Akilah Armstrong is the Cannabis Equity Program Manager for the Boston Cannabis Equity Program within the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. In this role, she works to promote equity within the Boston Cannabis industry by educating Boston residents about the city’s Cannabis Equity Program and certifying eligible applicants and businesses. Additionally, Akilah is responsible for the creation and development of technical assistance and grant funding opportunities for certified equity applicants.

Akilah began her cannabis career in the Summer of 2020, where she worked as the Executive Assistant and Marketing Coordinator for a local Boston-area dispensary. While in this role, she gained firsthand experience of what is needed to operate and scale a successful cannabis brand. Soon after leaving her role with the dispensary, she supported Boston Cannabis Week (BCW) executives with the logistical execution of BCW 2021, where she planned an activation event for a new Merrimack Valley dispensary, which was managed by Boston natives.

After 2021, Akilah stepped away from the cannabis industry, during which she took time to reflect on the industry as a whole and determine how she could best make a meaningful impact. This led her to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, where she worked for 3.5 years as a Project Coordinator within the Equity Programming and Community Outreach team, co-managing the Social Equity Program and working closely with Social Equity Program participants. Through her management of the program, Akilah gained a deep understanding of participants' business needs, allowing her to effectively assist in their licensing journey and connect participants with the right resources.

Akilah is excited to continue her work in the cannabis equity space. She brings a wealth of cannabis experience and is eager to continue connecting with Boston equity applicants and cannabis brands!