The term ‘stoner’ has long had a negative connotation attached to it. Most people think of someone who is lazy and unmotivated. It’s a stigma that has previously plagued the cannabis community for decades, and a term that stoners everywhere have been trying to give a makeover in more recent years.
On Saturday morning, a caravan of Texas marijuana advocates and entrepreneurs from all over pulled up to Presidio Street on the east side of Fort Worth, where a large portion of the homeless community lives, with ice chests full of to-go cups of beans and rice and waters. Volunteers poured out of the cars and greeted the people watching unload. The mission, called Planting Seeds in Texas Communities, was put on by Queens of Cannabis and Cann I Work.
“In 2018, we built such amazing relationships. When 2019 rolled around, I want to become more community focused.” Annie Epley, founder of Queens of Cannabis, says about why she felt compelled to start the cause. “We want to show that the cannabis industry is a strong, united, educated industry. It’s not just about medicating or elevating.”
Along with serving food, activists also brought blankets and jackets people donated to them for the event. While talking with the 26 volunteers who showed up about why they were there, they all gave similar answers: to change the way people see the cannabis community and to do it in a way that helps give back to the local people. Among the volunteers was Lisa Sewell, Director of Finance for DFW NORML.
“Many Texans believe the outdated stigmas surrounding cannabis that we’re all a bunch of cheech and Chong’s, unmotivated and lack direction. That stigma couldn’t be more inaccurate.” Sewell says. “Our local cannabis community is full of deeply compassionate and loving individuals who want the quality of everyone’s lives to improve, and what a better way to do that then give back to our local community.”
While we still have a way to go in changing the perception of the stereotype, the group of people who showed up to help serve the homeless are going about it right. The event was able to serve 145 people and Queens of Cannabis has no intentions of slowing down this project with the next event happening in down Austin later this month.
“It exceeded my expectations with 26 volunteers. I’m so excited to see so many people here expressing the same heart and the same desire to help, it inspired me to do more.” Epley said. “We are going to do it all over Texas.”
We encourage cannabis advocates, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike to go out and get involved in your communities. The cannabis plant is about helping and healing and bringing people together. It’s important to start letting the rest of the world see this too.