Creative Class’ Advocates, LaTosha Brown and Mary Pryor

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Advocacy was queen in 2020. Each year iOne Digital’s Creative Class recognizes people doing amazing things in their professional lives. These two former honorees, both from 2019’s list, are leading the way in civic engagement, one in  community development and the other in cannabis inclusivity. Find out what our former honorees are up to, and don’t forget to check out MadameNoire’s 2020 Creative Class.

LaTosha Brown, Creative Class of 2019 Honoree

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LaTosha Brown has long dedicated her efforts to see an end to voter suppression. Following the 2016 presidential election, Brown co-created Black Voters Matter Fund and the BVM Capacity Building Institute, southern-based organizations dedicated to educating voters on their rights and increasing turnout. The fund played a significant role in the 2017 Alabama U.S Senate race that brought victory for Doug Jones, the first Democrat to win the seat in 25 years. The fund was also pivotal in the 2020 presidential election, in part by helping turn out the vote again in southern states with special attention to Georgia, where for the first time in nearly 30 years, the state turned blue. An award-winning organizer and political strategist, Brown is also the principal owner of Truth Speaks Consulting, Inc., a philanthropy advisory firm in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s been featured on national networks such as CBS, CNN, MSNBC, HBO, and serves on many boards, including the U.S. Human Rights Network and the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center.

Mary Pryor, Creative Class of 2019 Honoree

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Mary Pryor is all about cannabis inclusivity. The co-founder of Cannaclusive, a digital platform that educates people of color in the legal cannabis industry, believes the cannabis industry is where Black people can build real wealth. She’s also the chief marketing officer of TONIC CBD, a locally sourced manufacturer of high-quality CBD and botanical blends aimed at fixing your vibe. To increase equity in the cannabis space, Pryor recently engineered tools and databases to empower consumers, likeInclusivebase, a listing of POC-owned cannabis businesses in partnership with ALMOSTCONSULTING, a cannabis marketing consultancy firm. Another recent list published in June on the Cannaclusive website, Pryor and the firm’s team created is The Accountability List, a call-to- action database of cannabis companies seeking their support in equity and inclusion in the industry.