GCT100 2023 Nominees: Activism

Published

2 years ago

March 31, 2023

Global Cannabis Times Staff

Our first category of influencers, both alphabetically and in the hearts of many veterans of the legacy business, is Activism. We’ve broken out three main areas of Activism—Health, Equity & Labor, and Legalization & Clemency—to reflect the different battles being fought by passionate advocates for saner, healthier and more socially just cannabis policies and commercial activity.

Equity & Labor Nominees

David Clément
Local President, Syndicat Canadien de la Fonction Publique (SCFP)
Montreal, QB, Canada

Frederika McClary Easley
Director, Strategic Initiatives, The People’s Ecosystem
Austin, TX, United States

Peter Finn
Director, Food Processing Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
San Bruno, CA, United States

Calvin Frye
Chair, Standing Committee on Social Equity, National Hemp Association
Los Angeles, CA, United States

Kristin Heidelbach
Advisor & Legislative Advocate, Cannabis Workforce Development, UFCW Western States
Sacramento, CA, United States

LaQuita Honeysucker
Director, Civil Rights & Community Engagement, UFCW International
Washington, D.C., United States

Ali Jamalian
Chair, SF Cannabis Oversight Committee
Chair, DCC Cannabis Advisory Committee
Founder, Sunset Connect
San Francisco, CA, United States

Erik Murray
Founder, Rose Mary Jane
San Francisco, CA, United States

Khadijah Tribble
Advocate, Advisor & Activist
New York, NY, United States

Angela White
Equity for Industry Program Manager, Success Center San Francisco
San Francisco, CA, United States

Health Nominees

Princess Tengku Chanela Jamidah Ibrahim
Founder, HALAL HEMP
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Melissa Etheridge
Founder, The Etheridge Foundation
Los Angeles, CA, United States

Sean Kiernan
President, Weed for Warriors Project
Sacramento, CA, United States

Michael Krawitz
Executive Director, Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access
Elliston, VA, United States

Jim McMahon
Ex-NFL Player, Activist & Co-Founder, Revenant
Scottsdale, AZ, United States

Mskindness B. Ramirez
Executive Board President, This Is Jane Project
Los Angeles, CA, United States

Steph Sherer
President, Americans for Safe Access
Washington, D.C., United States

Legalization & Clemency Nominees

Jeremy Acton
Leader, Dagga Party
Cape Town, South Africa

Weldon Angelos
Founder, The Weldon Project
Salt Lake City, UT, United States

Mary Bailey
Managing Director, Last Prisoner Project
Haiku, HI, United States

Julie Barron
Co-Director, Decriminalize Nature
Detroit, MI, United States

Leo Bridgewater
National Director, Minorities for Medical Marijuana
Trenton, NJ, United States

Andrew DeAngelo
Co-Founder, Last Prisoner Project
Co-Founder, Harborside Health
Oakland, CA, United States

Steve DeAngelo
Co-Founder, Last Prisoner Project
Co-Founder, Harborside Health
Oakland, CA, United States

Jodie Emery
Politician & Activist
Kamloops, BC, Canada

Kassandra Frederique
Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance
New York, NY, United States

Andrew Freedman
Executive Director, Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education & Regulation
Denver, CO, United States

Ann Lee
Co-Founder, Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition
Houston, TX, United States

Bernard Noble
Co-Founder, B Noble
New Orleans, LA, United States

Amy Ralston Povah
Founder, CAN-DO Foundation
Malibu, CA, United States

Luke Scarmazzo
Co-Founder, California Healthcare Collective
Modesto, CA, United States

Going Global - Pioneering Cannabis Hospitality: A Conversation with Arend Richard

In this enlightening interview, Arend Richard, a seasoned entrepreneur from the cannabis industry, shares his journey from starting a YouTube channel to educate on cannabis use, to co-founding WeedTube, and developing a unique cannabis hospitality business. Born and raised in Colorado, Aaron discusses the evolution of his business ventures and his current project—creating a welcoming, educational environment for both seasoned and first-time cannabis users. He delves into the challenges of establishing a cannabis-friendly social space, including regulatory hurdles and community engagement, and highlights his vision for a new kind of social interaction centered around cannabis.