It’s been a while – what, seven months?!? Sheesh. Well, I’m glad to be back and I’m happy you’re here. This episode’s guest is everywhere. She going to places and doing things before most of the rest of us even know what’s going on. Put simply, Ms. Oregon knows everybody; and if you don’t know her … well, you just don’t know.
After this epidsode’s introduction, she & I meet up on a May afternoon, here at the same table I shared with Isaac, David and Elena (as seen in the IG pictures). After ironing out some technical glitches, we kick right off (4:33) with a couple surprising observations on gender in the cannabis industry – who is leading what parts of the industry. This leads to me bringing up some of my racial assumptions (12:30) about how we comport our bodies and voices around one another. At 19:26, I tell a story about shopping at a local hip-hop dispensary and share my thoughts & feelings as a white person walking into a black space.
As luck would have it, Ms. Oregon is the CEO of Ambit, LLC – a consultation company that provides diversity training. We’re fortunate to hear – there is no hiding of secret techniques here – how to make sure everybody is everywhere, in your company.
One of the many feathers in her cap is the National Cannabis Diversity Awareness Conference [NCDAC) in The Redd. The first of its kind – though I foresee it being adopted by each new municipality that legalizes cannabis. There was a stage with performers all day – mostly local, but a few folks from out of town. A few organizations relating to cannabis and diversity had booths. There was food being cooked in The Redd’s kitchen. All in order to draw in the common, everyday consumer. And they came. And packed the place. (Some even came in through side doors). But the story she tells (starting at 30:00) is ultimately about who came through, who didn’t, and all the fortunate happenstance that an event of such scale requires.
We talk a little about the realities of public housing (42:39), as it relates to medical patients who use cannabis. You can hear me get shocked – time and time, again – with each PreviousJob Ms. Oregon tells me about, from leasing vehicles for Ford (53:58) to counseling for adventurous couples (1:01:18).
I’m glad you’ve hung out with us. You can hear the sound of folks getting together, getting along – even enjoying ourselves – as we share stories across our gender differences, racial differences, and more. We honestly had a good time hanging out, and you can hear it. Thanks for showing up.
Interview date – March or April, 2019
Recorded on – Tascam DR-05 [handheld] digital recorder
Edited with – Audacity software
Always appreciated are donations in the form of audio recording/editing know-how.
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