EPISODE 16 - PART 1

00;00;08;03 - 00;00;43;05
Maria
Welcome to Just Say KNOW, where we shine a light on cannabis with clarity, curiosity and a commitment to credible conversation. I'm your host, Maria Calabrese and you're listening live on KCAA radio 1050 AM, 106.5 FM, or wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode is part one of a two part series exploring the evolving role of women in cannabis, a topic near and dear to my heart and so essential, so layered, that I felt that deserved more than just one show.

00;00;43;08 - 00;01;21;24
Maria
We'll be drawing from one of the earliest and most insightful panels, held just after adult legalization in California. The conversation, led by Maha Haq, who was co-founder of UCLA CannaClub, the very first student led organization in the country. Now, this discussion was recorded during the early days of legalization in California. It featured powerful voices who helped shape this industry from the ground up, and who are still pushing for the respect, equity and inclusion women deserve and part one.

00;01;22;01 - 00;01;52;13
Maria
We'll explore the personal side of the story, what it was like to work in cannabis as a woman before legalization. Now, back in 2015, before California officially legalized cannabis for adult use, the industry was being hailed as a once in a generation opportunity for women to lead a multibillion dollar movement. Women made up over a third of cannabis executives, outpacing the national average.

00;01;52;16 - 00;02;34;20
Maria
But fast forward to today, and the numbers tell us a more complicated story. One of progress but setbacks, reinvention, resilience. And because while women have made undeniable strides, we're still navigating real challenges from lack of access to capital and underrepresentation in leadership to outdated stereotypes, harassment and being tokenized and equity conversations. You know, women continue to face barriers to licensing, exclusion from insider networks and a shortage of mentorship pipelines, especially in science, tech and cultivation.

00;02;34;23 - 00;03;16;25
Maria
Now, let me be clear, please. This isn't about male bashing. Women need men and men need women. Although Gloria Steinem used to say, women need men like a fish need a bicycle, but I disagree, I disagree. We need allies. Collaborate co-creators. Because when women rise, we lift communities, families and industries. Or, as I like to repeat the famous saying, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did right, except backwards and in high heels.

00;03;16;27 - 00;03;49;15
Maria
So today we're giving space to the stories that too often go unheard, and shining a spotlight on the voices that are leading this industry forward. With both strength and grace, which, by the way, can coexist. That that's where the real power lies. Combining strength and grace, we're going to talk about how far we've come. What still needs to change, and how stigma lingers not only in society, but even in our family conversations.

00;03;49;17 - 00;04;19;16
Maria
Later in the show, I'll spotlight the award winning documentary Mary Jane's The Women of Weed, share practical consumer tips on how to support equity driven cannabis brands, and feature a special Jubilee TV Quick Hit video celebrating the feminine power of the plant herself. Plus, I'll share key legal updates. And finally, we'll hear from panel audience members sharing their reactions and thoughts to this important conversation.

00;04;19;18 - 00;04;57;22
Maria
Remember, be sure to join me next week for part two, where we'll take the conversation further into the systemic issues of gender and racial equity. Why representation in cannabis science and research is critical for women, and how we can build an industry that truly reflects the values of inclusion, wellness, and justice. So whether you're a canna curious, an advocate, a patient, a policymaker, just someone who wants to hear more conversations with some of the boldest women in the industry, this one's for you.

00;04;57;25 - 00;05;09;16
Maria
So sit back, relax, and let's get smarter together with some of the smartest and strongest minds in the industry.

00;05;09;18 - 00;05;23;23
Intro
By 2020. Bank of America and Merrill Lynch estimate that will grow to $35 billion, and many experts believe it could eventually reach $200 billion each and every year.

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Intro Music
With no wonder. I just want everyone to see what the blue sky, blue and white always feel like I feel. Lift me up now I can see so much by the young, the rising.

00;05;49;24 - 00;05;56;21
Intro Music
Woman as well.

00;05;56;23 - 00;05;58;04
Intro Music
And the butterfly.

00;05;58;04 - 00;06;03;11
Intro Music
Who has only begun taking me a while to get it. Had to live and try.

00;06;03;11 - 00;06;16;26
Intro Music
To appreciate life. And what you give me. Spice it when you hold me. When you hold me so close. Someone better ring under your skin. When I leave a knife. So that I can be sure to remember.

00;06;16;26 - 00;06;22;07
Intro Music
What's stone I used to be so.

00;06;22;10 - 00;06;51;15
Maria
Before we dive into today's discussion on women in cannabis, I want to take a moment to highlight one of the most inspiring grassroots efforts to normalize cannabis education and empower the next generation of leaders in this space. You know, back in the early days of California legalization, a group of forward thinking students at UCLA came together to launch CannaClub, the first student led cannabis organization in the country.

00;06;51;17 - 00;07;33;26
Maria
Their mission to educate fellow students about the real career opportunities emerging in the cannabis industry, from science and research to business law, advocacy and public health. They wanted to destigmatize cannabis by replacing myths with information and help students have informed, meaningful conversations, even the tough ones, with their families and future employers. You know, at the helm of this groundbreaking initiative was Maha Haq, who brought together a dynamic group of panelists who we're going to hear from today, including Ophelia Chong.

00;07;34;02 - 00;08;02;05
Maria
Now, Ophelia is the founder of Pot Stock Images. Here we have pot stock images. And why is this important? Well, because Ophelia has worked to dismantle the one dimensional and often harmful portrayals of women in cannabis culture, pushing for authentic, diverse representation. Think back. I'll tell you why this is important. Do you remember the days of Green Crosses on the storefronts?

00;08;02;08 - 00;08;30;16
Maria
And the Bikini Club women on Venice Beach waving people into doctor's offices to get their medical cards? Women were often used as props, hypersexualized gimmicky representations meant to attract male customers. What else is new? So cannabis is no different than many other brands. But let's stick with cannabis. So important to destigmatize and impress these stereotypes and to represent it properly.

00;08;30;18 - 00;09;10;29
Maria
So because these images, they reinforce the idea that cannabis was a party drug, not a plant with medical, therapeutic or any cultural value, and certainly not a space for professional women. By launching pot stock images, Ophelia created a much needed alternative a stock photo library featuring real people of diverse backgrounds, ages, body types and identities. Her goal was to give media marketers a way to portray cannabis users authentically, not through outdated or objectifying stereotypes.

00;09;10;29 - 00;09;41;05
Maria
It serves no one. And then we'll be hearing from Doctor Brandie Cross, who's also on the panel. Doctor cross is the founder of the Pot Lab. She's going to speak to the urgent need for more women, especially women of color, in Stem and cannabinoid science and cannabis research. She'll speak more in depth of that in part two of next week's episode, but we'll be hearing from her today and Felicia Carbajal now.

00;09;41;05 - 00;10;09;29
Maria
Felicia is a longtime community organizer and founder of hi, Felicia. Felicia grounds the conversation in the lived reality of the War on Drugs, and what criminalization meant for women before legalization. And of course, our moderator, Marc, who after founding the UCLA CannaClub, she has gone on to become a respected independent consultant for retailers, consumption, lounges, brands and events.

00;10;10;02 - 00;10;52;12
Maria
Maha has led successful projects with multistate operators and high profile cannabis companies. She currently sits on the boards of the Los Angeles chapters of normal and the Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, and teaches cannabis science at Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California. Now, each one of these panelists is shaping the narrative of what women in weed really look like. Reflecting on the role of women in cannabis and how far we've come in creating respectable, meaningful roles for women in dispensaries and beyond.

00;10;52;15 - 00;11;03;07
Maria
So let's have a look and a listen. One of your major goals and objectives for this evening's panel, what you would love to see happen.

00;11;03;10 - 00;11;22;23
Maha Haq
Oh, wow. A lot really. My major goal for the student group was to highlight women. And now we're finally doing it. So this is a goal in the making happening right now. But what I want is other girls to feel more empowered. Student females to be more empowered about this whole industry, about these women and someone to look up to.

00;11;22;28 - 00;11;34;13
Maria
And these women are great, great contributors, very inspirational, very empowering. And it all begins with education, and you are doing beyond your part to spark the conversation.

00;11;34;14 - 00;11;42;06
Maha Haq
Thank you so much. I really hope it does start some conversation, some dialogs within the students. I anticipate it will. And that's that's the goal.

00;11;42;08 - 00;11;50;16
Maria
That's the start. Conversation change and a better world. All right. Thanks. Well we look forward to talking to you after the panel.

00;11;50;17 - 00;12;11;13
Maha Haq
Of course. I am so very honored to introduce y'all to three amazing individuals. You've got Ophelia Chong, Doctor Brandie Cross, and Felicia Carbajal. So go.

00;12;11;15 - 00;12;40;01
Maha Haq
So without further ado, I want to talk about my first experience walking into a dispensary. Fresh out of high school. Got my medical card. I go to this kind of swanky, sketchy looking dispensary. I walk in. I'm greeted by two very nice girls, but scantily clad. You know, no judgment on what they're wearing. But they were wearing the exact same thing.

00;12;40;04 - 00;13;04;15
Maha Haq
And they looked visibly uncomfortable. So, you know, kind of made me think. Should I go back to my high school weed dealer or should I, you know, stay in this dispensary and get something? There was a manager that popped up and rather telling the girls to fix around the dispensary, like the the buds and stuff. He was telling them to fix their clothes and show more cleavage.

00;13;04;18 - 00;13;30;26
Maha Haq
So that guy that left a bad taste in my mouth and prompted me to work at a dispensary and maybe change things because all these dispensaries were just female bartenders and that was the perception of women. Five, six years ago in the cannabis industry, when I first started, that's all we could do was be bartenders. And since then, you know, it's evolved, thankfully, but not completely.

00;13;30;29 - 00;13;43;15
Maha Haq
So my question for any of y'all, anyone can chime in. How has the cannabis industry evolved from the time you guys started, and how was it for women back then?

00;13;43;17 - 00;14;12;27
Felicia Carbajal
So I think maybe because I might have the oldest experience with this plant and the relationship, maybe I'll start. 1995 the Bay area, Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco. In terms of how was it? I mean, the first thing when you were explaining your story, I always like, I haven't shared this, but I've been going, dealing with a lot of, like, just trauma just surrounding the war on drugs and, like, how I'm processing all this stuff.

00;14;13;00 - 00;14;37;24
Felicia Carbajal
So I'm like, oh, shit. I should share with you guys one of my experiences. So 1996, I don't know, I'm 20 years old. I get picked up at, Oakland International Airport with somebody with a gun. So, you know, for me, like, my experience has always been this, interesting one because that's my first experience as a young person.

00;14;37;27 - 00;15;01;16
Felicia Carbajal
And then, you know, as I was an adult, I got to work with Doctor Allen Frankel. I got to see medicine. So I got to get CBDs before it became, hip chic. Whatever the whatever we're calling it now, in terms of it being everywhere and Whole Foods is getting ready to have it. So, I mean, I've seen just the a very colorful experience with this plant.

00;15;01;17 - 00;15;24;09
Felicia Carbajal
So my first story is it's always just interesting when I think about all of the experience I've had. But in 1995, I was sitting at a friend's apartment. They threw a big sack of weed down and asked me if I would take it into the city because I was headed into the city and I said yes. And so, I mean, that is my experience.

00;15;24;10 - 00;15;38;00
Felicia Carbajal
So for me, it's always been this interesting one in terms of how do we get people access. How do we share information? How do we create this, change? How do we break down these institutions that we currently have?

00;15;38;02 - 00;15;53;00
Brandie Cross
So, so I'm actually one of the children that grew up on pot. I was one of the minors that was able to convince my parents to get a prescription for me in 1996.

00;15;53;02 - 00;16;17;07
Brandie Cross
I was high performing studios in AP Biology, AP Law, AP English, but I never went to school and I got straight A's because I just showed up for the tests. Once I started smoking cannabis, I started making my way in the world. I started community college in 1995. Ooh, I'm dating myself, and I was 16, I know, right?

00;16;17;10 - 00;16;39;01
Brandie Cross
We already did. We have. And I'm living proof that cannabis does not make children stupid. It does not slow development. Because I went straight from there to Cal State Northridge on a scholarship through the Department of Defense in science. I got my bachelor's degree from C sun. Working on actually the endocannabinoid system under Doctor Cohen there.

00;16;39;03 - 00;17;03;21
Brandie Cross
I got my master's degree there, and I went to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine five years after working in pharmaceutical industry here at UCLA and even a startup that now I'm collaborating with. Here at UCLA. Cannabis, enhanced my life. It gave me direction. And back when I was leaving for Hopkins, I didn't know I was going to be a pioneer in Baltimore.

00;17;03;23 - 00;17;23;27
Brandie Cross
I didn't know where I was going to be doing something different. When I left, I was all hype. I was like, I got into my top school at three Johns Hopkins Medical School. I like told everybody in Panorama City, everybody knew. And all the way to Van Nuys, probably all the way here. I was screaming and I was one of two seasoned students, or actually two students from Los Angeles, and we both went to see.

00;17;23;28 - 00;17;51;22
Brandie Cross
That was weird. That got in that year. When I moved to Baltimore and, and realized I wouldn't have access to medicine. I know it's stupid. Like, oops, I forgot something. So I drove across 2 pounds. I don't think they can convict me for that anymore. Right? And soon I started finding myself going up to, you know, the outskirts of New York, near Canada and getting pounds for myself, but also starting to toy around with things.

00;17;51;22 - 00;18;11;14
Brandie Cross
And actually at the pot lab was like, established like ten years ago now, just to medicate myself. I was going on trips to Jamaica with my really hot girlfriend at the time, and learning how to make medicine from indigenous people, indigenous black people who brought the seed from Africa to that land and still keep their strains there. It was powerful.

00;18;11;21 - 00;18;46;08
Brandie Cross
I learned how to make bud rum, and I learned that that's not actually psychoactive because it's full of THC. And there goes my thesis. So when I graduated and had this underground pot club in my apartment for like three years, and the best, Hopkins edibles you could get was that cannabis was probably a vegetable. And so I started the pot lab officially to study the natural raw chemicals in cannabis and hemp plants and hopefully, establish nutritional guidelines, for raw cannabinoids.

00;18;46;10 - 00;19;08;03
Brandie Cross
So it's changed a lot. Now I see people getting into this industry like money signs in their eyes when it used to be people with tears in their eyes saying this is all it works for me. I will die with this. Like people like me who cried at night with pain without it. People who needed access to this other thing.

00;19;08;03 - 00;19;19;29
Brandie Cross
And I think without, stepping up and preserving those boundaries and those limits, around at least medical cannabis, we're going to we're going to lose the health benefits forever.

00;19;20;00 - 00;19;27;27
Maha Haq
How is it being a woman in the cannabis industry from the time you started? And a little background on what you do too.

00;19;28;03 - 00;19;54;14
Ophelia Chong
My name is Ophelia Chong, and I'm not related to Tommy. So, as a woman, I'm speaking from the point of being a mother. Right. So I became a mother who was like, what the hell are you doing? To the apples. There's holes in them, to, like, it's. This is the best thing ever. And so, another part of that to both my daughter and I are both sober.

00;19;54;15 - 00;20;14;14
Ophelia Chong
She doesn't partake anymore at all right now because she's still early in the process. But, I have not had alcohol in 15 years, so actually being in cannabis was a really big thank you. I'm not tempted anymore by Margarita. So, being in cannabis was a big decision for me, and it was because my sister was dying.

00;20;14;14 - 00;20;33;17
Ophelia Chong
And so I needed the change to what cannabis look like. So I started the largest stock agency in the world that specializes in cannabis and Adobe. So as a woman, I started because I was a mother who was against it, to a mother who was for it, to a sister who, insulted her own sister for using cannabis.

00;20;33;17 - 00;20;38;09
Ophelia Chong
And that's why I'm here. So as being a woman. That's why I'm here. So I went through all these stages.

00;20;38;11 - 00;21;04;29
Maha Haq
Nice. Well, to kind of piggyback off that, Ophelia, you advocate for cannabis education through your group, Asian-Americans for Cannabis education. So some of us, some of the students, we're kind of scared to talk about even being part of this group. And it you know, we're scared of what our parents will think as a mother. How do you bring cannabis advocacy in your own home?

00;21;04;29 - 00;21;29;04
Maha Haq
How do we introduce our parents, our families, to accept that we are either involved in the cannabis industry or medicate with cannabis, or just use it recreationally? And especially as an Asian-American myself, I had that struggle with my family and they kind of had their reservations. But, you know, I sat them down. I'm an only child. I'm like, hey, you got to listen to me.

00;21;29;06 - 00;21;48;19
Maha Haq
It's the this stuff is cool. And it also helps. Yeah. It it also helps, you know, I've got a I've got a single parent mom, she, she works in cancer. So she was very open to learning more about cannabis on a medical level. But what what advice do you have for some of the students, how we can talk about cannabis with our parents.

00;21;48;23 - 00;22;14;07
Ophelia Chong
Pretty easy for Asian Americans. About money. Most of the Asian-Americans are ancillary. We produce all your vapes, your packaging, your boxes, your paper tank tags, everything. So we're heavily invested. Ancillary. And so that's how you talk about it. So just talk about it and talk about it in monetary terms about what you can do.

00;22;14;07 - 00;22;23;01
Ophelia Chong
So like research advocacy and bring more of the other facets of cannabis into it other than than what they think. It is.

00;22;23;03 - 00;23;00;27
Maha Haq
Awesome. So I want to loop back to the to the story I told you guys in the beginning. Just seeing spots with just female only bud tenders and just seeing females being disrespected in in the cannabis space in general. So how how are some ways we can address the issues that many young women are dealing with and have dealt with in the past when it comes to working in the cannabis industry, because there's still illegal dispensary operators, out there that are still just hiring females and giving them a certain uniform that they might not be comfortable with.

00;23;00;27 - 00;23;30;05
Maha Haq
So this is still going on. You can go on weed maps and find these dispensaries because like, there's there's still there's still running. You know, they're not they're not all shut down. What advice do, do any of you all have for these young women and for even women like me who have, experienced this? But we're just getting out and finally working more corporate, but still experiencing the same type of dynamic from men that we are below them in some way.

00;23;30;05 - 00;23;33;01
Maha Haq
Just because we're female. What advice do you all have?

00;23;33;06 - 00;23;34;09
Felicia Carbajal
Call them.

00;23;34;09 - 00;23;37;04
Felicia Carbajal
Out.

00;23;37;07 - 00;23;41;09
Panel
Yeah, that's what I you guys.

00;23;41;12 - 00;23;45;29
Ophelia Chong
Something to God damn it.

00;23;46;01 - 00;23;48;17
Ophelia Chong
Happened before last time I do I mean, I.

00;23;48;17 - 00;24;04;07
Brandie Cross
Know other people will tell you to shut up. Just talk louder. I mean, I've had other black people in the industry telling me, don't call that person racist. And I'm like, but they call me the N-word. So yes, we're going to screenshot this and everyone's going to see it. So, you know, people will tell you there's no future.

00;24;04;10 - 00;24;07;26
Felicia Carbajal
Like they'll threaten you. But just like shake it off, like it’s your brother's.

00;24;07;29 - 00;24;22;25
Maha Haq
Like harassment and assault is still very prevalent. And it's something that I hear from other girls like, hey, I'm working at a dispensary. This and this happened. How do I address it? And a lot of these girls say they don't have access to, like an HR department or anything.

00;24;22;26 - 00;24;43;08
Felicia Carbajal
They need to they need to remember there's there's supposed to be a labor peace agreement. So number one, if you're going to work in a shop that's not regulated, don't. Yeah. There's no point. Like there's no future in any of that. Even if they pay you. Well, like what happens if there's a raid and nobody gives a shit, you're going to be the one dealing with the consequences surrounding that.

00;24;43;10 - 00;25;18;02
Felicia Carbajal
So that's like my first thing is like, don't work in a shop that's illegal. And when I say like, tell like sometimes you probably should reach out to the union. It's not just telling the workplace. There are other people that everybody you work with are held accountable to. We haven't been able I mean, I would say like message the Board of Cannabis control, but I can guarantee you in the city of Los Angeles, if you were to email Kat Bakker and tell her something like this because she regulates, everybody who is licensed, something will happen, something will happen.

00;25;18;05 - 00;25;39;24
Maha Haq
Well, that's something we could definitely start with is not supporting companies that are just not put like, just not respecting women. That's that's definitely a step that we could take. And thank you guys so much. Thank you everyone for showing up for supporting it. It's been a wild ride with this cannabis student group. This is something I've always wanted to do.

00;25;39;26 - 00;25;46;18
Maha Haq
So glad you guys are all a part of it. And thank you so much to these amazing panelists. Felicia.

00;25;46;18 - 00;25;52;12
Maha Haq
Thank you, doctor Brandy, Ophelia, thank you so much.

00;25;52;14 - 00;25;59;24
Maria
Maha Haq oh my God, what an amazing. That was the most empowering panel.

00;25;59;27 - 00;26;01;29
Maha Haq
Thank you so much.

00;26;01;29 - 00;26;10;11
Maria
How long did it take you to get a prestigious university, UCLA to agree to having a CannaClub.

00;26;10;14 - 00;26;21;28
Maha Haq
About a year, and that's pretty long for students because students graduate and I'm about to graduate soon. So I needed to make this happen right before I graduated. So I it happened.

00;26;21;28 - 00;26;24;14
Maria
And was this a dream of yours for more than a year?

00;26;24;14 - 00;26;33;18
Maha Haq
Definitely. Back in community college, I try to make a panel like this happen. And this was three years ago and I finally got to do it. So three years in the making.

00;26;33;21 - 00;26;41;10
Maria
Wow. Well, there was three years of resistance. And when you say a panel like this, tell the viewers a little bit about the panel that people.

00;26;41;10 - 00;26;41;25
Maria
Were

00;26;41;28 - 00;26;45;13
Maria
not, boards of universities were not permitting.

00;26;45;16 - 00;26;49;14
Maha Haq
Women in campus panel. That's really what it is, just women in cannabis.

00;26;49;14 - 00;26;52;01
Maria
And some of the esteemed panelists, you had.

00;26;52;03 - 00;26;59;14
Maha Haq
Felicia Carbajal from California Cannabis Advocates, Doctor Brandie Cross from Smart Farm Research Group, and Ophelia

00;26;59;14 - 00;27;06;08
Maria
Chong Push magazine. She's an entrepreneur. She she created stockpot images.

00;27;06;08 - 00;27;19;24
Maha Haq
Yeah. So we try to cover all different sectors of cannabis with this panel, not only on a physical, diverse diversity level, but also with their careers, just to kind of showcase students. What else is out there for them?

00;27;19;24 - 00;27;29;04
Maria
It's a multifaceted plant. It ranges from careers in law to policy to rules, regulations to science, to research, to medicine.

00;27;29;07 - 00;27;41;09
Maha Haq
Definitely. And that's what a lot of these students are wondering about where they can fit into the cannabis industry. And hopefully this panel gave some insight on that for not just the female students, but all of the students who came through.

00;27;41;15 - 00;27;45;20
Maria
Well, it was well attended and by both genders. Kudos to the students.

00;27;45;24 - 00;27;57;06
Maha Haq
Yeah, definitely. It was all the support from the can of club student members couldn't have made this happen if we didn't have such a large student membership. I'm very happy that this is all coming together and we're all doing this together.

00;27;57;07 - 00;28;19;01
Maria
We were talking about media and that's something that why we were just thrilled that you invited us to cover it. And the way that marijuana and cannabis has been represented and even still is represented, the smoke coming out of the back of the van, there's there's an audience for that. There's not. But the audience is so much larger.

00;28;19;02 - 00;28;31;11
Maha Haq
Yeah. No, things are definitely changing now. Social media, YouTube, all these video platforms, like they need to start putting on better content for cannabis. And that's what you guys do.

00;28;31;12 - 00;28;49;01
Maria
Oh thank you, thank you. Well, you provide the forum and you put the panel together and organize. It's going to take education. It's going to take organization and it's going to take outreach. And outreach is limited because the audience that's not being talked to is also the audience that's a little scared to be chatting about it on social media.

00;28;49;01 - 00;29;05;05
Maria
We have to provide content to inspire and empower conversation, and then we have to find distribution that's brave and not looking for shock value. The numbers will be there. If you build it, they will come, definitely.

00;29;05;05 - 00;29;11;13
Maha Haq
That's what we're trying to do at CannaClub. And with your guys's help at Green Life, that's how we're achieving it. Well.

00;29;11;16 - 00;29;38;10
Maria
It's not a plant to be marginalized. It was misrepresented. It was it was it was persecuted. And it just there's there's so much and there's such a need for research so that we can there is data out there, too. The National Health Institute has a complementary medicine area that has data. But how to get the data to the patients, to the doctors, to the.

00;29;38;12 - 00;30;03;08
Maha Haq
Hospital, educate, educate, educate, educate, talk about it. Open up a dialog and bring on some professionals, healthcare professionals, researchers who are actually researching on this very content. Students need to be more exposed, not to students, everyone else. They just need to be more exposed. And that's just something we're trying to do here. And you are trying to do the same as well.

00;30;03;08 - 00;30;08;13
Maha Haq
And with combined efforts we can get, we can get further than we are now.

00;30;08;16 - 00;30;15;25
Maria
And you are helping that to go along. So describing tonight in a word, what would you say.

00;30;15;28 - 00;30;18;18
Maha Haq
Oh beautiful

00;30;18;21 - 00;30;19;13
Maria
Beautiful.

00;30;19;16 - 00;30;20;15
Maria
Thank you.

00;30;20;17 - 00;30;28;01
Maha Haq
Thank you.

00;30;28;04 - 00;30;57;17
Maria
And that's only part one. It's, powerful, powerful, powerful pan to hear firsthand what it meant to be a woman in cannabis before the industry started to gain legitimacy, and how, even now, there's still work to do. From fighting for dignity and dispensary jobs, navigating family conversations. These stories are more than anecdotes. They're roadmaps for the next generation.

00;30;57;19 - 00;31;37;04
Maria
This is what breaks the grass ceiling really looks like it's not just about leadership titles, which are nice, but it's about reclaiming our place and reshaping how this industry sees, hears, and values women. Which leads me to this week's product spotlight. Speaking of women and Mary Jane's and Mary Jane moguls, I want to highlight a documentary in this week's product spotlight that truly captures the spirit of today's discussion.

00;31;37;06 - 00;32;14;16
Maria
Mary Jane's: The Women of Weed. If you haven't seen it, you need to put it on your list. It is a must see. It's an empowering film there. It was directed by Windy Borman. Now she profiles a dynamic group of female entrepreneurs, affectionately called suffragettes, who are reshaping the cannabis industry. Featuring influential voices like Melissa Etheridge, the documentary explores how women are not only participating in the space, but they're leading transformational change.

00;32;14;16 - 00;32;41;01
Maria
I have the good fortune to attend the film's world premiere at the first ever Cannabis Film Festival in Palm Strength Springs, and it cannot be overstated how well done and important this documentary is. When we come back from a quick break, I'd like to share an exclusive Grimsby Life interview with the film's writer, director and producer. My favorite Mary Jane mogul.

00;32;41;01 - 00;32;51;20
Maria
Well, one of them, Windy Borman, that I promise you are not going to want to miss.

00;32;51;23 - 00;32;53;22
Short Reel
Did you know THC and.

00;32;53;22 - 00;32;56;13
Short Reel
CBD are just two of more than 100.

00;32;56;13 - 00;32;57;23
Short Reel
Cannabinoids.

00;32;57;25 - 00;33;04;22
Short Reel
At Greenbeelife? You can watch GBL TV with an evolving slate of original programing.

00;33;04;27 - 00;33;06;04
Short Reel
And going up, up up up.

00;33;06;04 - 00;33;44;08
Short Reel
Up, up, up from a diverse group of on air personalities. I want my GBL TV where we cover everything from pets to wellness, compliance, social equity, culinary arts, sustainability and much, much more. You can learn from articles on our journal, and you can shop or know and go for carefully curated, high quality products for a conscious lifestyle. Watch, learn and shop.

00;33;44;11 - 00;33;53;05
Short Reel
Greenbeelife changing the way the world sees green.

00;33;53;08 - 00;34;26;20
Maria
Welcome back. You're listening to Just Say KNOW on KCAA radio 1050 AM, 106.5 FM. I'm your host, Maria Calabrese, and today we're discussing the evolving role of women in cannabis that is rife with as many challenges as possibilities. Up next is my exclusive interview with Windy Borman one of my all time favorite suffragettes, Mary Jane Moguls, producer, writer, director of the award winning documentary Mary Jane's The Women of Weed.

00;34;26;22 - 00;34;30;06
Maria
All right, let's have a look.

00;34;30;08 - 00;34;33;18
Windy Borman
Cannabis is the intersection of a couple of core values.

00;34;33;18 - 00;34;35;25
Windy Borman
So it's social justice.

00;34;35;27 - 00;34;42;09
Windy Borman
Sustainability and gender parity.

00;34;42;12 - 00;34;59;19
Emily Ann Plizak
Hey, guys. Emily Ann Plizak here from Greenbeelife alongside Maria Calabrese and our wonderful guest, Windy Borman, who is a wonderful filmmaker here, that we're going to be able to see her film tonight here at the first ever Cannabis Film Festival here in Palm Springs.

00;34;59;22 - 00;35;01;06
Emily Ann Plizak
Yeah.

00;35;01;08 - 00;35;03;25
Maria
So, Windy, tell us a little the prep for Project Movement.

00;35;03;26 - 00;35;27;24
Windy Borman
There's lots of cute terms out there. I mean, like Mary Jane's in Women of Weed and Ganja girls and all of these different things. But I just didn't feel like anything did their work justice. So we decided to make up a word. So we blended pot plus suffragette, and we created Puffragette.. strong. I thank you and we have an image to go along with that.

00;35;27;27 - 00;35;36;03
Windy Borman
So that's the that's the suffragette tattoo. Yes. Yes. These are temporary tattoos. So everybody can get one who comes to the screening.

00;35;36;03 - 00;35;42;11
Maria
That's nice enough to have as a permanent. Can you give us a little sneak peek of some of the women covered in the movie?

00;35;42;14 - 00;36;05;02
Windy Borman
Well, the fabulous problem I had is there are so many women in cannabis today, and it was a difficult task to try to narrow it down. So what I tried to do was create a really great cross-section of all the types of women involved in the industry. So we looked at ages, ethnicities, sexual orientation, geographical distribution, what segment of the industry.

00;36;05;03 - 00;36;33;17
Windy Borman
So we have 40 women represented in the film from ten different states. And I felt that as a filmmaker, you know, we have a social responsibility to show that it's possible for women to come into the space. So Geena Davis says, if you can see it, you can be it. And I took that to heart. So some of the amazing women we have in the film include Wanda James, the first African-American dispensary owner, and actually the entire U.S., Betty Aldworth.

00;36;33;17 - 00;36;37;01
Maha Haq
She's the executive director for students for Sensible Drug Policy.

00;36;37;01 - 00;36;48;02
Maria
There's many Mary Jane moguls out there that the the exciting thing about the end of prohibition is no glass ceiling. And it looks like women are rising to the top.

00;36;48;05 - 00;37;12;29
Windy Borman
Definitely. And that's actually what got me interested in cannabis. I was not a cannabis user when I decided to do a film about women in the cannabis industry. So what piqued my interest was hearing that 36% of senior leadership in the cannabis industry was women, and the national average is 22%. So back in 2015, there was something about cannabis that was attracting more women.

00;37;12;29 - 00;37;39;24
Windy Borman
And I realized when I talked to over 100 of them that there were two reasons women were coming to cannabis. So the first is women are smart, right? Shocker. We see the same opportunity that everybody else sees in cannabis. And part of that for us means we can create the company and be the CEO, be the founder. We don't have to be the senior vice president of something, and all these dudes are promoted above us.

00;37;39;27 - 00;38;02;13
Windy Borman
So that's the first opportunity. And then the second opportunity for women is they get to create products that fit into their lifestyle. You know, we're not necessarily interested in the tallest bong ever built or the most THC. So you can just sit on a couch for three days and not do anything like, we've got shit to do in our lives, in our communities, in our families.

00;38;02;17 - 00;38;18;22
Windy Borman
So who better than women to create products for other women? And that's what we're seeing. We have women in East Coast and California who helped draft the legislation that those states got to vote on in 2016.

00;38;18;24 - 00;38;27;21
Emily Ann Plizak
Ask because you said women from ten states, how many states are actually legalized to have cannabis? Where are these women coming from?

00;38;27;21 - 00;38;35;09
Emily Ann Plizak
Are they coming from states where it's still under wraps and they don't really know, you know, when it's going to be legalized?

00;38;35;11 - 00;38;48;19
Windy Borman
Well, we filmed in 2016. And so part of what we were doing was following some of these key elections. So we actually filmed on election night in Massachusetts, in California. Funny story. We actually had a different trajectory for the film.

00;38;48;19 - 00;39;13;05
Windy Borman
We initially thought we were going to have the first female president. Women are leading the first billion dollar industry. Sky's the limit, girl power, go get it right. And so on election night, everyone went yay, cannabis! And then the country fell off a cliff. So people were crying. We we couldn't use that footage like, that's no, you can't end a movie on a down note like that.

00;39;13;05 - 00;39;22;18
Windy Borman
Right. So we went back to the drawing board and we realized that it really came down to these three core values that we talk about in the film. So that's gender parity ocial

00;39;22;24 - 00;39;23;10
Windy Borman


00;39;23;10 - 00;39;53;29
Windy Borman
justice and environmental sustainability. And that became the structure for how we put all those chapters together in the film to kind of lead the audience on this journey. And with that, I had to become an on camera narrator. So I needed to guide the audience on this journey. And that meant I needed to get really authentic and vulnerable about my family's history of addiction, and how that had kept me from ever trying cannabis.

00;39;54;02 - 00;40;04;07
Windy Borman
So I started out as a skeptic, and sorry to give away some of the ending, but you actually see me try cannabis for the first time ever, and that's the end of the movie.

00;40;04;09 - 00;40;07;10
Maria
And it's not been a gateway to Skid Row.

00;40;07;10 - 00;40;15;20
Windy Borman
It appears I'm still here. I have not moved on to harder drugs like I hopefully I'm a testament to you. Gateway drug.

00;40;15;23 - 00;40;23;15
Maria
Yeah. You look alert. And I think it's apropos that you quoted Gina Davis because you have her gorgeous eyes. I think you resemble a little bit.

00;40;23;17 - 00;40;28;18
Windy Borman
Thank you. I really appreciate that compliment. I'm just not going to drive off a cliff tonight. I promise

00;40;28;18 - 00;40;37;14
Maria
Oh, and this evening, I believe you're getting ready for a meet and greet before the screening. And you have a wonderful sponsor for the meet and greet this evening.

00;40;37;14 - 00;40;39;15
Windy Borman
Our sponsor tonight is Elemental Woman.

00;40;39;18 - 00;40;40;23
Maria
And is that Karen?

00;40;40;23 - 00;40;43;02
Windy Borman
Karen, could. Do you want to come in and tell us?

00;40;43;08 - 00;40;56;27
Karyn Cooks
Hey, look, I got this pinned last night. I am officially a puffer jacket. Yes, I love you covered. I thank you so much. Yes. Yes. So Elementa is a national women's cannabis conversation with over 25 chapters now.

00;40;56;27 - 00;41;16;26
Maria
Fantastic. Well, I have to say, we need more filmmakers like Windy and people like you who support those filmmakers, because I think what Windy is going to prove is that you're producing content that says something doesn't just make noise. And I think you're going to show that that's also entertaining and marketable right at the same time.

00;41;16;26 - 00;41;41;21
Windy Borman
Absolutely. And I really I really appreciate that. You know, we're an indie film. So we fundraise. We did distribution. Like all of that is on us. Right. And so word of mouth marketing is so important. You guys are the mouth. So, so if you like this conversation about women leaning cannabis, please tell your friends, please support the film we're at.

00;41;41;21 - 00;41;55;07
Windy Borman
MaryJane'sFilm.com and @MaryJane'sfilm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So we're on this grassroots screening tour right now. So check out our website and see for coming to a town near you.

00;41;55;07 - 00;42;08;02
Maria
This is the type of content that Granby Life likes to distribute and bring to discerning audiences. I can't wait to see in the movie the effect it has on you when you took that first puff.

00;42;08;02 - 00;42;14;06
Windy Borman
Thank you so much. Please come join the film tonight and we'll see you on social media. Thanks everyone. Thanks.

00;42;14;09 - 00;42;21;05
Drayah Sallis
You should care because it's going to bridge the gap between cannabis commerce and the community.

00;42;21;07 - 00;42;22;10
Giadha Aguirre DeCarcer
This is an industry that was. born of a movement.

00;42;22;14 - 00;42;27;19
Gavin Newsom
But with that, not surprisingly, comes responsibility and accountability. Like any other industry.

00;42;27;25 - 00;42;34;06
Lindsay Robinson
The greatest harm that's associated with marijuana is actually the prohibition of marijuana and the laws that have created around it.

00;42;34;09 - 00;42;38;19
Taylor West
We're having legitimate conversations about the failure of the war on drugs.

00;42;38;19 - 00;42;42;10
Unknown
It is the door that you take your foot and you bust it down.

00;42;42;10 - 00;42;44;19
Shaleen Title
So we're a movement, an industry and consumers that.

00;42;44;19 - 00;42;45;29
Ophelia Chong
Are all working together.

00;42;46;02 - 00;42;50;15
Jane West
I realized I wasn't just starting a business, I was like joining a revolution.

00;42;50;18 - 00;42;54;02
Unknown
We got the power.

00;42;54;05 - 00;42;56;03
Melissa Etheridge
I believe walking the walk is the

00;42;56;03 - 00;42;59;26
Melissa Etheridge
most powerful thing I can do.

00;42;59;28 - 00;43;23;09
Windy Borman
I feel like I have more questions now. The start this.

00;43;23;11 - 00;43;55;22
Maria
Brilliant filmmaker. Oh, gosh. That is a powerful, powerful film. And it just shows the faces of of women in cannabis. Three core values Windy talked about gender parity, social justice and environmental sustainability. So take that schedule one baloney, phony baloney, crazy war and drug stuff. Anyway, you can stream Mary Jane's the Women of Weed on multiple platforms, including Kanopy.

00;43;55;24 - 00;44;20;29
Maria
Now, cannabis is accessible through many public and university library systems. It's also available to rent or buy. I strongly recommend buying it. You're going to want to share it. You're going to want to watch it. It attracts time. We'll see how this industry, grows and evolves. You can rent or buy it on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Voodoo, and even Tubi, where you can watch it for free with ads.

00;44;21;02 - 00;44;54;21
Maria
I highly, highly recommend checking it out. It's an eye opening film that's as educational as it is entertaining. And it's empowering. Okay, like share, subscribe. Windy Windy continues to produce some amazing content and live events for thought leaders that entertain, empower, and engage their audiences to create global change. She has a purpose driven mission. Her films have screened at Sundance, the United Nations.

00;44;54;21 - 00;45;25;12
Maria
They've garnered best document and visionary awards on festival circuits. In fact, she won the Best Documentary at the first ever Cannabis Film Festival that I attended. And, she's been featured in variety, the Associated Press, The New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, ABC, and even our very own NBC, to name just a few. Hey, if you want to get in touch with Windy, she's at WindyBorman.com , WindyBorman.com.

00;45;25;15 - 00;45;54;01
Maria
W-I-N-D-Y-B-O-R-M-A-N .com and Windy if you're out there. I look forward to having you on our show. I really look forward to having her on our show. So, I want to pivot now to today's consumer tips and insights. I want to talk about one of the most impactful ways we can all support gender equity in cannabis, with our dollars, with our wallets.

00;45;54;03 - 00;46;24;08
Maria
When you choose to support women owned and gender equity focused brands, you do have more than making a purchase. You're investing. You're investing in an industry that reflects the values of inclusion, wellness, and empowerment. Your values. So how can you tell if a cannabis brand is walking the talk? Well, here's a few tips. Do a little research. Look for brands that are transparent about their leadership teams and company values.

00;46;24;10 - 00;46;57;10
Maria
Many will proudly list their founders and highlight their equity commitments, write on their websites or their packaging. Check for certificates or partnerships, certifications or partnerships. You know some brands, they participate in social equity programs. They're members of organization like Supernova Women, Supernova Women Women Grow or the National Cannabis Industry Associations. Diversity, equity and Inclusion Committee. That's the NCIA diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.

00;46;57;13 - 00;47;41;17
Maria
So or if they're certified by BIPOC or women focused business networks, ask at your local dispensary, don't be afraid to ask your bud tender which products are made by women or, equity driven companies, or women led companies. The more customers ask, the more retailers pay attention. Follow and share. Support isn't just financial. Following these brands on social media, sharing their content and leaving reviews, it helps amplify their visibility, especially in a space still dominated by the larger players.

00;47;41;20 - 00;48;04;04
Maria
Vote with your wallet if you have a choice between two brands and one is women or BIPOC owned. Consider choosing the one that reinvests an equity in community. That's how we change the industry from the ground up guys, from the ground up. So whether you're shopping for wellness, for fun, or for pain relief like myself, know that your choices matter.

00;48;04;06 - 00;48;34;03
Maria
And when you support equity minded brands, you're helping grow an industry that's more fair, more diverse, and more reflective of all of us. Right? And sometimes the most powerful insights don't just come from the panelists, but from the people listening, learning, and inspired to take action after the UCLA clinical panel wrapped, I had the chance to speak with, two audience members who were so deeply moved by what they heard.

00;48;34;05 - 00;48;59;14
Maria
And, one of our GBL TV host was able to, catch them on their way out. I want to share a clip with you. They reflected on the importance of supporting women. Lead and equity focused brands, and how the conversation reshaped their understanding of cannabis is not just a product, but a platform for change. But I have a feeling they already kind of understood that before they went in.

00;48;59;16 - 00;49;03;23
Maria
So, let's have let's have a look and a listen.

00;49;03;27 - 00;49;24;25
Emily Ann Plizak
Hey guys, I'm Emily and please, like from Greenbeelife, the host of Buzz Cast. And we're here at UCLA at a wonderful panel of women in cannabis. And I have two amazing women here who are destigmatizing the plant. One step at a time. I've got Chela and I've got Kimberly, who wants to go first. Do do do.

00;49;24;27 - 00;49;32;02
Emily Ann Plizak
Yeah. So tell her. Tell me a little bit about, your new show that you do with your husband and a little bit about your feature that you guys are working on.

00;49;32;06 - 00;49;40;20
Chela
Oh, man. So Dave and I do a news chat show from our place in Mount Washington called Reefer Revolution Live on

00;49;40;20 - 00;49;41;18
Chela
Sunday afternoons.

00;49;41;18 - 00;49;46;06
Chela
At 420. Yeah, we do. Blunt commentary on cannabis news

00;49;46;06 - 00;49;46;22
Maria


00;49;47;14 - 00;49;50;24
Chela
and the politics of pot. We do actions and things that

00;49;50;24 - 00;49;53;14
Chela
ou can do to, help destigmatize the plant.

00;49;53;16 - 00;49;57;09
Emily Ann Plizak
Nice, nice. Now, Kimberly, tell me a little bit about what your company does.

00;49;57;11 - 00;50;17;15
Kimberly
Okay. I actually, I set up for the people with the license who want to be manufactured the oil distillate oil. So we know the technique. We got the knowledge. We get the machining we set up for them from A to Z and, you know, run it and make the oil.

00;50;17;17 - 00;50;28;19
Emily Ann Plizak
Nice. So you're basically, for lack of a better word, a consulting company on how, how oil and, the, the proper way to manufacture cannabis.

00;50;28;21 - 00;50;34;14
Kimberly
Yes., yes. From the twin until you got the ruoot, the golden oil. Yes.

00;50;34;17 - 00;50;56;16
Emily Ann Plizak
Awesome, awesome. Now, what is the biggest obstacle that you think women today face in cannabis? As coming from media, as coming from manufacturing? What is the biggest obstacle that you think we as women face? There's so many obstacles that we face outside of the cannabis industry, but within the cannabis industry, what do you think?

00;50;56;18 - 00;50;58;16
Chela
Patriarchy. It's the same thing everywhere. It’s patriarchy. It is. Yeah.

00;50;58;16 - 00;51;01;24
Chela
So we have to deconstruct patriarchy, but it's a female plant,

00;51;02;05 - 00;51;02;27
Chela
so why not?

00;51;02;28 - 00;51;09;29
Emily Ann Plizak
It is a female plant. We're we're a nurturing spirit. We're a nurturing sex, just like the plant. We're a nurturing plant, right?

00;51;10;02 - 00;51;39;03
Kimberly
I think we should talk with women to involve in this industry more. Because first, because this, this is a lot of time. And I've been studying in school for the whole year, and I've been like, internship there. And then, you know, like, for the whole year, I just met three woman, and the thing we call this this a loss of time and that woman, that family with children, girls like, you know, a lot of things.

00;51;39;10 - 00;51;46;14
Emily Ann Plizak
But, hey, why can't the man do that role? Yeah, let's switch roles a little. Yeah, yeah.

00;51;46;16 - 00;51;50;15
Chela
The same in media. Women in minorities had to sue in 1977 to

00;51;50;15 - 00;51;54;13
Chela
get into the EEOC. And women are still severely

00;51;54;13 - 00;51;57;12
Chela
underrepresented in the crafts. Definitely. And so now

00;51;57;12 - 00;52;06;07
Chela
at the beginning of of the cannabis industry, I think it's important to, press for equity within the entire space.

00;52;06;08 - 00;52;30;14
Emily Ann Plizak
Definitely, definitely. And what do you think is one way that both men and women need to. What's the first step that we need to take in order to work together, rather than butting heads? You know, we say the patriarchy is a bit against us, but there are also going to be the ones that's going to be helping us get up there, because sadly, most of the men in this country are the ones who have the money that are investing into these companies.

00;52;30;16 - 00;52;32;01
Chela
It's the money, money, money talks.

00;52;32;01 - 00;52;32;29
Chela
So spend.

00;52;33;02 - 00;52;34;19
Chela
Spend where you want to see

00;52;34;19 - 00;52;38;16
Chela
your dollars being spent. So seek out dispensaries that...

00;52;38;18 - 00;52;41;25
Emily Ann Plizak
We are talking to you. We're talking to you. Investors and capitals

00;52;41;25 - 00;52;45;16
Chela
and everyday consumers. Spend your money

00;52;45;18 - 00;52;46;19
Chela
the right way.

00;52;46;19 - 00;52;47;08
Emily Ann Plizak
Wisely.

00;52;47;09 - 00;52;56;22
Chela
Look where where? Follow the money, find female dispensaries, buy use the products that are made by female companies.

00;52;56;25 - 00;53;03;07
Chela
Or at least equity based companies. You know, it doesn't have to be, you know, all women all the time. But that.

00;53;03;07 - 00;53;04;04
Chela
Would never actually be the case because

00;53;04;04 - 00;53;05;02
Maria


00;53;05;02 - 00;53;08;19
Chela
women only own about 25, 26% of the companies anyway.

00;53;08;25 - 00;53;15;18
Emily Ann Plizak
So we need to see that percentage go up. Kimberly, you run your own company. So that's amazing that, you know you're the head of a company.

00;53;15;18 - 00;53;33;22
Kimberly
I'm so happy to be here today because I will see from the UCLA, from USC, from all other campus. We have the roof of the woman like today. We're getting there. Believe it. We're getting there in the next couple of year, you know, and I'm so happy that woman two invited. We need to get some respect.

00;53;33;29 - 00;53;52;12
Emily Ann Plizak
Yeah, I know seriously. Because as much as you're going to respect a woman, you got to respect the female plant. That's what cannabis is. Well, thank you so much for everything that you guys are doing in the cannabis space, in the community, for your company. Now, for people who want to get in touch with you guys, where can they go to?

00;53;52;15 - 00;54;00;22
Emily Ann Plizak
They should go to Reefer Revolution Live on YouTube and all the socials. Awesome. Check them out. And for Kimberly, where can they get in touch for your company? With your company?

00;54;00;26 - 00;54;07;00
Kimberly
Oh, I have the, phone number and I do know, maybe later.

00;54;07;03 - 00;54;17;17
Emily Ann Plizak
Okay, we'll make sure we get that information. You. If you want to get in touch with Kimberly, just let us know what green Bay life. Awesome. Well, women empowerment. We got this, ladies,

00;54;17;19 - 00;54;21;23
Chela
for the people.

00;54;21;26 - 00;54;24;28
Emily Ann Plizak
Awesome.

00;54;25;00 - 00;55;08;14
Maria
They're just, Fantastic. Fantastic. Yeah. We just have to, stick together, do this together. We can, I always say we can, fail individually, or we can succeed collectively. And that women with women and women with men, men with men, men with women. That's that's it. Just gotta all work together. So as we continue to spotlight the evolving, its evolving role of women in cannabis, it's important to take a look at where we stand legally when it comes to gender equity in the space, and where the law is still falling short.

00;55;08;16 - 00;55;42;18
Maria
While some states have implemented social equity programs aimed at supporting women and BIPOC entrepreneurs, progress is, it's inconsistent. In California, for example, several municipalities have launched equity licensing initiatives, but many of those programs facing delays, funding gaps and limited access to capital. At the federal level, cannabis remains illegal, which batches further restricts access to banking and business resources, especially for marginalized groups.

00;55;42;20 - 00;56;17;14
Maria
Advocates are continuing to push for policies that prioritize equitable access to licenses, grants, and education. And while some progress has been made, there is no sweeping legislation, to report at the state or federal level that specifically protects or promotes women in cannabis. Instead, we've seen a patchwork of well-intentioned programs, some helpful, others not so much underfunded, delayed or not designed with women's unique challenges in mind.

00;56;17;17 - 00;56;57;24
Maria
Here in California, we've made some strides. The California Cannabis Equity Act, that established funding and support for communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs and Assembly Bill 141 that passed in 2021. He created the Department of Cannabis Control and included a new deputy director of equity and inclusion to integrate equity efforts across state programs. Cities like Los Angeles have extended deadlines for social equity applicants, aiming to give more time and access to qualified individuals, many of them women people of color, to enter the legal market.

00;56;57;24 - 00;57;28;18
Maria
But despite these efforts, gender specific barriers persist. Most equity programs don't directly address the lack of access to capital for women entrepreneurs, and they often overlook the need for mentorship, childcare support, or the financial literacy tools women need to move from passion to profitability. You know, recent studies show that women now hold about 30%, about 37% of senior level positions in cannabis.

00;57;28;21 - 00;58;03;07
Maria
That's down from an earlier highs and still far from true parity. And for women of color, the numbers are even more stark. You know, advocates are calling for solutions like decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level to unlock banking access for women led businesses, conducting cannabis equity assessments to evaluate the impact of current programs, offering tailored business support for women and LGBTQ plus founders, and mandating diversity and inclusion training across the entire ecosystem.

00;58;03;09 - 00;58;35;10
Maria
Organizations that deserve a shout out and to be supported, like the Minority Cannabis Business Association and Oaksterdam University, are doing the grass roots work providing education, advocacy and technical support where policy still lags behind the bottom line. Good intentions aren't enough. If we want a truly equitable cannabis industry, we need legalization and programs that are not just inclusive in theory, but in design and funding and in execution.

00;58;35;12 - 00;59;03;21
Maria
So if you want to support change, pay attention to local policy meetings, equity program updates, and consider supporting organizations that advocate for inclusive legislation. Ask your lawmakers where they stand on equity and cannabis and keep showing up. Because when policy includes women, everyone benefits and the entire industry grows stronger. I could go on and on and on.

00;59;03;21 - 00;59;31;27
Maria
What a journey this has been. We've heard powerful reflections from women. I could go on. That's why we're having a part two next week. So we've heard powerful reflections from women who experienced firsthand the challenges and the changes in the cannabis culture, from pre legalization to the president present. We've learned how crucial visibility, dignity and respect are, not just in business, but in the way we talk about cannabis at our dinner tables, in our classrooms and in our communities.

00;59;31;29 - 00;59;52;02
Maria
You know, next week on part two of our Women in Cannabis series, we're going to dive deeper with our panel into the systemic side of the story. Why gender and racial equity matters, what social equity programs are doing and where are they falling short? I want to thank you so much for tuning in to Just Say KNOW with me today.

00;59;52;02 - 00;59;59;16
Maria
I'm Maria Calabrese and I'll see you next time for part two of this essential conversation session.

00;59;59;18 - 01;00;32;15
Maria
Just Say KNOW is a greenbeelife presentation airing live weekly on Friday afternoons from 4 to 5 PM. Pacific on KCAA Radio and KCAA TV. Archived audio episodes are on greenbeelife, greenbeelife.com, iHeart Radio, Spreaker and most third party major platforms. For archived videos, check them out on GBL TV on greenbeelife, YouTube and Rumble.

01;00;32;18 - 01;00;51;26
Maria
To follow us!Our Instagram and Facebook is @JustSayKnowRadio to apply to be a guest on the show or for sponsorship and advertising opportunities, go to greenbeelife.com/just-say-know

01;00;51;26 - 01;00;52;18
Ophelia Chong


01;00;52;22 - 01;06;03;27
Maria
and feel free to reach out to me Maria for any questions at Maria@greenbeelife.com or (818) 758-6925.