The Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association, the nonprofit industry organization working to uplift Indigenous voices and create equitable opportunities for Indigenous communities in hemp and cannabis, honored Indigenous organizations for excellence in advocacy and inclusion with the 2023 ICIA Awards.
The inaugural ICIA Awards recognize and honor the outstanding contributions of businesses, professionals, and organizations within the cannabis industry that seek to create a more inclusive and diverse cannabis industry with a focus on protecting the rights of Indigenous people and the environment.
Recipients of the 2023 Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association Awards are:
- Ropers Majeski – Business Ally of the Year
- Mike Lumoto, owner of Dao Mastery – Advocate of the Year
- Sokaogon Chippewa Community Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa – Tribal Government of the Year
The 2023 ICIA Awards were presented at the National Indigenous Cannabis Industry and Policy Summit, which took place in Washington, D.C., in November. The Summit, which highlights the importance of Tribal hemp and cannabis advocacy, is a platform to discuss the complexities of cannabis legalization with an emphasis on defending the sovereign right of Indigenous communities to build sustainable growth in the cannabis and hemp industries.
“The ICIA is excited to announce three leading ICIA members as recipients of the 2023 ICIA Awards. Ropers and Majeski, Mike Lumoto, and Sokaogon Chippewa Community Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have all been critical to the success of ICIA in our second year,” ICIA founder Rob Pero said in a statement.
