This session at the Black Bitcoin Summit focused on the intersection of cannabis, hemp, and cryptocurrency within the Black community, highlighting legislative progress and challenges across states like Michigan, Illinois, Florida, New York, and New Jersey. Speakers emphasized the importance of restorative justice, expungement, and equitable access to the cannabis industry, noting disparities caused by regulatory frameworks that often limit Black participation. Lamar Wilson introduced hemp as a sustainable, federally legal resource with immense economic potential, especially when combined with cryptocurrency to enable decentralized investment and financial empowerment. Corey Barnett shared insights from Washington D.C.’s model, where Black-owned businesses have significant representation, and discussed the need for digitizing cannabis transactions via blockchain to solve banking and tax collection challenges. The conversation underscored the critical role of ongoing legislative advocacy, awareness of regulatory details, and the promise that technology and decentralized markets hold for expanding economic opportunities in cannabis and hemp industries for marginalized communities. The session concluded with a call to action to support Black-led innovation, research at HBCUs, and to remain vigilant in policy engagement to secure sustainable, equitable growth.
