#BalanceforBetter in the Cannabis Industry
As cannabis industry activists and entrepreneurs we fight daily for an inclusive, balanced industry… all while balancing our Endocannabinoid Systems with our favorite cannabis and cannabis products. So when I saw that the theme for the 2019 International Women’s Day is #Balanceforbetter, I couldn’t help but connect the dots between the fight for women’s equality and our industry’s fight for legalization and acceptance.
At ELEVATE Northeast we strive to provide valuable education and collaboration opportunities “for the good of the cannabis industry.” We exist to influence and promote good policy and compliance, to educate and connect good people, and to be stewards and champions for a diverse and inclusive industry — a balanced industry.
And while we welcome all gender identities to join our community of do-gooders, today we ask you to join us in taking a moment (or an hour or two or three) to recognize not only the amazing women pioneering an equitable, inclusive and socially responsible cannabis industry, but also the women who’ve helped shape you to be the person you are today, reading this post as an active participant in a movement that is changing the world.
Here are four things you can do to recognize your favorite ladies and support women within and outside your circle on today, throughout Women’s History Month, and always!
1. Support women-owned businesses! From products to restaurants to professional services, women business owners need your support today and always.
2. Call, text or email a woman who’s helped you in some way over the past year, whether that’s a friend, politician, teacher, colleague or other mentor. Just check in and tell her you appreciate her!
3. Make a donation to an organization that supports women’s health and education to help our next generation of women leaders.
I also invite you to listen to this recent edition of iHeartMedia’s Blunt Talk podcast, where I got to sit down with host and fellow woman of cannabis, Brit Smith, to talk about my favorite subjects: women and weed, and how both have changed my life in recent years.
Happy celebrating!
-Beth
About the author: Beth Waterfall is on a mission to use education, compassion and advocacy to break the stigma against people who use and work with cannabis. Recently named to the Boston Business Journal’s 2018 40 Under 40 list, Beth is founder and executive director of ELEVATE Northeast, managing director of the New England Cannabis Conventions, and founder and president of cannabis marketing and events consultancy Beth Waterfall Creative.
