What does a safe space in the cannabis industry look like?

 If you've been to MJBiz Con before, you may have heard of Blunt Brunch. It's a much-anticipated annual event held on the Tuesday before the show floor opens (and it usually sells out.) It's five hours of eating, drinking, talking, and laughing. 

Foggy from a long East Coast flight, we began this year’s busy MJBiz schedule kicking it off the best way we know how – attending the annual Blunt Brunch. 

Here, women from across the cannabis industry - and across the world - can meet up and talk in a warm, welcoming, and supportive environment. They can express concerns, share frustrations, and unburden themselves in empathetic company.

The event itself is done in such elegance, you nearly forget it’s a networking soiree. Many networking events can be awkward, stilted. To avoid people hiding in corners or mumbling answers to canned icebreakers, Blunt Brunch does a few things differently. 

First, they assign seating for the brunch. You may think it sounds odd for adults to have designated seats, but it ensures that everyone who attends has the opportunity to meet new people. At the end of Blunt Brunch, all of the attendees are guided onto the stairs (a true "herding cats" experience) for a commemorative photo, a way to mark the momentous occasion when hundreds of women come together to celebrate themselves, each other, and our collective power. 

The atmosphere (or, the vibes, these millennials want to say) is carefully crafted. At the 2023 event, we started with affirmations. 300 women, led by psychedelic therapist Sonia Singh, chanted together, welcoming in abundance, respect, and self-love. Even if you believe affirmations are cheesy, there is power in that many voices speaking together, and the energy in the room elevated. It became a moment to pause, sit, and reflect on our intentions for being here today and encouraging confidence and energy for the networking week ahead. 

That empowering resilience and confidence would become the themes of the day. Women like Jess Tyler, the Chief leading MJBiz Con herself, took to the stage and proudly spoke about the all-women-executive team leading their organization. She reviewed more than 50% of the MJBiz team in general is employed of women, and in regards to the networking week and future business goals set ahead, her advice was, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” 

These women know the importance of connections. Both formidable entrepreneurs, Carrillo and Rad infuse Blunt Brunch with warmth and joy. The hard work and dedication that goes into the annual Las Vegas event (and every Blunt Brunch nationwide) is evident.  

This inspiring energy carried Blunt Brunch in high spirits and high vibes. Connection flowed and strangers quickly became friends, even without the assistance of speed networking. It was the kind of energy that is created in a safe space, this one created for dedicated and passionate women.

Years ago, cannabis was heralded as a haven for executive women, boasting more female C-suite executives than any other industry. Today, the opposite is true.

 There are many reasons for this, but first and foremost among them is that corporations are, and always have been, a boy's club. They may pay lip service to diversity but when push comes to shove, men back other men over women.

One anecdote to this is to create a women's club, a space where women can cultivate relationships, and networks, and express frustrations without fear of retribution. That's exactly what Blunt Brunch does.