DENVER – The National Hispanic Cannabis Council launched, aimed at empowering the U.S. Hispanic community through education, entrepreneurialism, and economic opportunity. With 36 states, having already legalized cannabis for medical use, the new national nonprofit organization aims to raise awareness around cannabis-related health, economic, and legal issues as well as promote participation and leadership in the legal cannabis industry, where Hispanics are currently underrepresented. It will also advocate for public policies that support its mission.
“Cannabis prohibition in the U.S. was founded in large part upon prejudice toward Mexican immigrants, and it has disproportionately impacted the Hispanic community ever since,” said Brian Vicente, a founding NHCC board member and partner at national cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLP. “The NHCC will work to repair the damage caused by old prohibition policies and to ensure the Hispanic community benefits from the new legal systems coming online to replace them. We are excited to launch this organization at a time of unprecedented economic opportunity in the emerging legal cannabis industry.”
The NHCC will be comprised of individual and business members from across the U.S. and organized through local chapters. It will offer local education and networking events, as well as national opportunities to interact with subject matter experts in the fields of medicine, policy, advocacy, and other areas.
“Local and national networking events and mentorships will allow individuals from across the country to learn about employment opportunities in the industry,” said Antonio Valdez, Executive Director, National Hispanic Cannabis Council. “The NHCC also aims to be a leader in bringing health care expertise directly to the Hispanic community to educate consumers and demystify cannabis-related medical and wellness products that have been transformational in the lives of millions of consumers.”
The NHCC was founded by cannabis business leaders representing a variety of prominent companies, including Can It Industries, LLC; Cresco Labs; Folsom and Forge; Moxie; Trulieve; and Vicente Sederberg LLP. It is governed by a national board of directors and led by executive director Antonio Valdez, a consumer marketing expert with over two decades of experience marketing to the Hispanic community. Valdez was instrumental in the launch of the nation’s first Hispanic trade association for the real estate industry, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, where he served as a founding board member.
“Trulieve was built on strong core values of giving back to the communities in which we operate,” said Lynn Ricci, Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, “We have been purposeful in our choices to operate within majority-minority communities and supporting a diverse and inclusive industry that will be equitable for all. Joining the National Hispanic Cannabis Council as a founding member is an extension of that commitment to DEI. We look forward to this partnership and our combined efforts to cultivate greater opportunity for the Hispanic community within the cannabis industry.”
For more information, visit https://nhccouncil.org
