Top Cannabis Entrepreneurs You Should Know
We thought it would be fitting to honor Black History Month by honoring top African American cannabis entrepreneurs who are pioneers in the industry, whether it's opening a dispensary, developing a unique line of strains and products, or infusing cannabis culture into mainstream society in new and unusual ways. If they haven't already, these names will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the industry.
This list of powerful people of color in the cannabis industry excels in business, education, advertising, wellness, and personal career growth.
Doctors Rachel Knox and Jessica Knox
Known as The Canna MDs, along with their mother and father who are also doctors, founded the American Cannabinoid Clinics in 2014, to deliver "precision Cannabinoid Medicine to every patient looking for a personalized approach to healing." The clinic was started after mother, Dr. Janice Knox, was exposed to the diversity of cannabis patients and its benefits while both daughters were away at school. The family has multiple clinics throughout Oregon and also established The Canna MDs website to educate patients, healthcare providers and the general public with information about using cannabis medicine.
Mary Pryor
Is a cannabis marketer and the co-founder of Cannaclusive, a cannabis company created to facilitate fair representation of minority cannabis consumers. Pryor and two other black woman, Tonya Rapley and Charlese Antionette, felt compelled to create Cannaclusive after being the only black people in the room at cannabis events. The company provides stock photos of diverse women and men smoking weed and using cannabis. Cannaclusive also hosts educational events and workshops to help people of color understand the benefits and business opportunities of cannabis.
Hope Wiseman
Became the youngest, black dispensary owner in the U.S., after she opened medical-cannabis dispensary, Mary and Main, at 25. The dispensary, located in Prince George's County, Maryland, operates at the intersection of social activism, education and philanthropy. Mary and Main offers a range of therapy treatments and cannabis products including Indica, Sativa, topicals and extracts. Wiseman is a former investment banker and Spelman College graduate.
Chef Miguel Trinidad
Making waves in the culinary cannabis space. He's the executive chef and owner of Maharlika Filipino Moderno and Jeepney Filipino Gastropub. But alongside his business partner, Doug Cohen, he's the founder of 99th Floor, a cannabis cuisine dining experience. The cannabis-infused dinner features a five-course meal using canna-oils and butters. The small gathering event is private and invite-only.
Brittany Moore and Alphonso T. Blunt Jr.
Owners of the first equity dispensary in Oakland, Blunts + Moore. The 4,000 square-foot pot dispensary offers over 500 products including flowers and edibles. Moore and Blunt were among the first beneficiaries of Oakland's equity permit program launched in 2017. The program focuses on licensing Oakland residents with a local cannabis conviction or who are longtime residents in areas with a "disproportionately higher number of cannabis-related arrests."
Al Harrington
Former NBA Player, Al Harrington is the founder and CEO of Viola, a cannabis brand that sells vapes, extracts and flowers. The name and company were inspired by Harrington's grandmother who suffers from diabetes and glaucoma. In 2019, Harrington closed a $16-million dollar funding round for Viola from Gotham Green Partners, a New-York based private equity firm focusing on cannabis enterprises.
Wanda Smith
Founder of Simply Pure, along with her husband, Scott Durrah, are the nation's first African-American owners of a licensed cannabis dispensary. The couple opened the Simply Pure Dispensary in Denver, Colorado in 2010. Colorado was one of the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana in 2012. Simply Pure offers a number of cannabis-infused products and concentrates.
C.J. Wallace
Inspired by his father, the late rapper Christoper "Biggie Smalls" Wallace, founded Think BIG, a cannabis company that creates curated cannabis products and content focused on creativity, contemplation and healing. Think BIG was born out of the 23-year-old's pursuit to better understand who his father was and the connections they shared. Another aim of Think BIG is to support organizations that advocate for social and criminal justice reform including mass incarceration and climate change.
Raft and Joy Hollingsworth
Run a family pot business based in Seattle. The 30,000-square-foot farm includes eight greenhouses, a post-harvest space and an extraction lab. The Hollingsworth Cannabis Company, launched in 2013, offers flower, infused pre-rolls, CO2 extracts and CBD products.
Wiz Khalifa
Khalifa is just one of a dozen celebrities to jump on the cannabis bandwagon as he’s developed his own line of weed in conjunction with RiverRock Cannabis. The Colorado-based dispensary released the line-up on 4/20, and includes flower and concentrates that Khalifa said took years to perfect. It’s rumored that the strains are modeled after effects that the rapper himself prefers.
