Kiss My Grass: The Untold Story of Black Women in Cannabis

The cannabis boom was supposed to be a win for equity — but for Black women in the industry, the truth is far from the headlines. Kiss My Grass, executive produced by Rosario Dawson, Colin Kaepernick, Nancy Whiteman, and directed by equity champion Mary Pryor, pulls back the curtain on a devastating reality: systemic exclusion, overtaxation, chronic underfunding, and regulators who look the other way.

While the media celebrates “progress,” Black women are being pushed out of the businesses they built — forced to fight an uphill battle just to survive in an industry they helped shape. This is the story you won’t see on the front page, told by the women doing the thankless work while everyone else cashes in.

Join us for this exclusive screening and fireside chat and see why Kiss My Grass is more than a film — it’s a rallying cry.  The screening will start promptly at 7pm with the panel discussion directly after. 

Wind down the night with Kiss My Grass: The Nightcap — hosted by industry trailblazers Hope Wiseman and Matha Figaro starting at 9:30pm. As DJ Zell sets the vibe with an unforgettable soundtrack, enjoy late-night bites, crafted drinks, and the perfect atmosphere to shift from conversation to connection. We’re keeping the energy high and the vibes flowing as CBC Week officially kicks off.

Panelists: 

Hope Wiseman - Hope Wiseman, CEO and founder of WISECO, is an entrepreneur and advocate for equity in the cannabis industry. In 2018, at just 25 years old, Hope made history as the youngest Black woman in the U.S. to own a cannabis dispensary, launching Mary & Main in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Under her leadership, Mary & Main has become a community pillar for education, access, and opportunity in the local cannabis community, earning her features in Black Enterprise, ESSENCE, and other leading publications. In 2025, Hope expanded her mission by launching Legal and Licensed, a first-of-its-kind platform to support Black and brown cannabis entrepreneurs.

Christina Betancourt Johnson - Christina Betancourt Johnson is the founder and chief executive officer of Standard Wellness Maryland (SWM). Christina brings more than 15 years of executive leadership to the cannabis industry and holds leadership roles on the U.S. Cannabis Council and the National Hispanic Cannabis Council’s Board of Directors. In Maryland, she serves as Vice Chair of The Maryland Wholesale Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) and was recently appointed by Governor Wes Moore to the Advisory Board on Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis. Christina is passionate about developing young women and is committed to identifying strategies for wealth building and wellness in Black and Brown communities.

Matha Figaro - Matha Figaro is the Founder and CEO of ButACake and co-founder of CannPowerment, New Jersey’s first and only Black woman-owned licensed cannabis manufacturer. In 2024, she made history as Azuca’s inaugural Social Equity Fellow and launched ButACake’s cannabis-infused baked goods in New Jersey, a milestone for both her and the state’s edibles market. With a background in hospitality and a passion for empowering others, Matha has helped CannPowerment become a model for minority and women-owned businesses in cannabis. Her partnership with Azuca has expanded CannPowerment’s reach and impact, proving that equity and innovation can go hand in hand.

Caroline Phillips - Caroline Phillips specializes in conceptualizing, strategizing and executing political campaigns, non-profit initiatives, live events and marketing experiences. In 2014, she founded The High Street LLC, a public relations and event production company with the mission of cultivating projects and ideas that leverage business and advocacy for social good. In 2016, Caroline launched the National Cannabis Festival (NCF) in Washington, D.C. and in 2018 she expanded the program to include the National Cannabis Policy Summit (NCPS) as part of a full week of events. Going into year 10, NCF is now the largest ticketed cannabis gathering in the United States and NCPS is the only nationally televised cannabis conference in the United States. Caroline received her Bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University, completed post-graduate studies at Howard University and received her Master’s degree from Georgetown University.