

Whether sparking one up is a guilty pleasure of yours or you are loud and proud with it, the cannabis industry is skyrocketing!
As multiple states legalize weed and the industry experiences a boom of CBD Hemp healing, sales, and usage, it's safe to say that this industry is a shoo-in for profit where WOC can cash in. And they can do so all while making a difference in reversing the effects of the "War on Drugs," eradicating the stigma of cannabis use, and incorporating marijuana into spirituality, creativity, and alternative or holistic healing.
I had a sit down with ganja veteran Khadijah Adams in the cannabis industry who is the vice president and COO of C.E. Hutton, a business development company seeking to help minority-led cannabis businesses. Underneath C.E. Hutton, Khadijah also offers a line of exclusive cannabis products through CBD Well 101. She has been a pioneer for black and brown women looking to tap into the industry, sitting on the board of the National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, the Executive Committee of the Minority Business Council (MBC) of the National Cannabis Industry Association. (NCIA)
Read on for details about Khadijah's journey, the cannabis business basics, as well as a few other millennial WOC who are legally jumping on the bandwagon and turning marijuana into money. You never know, this may spark up a few cannabis entrepreneurial ideas of your own!
How She Overcame Fear and Took A Leap of Faith Into The Legal Cannabis Industry:
"When Colorado announced they were legalizing cannabis for recreational consumption, I sent a blast text message to over 200+ people informing them that 'everything must go.' The message was well received by some and refused by others and honestly, I didn't care one bit. My only concern was that I had the support of my four sons, two of whom are Christian Ministers in Texas. They didn't like the idea of me leaving Sugar Land, Texas to enter an illegal industry, and especially moving to a state that is only 8% African American. Surprisingly, they were very supportive! So, I proceeded to sell everything in my house at a garage sale; except for my car, clothes, cell, and computer. And on March 14, 2014, I drove to Colorado, and positioned in the industry almost immediately through collaborations and making the right connections."
Why Women of Color Should Cash Into The Cannabis Game:
"This is a newly statewide legal industry and 29 states out of 50 have legalized for recreational or medicinal consumption. That in itself reeks of 'opportunity' and many women of color are transitioning from corporate America, or are transitioning their current companies into the cannabis space because the opportunity is much bigger here than in traditional industries. Also, we are natural nurturers, and our first instinct is to help people. Whole plant medicine and CBDs are helping people."
How The Legal Cannabis Industry Can Be As A Tool To In Black and Brown Communities:
"As people of color, we have been systematically plagued with the stigma of marijuana; we have been beaten, killed, and imprisoned for over 80+ years because of lies, greed, and blatant discrimination. This industry was built on our backs and is now being legalized across America and dominated by many who have not suffered one bit from the 'War on Drugs,' and by some who laugh about their one-time overnight jail time and small slap on the wrist. While most people of color are still scared to enter this industry, the ones who are in the industry are still fighting for inclusion.
"As people of color, we should want to learn more about this industry, re-educate ourselves with the truth about cannabis and help to dispel the lies and hatred surrounding our community, as it relates to the stigma that's been created. Most importantly, we should want to position ourselves in this industry, aim for creating generational wealth for our families, with hopes of one day restoring our communities."
Obstacles To Overcome as WOC in The Legal Cannabis Industry:
"Access and capital are two of the main difficulties for WOC looking to gain entry into this industry. Many people of color are looking to connect to the right people to help them position, and in most cases, people who look like us. Truth is, many of us don't have the necessary capital to support our dreams or ideas. For most who have positioned in this industry, find it hard to obtain the capital needed to expand."
Her Greatest Accomplishment:
"My biggest accomplishments in the industry was selling my previous company, MIPR Holdings, LLC. My ultimate goal is to help a lot of people look and feel better with whole plant medicine and CBDS while also creating generational wealth and helping others do the same."
What She Smokes:
"I'm a Sativa lover with a very high tolerance. I combine Trainwreck, Lavender Jones, and Lemon Skunk. I call it a 'fruit bowl of love.'"
Her Advice To Newbies:
- Learn the medical and/or adult use laws in your home state.
- Get involved with your local cannabis advocates and activists in your community, such as Marijuana Policy Project, NORML, and the NCIA, etc.
- Connect to leaders with proven track records in this industry to help mentor you, then listen to them when they give advice. Let your final decision be the one that you make.
- Connect with positive people who will encourage you and hold you accountable.
- Learn as much as possible about the field you intend on entering, and volunteer at as many events surrounding your field, as much as you can, because on the job training is the actual education!
For more inspiration for getting involved in the cannabis industry, follow these 5 millennial WOC killing it in the weed game!
1.Mary Pryor, @Cannaclusive
Mary Pryor
Women's Freedom Conference
Mary Pryor is an alternative healer, and a co-founder of Cannaclusive, which was established to facilitate fair representation of minority cannabis consumers. Her company celebrates the cultures of the thriving cannabis community, by curating experiences, groundbreaking insights, thoughtful content and dynamic visuals; making it easier for brands to communicate with diverse audiences and rally in the fight for legalization and de-stigmatization of marijuana.
2.Joy Victoria Clarke, @Mahogany.mary
Founder of Mahogany Mary, Joy Victoria Clarke
Joy Victoria Clarke/Mahogany Mary
Joy Victoria Clarke is the founder of Mahogany Mary, a cannabis event curation service based in LA. Her idea behind creating her company is to address the lack of diversity in the legal cannabis industry by making people understand that "weed is only the beginning of plant based medicine."
3.Mary & Main, @Maryandmain
Hope Wiseman/Instagram
WAGS Atlanta castmember Hope Wiseman made an even bigger name for herself after becoming the youngest dispensary owner in the United States at age 25. She is the founder of Mary and Main, a Maryland-based dispensary.
4.Chef Megon Dee-Cave, @Chefmegondeecave
PHOTO BY FLUFFY POP POSTCARDS@FLUFFYPOPPOSTCARDS.
Chef Megon Dee-Cave is a talented canna-chef and is the kitchen manager at Little House Foods, a Portland-based cannabis infused foods company. She is also the CEO and founder of Oracle Infused, "a lifestyle brand that provides experiences, products, and information that is cannabis inclusive."
5.Amanya Maloba, Janice Ibarra, & Vanity Thomas, @Womenweedwifi
The ladies behind Women.Weed.Wifi
These three WOC in cannabis are the super dynamic girl gang trio of ganjapreneurs and cannabis advocates who started the Women.Weed.Wifi Collective with a mission to "Uplift, unite, and enrich creatives of color - and beyond within the cannabis community." This collective serves as a source of commerce and inspiration, as well as a platform combining spiritual and artistic pursuits.
Featured photo by Joy Victoria Clarke/Mahogany Mary
Fontaine Felisha Foxworth is a writer and creative entrepreneur from Brooklyn New York. She is currently on the West Coast working on creating a TV Pilot called "Finding Fontaine", that details the nomadic journey of her life so far. Keep up with her shenanigans @famoustaine on IG.
Luxury Hairstylist On Viral 'Hey Boo' Texts & Professionalism In The Hair Industry
As Black women, our hair is our crowning glory - whether we paid for it or not. We take pride in how we wear and take care of our hair. As with everything, hair care and hair styling have evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of Blue Magic (although I hear it’s making a comeback).
Now, we have a plethora of creams, oils, conditioners, shampoos, and stylists to choose from. Beyond wearing our natural curls, we have a range of options, from wigs and sew-ins to tape-ins, I-tips, and K-tips. So much choice! But you know what they say about too much of a good thing...
The Black hair industry has definitely blossomed in the last decade with a wave of new stylists and salons popping up all over the place. As much as I love that for us, many of these stylists have become the subjects of viral TikTok and Instagram tirades because of their alleged questionable behavior and bizarre rules.
Excessive policies, strange fees, long wait times, poor performance, and the infamous “Hey boo” texts. Beauty is pain, they say… xoNecole got to the root of these issues with luxury hair extensionist Dee Michelle, who’s been in the hair game for 20 years and runs a seven-figure business - all while being a mom of four.
Antonio Livingston
“I started my business with my career in the hair industry [at] very, very young age when I was maybe like eight...So, over the years, I've just built a very successful seven-figure business very quickly just by offering high-end services and creating great experiences for my clients, many of whom are high-profile professionals,” she said. “I'm also a mother of four, including a set of triplets, which inspires me daily to show what's possible with my hard work and focus.”
Dee’s business has gone viral on social media because of what many call outrageous prices for her invisible K-Tip installs.
“When I developed my invisible K-tip extensions technique, I made sure that it wasn't just about the hair or the style, but about providing a high-end experience from start to finish. So, my clients just aren't paying for the extensions or just the style itself, but they're investing into my meticulous, seamless craft and premium hair sourced from the best suppliers…I've spent so many hours mastering my craft, creating this seamless method that gives my clients long-lasting natural results, and my pricing just reflects that - the value of my expertise and the exclusivity of the service.”
The K-tip specialist stands on business when it comes to catering to her clients and giving them an experience worth the cost.
“And it's just important for me to also say that my clients are high-profile individuals who value quality, their privacy, and their time. They want a service that fits into their lifestyle and their time. They want things that deliver perfection. And I deliver that every single time.”
I’m sure we’ve all seen the various TikTok rants about people’s nightmare experiences with stylists and uttered a silent “FELT!” We asked Dee her opinion on a few nightmare scenarios that beg the response, “please be so forreal."
On stylists charging extra to wash clients’ hair:
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
On ‘deposits’ that don’t go towards the cost of the service:
“I think that's kind of weird, too, for deposits to not be like a part of the service. I've seen people have booking fees and I just don't understand it, to be honest. I disagree with that kind of policy…By all means, people should do what works for them, but to me, it doesn't make sense. Why does somebody have to pay a fee just to book an appointment with you? I don't get it. It feels like exploitation.”
On stylists charging extra to style (straighten/curl) wigs, sew-ins etc., after installing:
“I don't get it. Clients come to us to get their hair done, to get it styled. So why is it extra for you to style it? If you're going to charge extra, just increase your price. I feel like it could be just a lack of confidence in those stylists, feeling like people won't pay a certain price for certain things, or just their lack of professionalism as well, because people are coming to us to get styled.”
On the infamous “Hey boo” text stylists send to clients when they need to cancel/reschedule:
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
We know all too well what kinds of things will keep us from ever gracing certain hairstylists’ chairs with our butts again. So, what should hairstylists do to provide a good service to their clients? What is good hairstylist etiquette?
“For one, being on time is an important rule for stylist etiquette. It's just not okay to require your clients to be on time, and you're not on time. Also, communication. Being able to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally, whether that's in person, via text, or on social media. Style is etiquette. Appearance matters. So just maintaining a clean, polished, and professional look. Clients respect you more whenever your appearance reflects your work. There's just so many things, but another thing I would say is active listening. So, being able to pay close attention to what your client wants and also clarifying any questions that they might have. Just to ensure that they feel heard and to minimize any misunderstandings.”
Dee also shared some red flags to look out for when considering a new stylist.
“Even me as a client, if I'm booking somebody and they have a long list of rules, I don't even book with them. That's, for one, just such a huge turn-off. Also, stylists who have inconsistent or unclear pricing, that's a red flag. People who change their rates too much without an explanation. Poor communication. So, if a stylist is responding very slow or responding unprofessionally, or giving vague answers to questions, that can make clients question whether or not they are respecting their time and their needs.
Another red flag - an inconsistent or low quality portfolio. And I feel like, I see this a lot with stylists stealing other people's work, and their portfolio on social media is just very inconsistent.”
We couldn’t let Dee go without getting the tea on what styles she predicts will trend in 2025.
“I feel like people are going back to natural-looking styles. So, a lot of people are ditching the wigs, the lace fronts, things like that. People are still wearing them, of course, but it is becoming more of a trend to embrace your natural hair and something that's not looking too fake. That’s one thing that we're going to be seeing a lot. I would say a lot of layers are coming back, heavy layers. Those are becoming really, really trendy. And people are leaning more towards platinum-colored hair. I've been seeing lots of like blondes coming out. Also, jet black is always going to be a trend. But I would say more like natural colors, but natural colors that are still making a statement.”
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Antonio Livingston.
One of my favorite things to do is kiss. In fact, kissing is so important to me that I once stayed with someone longer than I should’ve, in part, because he was such a good kisser (to the point where I can confirm that “kissing orgasms” are a real thing) and I also once broke up with someone because he absolutely sucked at kissing (ugh). Kissing is sexy. Kissing is sensual. Kissing is intimate.
And science says that kissing can boost endorphin levels in your body; reduce feelings that are associated with stress and anxiety; elevate your immunity; help to lessen allergy-related symptoms; soothe headaches and period cramp discomfort; make you horny (yes, literally), and even decrease your chances of getting cavities.
Yes, kissing is a good thing. A really good thing.
Oh, but as someone who is turning out to be one of my favorite philosophers (Aristotle) once said, the excess of a virtue can indeed turn into a vice — and as far as kissing is concerned, that can prove itself to be true in a way that some may have thought was nothing more than an urban myth: getting STIs (sexually transmitted infections)/STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) from doing it.
Yep, if you heard somewhere that you can get an STI/STD from puckering up, there is indeed some truth to that, so please take a moment to read more about it. That way, you can finally separate fact from fiction.
Bottom Line, Yes…You Can. However, the Risks Are Relatively Low.
Honestly, if you let it sink in that a kiss that lasts for longer than 10 seconds will result in about 80 million bacteria being exchanged, that alone should cause it to make all of the sense in the world that a kiss isn’t something that should be taken as casually as a lot of people do. And although, when it comes to STIs/STDs, it is far easier to transmit them through penetrative or oral sex, the reality is that there are some that can you get via saliva or the mucous membranes that are in your mouth (although infected saliva that is on something like a sex toy makes your chances much lower because STIs/STDs tend to “deactivate” once they are exposed to the air).
And since “low probability” doesn’t mean “absolutely not,” I think we should look into which STIs/STDs could become an issue whenever you go in for a smooch vs. the ones that you don’t really have to concern yourself with at all.
The STIs/STDs That You CAN Get from Kissing
So, here’s the deal: If you happen to have a cut in your mouth or you’ve got a cold sore, that can significantly increase your chances of being exposed to an STI/STD if your partner happens to have one. Which ones am I speaking of specifically?
- Herpes (more specifically, HSV-1)
- Syphilis
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Now something that’s important to keep in mind about three out of four of these (herpes, CMV, and HPV), is that, although they are very treatable, they currently don’t have a cure. As far as the one that does have one (syphilis), it’s important that it’s discovered and treated in its early stages; otherwise, it can lead to things like weight and hair loss, infertility and, if ignored for too long, it can even become life-threatening.
I don’t know about y’all but, to me, this all sounds like valid enough reasons to be cautious when it comes to who you share your mouth with.
The STIs/STDs That You CAN’T Get from Kissing
Okay, so what STIs/STDs does science say you don’t have to worry about when you’re kissing someone?
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Hepatitis
- Trichomoniasis
- HIV
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
The reason why is because these are all things that are spread through oral, anal, or vaginal sex acts (however, they can oftentimes be asymptomatic, so if you are sexually active, please make sure to get tested no less than once a year). That said, if you do happen to have one of these STIs/STDs, please show courtesy and respect to your partner by letting them know — even if sex isn’t currently on the table for you.
Although research does indeed say that kissing doesn’t put them at risk, they still have the right to decide if they want to move forward with intimacy, of any kind, while these health-related issues are being treated.
5 Ways to Reduce Your Chances of Getting an STI/STD from Kissing
Okay, so now that you can confidently separate what you should actually know (and take to heart) from what you may have randomly heard that couldn’t be further from the truth, if you’re curious about what you can do to decrease your chances of getting an STI/STD from kissing, I’ve got a few tips:
Take kissing seriously. Grandma said don’t put your mouth everywhere and she’s right. In a world that continually tries to gaslight us into thinking that we can (and damn near should) just do whatever with whoever without consequence, as you can see, that’s simply not true — especially when you take into account how wild it is that most of the STIs/STDs that you can get from kissing don’t have a cure.
Moral to this story: Your mouth is as valuable as every other part of your body. It is a privilege to kiss it, so please act accordingly. Oh, and don’t be afraid to ask about people’s sexual health status before letting them put their tongue all up and in your mouth. You know what they say — an ounce of prevention is always gonna be worth a pound of cure (or treatment).
Practice intentional oral hygiene. Hopefully, brushing and flossing on a daily basis are a given. What I mean here is you should look for signs of cold sores, cuts, or lesions in your mouth (including a blister that you may get from a burned tongue) on a weekly basis. If any of these are evident in you or your partner, it’s best to wait to kiss (if you haven’t BOTH recently been tested).
Y’all be careful with all of the sexy biting. Speaking of open wounds (relatively speaking, anyway), although I once read that, according to the Kama Sutra, biting lips while kissing is a sign of strong desire and sexual arousal, it can also leave cuts that could make you more vulnerable to getting sick. So, on this one, enter with caution. Straight up.
Don’t kiss when you’re feeling under the weather. Mono, colds and the flu, COVID-19, stomach viruses — these are some of the other things that you and your partner can give to one another while exchanging a kiss. Since some of the symptoms that are related to these may mimic some that come from an STI/STD, it’s best to not kiss when you are sick — not until you can confirm what you have and (preferably) the symptoms have passed.
Get tested on a regular basis. The only way that you are going to know for sure that kissing is a low-risk behavior for you and your partner is if you both get tested. If you’d prefer to do it from the comfort, convenience, and privacy of your own home, there are STI/STD tests that you can have sent to you (like the ones here, here, and here). They aren’t necessarily the cheapest in the world, yet they are pretty darn accurate and can give you the peace of mind that you seek.
____
Listen, I am Team Kissing just as much as the next person. However, whenever I stop to think about all that goes on in a mouth, I thought it was important that you become aware as well. As I said earlier, a good kiss is pretty incomparable. Let’s all just make sure that we leave kisses better and not worse off after experiencing them — literally and figuratively.
Amen? I’m sayin’.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Vera Vita/Getty Images