CANNABIS with June Johnson: On the State of the Cannabis Union… and Throwing a Great Party
Julie and Casey chat with June Johnson, cofounder of Collective High, about the cannabis industry, the racist origins of the war on drugs, and along the way get to hear the magic behind what makes a great party and what modeling and being a CIA agent have in common.
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TOP TAKEAWAYS:
Cannabis has been used safely for a very long time, and is not only used to get high- there are a ton of other benefits, no high necessary.
The origins of the war on drugs, specifically Marijuana, come from a racist and xenophobic decision of one powerful man to start associating cannabis with Mexico by calling it “Marijuana”.
The ins and outs of how an industry built on what used to be a crime that disproportionately affected Black people morphed into an industry that is disproportionally benefitting white people.
Lesson: “I don’t want to Lean In, I want to Lie Down”. The power of laying on the floor, and five minutes in which to do nothing.
June Johnson is a model & advocate. She has been featured in numerous beauty & fashion campaigns and on the runway for various fashion weeks. In addition to modeling, she is also the Co-Founder of Collective High, a woman-owned company that provides cannabis education through highly conceptual events & experiences in an effort to eradicate the stigma around cannabis use. Their events sit at the intersection of cannabis, art, music, food, fashion, & sustainability. Her goal is to create impactful changes & cultural representation within the fashion & cannabis spaces.
Prior to producing cannabis events, June created successful events for brands such as Paul Smith, Hennessy, Moët & Chandon, Deleón Tequila, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Fred Segal, adidas, Shiekh Shoes, etc.
Though she has experience in numerous verticals, she specializes in producing events in the fashion, cannabis, entertainment, art & culture scenes & has curated parties for exclusive clients during NYFW, NBA All-Star, Outside Lands, & The Grammy's.
After moving to Los Angeles to continue her career in events, branding + PR, June worked for two high-profile boutique PR firms that helped further her understanding and knowledge of the industry. This experience allowed her to take her knowledge and apply it to starting her own company for 8 successful years. By the spring of 2019, she began working as the event curator, social media manager, brand manager & community manager for one of the Bay Area’s premiere delivery marketplace for cannabis goods.
The pursuit of joy led June to follow her passion & move to NYC to continue modeling, working on Afrofuturist projects, and curating one-of-a-kind cannabis events through her Co-Founded company, Collective High.