Black Cannabis Week returns Sept. 21-28, culminating in a three-day Philadelphia conference focused on economic mobility, workforce development, restorative justice, entrepreneurship, scholarships, policy and community healing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PHILADELPHIA, PA— As billions of dollars move through one of America’s fastest-evolving industries, Philadelphia leaders are asking a more consequential question: Who gets access to the jobs, ownership, capital and economic opportunities being created and who gets left behind?
That question will take center stage during Black Cannabis Week 2026, Sept. 21-28, a national initiative rooted in Philadelphia that brings together policymakers, entrepreneurs, educators, advocates, students, researchers, wellness leaders and community members to advance economic opportunity, social justice and community-centered solutions.
The week culminates with the Cannabis Opportunities Conference, Sept. 25-27 in Philadelphia, one of the city’s longest-running gatherings focused on education, economic empowerment and equity within an emerging industry.
The 2026 theme, “Rising in Joy, Rooted in Resilience, Building What’s Next,” reflects a deliberate shift from simply discussing disparities to creating pathways forward.
“This work has never been just about cannabis. It’s about who has access to opportunity, who has a voice in policy, who gets to build generational wealth and how we repair communities that have carried the consequences of criminalization,” said Dr. Brandi Hester-Harrell, executive producer and founder of Black Cannabis Week. “This year, we’re asking people to move beyond talking about what’s broken and join us in building what’s next with joy, resilience, ownership and community at the center.”
Economic Opportunity Meets Social Justice
Black Cannabis Week was created in response to a persistent contradiction: communities disproportionately affected by cannabis criminalization have not experienced proportional access to the legal industry’s economic opportunities.
For organizers, that makes the conversation bigger than cannabis.
It’s a conversation about small-business ownership, workforce development, education, criminal justice reform, health equity, public policy, access to capital and generational wealth.
The 2026 conference will connect attendees with resources and opportunities through an economic marketplace, workforce and career programming, entrepreneurship support, expungement and record-clearing resources, research and innovation programming, wellness experiences and scholarships for emerging leaders.
“For years, we’ve watched new markets and industries grow while too many people from our communities are expected to participate only as consumers,” said Cherron Perry-Thomas, owner of Plant and People and co-founder of the Diasporic Alliance for Cannabis Opportunities. “Our work is about changing that equation. We want people walking away with information, relationships, resources and real pathways to ownership, employment and economic mobility. Equity has to mean creating opportunities people can actually access.”
From Record Clearing to Future Leaders
Among the initiatives featured throughout the conference are:
NOVA Future Leaders Scholarships — Supporting emerging leaders with scholarship awards and creating pathways into education, workforce development and professional opportunities.
Pull-Up & Pitch — Connecting emerging entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship, visibility and business-development opportunities.
Expungement & Record Clearing Clinic — Connecting community members with resources designed to remove barriers created by past records and support greater access to employment, housing and economic opportunity.
Workforce & Career Pavilion — Connecting attendees with career pathways, education, mentorship and emerging employment opportunities.
Community Marketplace — Creating visibility and economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, small businesses and emerging brands.
Wellness Pavilion — Centering restoration, mental and physical wellness, and community care as essential parts of economic and social progress.
A Different Kind of Conference
Black Cannabis Week uses an unconference model designed to move attendees from spectators to participants.
Instead of relying solely on traditional panels and speeches, attendees are invited into dialogue, peer problem-solving, community conversations and collaborative sessions addressing real-world challenges.
The model recognizes that expertise doesn’t exist only on a stage.
Entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, residents, advocates, researchers and people with lived experience all have knowledge necessary to shape better systems.
2026 Philadelphia Conference Schedule
Friday, Sept. 25 — Policy, Leadership & Culture
Policy Summit
8:30 a.m.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City
237 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
Policymakers, regulators, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, advocates and community stakeholders will examine policy, economic equity, business opportunity and the decisions shaping the future of the industry.
High Black History Comedy Show & Fundraiser
6 p.m.
Two Locals Brewing
3675 Market St., Suite 100, Philadelphia
Inspired by the nationally recognized Drunk Black History platform, the evening combines comedy, storytelling, history, education and community connection while creating space for joy as part of the broader social-justice conversation.
Saturday, Sept. 26 — Economic Opportunity & Workforce Development
Cannabis Opportunities Conference & Expo
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Philadelphia — Location to be announced
Sunday, Sept. 27 — Community Day
Community Day — Free and Open to the Community
Philadelphia Roots, National Conversation
Founded in Philadelphia, Black Cannabis Week has grown into a national platform connecting leaders, entrepreneurs and communities around policy, entrepreneurship, workforce development, wellness, culture and community access.
The organization reports engaging more than 64,000 community members and more than 150 policy leaders and national speakers throughout its history.
Black Cannabis Week is an annual initiative of the Diasporic Alliance for Cannabis Opportunities (DACO).
Its work is rooted in a fundamental belief: communities most affected by emerging policies should have meaningful opportunities to help shape and economically participate in what comes next.
About Black Cannabis Week
Black Cannabis Week is a national platform rooted in Philadelphia that connects policymakers, entrepreneurs, educators, advocates, wellness practitioners, students, creatives and community members around economic opportunity, social justice, education, workforce development, wellness and equity. Black Cannabis Week is an annual initiative of the Diasporic Alliance for Cannabis Opportunities (DACO), which operates with nonprofit fiscal sponsorship through Marijuana Justice.
Black Cannabis Week 2026: Sept. 21-28
Cannabis Opportunities Conference: Sept. 25-27, Philadelphia
Media Contact
Theresa Spencer
Owner & Founder
Vintage Green Communications
Media Relations, Black Cannabis Week
Cell: 267-997-3354
www.vintagegreeninc.com
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