Despite state-led efforts to promote equity in cannabis, black entrepreneurs in Massachusetts still comprise less than 2% of the owners in the industry, according to a recent jobs report published by Leafly NASDAQ: LFLY. Meanwhile, the legal cannabis industry in the U.S. is forecasted to reach $50.7 billion by 2028.
What's To Be Done?
Given the ongoing equity gap, established cannabis operator Parallel is continuing its partnership with Black CannaBusiness (BCB) to support cannabis owners of color. BCB and Parallel are in Boston at the moment conducting their second annual national education series for CEOs of color in the cannabis industry. The Black Cannabusiness CEO Intensive Program is a free, six-week, executive training program for cannabis business owners, featuring both virtual and in-person workshops and training.
“A business education tailored for cannabis executives of color is impactful because …