Charlo Greene, the self-proclaimed cannabis queen of diversity, is holding her first-ever Cannabis Diversity Summit in Denver on May 15th. The summit is being held to “address the lack of diversity in cannabis industry leadership,” according to event information.
Greene is a former Alaskan broadcast journalist who infamously gave no f***’s about quitting live, on-air during her report on what turned out to be her own cannabis business – a big no-no all journalists learn in Journalism 101. She later acknowledged her breach of responsible journalism while smoking a joint on Huffington Post Live. “I shouldn’t have reported on any marijuana stories. But if I had gone to my boss and said, ‘Hey, I bought this company,’ I would have been fired, period. I wasn’t ready for that to happen,” she said.
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But that was two years ago and since then she has rebranded herself as the promoter of diversity in cannabis industry leadership. She founded Go Greene, a grassroots networking organization aimed at “cultivating diversity, unity and opportunity in cannabis to help rebuild the communities harmed by prohibition most.”
In-step with helping those who have been disproportionately locked-up, and penalized for possession and use of cannabis since the war on drugs began under the Nixon (and later reinforced by the Reagan administration), the Chairman of the Minority Cannabis Association (MCBA), Jesce Horton, will be on the panel of speakers. The MCBA is dedicated to “creating access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs,” according to their mission statement.
“We’re holding the Cannabis Diversity Summit to educate members of the cannabis community, the general public and the press about legislation, regulation, law enforcement, industry opportunities, advocacy and more using the experiences and perspectives of cannabis industry leaders from communities of color,” Greene said of her organization’s summit.
Greene was the closing keynote speaker at this year’s first Capitol CannaShow in Washington, D.C. in February. She spoke to the diversity issue, promising more resources and opportunities to help diversify the green industry – and it looks like she is following up on that promise.
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Other guest panelists for the Cannabis Diversity Summit include: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Executive Director Neill Franklin, former Oregon NORML Executive Director and owner of the World Famous Cannabis Café Madeline Martinez, Judge Shelli Hayes, Dr. Lakisha Jenkins, Dr. Rachel Knox, and attorney Brandon Wyatt.
Registration for the Cannabis Diversity Summit can be completed by purchasing or requesting free tickets at gogreene.org and cannabisdiversitysummit.com.
