Meet
Aime Carter
Aime Carter is highly motivated and passionate about educating others about the many benefits of cannabis. In 2018, after seeing firsthand the difference it made with her son, Amie petitioned to list Autism as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis in Michigan. Amie has spoken many times to educate parents of this natural alternative to pharmaceuticals. She is a dedicated activist for cannabis as well as for families in similar situations. Her goal is to bring improvements for children’s mental health. Amie hopes to make access and use easier across our country by working to help pediatric and adolescent patients gain the same equal rights as those who use traditional prescribed medicine.
Meet
Rick Anstiss
Rick is widely known as “Mr. Fungi” and “Big Cloud” — is a Michigan-based entrepreneur, event coordinator, and nationally recognized cannabis advocate. Since entering the industry in 2008 as a caregiver and cultivator under Michigan’s medical marijuana program, Rick has become a prominent voice for patients, small businesses, and responsible cannabis policy.
As Co-Founder and Vice President of the Michigan Weedsters, Rick has played a key role in building bridges between patients, industry leaders, and policymakers. His work focuses on protecting equitable access, promoting transparent regulation, and ensuring that cannabis policy reflects both economic opportunity and human impact.
Rick is also the driving force behind numerous community-centered initiatives, including Big Cloud Farms, Big Cloud Presents, and the Hazey Holes Cannabis Classic — events designed to unite advocacy, business, and culture. Through these platforms, he has helped foster meaningful dialogue while strengthening connections across Michigan and beyond.
A storyteller at heart, Rick co-hosts the To Be Completely Blunt podcast and is a contributing author in the Courage in Cannabis book series, where he shares insights drawn from his lived experience in the evolving cannabis landscape.
Known for his authenticity, relentless energy, and deep commitment to community, Rick continues to champion policies and projects that empower patients, entrepreneurs, and future generations alike
Meet
Ryan Bringold
Ryan Bringold is a longtime Michigan cannabis activist whose advocacy began after attending his first Ann Arbor Hash Bash in 1987. Inspired by the movement, he moved to Ann Arbor and has spent decades advocating for cannabis freedom and patient rights across the state.
For Ryan, cannabis is both medicine and a way of life. He has been involved in cannabis-focused media for years, including the Michigan Medical Marijuana Show and the Skunkworks Show, helping amplify patient and caregiver voices. Since the passage of Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Act in 2008, his work has remained firmly aligned with protecting the rights of patients and caregivers and preserving access to natural medicine.
Ryan is a co-founder of Michigan Weedsters. For over a decade, he has organized and hosted the annual Zahra Abbas Memorial Bridge Walk (formerly the MI Norml Bridge Walk) in Mackinaw City. Since 2021, he has also hosted the Harvest Rally at the Capitol in Lansing—continuing his commitment to grassroots advocacy, community education, and protecting voter-approved rights in Michigan.