create the first ever church-hosted Business of Cannabis Conference.

So how did all of this come about, anyway? Ten minutes into that first low-key workshop, Reverend Anthony L. Trufant, better known as Rev., sauntered into the room to all of our amazement, and sat down to join the discussion. With great joy, he and Gia recounted a chance meeting, one that both believed was orchestrated by the hand of God.

Months earlier, they both had arrived at Penn Station on the same train and decided to share an Uber back to Brooklyn. During that divine appointment, Rev. asked Ms. Morón what she’d been up to, completely unaware that her answer would lead to a destined partnership between his church and Women Grow.

“$105 million: The estimated annual sales tax revenue generated by medical marijuana dispensaries in California, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based group that supports legalization.”

Her countenance lit up as Gia explained her current role with the nationwide advocacy organization that supports women with connections to help them own and lead cannabis related businesses. Admittedly, she was a little apprehensive, sharing the details of a perceived controversial, if not taboo, choice of profession.

But Gia’s conviction for and commitment to dismantling what she felt were distorted, negative imaging and factually inaccurate beliefs related to cannabis, across the board, led her to share her testimony with Reverend Trufant.

It was the passion in her words, her keen fact-based knowledge, and her personal experience that convinced Rev. that Emmanuel would not only benefit from, but welcome her message as a cannabis evangelist. Taking a risk, to Gia’s surprise, he invited her to speak at the financial empowerment workshop months later.

From that chance meeting, and two small breakout sessions up on the second floor of the church, the vision for The Business of Cannabis Conference was established. And what has come to fruition nearly a year later is a cannabis event of great proportion, never before seen within the confines of a religious institution.

Certainly not the Black Baptist church. But unlike the meeting in June, this event emerged as a hot ticket item, selling out weeks in advance to attendees with varying levels of interest in cannabis from across the country.

“$134.6 million: The amount of estimated tax revenue Maryland would earn every year if it legalized and regulated marijuana, according to a 2014 estimate from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services.”

Very little was announced beforehand of what to expect beyond the workshop titles to register for during the week leading into the conference. The panels included: Acquiring Cultivation or Dispensary Licenses; Ancillary Businesses/Careers in Cannabis; Integrative Cannabinoid Medicine by the Knox Family; Medical Benefits of Cannabis and Hemp; The Need for Equity Programs; Cannabis 101; Social Justice and Policy Reform; Destigmatizing Cannabis; Parenting and Cannabis: Learning Together; Healing with Hemp, CBD and Cannabis: topicals, vapes, edibles, and more; Types of Businesses in Cannabis; and, Networks and Industry Conferences in Cannabis.

In addition to these twelve breakouts, there were five Q&A rooms where attendees could pop in and speak with professionals from the industry, which included: What is Unaccredited Investing?, How to Enter the Cannabis Industry, Questions About Legalization of Cannabis, Ask the Medical and Science Professionals, and, Opportunities for Women in Cannabis.

Each panel included POC and women entrepreneurs, attorneys and advocates, dispensary owners and growers, medical doctors and researchers, business analysts, public relations professionals, and content creators. Several cannabis advocacy and media groups from coast to coast contributed to panels including Estrohaze, Cannaclusive, MJM Strategies, Cannagather, and the Minority Cannabis Business Association.

A common thread among the speakers was that each one managed to take their prior work experiences and parlay that expertise into the cannabis industry. Moving throughout the day you could truly feel the essence of the mantra: Whatever YOU do, do it in cannabis!

As if the outpouring and overwhelming amount of information were not enough, the conference also welcomed a riveting keynote address from the CEO of Women Grow, Dr. Chanda Macias  on dispelling the myths of cannabis. Dr. Macias, who earned her Ph.D. from Howard University with a concentration in Cell Biology, evoked the passion of civil rights leaders as she beseeched the packed audience with her searing words. She implored us to take our rightful ownership in this fight for equityfor people of color within the cannabis industry as legalization, from the state to the federal level, continues to take shape.

An overarching theme of the conference was the Social Justice component that points to why it has become an imperative to demand Equity Day One in cannabis legislation as the end of marijuana prohibition nears. Social Equity simply means reinvesting a portion of the newly generated capital from the legalized cannabis industry directly into Black and Latino communities.

These are the neighborhoods that were impacted by unprecedented marijuana arrests and convictions due to Nixon’s damaging War on Drugs campaign. Research studies and anecdotal knowledge have starkly proven how the War on Drugs targeted communities of color, grossly contributing to the United States having the highest incarceration rate in the world.

Because of this, advocates in the multibillion dollar industry are demanding that these very people are poised to stake their claim now that the same marijuana plant that locked up scores of men and women is being sold in their neighborhoods primarily by white-owned cannabis companies. “Do not miss this boat…,” Dr. Macias charged the audience, who responded in agreement.

Adding to the progressive conversation were remarks by New York State Attorney General, Letitia James; Congressman Hakeem Jeffries; Assistant Counsel to Governor Cuomo, Jason Starr; Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo; Senator Velmanette Montgomery; and, Brooklyn District Attorney, Eric Gonzalez.

Each representative acknowledged the need for deliberate goals and strategic policy planning on the part of advocates, lobbyists, constituents and elected officials to be on the right side of history by creating legislation with day one social equity as New York State approaches legalized recreational cannabis in 2019.

Lobbyists also distributed form letters urging attendees to be a part of the political process by contacting their Senators and Representatives in Albany so that they are fully aware of the demand for Equity Day One.

 

As the reverend, Anthony Trufant, thanked Gia Morón’s and his own staff for working so tirelessly around the clock to pull off this crowning achievement, particularly during Black History Month, you couldn’t help but feel how monumental and historic this day was.

Revolutionary in his own right, Trufant is a Morehouse College educated faith-based visionary with a commitment to moral and social justice, which is why he was entrusted with this mission to help bridge the gap between the cannabis community and the church, despite initial pushback from some of EBC’s established members.

When both he and Dr. Chanda prayed from the pulpit, there was a sincere and humbled thanksgiving each expressed to God for the many health and wellness benefits of the cannabis plant. “We thank you for reminding us that You have already placed on the planet resources that can help us to ease pain, resources that will enable us to move forward as a community, and to provide economic opportunities.

We pray, oh God, that you will enable us in the justice work, to join our Brooklyn DA and our Attorney General for the State of New York, as well as our legislature and governor as they deal with legislation that is pending. May we, the citizens, give them the support and the backing that they need to take this courageous step. And finally, God, we pray for men and women, boys and girls who are in great pain today.

We pray that they will experience some degree of relief, that they will have an opportunity to be able to partake of that which you’ve planted so that the pain will be eased for them. Oh God, as we go our respective ways, be with us. We ask this in the name of our God. Amen.”

– Contributed by Mai Perkins

Mai Perkins is Cali girl in a Bed Stuy world, with several blogs under her belt including Uberlicious.nyc and MaiOnTheMove.com. She is a contributing writer for the music publication Pop-Mag.com, and has written for Relevant and Bust Magazine.

With an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College, and an MA in International Affairs from The New School, she reps her beloved alma mater, Howard University, every chance she gets. As a poet and a non-fiction writer, she has just published her first manuscript, The Walking Nerve-Ending, available now on Amazon & Kindle.


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