The Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) announced its Equity Workshop Tour is building momentum and creating lasting impact as it reaches the midway point of the 2025 national tour. In 2025, MCBA's Equity Workshop Tour is slated to visit more than 15 cities across the nation to advance social equity, entrepreneurship and community empowerment in the cannabis industry.
The tour, founded and led by MCBA Board Chair Mike Lomuto, brings immersive, in-person programming to cities across the U.S., fostering an inclusive ecosystem in the rapidly evolving cannabis space for minority entrepreneurs and stakeholders, including licensees and applicants, ancillary businesses, advocates and government officials.
"This tour is more than a series of events; it's a movement," Lomuto said. "Our mission is to strengthen industry footholds for those historically left behind, and to do it in rooms where connection, collaboration and real progress can take root."
Over the years, the Equity Workshop Tour has reached thousands of leaders in the cannabis space. In 2024, the Equity Workshop Tour included 23 workshops spanning from the West Coast to the East Coast.
The 2025 Equity Workshop Tour builds on this momentum by expanding access to expert-led education, strategic networking and resource sharing for social equity applicants, operators, advocates and allies.
The Equity Workshop Tour also plays a strategic role in advancing MCBA's 2025 organizational goals set by the board of directors. By anchoring the organization in local communities and elevating on-the-ground voices, the tour strengthens MCBA's efforts to grow the movement at the state and local levels, while bringing national visibility to both promising practices and persistent barriers. In addition, insights and data gathered at each stop will help inform the forthcoming update to MCBA's Equity Report, ensuring that the lived experiences of stakeholders directly shape the policy conversations that follow.
"Events like this prove that when we bring honesty, integrity and transparency into the room, we don't just change policy, we change lives," said Kennis Littleton, CEO of Canna Gemz and board of directors of the Minnesota Cannabis College, who recently attended the Equity Workshop Tour's flagship event, the Green Equity Summit. "The Green Equity Summit reminded me that equity is not a footnote in the cannabis industry. It's a part of the foundation."
The Programming on the Equity Workshop Tour is tailored to each location, providing a dynamic blend of activities designed to engage participants meaningfully. A key component of the tour is the Roundtable Discussions, where top experts share tactical advice and resources with attendees. These discussions provide invaluable insights and foster knowledge exchange across various fields. Additionally, Group Sessions are organized to identify common challenges and pinpoint potential solutions, encouraging collaborative problem-solving and community building among participants.
Integral to the workshop are Panels and Listening Sessions that feature interactions with regulators, founders, and policymakers. These sessions offer a platform for open dialogue and understanding the intricate workings of equity-related issues from multiple perspectives. Curated Networking opportunities are another hallmark of the tour, aiming to help participants build meaningful relationships that can create momentum and lead to lasting impact.
The session topics are diverse and tailored to address crucial areas of interest. These include navigating challenges in legal markets, which is essential for businesses operating in heavily regulated sectors. Team building and fundraising sessions focus on strategies to strengthen organizational capacity and secure necessary resources. Legal, tax, and compliance best practices are also covered, ensuring participants are well-versed in the regulatory requirements of their industries. Furthermore, sessions on building movements instead of just businesses highlight the importance of creating enduring and influential initiatives. Lastly, creating local ecosystems for long-term impact is emphasized, encouraging participants to develop strategies that foster sustainable growth and development within their communities.
"The cannabis industry is at a crossroads. As it grows, we must ensure that it does so in an equitable manner," Lomuto said. "The Equity Workshop Tour is our way of showing up for our members, our mission and the future we're building together."
Since 2015, MCBA has led the charge for cannabis equity from the ground up by developing model policies adopted in multiple states, authoring the most comprehensive national equity reports in the industry, and building a robust network that's helping minority entrepreneurs thrive in a system not built for them.
The 2025 Equity Workshop Tour's upcoming stops include Sept. 10 in St. Louis, Oct. 4 in Chicago, and Dec. 11 in Atlanta.
For more information:
Minority Cannabis Business Association
minoritycannabis.org/
