The Power 100: Honoring Black Leaders Who Laid the Foundation for Cannabis Reform
- Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) launched the Power 100 list to honor 100 Black leaders who significantly contributed to cannabis culture, policy reform, and community access before widespread legalization.
- The list emphasizes enduring impact, personal sacrifice, and leadership at times when working in cannabis involved legal, social, and economic risks, rather than focusing on current market success or popularity.
- M4MM created the Power 100 as a historical archive to preserve Black leadership's legacy and ensure early contributions to cannabis reform and culture are not erased amid industry commercialization.
- The initiative highlights the importance of acknowledging Black communities' disproportionate harm from cannabis prohibition and promotes honest discussions on equity, inclusion, reparative justice, and community investment in the evolving cannabis industry.
As the legal cannabis sector continues to mature—marked by increased professionalization, consolidation, and global expansion—an essential question remains unresolved: who laid the groundwork for today’s industry, and what sacrifices were made along the way?
In honor of Black History Month, Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) has unveiled its first-ever Power 100 list, recognizing 100 Black leaders whose efforts shaped cannabis culture, policy reform, and community access long before legalization gained widespread acceptance.
The Power 100 spotlights individuals whose influence spans advocacy, policymaking, entrepreneurship, scientific research, and grassroots organizing. Many of these leaders contributed at a time when cannabis work carried serious legal, social, and economic risks—with little recognition and no guarantee of financial reward.
Launched alongside M4MM’s 10th anniversary, the Power 100 is deliberately framed as more than an awards list. Instead, it serves as a living historical archive, designed to preserve the stories and contributions that predate corporate cannabis narratives and venture-backed success. Its goal is to prevent early leadership from being overshadowed or erased as the industry becomes more commercially driven.
“This list is about impact, not optics,” said Roz McCarthy, Founder and CEO of Minorities for Medical Marijuana. “It documents who showed up early, stayed when it was difficult, and carried the weight of advocacy when there was no economic upside.”
That philosophy defines the Power 100’s purpose. Rather than emphasizing visibility, popularity, or current market power, the list prioritizes endurance, personal sacrifice, and tangible influence—qualities that are often undervalued as cannabis becomes increasingly commodified.
Long before legalization entered the mainstream, Black communities bore the brunt of cannabis prohibition, experiencing disproportionate rates of arrest, incarceration, and long-term economic harm. While legalization has opened doors to new markets and investment, many of the people who fought hardest for reform remain excluded from ownership, leadership, and formal recognition.
The Power 100 was created to confront that reality. By formally documenting Black leadership in cannabis reform and culture, M4MM seeks to ensure that the industry’s roots are not rewritten, minimized, or sanitized as public perception shifts and profits grow.
As cannabis evolves into a global industry, initiatives like the Power 100 underscore that equity isn’t only about future opportunity—it’s also about acknowledging history. Honoring those who built the foundation creates space for more honest discussions around inclusion, reparative justice, and long-term community investment.
Through the Power 100, M4MM affirms that cannabis history is inseparable from Black leadership—and that safeguarding this legacy is essential to building a more just and equitable industry moving forward.
Rather than measuring success by annual revenue or short-term performance, the list emphasizes sustained influence and long-term impact.
Learn more about upcoming M4MM events and how to be involved!
The List of Honorees includes:
Fab 5 FreddyAl HarringtonRicky WilliamsEugene MonroeBrandon Wyatt ESQBelecia RoysterCherron Perry Thomas Chef Stacey DuganMichael “Coach” HarrisHope WisemanDr Octavia Wiseman DMDNadir PearsonTauhid ChappellCat Packer Dasheeda DawsonLeo BridgewaterGillie Da KidGibran WashingtonGia MoronChelsea Wise HiggsMartin MitchellWanda JamesDr Roz McCarthyHazey TaughtmeNaomi GrangerEdie MooreJasmine Jackson Whitney BeattyAmber SenterVirgil Grant Antione MordicanScheril Murray Powell ESQDr Terel Newton MD Dr Rashan Hodges MD Ruben LindoChristina Johnson Jesse HortonLinda GreenAlphonso Tucky Blunt Corvain CooperMethod ManSnoop DogErnest ToneyTahir JohnsonSuzanne NicholsKristal Bush Mike Tyson Cassandra Frederique Dr Chanda Macias Arianna Kirkpatrick Mehka King Cimone CassonThunder Walker Shanita Penny Rodney “Hurricane” Carter Toi Hutchinson TaShonda Vincent LeeKevin FordAmber LittlejohnCourtney Davis Khadijah Tribble Caroline Phillips The Dank DuchessTodd Hughes Jason Marshall Nicole Buffong Shanetha Lewis Erik Range Eric Foster Sirita WrightShanel LindseyDanielle Drummond Jay Jackson Nichelle Santos Dr Lisa Pickney Dr Bridgett Cole Williams MD Dr Kelly King MD Fredericka Easley Mary PryorAiesha GoinsKristi Price Sheena RobersonChris Jackson Whiz KalifaDr. Jean TalleyrandDrs. Janice, Rachel & Jessica Knox MDRico LamitteGuy Rocourt Lizzy JeffChef Zarilla Bacon Redman Kebra Smith BoldenOtha Smith Sephida Artis- MillsJR Fleming Dr Herve Damas MD Derrell Black Devin AlexanderBrendan Robinson Jay Mills