NCIA's Cannabis Minority Report

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto and Kay Villamin: Ophelia Chong and Frank Louie. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.
We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities.
On this episode: Ophelia Chong has, from 2005 to the present, specialized in marketing and designing for photographers, photography monographs, and photography agencies. Ophelia teaches Marketing and Self-Promotion to photography students at the Art Center College of Design and has been an art director in the MFA writing program at CalArts since 2008. Founded StockPot Images in 2015, the first and only stock photo agency to specialize in cannabis, hemp and psilocybin, she also founded Asian Americans for Cannabis Education in 2015 with Monica Lo and Tiffany Wu.
Frank Louie is the Chief Operating Officer at California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, he is a successful sales and business development leader with a proven track record for growing revenues in early growth stage and Fortune 500 technology companies. His experiences includes ongoing success in selling and supporting technology, document management solutions and helping to pioneer and develop the emerging electronic customer communications industry.
We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto: Michael Diaz-Rivera. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.
We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities.
On this episode: Michael Diaz-Rivera is a formerly incarcerated man, now a community-focused business owner with proven expertise in motivating others to achieve goals while also prioritizing and strategizing for youth/community enrichment programs. He says he 'holds youth, family, and community in high esteem, and interacts with the greatest degree of professionalism and personal integrity."
His company aligns with his values, aiming to push for true social equity while holding human and social services close to the heart.
We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto and Kay Villamin: Dr. Bridget Williams & Natacha Andrews, Esq. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.

We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities.

On this episode: Natacha Andrews, Esq., is an attorney, speaker, author and cannabis advocate. Originally from NJ, she is a graduate of both Rutgers University and Howard Law.

Natacha’s diverse background brought her to cannabis after practicing a majority of her career as an immigration lawyer. Concerned by the trend she noticed of the disturbing number of detainees facing deportation and permanent family separation as a result of low level, non-violent cannabis convictions, Natacha set out to gain a better understand of the underlying causes and connections. What she discovered led her to seek avenues of advocacy and sensible drug policy reform.

In December 2019 she began to gather a group of attorneys from around the nation, resulting in the formation of the National Association of Black Cannabis Lawyers (NABCL). Today, NABCL works with attorneys from varied practice areas to advocate for equitable, inclusive and reparative justice for those intentionally harmed by the War on Drugs.

Natacha is on a crusade to assist cannabis professionals establish a footing within the industry during the re-legalization of the plant. Natacha provides invaluable expertise and guidance to those seeking equity as they enter the burgeoning cannabis market.

She serves as an advocate for comprehensive drug reform. She is an educator with subject matter expertise, who speaks to audiences ranging from corporate entities to community organizations. She is a volunteer for the Last Prisoner’s Project, directs community engaged for NC-ACT (NC Alliance for Cannabis Transparency), is a Parabola Center Partner and sits on the board of the NABCL.

Dr. Bridget Cole Williams is an established board-certified family physician, best selling author, and the CEO of Green Harvest Health, a medical cannabis and integrative health clinic located in Ohio. With nearly 20 years of experience in family medicine from The Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Bridget combines her medical background with certifications in life and cannabis coaching into her practice. She provides valuable “motivational talks” on medical cannabis, CBD products and business development, life balance and confidence, and a variety of additional topics.

In 2019, Dr. Bridget formulated and launched her own CBD medicinal line of products, followed by her line of hemp infused beauty products. Dr. Bridget also serves as Medical Director for several medical spas, and Collaborating Physician for mental health facilities. When not seeing patients, Dr. Bridget hosts podcast shows, creates educational curriculum, and serves on various boards.

Dr. Bridget also runs a nonprofit, GHH Community Foundation, which helps to fund her book Courage In Cannabis. She uses the nonprofit to provide an opportunity for individuals to share their cannabis stories, and become published authors. Dr. Bridget is honored to have been recognized as Top Female Business, Top Minority Business with the Ohio MBE 2021, Women in Medicine Top Doctor 2021, Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2022, Disruptors 50 Under 50 Brightest Disruptors, and is a respected and sought after thought leader, and expert in the cannabis industry.

We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto and Chris Jackson: Mary Jane Oatman. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.
We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities.
On this episode: Mary Jane Oatman, Founder of THC Magazine and Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Coalition. Mary Jane is a descendant of Chief Looking Glass of the Nez Perce Tribe of the Columbia River Plateau, wants to change the public perception of the indigenous population of the Americas and cannabis.
Originally from Kamiah, in north-central Idaho, she is launching a nonprofit company called the Indigenous Cannabis Coalition. One project is to develop an interactive map that shows all the Native American cannabis and hemp cultivators, processors, testing facilities, and dispensaries in the nation. This directory, which will include companies run by tribes as well as those run by tribal members, will encourage Native American-owned cannabis businesses to support one another and band together.
Mary Jane has been dedicated to reclaiming Indigenous cultures and restoring pre colonial economies in hemp and cannabis. She has worked for her tribe and other communities to advocate to state and federal agencies to protect tribal sovereignty and to ensure more effective government to government relationships are steered by building bridges between diverse stakeholders. In 2009, Oatman was the youngest member appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.
We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto: Keyston Franklin, Chief Executive Officer for Gallantri Industries. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.
We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities. This week's headlines: The NBA Is Lifting Its Ban On Marijuana In New Deal With Players Union, NCIA and other orgs call on the leadership of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to expeditiously take action on the bipartisan SAFE Banking Act.
On this episode: Keyston is a US Army Veteran, strategically using his service skills and training to build pivotal partnerships in the cannabis industry that focus on business development, corporate/government relations, and veteran empowerment. As an entrepreneurial visionary and as a result of his dedication to service, Keyston Co-Founded CannaMatch, Halo Holding Group, and the Warrior Summit Coalition (Vice-President, COO). Most recently, Keyston joined the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Banking & Financial Services Committee (BFSC) to assist and make industry recommendations concerning Financial Institutions, Federal Banking Laws, and groups that represent Banking and Payment Solutions. Keyston founded Gallantri Industries to continue his dedication to service by using opportunities in cannabis to further empower veterans, their families, and their communities.
We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto and Kay Villamin: Damian Fagon, Chief Equity Officer for the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.

We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities.

On this episode: Damian Fagon. Mr. Fagon was appointed as the Chief Equity Officer of the NYS Office of Cannabis Management in June 2022. In this role, Mr. Fagon oversees the social and economic equity initiatives laid out in the MRTA. As a 3rd-generation farmer with a background in international development, agriculture and small business, he has led development initiatives with castor farmers in Jamaica, rice growers in Sierra Leone, and coffee exporters in Guatemala. Mr. Fagon has also launched and advised commercial cannabis operations in South Carolina, New York, and the Caribbean.

We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto: Tiffany Watkins & Chris Jensen. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.

We also provide our take on select news stories, in particular how these stories impact diverse communities.
On this episode: Tiffany Watkins & Chris Jensen. Tiffany is the founder of Vanguard Media. A former IT professional, she's been a grassroots organizer for cannabis for over 30 years. Vanguard is a media platform, a magazine, and most importantly, a movement that's dedicated to Women in cannabis. In addition to showcasing the efforts, innovation and creativity of Women, Vanguard affords me the opportunity to continue to help craft changes in cannabis policy, and social justice.

Chris Jensen is a physical security specialist with over a decade in the cannabis space. Chris is an ArcView Group alumni, and longtime NCIA member who has worked on national security rollouts in the USA and Canada with the likes of Canopy Growth, Cresco Labs, and Highly Cannaco to name a few. Chris grew up in Utah and currently lives in Aurora, CO a suburb of Denver.

Marijuana MSOs sue New York over adult-use retail license delay, and more. For Women's History Month, we highlight a handful of women in the space including Lindsey Renner, Jessica Velazquez, and previous guest Alexis Angulo.

We record live every Monday, on NCIA's LinkedIn Live, at 10am PT / 1PM ET. So be sure to tune in, as well as to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto: Kay Villamin of HUSH. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto: Benjamin Larson of Vertosa. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.

On the latest Cannabis Minority Report with Mike Lomuto: Michael Webster of Falling Leaves Events. Each week on the show, we highlight the journeys, successes, and challenges of Global Majority (aka Minority) leaders in our industry. Mike interviews a leader who has had to navigate innovatively and who believes in the potential that cannabis brings to the reshaping of our nation and communities.

In the news this week: Former California industry leader Flow Cannabis Co. ‘mothballed’ as it seeks to ‘survive’, California Bill to Allow Coffee, Food, and Music at Consumption Lounges, California’s annual cannabis sales fell in 2022 for the first time since adult-use launch, and 100+ Black-Owned Cannabis Businesses to Support Right Now.