BY NEASHA HODGE
Unapologetic, raw, honest, passionate – that’s what you will get if you have the pleasure of interacting with Mary Pryor.
Mary is the Chief Marketing Officer of Tonic Vibes, a CBD and botanical blends health, beauty and wellness company. She’s also the co-founder of Cannaclusive, an organization created to facilitate fair representation of minority cannabis consumers.
Mary is widely known for her outspokenness and passion for spreading awareness about the inequalities Black people face in the cannabis space. This interview fell right in line with that!
How would you describe your relationship with cannabis and why cannabis reform is so important to you?
Mary: Cannabis for me is definitely medicine, period! As for my relationship with the plant, it’s based on the healing properties, which I have benefitted from personally. I also have a desire to share my knowledge with Black and Brown people who have been denied access due to racism, propaganda and the war on drugs. There’s a lack of access to capital, which is why starting a business is hard, as well as lack of access to full business know-how. There are so many items that line up to why this is an issue. It is important to do what is needed to fix all of these optics and drive change.
Tell us about some of the resources Cannaclusive has implemented to help with cannabis reform.
Mary: We’ve created The Accountability List, a database that helps to hold cannabis and hemp businesses to their commitments to supporting Black and Brown communities and professionals. The InclusiveBase is a list of minority-owned cannabis businesses that you can support as a conscious cannabis consumer, as well as share with your network and encourage them to support. And, we have a free stock photography gallery dedicated to showcasing diversity in the cannabis space. Additionally, we offer consulting services for individuals interested in learning more about the industry, including, but not limited to, diversity and inclusion accountability training, brand building, and the medicinal properties of the plant.
What are some ways we can continue to break down the negative stigma around cannabis?
Mary: We all have to be active in talking about it and mainstreaming the conversation, as much as possible. There are a lot of misconceptions. For example, the whole idea of it being a drug, that was inspired by racist laws and policies. Also, the idea of cannabis being something that targets our community and jails us, that’s due to fucked up laws, and the war on drugs. We have to be able to distinguish between what’s real and fake.
What would you say to a woman wanting to break into the cannabis industry, but may be a little intimidated?
Mary: It’s like all spaces where women are the minority. You deal with sexual harassment, men that want to talk over you, and don’t take you seriously, or try to get over on you. You go in there, know your shit and have tough skin, but also know how to be assertive and confident. Don’t be afraid to put someone in check, if need be! When women are confident, we get called bitches and you have to be okay with that.
Also, the idea that Black women don’t support each other is a fallacy. All of my friends support each other. If you don’t have people in your circle that support you, get you a better friend group. Get past all of the BS that people with trauma tell you.
Finally, don’t feel like you have to be like everyone else, but have a plan so you can learn from what others are doing and improve or justifiably collaborate, but don’t use people. Remember no one owes you anything, but it’s good to ‘overstand’ the value of important connectivity.
