Becoming Jasmine Mans: Poet and founder of Buy Weed from Women

Jasmine Mans reflects on the journey that led her to find her destiny through art and a happy door to the cannabis industry.

Jasmine Mans doesn’t need a zoom background. She sits in front of her computer near a growing violin fig tree, with relics of her ancestors and her personal presence behind her.

Behind her are six frames, one with a vintage hot comb and another with a vintage curling iron. All of the other frames appear to be time capsules – real and imagined – that serve as glimpses of the joy, pain, and strength within the Black experience.

The pieces on her wall are a direct reflection of what moves her.

“The state of blackness, be it joy or horror, is the first thing I find inspiring – this is my responsibility. When I write, I am most likely to write about these things. I work to find a balance because it’s not always about writing down everything that happens in the world. It’s about figuring out where your voice is in the bigger narrative. That’s where I find honor and commitment. “

The Year of the Man was an act of stabilizing the scales between life as an artist and a businesswoman.

She recently published her visual poem Cycles – an intimate portrayal of the complexity she experienced after their romantic relationship ended. She was also on a round of interviews to promote her latest book, Black Girl Call Home, and to take her business – Buy Weed From Women – to new heights.

“I don’t want to be so busy celebrating all these really exciting moments and talking to brilliant people who no one knows is healing through my work,” she says.

A rising star honoring healing

Mans is a lifelong artist. Raised in Newark, New Jersey, she loved words and performance. She used words to express her feelings about racism, police violence, coming out and respect for herself and others.

“Black women – Black queer women don’t see expressions of love very often. We don’t see queer women, black women navigating spaces that have no trauma, ”said Mans. “I want more stories so girls can have a model of what love looks like.

Related

Is Weed Gay ?: Iconic Influence in America

When she was in college, Man’s came to live with her mother and received little to no assistance.

“There were all these moments when I felt like both of my parents were rejecting the identities I was stepping into,” recalled Mans. “I was in a lot of pain on my trip. As a writer, my job – especially as a queer woman – is to talk about it. ”

Using cannabis clothing to help women graze

Cannabis has been a salvation throughout Man’s development.

“I had so many ideas for Buy Weed From Women, but couldn’t implement them. Well, that little thing that was on my head is changing and teaching me what it means to run a business, grow, and honor women in the process. “

Jasmine Mans

When she was younger, she used cannabis for the joy that would result from it. But as her notoriety grew, she realized that cannabis alleviated the anxiety she felt in people who knew the intimate details of their story.

Eventually, Mans began touring her poetry and opening for artists like Janelle Monáe and was invited to perform at places like the Kennedy Center and the Sundance Film Festival.

“At some point I realized that I had to create merchandise for my tours. One day I stumbled upon the words ‘Buy Weed From Women’ and thought to myself; that will mean something to the world. “

Her thought was confirmed after she featured her clothing line on her personal social media page. The positive response was overwhelming. “I thought to myself, what would it mean if my concept lived in another room and had its own home?”

From there, she created a website and stocked her boiler room closet with sturdy shelves to hold her growing stash of shirts, jackets, and tote bags.

Watching Chelsea Handler and Gabrielle Union talk about Buy Weed From Women was further evidence of the brand’s success. “I felt the company’s energy change. I felt my energy shift for the company. I figured; Nobody rules an empire alone. I had to decide how much I was willing to invest. “

Related

How to show yourself to women and minorities in cannabis

Buying weeds from women continues to grow

“I stumbled upon participating in the cannabis industry. It’s a blessing to see how much people care about the brand. I want to make sure Buy Weed From Women has an honorable benefit that lasts. “

Jasmine Mans

That year, Mans Buy Weed From Women moved out of their boiler room cupboard into their own office space. Her staff has also grown so that she can take on larger projects and expand into wholesale.

As Mans grows her business, she continues to thrive as an artist. Her book – Black Girl, Call Home was considered one of the most anticipated books of 2021 by Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Refinery 29, Essence, and many others.

“My goal is to write. This book gave me the opportunity to achieve that goal. ”Black Girl, Call Home explores the complexities of relationships, femininity, queer identity, and the black experience.

With the development of Mans, one thing is clear – she will appreciate her journey with transparency.

Follow Buy Weed From Women on Instagram

Brittany Parker

Brittany Parker is a marketing and communications consultant with a background in elementary education, cannabis, and technology. She enjoys delving into the intersections of cannabis and parenting, social justice, career development, and issues that make some clutch their pearls.

You can find her on IG and Twitter @naturalbrii.

View article from Brittany Parker

By submitting this form, you subscribe to Leafly news and promotional emails and agree to Leafly’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages at any time.