By: Mame Bonsu
If you don’t see the deep connection between the war on drugs and the oppression of black people then you are smoking something… and it’s not weed.
2020 seems to have said Nope. Time to pause. Time to reflect. Time for shit to change.
As a result, black lives and stories are perhaps beginning to receive the morsels of acknowledgment they’ve been denied throughout America’s life.
It could benefit the cannabis using community to tune into the voices of black smokers.
Black cannabis influencers to follow on Instagram:
Blunt Blowin’ Mama
Shonitria Anthony is an LA-based mother of two, Columbia School of Journalism alumna, and a must follow!
A former editor for ABC News, Huffington Post, and Blavity, her IG profile is dedicated to “normalizing moms who medicate with cannabis.”
Blunt Blowin’ Mama’s feed is approachable and serious at once. She highlights marijuana use, family, and the current socio-political discussion of our time.
Relating the experiences of cannabis using mothers around the globe, there is a feeling of support and community in this digital space.
Additionally, the attention given to the black history, culture, and voices conveys the link between cannabis culture and black lives without being overly pedagogical.
With a podcast and a clothing line of the same name, Blunt Blowin Mama’s brand covers the video, audio and product bases.
If you want to dive deeper into at what she covers, tune into the BBM podcast which is currently in season 3.
#HashleysWorld
This profile tells the “story of a girl, who smoked a joint and found the whole world.”
She also hit some blunts, pipes, bongs and other accessories along the way.
Ashley’s page doesn’t need too much explaining. This young woman unabashedly embraces her body, bud and blackness with posts of her smoking, slaying, singing or straight up chillin!
The Cannabis Cutie
Tammy Pettigrew aka The Cannabis Cutie is a self-described cannabis educator and advocate.
Her brand grew from a motivation to re-educate herself and others on the power of a plant that got a bad rep during her upbringing.
Tammy offers courses on cannabis science and history while debunking many myths about weed.
Her page doesn’t hurt the eye with bold shots of sweet edibles, fresh flower, and the occasional selfie, but Tammy explains, “What’s happening here is so much more than just a cute girl talking about cannabis.”
A co-host of Ebony Magazine’s Juneteenth celebration, Tammy proudly embraces her Afro-Latina background and rejects the categorizing of Afro-Latinxs and other blacks as separate/different.
Her awareness of the social-political implications of marijuana use in conjunction with her black identity make her an essential voice to the cannabis community. Her courses can be found on her website!
Lizzy Jeff
A genuine advocate of healing, Lizzy Jeff’s page pushes self-love, black empowerment, and medicating with marijuana.
Don’t let the numerous and fabulous selfies fool you! Lizzy understands the value of community.
She informs her followers on how they can support black communities and be more effective allies.
She demonstrates how self-love is essential to the growth and sustenance of our collective being.
What I love most about Lizzy Jeff is her knowledge of how the policing of marijuana and the policing of blacks in America is inseparable.
This profile continually alludes to how the power of the cannabis plant and the empowerment of black people walk hand in hand.
Zen & Kush
If you’d like some melanated marijuana magic to appear in your IG feed, then follow Zen & Kush.
This cannabis inspired lifestyle brand is the creation of influencer Lizzy Jeff, and offers vibrant visuals of cannabis, black women, and performance arts.
Dedicated to art and healing, the platform is meant to grow a space for brands, artists and healers to empower one another.
Zen & Kush focuses on community healing through art. The page is filled with images of beautiful, black women and men embracing their true selves while blazing the occasional L.
Kush & Cute
If you’re into supporting black-owned business, backing women entrepreneurs, taking care of your skin, and smoking weed, then Kush & Cute is a must follow.
From personal care products like body scrub, hair oil and toner to smoke accessories such as wraps and grinders this brand is female driven with a focus on self-care
Founded by Iyanna Edouard, the business offers handmade, all-natural hemp and CBD skincare products as well as quality smoke supplies.
Iyanna has been in the cannabis industry since 2016 and uses Kush & Cute to increase diversity and inclusivity in the market.
Green Goddess Glow
Green Goddess Glow advocates for self-care through cannabis. With the goal of destigmatizing the plant and shifting surrounding conversation, this is an education platform that teaches cannabis science while also promoting health focused behaviors.
Sustainability and “plant and people cultivation” are the platform’s core values.
The page includes many images of black women and women of color smoking cannabis, enjoying nature, and simply being.
Filled with shots of trees, marijuana plants, flowers, and other vegetation, the profile is a space showing woman and nature as one.
Visit the Green Goddess Glow website for education on marijuana science and blog posts on cannabis use and self-care.
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Mame Bonsu is a writer who focuses on cannabis culture and lifestyle.