Women Leading The Cannabis Industry: “Share, share, share”, With Natalie Cox of Afro Cannada Budsistas

Share, share, share…There is more than enough cannabis business for everyone. Together we can do so much more. Partnerships are crucial at this stage in the cannabis game. Elevating one another; I am all about that. I want everyone to win, and I think we can do that by working together.

As a part of my series about strong women leaders in the cannabis industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Cox.

Natalie Cox has been described as a power woman of Canadian cannabis. She first came to the plant for personal reasons — she realized she had been coping badly with untreated anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia. Cannabis, she says, helped — it gave her a better quality of life. With the federal legalization of cannabis in Canada, she felt empowered to start growing her own. She was good at it — and so, after a lifetime serving customers in retail, she determined to go back to college to study Horticulture. She also became an influential member of the Canadian cannabis community — and she realized her voice was needed — there was other advocacy work left to do. Noticing a jarring lack representation by visible minorities, Cox went online in search of groups where she could find other Black women interested in cannabis, being vocal in the space. Over conversation with Khadisha Thornhill, the two lamented over the lack of spaces for Black women and committed to filling to the gap and creating the space they craved, birthing Afro Cannada Budsistas. Together, their mission is to normalize cannabis use among Black Women by information, education, and exposure.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the cannabis industry?

I felt the cannabis industry was blatantly overlooking me as a Black woman consumer whether it was in the marketing for cannabis as either a medical treatment or recreational alternative; Not to mention I was having a hard time finding other Black women to socialize with who preferred cannabis to alcohol.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I think the most interesting thing has been the support we are receiving. This tells me the need for something like Afro Cannada Budsistas is there; and the response from our members shows it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Considering I’ve been growing tropical plants for 30 years, I should have known that coco coir on its own couldn’t sustain a plant. I planted my first cannabis plants in coco coir without any nutrients. I learned that plants have very specific nutritional needs that cannot be met by just water alone.

Do you have a funny story about how someone you knew reacted when they first heard you were getting into the cannabis industry?

When I made the decision to become a grower my eldest son felt I was becoming a bit obsessed. I am. But I prefer to call it passionate about cannabis!

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Michelle “Mimi Cannabis” Perotta is one person I am extremely grateful towards. Mimi very generously sent us a box of goodies for our High Tea Swag, and she has been instrumental in pointing us in the right direction and introducing us to other industry people. Mimi has over 30 years’ experience in cannabis, and I really value her desire that we do not make the same mistakes she made along the way.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Our members are dying for more events. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has us pumping our breaks. Our High Tea was such a success! I am still in awe by how beautifully High Tea turned out, so I would love to do that again. The connections that were made that afternoon was mid blowing. We have a phenomenal, extremely talented group of black women who really want an opportunity to shine. Hopefully, we at Afro Cannada Budsistas can help amplify and empower other Black women. Our website developer Sia was told she could do web design. She asked us for the opportunity to do ours, and she’s blowing us away.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Despite great progress that has been made we still have a lot more work to do to achieve gender parity in this industry. According to this report in Entrepreneur, less than 25 percent of cannabis businesses are run by women. In your opinion or experience, what 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender parity moving forward?

I think the cannabis industry like every other needs to understand that diversity does not just mean more (usually) white women. That is definitely a great start. But the lack of representation by Black and Brown people, and yes, especially women, is jarring. Mentorship programs would be a great start. For many of us starting out in the cannabis industry, a great mentor can be instrumental. You could avoid a lot of start-up mistakes your mentor may have made before you. Normalizing cannabis use is something I feel strongly about. It reminds me of when I was outspoken about breastfeeding. The more “in-your face” something is, the more “normal” it becomes. Cannabis use has a long way to go to reach the social acceptance of, say, alcohol. It’s completely acceptable for that mother on the parent council to post her Wine Wednesday selfie; but the minute Mommy lights a blunt… And yes, I’m speaking about myself. I want women to not feel stigmatized because they choose to smoke pot, or dab, or take an edible; whatever it is, it needs to be normalized.

You are a “Cannabis Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non intuitive things one should know to succeed in the cannabis industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

1. Network, network network. Talk to everyone! 26 years in customer service definitely allowed me to develop a certain ease in approaching people and initiating conversations. Going to cannabis industry events is a great way to get out there and meet people in the industry. I spent at least two years networking before we launched Afro Cannada Budsistas. These contacts and connections are instrumental now.
2. Accept help. I am independent to a flaw. I’m sure I was that kid who told their mother, “I can do it myself”. I am learning to accept offers of help. We’ve been very lucky so far to have wonderful people in our corner who are helping to amplify our message
3. Share, share, share…There is more than enough cannabis business for everyone. Together we can do so much more. Partnerships are crucial at this stage in the cannabis game. Elevating one another; I am all about that. I want everyone to win, and I think we can do that by working together.
4. Don’t expect the cannabis industry to be any different than any other when it comes to negative people and approaches. Anticipate that you will come across some very unpleasant people.
5. Prepare for disappointment. Things won’t always work out and go your way. You need to develop a plan and support system to help you manage disappointment and those really difficult days. Fortunately for me, I can post in my group that I need a Sista Sesh asap, and my Budsistas will come.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the cannabis industry?

Organic growing.

Women in cannabis as business owners

Hemp as a sustainable fibre alternative

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

1. Racial and gender inequity. I would love to see more minorities and more women involved in the cannabis industry.
2. Cannabis amnesty for those convicted of non-violent cannabis related offences.
3. Government utilize and INCLUDE members of the cannabis community when making laws. People who actually have a clue. In Canada we’re legally entitled to grow four plants per household. There are four pot smokers in my home. Four plants are a joke. The government needs to stop trying to keep the whole pie for themselves and loosen the reigns on trying to control the pant.

What are your thoughts about federal legalization of cannabis? If you could speak to your Senator, what would be your most persuasive argument regarding why they should or should not pursue federal legalization?

It’s past the time where cannabis should be federally legalized. Fortunately, I reside in Canada, so I’ve enjoyed federal legalization for almost two years. It’s been wonderful being able to grow in my backyard. Cannabis has more medicinal benefits and properties than we’re aware of. Not to mention hemp as a sustainable crop which can be grown for medicine as well as fibre for fabrics etc. Hemp is the future. We need to acknowlege that the criminalization of cannabis is steeped in racism. It’s insulting to see the former Toronto Police Chief now employed as an executive with a major Canadian cannabis company after her likened cannabis possession to murder. That sort of thing rubs me the wrong way. Besides, as a planet we have much bigger fish to fry than who’s growing, and smoking weed. It’s stupid at this point, to still support cannabis crimianization, and not support federal legalization. There is no valid argument to support their position at this point. There is nothing I can say to any senators still holding this position because truthfully they are holding their position on cannabis criminalization for other reasons that don’t include logic or common sense.

Today, cigarettes are legal, but they are heavily regulated, highly taxed, and they are somewhat socially marginalized. Would you like cannabis to have a similar status to cigarettes or different? Can you explain?

Absolutely not. I smoked cigarettes, and I know I felt a lot shittier when I was smoking cigarettes than I do now as a daily cannabis consumer. Cannabis offers medical benefits, which I don’t think tobacco does.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

As corny as it is, and apparently, it’s a Ghandi quote, and I’m not a fan…but “be the change you desire”. Creating Afro Cannada Budsistas came about simply because I wanted a group like this, and it did not exist. So, my partner and I made it. And we are here!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I want more people to grow their own food and cannabis. I am teaching several of the women in my group how to grow for the first time, and they are so excited to have gone through this entire process with me; from clone to (almost) harvest. I’m holding what I hope will be the first of my “Croptober Growlympics” where my student growers will measure their yield against my mother plant. Growing your own medicine or food is such an empowering experience.

Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you only continued success!