Taos nonprofit wins Cannabis Business Award

The Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuary recently won a Cannabis Business Award for its generous donations of cannabidiol (CBD) products. The nonprofit organization, based in Taos, gave its products away to those who could not afford to buy them due to financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nonprofit operates in tanpresented to businesses, individudem with a retail store in Taos — als and organizations in the mediCBD Wellness and Natural Relief, cal and recreational sectors deservat 203 Ledoux Street. ing recognition and accolades. The

“This year, we gave away more awards were launched in 2012 in medicine than we sold, just to help Colorado, and have since expandthe community,” said Gemma ed to other cities including New RaStar, the organization’s founder, York, Miami and Las Vegas. who said she donated more than In addition to its hemp-based $100,000 worth of hemp oil blends medicine, RaStar said Wumaniti and body care products to people provides equine-assisted therapy suffering from anxiety, depression to the Taos community. It has and pain. plans to open a Wild West medi

The Cannabis Business Awards cine show, designed to connect / Colorado 2020 recognized the local community to horses and Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuhealing. The group also works with ary with an “MVP” award (the veterans’ behavioral health. definition of which was not avail“We remind people to selfable at press time). Wumaniti was care,” said RaStar. “We remind one of 10 MVP award recipients. them that this plant creates freeOther awards included Industry dom in people’s lives, and that it Organization of the Year, given to is a medicine, and the answer to NORML, and the Hope Award, a lot of our issues — globally and given to American Medical Refupolitically.” gees. For more information, email

Cannabis Business Awards are gemmarastar@gmail.com.

MORGAN TIMMS/Taos News Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuary founder Gemma RaStar poses for a portrait with her horses Friday (Dec. 18) in Taos. In addition to hemp-based medicine, RaStar said her nonprofit provides equine-assisted therapy to the Taos community. She aspires to develop a Taos equestrian performance arts school and ‘healing center for youth and family to come together.’

Left: RaStar, of Taos (center), and Jake Concha, of Taos Pueblo (left), harvest hundreds of plants of seven different hemp strains Friday (Oct. 4, 2019) in their greenhouse on the outskirts of Taos. RaStar’s collective of hemp growers, Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuary, believe hemp is a way of life that everyone can benefit from.

RaStar said she donated more than $100,000 worth of hemp oil blends and body care products to people experiencing financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic.