Revolution Global's Candace Gingrich To Talk Social Equity At Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference

LGBTQ advocate Candace Gingrich is among a group of advocates and industry officials who will discuss the role the cannabis community should play in social equity at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference starting Monday in Miami Beach. 

Gingrich, the vice president of business development in Florida at Revolution Global and author of the 1996 book “The Accidental Activist,” also leads LGBTQ outreach for the company. Gingrich worked for more than two decades for The Human Rights Campaign.

Gingrich told the Washington Blade that the company’s focus on social justice and equity was what drew them to the company, and that the LGBTQ community is one that is sometimes overlooked in the effort to make the new cannabis industry inclusive.

“We talk about the failed war on drugs and we talk about the importance of bringing black and brown people into the industry to be part of it and to be engaged,” Gingrich told the paper. “But a lot of times, we weren’t talking about queer people, which has also been a historically marginalized community.

“We really want to bring in queer people, we want to bring in people of color, we want to bring in veterans,” Gingrich said of Revolution Global.

“I see it as not only queer people as patients, but also as a way to provide job opportunities for people that sometimes still face barriers to employment.”

Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference returns to Miami Feb. 24-25 with North America's largest B2B cannabis gathering, bringing together capital, cannabis executives, thought leaders and more!

In Revolution Global's press release announcing the hire, Gingrich said LGBTQ people also face health care marginalization. Revolution Global's business is focused on medical marijuana in Florida, where non-medical use remains illegal.

"I'm also looking forward to helping to mitigate historical barriers to medical cannabis, including the social stigma that has long kept queer people from easily accessing the health care they need," Gingrich said.

Gingrich is married to Illinois Rep. Kelly Cassidy, the lead House sponsor of the measure that made adult-use cannabis legal in Illinois last year. Gingrich’s half-brother is former U.S. House Speaker and conservative symbol Newt Gingrich.

The panel at the Cannabis Capital Conference will discuss the benefits of social equity programs for stakeholders, in the industry as well as in the community.

“They will touch on challenges faced in implementing programs and who is leading the way,” conference organizers said in the description of the panel.

The discussion will also include Marijuana Policy Project executive director Steve Hawkins; Cresco Labs Inc CRLBF senior vice president Barrington Rutherford and Kris Krane, president of 4Front Ventures Corp FFNTF. The panel will be moderated by Sloane Barbour, chief revenue officer of Flowerhire.

Related Links:

Cannabis Co. Revolution Adds Notable LGBTQI+ Activist Candace Gingrich To Team

Revolution Global To Mentor Black-Owned-And-Operated Cannabis Business In Chicago

Courtesy photo.