Actress Rosario Dawson will join the board of directors at Cann, a cannabis-infused beverage company based on the west coast. Through this opportunity, Dawson will look to advocate for more diversity in the cannabis industry as well as criminal justice reform as it pertains to marijuana.
“Cann has proven to be such a leading voice for diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry that I knew I had to get involved with the company,” Dawson told Njera Perkins of AfroTech.
“Their example is one to follow. As one of the first multi-racial women to serve on the board of a major cannabis brand, my mission is to use this position to push the industry towards much-needed change happening both locally and nationally in the fight for equality and equity of cannabis use for people of color.”
Dawson is one of the first queer women of color to ever hold such as position at a cannabis-based brand. Her ascension comes less than a week after Troy Datcher became the first Black CEO of a major, public cannabis-based business in North America.
“I’m truly honored to be at the forefront of shaping the future of the cannabis industry with The Parent Company,” Datcher said.
“This is a tremendously strong company that is poised for continued growth and we have a unique opportunity to disrupt a sector that has disproportionately impacted communities of color—including my own—for far too long. This is a chance to partner with cultural powerhouses like Jay-Z and Desiree Perez to rectify the wrongs of prohibition, eradicate antiquated laws and create a new cannabis infrastructure rooted in diversity, equity and justice for our communities.
With more people of color from marginalized communities entering the cannabis business, hopefully, there will be a shift in how the substance is perceived worldwide.
Indeed we CANN! Thank you for the welcome. Excited to be a part of the team. #CANNCANNGRRRL https://t.co/Sz9s9Y1tLL
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) August 19, 2021
