Hazey Taughtme, the founder of Black Cannabis Magazine, entertainment agent, and entrepreneur, announced that his publication will be joining in a mentorship program for BIPOC-owned businesses in the cannabis industry. Taughtme made this announcement after Black Cannabis Magazine was selected as the winner of an award from Spectrum Reach to promote Black-owned and other people of color-owned businesses in their areas. Black Cannabis Magazine, alongside other winners, will receive commercial time and space on major cable networks, including CNN and the NFL Network.
The commercials will run for 90 days, and the program includes other marketing opportunities. Spectrum launched the competition as part of its “Pay it Forward” initiative, to provide “minority-owned businesses the opportunity to enhance their brand free of charge.”
Hazey Taughtme expressed surprise and excitement at the victory for Black Cannabis Magazine. He said that he was sure he would not win because he operated a cannabis media business, but that his victory was an achievement for Black entrepreneurs and the cannabis industry as a whole. “How many Black0owned cannabis brands do you know with a commercial airing on CNN, OWN TV, NFL Network, VH1, BET, and ID Channel?” he asked.
Taughtme is not only an entrepreneur. He is also a strong advocate for drug policy reform and cannabis justice, especially injustice in the criminal legal system. As a result of cannabis prohibition and disproportionate enforcement, BIPOC entrepreneurs often face greater difficulties in building and growing their businesses, especially in the cannabis space. He is now joining with the National Diversity and Inclusion Cannabis Alliance (NDICA) and Humble & Fume to launch a mentorship initiative to share guidance and expertise with cannabis entrepreneurs of color.
Rather than promote his magazine alone, he used his commercial time to highlight this mentorship initiative. NDICA, a nonprofit organization, aims to advance equity and inclusion in the cannabis industry. Selected entrepreneurs will receive guidance and experience from NDICA, Humble & Fume and Black Cannabis Magazine. They will be offered participation opportunities in cannabis industry trade shows and events, brand development guidance, and marketing expertise. Humble & Fume and Windship Trading will offer global distribution of the winner’s products, and Black Cannabis Magazine will provide a full pictorial spread featuring them.
Taughtme said that only 4% of the cannabis market is represented by Black-owned businesses. He called on other companies and investors in the sector to join the mentorship initiative and support the development of newer BIPOC cannabis companies. By getting involved and supporting new cannabis businesses, companies can work to build a more inclusive industry and confront some of the lasting inequities that continue to hinder the work of Black entrepreneurs and other BIPOC-owned companies in the cannabis industry.
Black Cannabis Magazine, Humble & Fume and NDICA will provide BIPOC entrepreneurs with a broader environment to showcase their products. They will invite winning entrepreneurs to participate in Winter/Spring 2022 industry tradeshows with a branded, dedicated booth and support for national and global distribution. New partners can make the mentorship program an even bigger experience to further develop industry equity. Interested BIPOC entrepreneurs can visit Black Cannabis Magazine to apply for the program at http://apply.blackcannabismagazine.com.
Check out the Black Cannabis Magazine commercials through the Spectrum program on CNN, VH1, BET, OWN TV, ID Channel, Oxygen, and Viceland, and follow Black Cannabis Magazine on Instagram for more updates.
