Social Equity in the US

Jessica F. Gonzalez, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Cannabis & Trademark Attorney

Rudick Law Group, PLLC

From Advocate to Architect, Jessica's passion for justice drives her groundbreaking work in the cannabis industry. Her successful legalization advocacy and policy expertise set new precedents in cannabis law. Jessica's deep knowledge of intellectual property law empowers clients to protect their innovations and thrive in this dynamic market.
Jessica Gonzalez is an award-winning cannabis attorney, adjunct professor, advocate, consultant and international speaker. An Ecuadorian immigrant, Jessica has dedicated her career to uplifting communities harmed by cannabis prohibition through advocacy and education.

In 2020, Jessica led the social impact committee for NJ CAN 2020, the coalition that ran the most successful cannabis legalization campaign in the U.S. Through her advocacy work, she has helped shape cannabis policy on the statutory, regulatory, and municipal levels in New Jersey and has advised on social equity efforts in multiple states. 

In 2021, Jessica made history with the first cannabis industry presentation to over 400 USPTO trademark examiners, further establishing her as a leading figure in cannabis policy and legal practice. As a cannabis attorney, she has assisted clients in navigating the legal cannabis industry in the areas of trademark, commercial transactions and state cannabis licensing applications for over five years. 

Most recently, Jessica’s consulting company, Veridis Quo, was selected by the New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC) to serve as the inaugural consultant to develop and launch the New Jersey Cannabis Training Academy (NJCTA) underscoring her significant contributions to cannabis education. Understanding the importance of cannabis education, Jessica has taught cannabis history and policy courses at both Hudson County Community College and Rowan University at the graduate level. 

She also serves as an executive board member of Supernova Women, a national nonprofit that supports small business owners of color in the cannabis economy. Jessica is also an alumnus of the New Jersey New Leaders Council, a national organization that selects civic leaders in their respective fields. 

Jessica has been recognized as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People” in Cannabis by High Times Magazine, “Reformer of the Year” by Cannademix, “Top 40 under 40 Rising Stars” by Marijuana Venture Magazine and Cannabis Now Magazine, designated as a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer" by the National Law Journal and awarded “Community Game Changer of the Year” by NJ Cannabis Media. She's been quoted and featured in numerous media outlets such as New York Times, Rolling Stone, NJ Law Journal, MJBIZ Daily, Cheddar, and the Cannabis Business Times.

Jason Ortiz Related Seminars and Products

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Last Prisoner Project

Jason Ortiz is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Last Prisoner Project  Jason was arrested for simple cannabis possession at the age of 16 in Norwich CT, and that experience inspired him to become a cannabis justice advocate.  After graduating from the University of connecticut in Storrs with a degree in Public and Community Engagement, He was one of the founding board Members of the Minority Cannabis Business Association where he empowered legacy entrepreneurs of color to become policy advocates through the organizing of 5 cannabis policy summits that brought together dozens of stakeholders of color to draft model Social Equity legislation. 

In his home state of Connecticut, Jason was a founding member of Connecticut United For Reform and Equity and the lead drafter of 2021's HB6377, “An act creating an equitable and modern cannabis workforce”, which was ultimately incorporated into Connecticut's cannabis legalization framework.  After ending prohibition in his home state, Jason took his skills to the national level as and is the immediate past Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, where he trained hundreds of students how to end the war on drugs through community organizing, policy development and lobbying, and direct action.

In addition to his drug policy activism Jason sits on the board of the CT Working Families Party and has served as President of the Connecticut Puerto Rican Agenda where he organized for economic justice for his home island of Puerto Rico.

Dasheeda Dawson Related Seminars and Products

Founding Director

Cannabis NYC

Dasheeda Dawson is a global cannabis advocate, award-winning Fortune 100 business strategist, and a bestselling author on the cannabis industry. Her advocacy and thought leadership have also been featured across multiple outlets.

Dawson has nearly 20 years of business development, strategic management, and brand marketing excellence while leading transformative organizations in both the public and private sectors, nearly a decade of which has focused on the growing cannabis industry.

As an advocate and policy advisor, Dawson was pivotal to the 2021 landmark passage of New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. While fighting for legalization in her home state, Dawson was tapped to lead cannabis regulation in Portland, Oregon. As cannabis program manager for the City of Portland, Dawson oversaw all regulatory licensing, compliance, education, and equity initiatives for the city’s cannabis industry. Supported by ongoing cannabis tax revenue allocation, her office managed the Social Equity & Educational Development (SEED) Initiatives, which includes the nationally-modeled SEED Grant Fund, the country’s first community reinvestment fund tied to local cannabis tax revenue. Under her leadership, Portland approved a multimillion-dollar Cannabis Emergency Relief Fund, becoming the first government jurisdiction in the country to allocate cannabis tax revenue to provide aid and emergency relief to the industry.

Dawson serves as Board chair of the Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition, a national organization of industry policymakers and regulators often referred to as the leading architects of cannabis equity and reform in the United States.

Dawson received her MBA from Rutgers Business School and completed her undergraduate degree in molecular biology at Princeton University.

Laury Lucien, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

CEO

EvoLucien Cannabis

Laury is a marijuana attorney, professor, entrepreneur, and transformational speaker. Laury was born in Boston and raised in Petionville, Haiti. A bright student, Laury was a senior in high school by the age of 15. She moved to Massachusetts during her senior year of high school and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from UMass Amherst and a Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Laury spent over a decade studying various martial arts disciplines, religious doctrines, and spiritual philosophies. She attributes much of her success to the personal development habits she cultivated through those disciplines, doctrines, and philosophies.

Laury wears many hats! She sits on the Cannabis Advisory Board for the Cannabis Control Commission, serving on the Market Participation subcommittee and Public Safety and Community Mitigation subcommittee. Laury is the Founder and Primary Educator of the Legally Great Academy, LLC. She created the Legally Great Academy to transform the world by elevating human consciousness through education, coaching, mentoring, and community. Laury is the founding member of a co-located marijuana retailer, marijuana product manufacturer, and marijuana delivery operator in Massachusetts. She is an adjunct professor at both Suffolk University Law School and Clark University where she teaches Cannabis Law. She is the host of the Laury Lucien Podcast, a podcast that intersects business and spirituality. She is a founding member and CEO of EvoLucien Cannabis, her family-owned cannabis brand. She is a co-founder of 67 Degrees Brewing, a craft brewery and taste room in Franklin, MA.

Laury is passionate about helping entrepreneurs navigate heavily-regulated industries. She helped over 15 people obtain their certifications for Economic Empowerment Priority status in Massachusetts. She provided training and technical support to participants in the Cannabis Control Commission’s Social Equity Program. In law school, she participated in the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic where she represented clients in a wide range of business disputes and intellectual property matters. Laury believes that knowledge is liberating, so she consistently hosts events or sits on panels to provide information to those who would not otherwise access it.