Before cannabis was legal in California, it was women who often worked behind the counters, ran the operations, and pushed for progress—yet were rarely recognized as leaders. In this powerful first part of our two-part series, we revisit one of the earliest public panels on women in cannabis hosted by UCLA’s CannaClub, the first student-led cannabis organization in the country.
Moderated by CannaClub co-founder Maha Haq, the panel features trailblazers who helped shape the industry: Ophelia Chong, Dr. Brandi Cross, and Felicia Carbajal. From fighting stigma in their families to redefining professional representation, these women share personal stories that reveal the resilience it took to break into an emerging and often male-dominated industry.
This episode also includes a GBL TV Quick Hit video spotlighting the feminine power of the plant, a featured documentary pick—Mary Janes: The Women of Weed—and consumer insights on how to support female-founded and gender equity-driven cannabis brands.
What You’ll Learn:
What it was like to be a woman working in cannabis pre-legalization
How women pushed back against stereotypes and stigma
The origin and mission of UCLA’s pioneering CannaClub
Tips for identifying and supporting equity-driven cannabis brands
The importance of female-led storytelling and documentaries like Mary Janes
If you’re local to LA’s Inland Empire, catch "Just Say KNOW" with Maria live on NBC's KCAA Radio & TV 1050 AM/106.5 FM Fridays from 4-5 pm Pacific.
Copyright © 2025 Green Bee Life | Green Bee LLC, is a subsidiary of Green Life Media, Inc., a full service creative agency and production company.