Sensi Magazine - Orange County (October 2019)

ORANGE COUNTY

Cinematic

Life-changing films

{plus}

GENERATION FEMME: PSYCHEDELIC

THE NEW NORMAL

10.2019

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 3

4 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

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ISSUE 10 //VOLUME 2 //10.2019

FEATURES 18 Haute Topic

La Haute is 100 percent authentic to its three founders.

34

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

Pot or Not?

How the 0.3-percent THC rule is fraying the American hemp industry.

40 Psychedelic Feminism

Cosmic Sister is working to create balance and diversity through sacred plants—an earth-centered antidote to patriarchal malware in the matrix.

22 AGE-IST You are extraordinary!

JOLLY GREEN Veggies + Fast Food

14

every issue 9 Editor’s Note 11 The Buzz 14 TasteBuds

CHANGING FOR THE GREENER

22 HighProfile

CHANGE IS UPON US

28 LifeStyle

REVELATORY ON FILM

50 HereWeGo

REDESIGNING MORE THAN SERVICE

Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2019 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 7

sensi magazine ISSUE 10 / VOLUME 2 / 10.2019

EXECUTIVE FOLLOW US

Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.com CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Tae Darnell tae@sensimag.com PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Alex Martinez alex@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

EDITORIAL sensimediagroup

Stephanie Wilson stephanie@sensimag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Doug Schnitzspahn doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Dawn Garcia dawn.garcia@sensimag.com

MANAGING EDITOR, SENSI SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR

sensimagazine

Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Rachel Svodoba, Eli Dupin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

A RT & D E S I G N Jamie Ezra Mark jamie@emagency.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rheya Tanner, Wendy Mak, Josh Clark em@sensimag.com DESIGN & LAYOUT

sensimag

BUSINESS & A D M I N I S T R AT I V E Kristan Toth kristan.toth@sensimag.com HEAD OF PEOPLE

Karen Petersen karen.petersen@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ORANGE COUNTY

Rob Ball rob.ball@sensimag.com Angelique Kiss angelique.kiss@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS, SAN DIEGO

Amber Orvik amber.orvik@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR

Andre Velez andre.velez@sensimag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR

Neil Willis neil.willis@sensimag.com PRODUCTION MANAGER

Hector Irizarry distribution@sensimag.com DISTRIBUTION

M E D I A PA RT N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy 8 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

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editor’s

NOTE

HEART. SOUL.

Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something,

change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Those words seem so simple, yet they’re the most challenging things to apply in our own lives. They don’t have to be.

Change can seem like one of those insurmountable tasks staring you down with a burdensome glare, but change is the one and only way the world becomes more beautiful, our lives become more meaningful, society becomes more civilized and unified, and the things we’ve once imagined become possible.

In my own life, I’ve come to understand (and appreciate) that

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and bored, or we can choose to let it filter in like pockets of sunIt can sometimes feel more terrifying than a zombie apocalypse, but did you know that our physiological response to fear is the same as our physiological response to courage? Maybe change is brevity masked in uncertainty, and that makes you brave.

This month’s issue tackles some of those inner fears through humor, film, curiosity, psychotropics, and exploration. We talk to a trio that began a company and developed a brand that represents who they are and where they are in life. We talk about the agricultural shift and the confusion of distinguishing hemp from cannabis and all the tangled legalities farmers face, thanks to a twisted bill with outdated information.

This month, we give you a dose of everything—and much like the visual cues of a new season, we hope you see change as something to embrace. Whether it be systemic or personal, this is your opportunity to try something new. Enjoy every minute of it!

May you be curiouser and curiouser,

Dawn Garcia

M ANAG I NG E D I TO R

SENSI SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 9

10 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

F O O D I E F R I E N D LY

Get Your Chowder On

San Clemente brings the family fun. // October 6 // 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. // SCCHAMBER.COM

The San Clemente Chamber of Commerce invites you to share in the festivities of the local fishermen. Featuring a chowder cook-off, arts and crafts booths, a surfing contest, and Fisherman’s Restaurant famed lobster, the day promises to bring a whole lot of good, clean fun as the first days of fall greet the county. The event takes place on the San Clemente Pier and will include a search-and-rescue demonstration thanks to the local US Coast Guard Search and Rescue crew. Public tastings will begin at 9:30 a.m., so come hungry and ready to eat.

–Dawn Garcia

Go Get Cheesy

Get your craving for mac ‘n’ cheese fulfilled. // October 26 // 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Gone are the days of Kraft Mac & Cheese being the only game in town.

From mac and cheese made with gourmet Gruyère or truffle to bacon or short-ribs, there are so many options for people who love cheesy goodness. The fifth-annual San Diego Mac ’N’ Cheese Festival is back in full effect and entirely for grownups.

Concoctions of elbow macaroni and cheese created by San Diego’s best of the best from 20 restaurants and 14 breweries will be waiting for you to dive in and indulge your carb cravings. There will also be lots to sip on, from wine and beer to other tasty libations, and live music while you bask in the near-perfect San Diego weather.

Two awards, Best Gourmet Mac ’n’ Cheese in San Diego (judged by an expert panel) and People’s Choice Best Mac ’n’ Cheese (popular vote), will be presented.

Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the World Wide Network of Learning, a California nonprofit with a mission to “engage, mentor, and cultivate young leaders in order to positively impact our cities, community, and world.”

–DG TICKETS $39 General Admission + $75 VIP // Waterford Park // SANDIEGOMACNCHEESE.COM

Going Global

Irvine celebrates the Global Village Festival’s 18th year. // October 12, 13 // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Representing more than 50 countries, the two-day Global Village Festival at the Great Park Irvine brings the local community together. The festival will offer a plentiful variety of food and drink for sale, multiple performances that showcase music and traditional dance from various cultures, cultural and historical exhibitions, an artisan market, and a scavenger hunt for the kids. The festival is the only one of its kind in the city. Established in 1988, this multicultural event has one clear intention: build unity, understanding, and harmony across all cultures. The event grew from a single day into two days of celebration, and this year will be one of the largest on record.

The city of Irvine was awarded the Cultural Diversity Award from the National League of Cities in 2012 for promoting and improving cultural diversity in the area.

–DG

CITYOFIRVINE.ORG - $5 per person

// $20 for a family of six. // Free parking; premier parking is $10 on site (cash only)

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 11

Pushing Veronica A young band making its mark.

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS

Feeling Irie

The Bahia Festival comes to Embarcadero. // October 19 // 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Reggae music originated during the 1960s in Jamaica and quickly rose to international acclaim by the 1970s, making it one of the first widely accepted styles of music that was the voice of the oppressed. Influential musical artists such as Bob Marley and Pato Banton became the voice of many, widely changing the way we saw the world and the power of music. While reggae is said to be chill in vibe, its sentiment and lyrics have depth and purpose, a vehicle for change at a time in history when it was imperative change happened.

Reggae has filtered into all genres of music in some form or fashion and is well-loved around the globe. The Bahia Festival is a celebration of reggae and Latin music in the heart of San Diego’s bay, the Embarcadero Marina Park North. Featuring national headliners, including E.N. Young and Alborosie, the event, sponsored by Music Box and DM Events, is expected to draw over 7,000 attendees. In addition to live music, local restaurants, bars, arts and crafts booths, services will be available throughout the festival.

TICKETS $50-$500 // TICKETWEB.COM 12 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

–DG

When we think of teenage kids with their own bands, we often think of garage bands hoping to make it. Pushing Veronica defies that because not only is this band of talented misfits playing steadily, it has a bit of Green Day/Social Distortion/ Blink-182/Deftones. Band members Oli Litner, Julien Silvas, Noah Rozansky, and Brady Ward believe in creating music that has a purpose, wakes you up, and motivates you to have “uninhibited irreverence that’s worthy of chanting along to in unison.” The band (wise beyond their not-yet-of-legal-drinkingage years) avoid becoming inoffensive, corporate, and stuck in the quagmire of predictability.

“Ballpit Rock is how we describe our sound,” explains Litner.

The term ballpit rock means music that is fun and ridiculous. It invites audiences and musicians to take pride in what makes them unique. “We’re celebrating what makes us all individuals, taking the piss out of everything, and having a good time doing it. The Ballpit is a community and genre that you get lost inside, where you can forget your age and inhibitions. Embrace your wild side.”

“Pushing Veronica is the only place where we can truly be ourselves,” adds Silvas. “We act like f*cking weirdos, and we accept each other. We’re family. We get into all kinds of shenanigans and great adventures creating our art.”

The band has a unique sound with songs such as “Dead Girl” that show their depth. “It’s like nobody wants to be burdened with a relationship or any form of love,” Silvas explains. “Everybody just wants to chew people up and spit them out like emotionless zombies. It’s bullshit. We couldn’t help but stab that idea right in the heart. That’s why she’s dead. She represents what happens when we simply use others for their bodies and stop valuing real relationships and connections with each other.” Damn, that’s profound for post-millennials. Pushing Veronica is playing all around Southern California, and supporting them means supporting a generation of intention and positive change.

–DG UPCOMING PERFORMANCES October 3 // They Came 2 By 2 Music Festival featuring ’68 The Inspector Cluzo in Anaheim // PUSHINGVERONICA.COM // @PUSHINGVERONICA

SHOCK VALUE

Scaring The Boo Out Of You October 6 through November 2

It’s that time again—time to dust off your inhibition, hunker down for some scary-movie watching, and put on the scariest or most inventive Halloween costume in town. Whether you’re celebrating Hallow’s Eve or Dia de los Muertos—or finally have an excuse to wear your furry costume (hey, no judgment)—Orange County and San Diego have got your back.

Dark Harbour

Now through November 2 // $34-$39 // QUEENMARY.COM

Horror and fear take over Queen Mary, haunted by past guests, for an unforgettable and terrifying eve on one of the most notorious ships in history. Featuring a captain who’s lost control of the vessel, six mazes, live entertainment, secret bars, and rides, the night reigns supreme in the heebie-jeebies.

Haunted Trail of Balboa Park

Now Through October 31 // $25 // HAUNTEDTRAIL.NET

There is something disturbing about wandering a park late at night, and Balboa Park is no exception. That’s why the Haunted Trail is so apropos this Halloween. Explore, experiment, and get freaked out.

The Haunted Hotel

Now Through October 31 // $20 // HAUNTEDHOTEL.COM

If you’ve watched The Shining, you know hotels can carry their weight in freaky and unexplained paranormal activity. On select nights in the Gaslamp Quarter, you’re invited to confront your fright head on.

Vintage Witch and Warlock Ball October 12 // $30 // SANTAANAHISTORY.COM

Prepare for a mystical night of the spooky kind. Dress in your best witch and warlock attire to be a part of Halloween mysteries, scary stories that will chill your bones, and dancing and eating under the light of lanterns.

Historical Cemetery Tour

October 19 // OCCEMETERYDISTRICT.COM

The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society’s walking tour features actors portraying historical figures as you walk through the eerie old cemetery. –DG sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 13

{tastebuds }

by DAW N G A R C I A

CHANGING FOR THE GREENER Fast food has a long way to go, but it’s on its way.

Fast food is in itself is the antithesis of healthy—or so it has been until now. As more evidence mounts in favor of healthy eating habits, fast food chains are under pressure to rise to the plant-based eating occasion. After the release of Super Size Me, exposing the unhealthy effects of the McDonald’s menu, the Big Mac mogul took notice and 14 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

made some major adjustments to its practices.

low-fat items were available without having to make ten

McDonald’s took a closer look at its ingredients and

amendments to an item? Unfortunately, the healthy trend

how it sources and cooks food, determined to see how it

isn’t catching on just yet, but hopefully the fast food chains

could be more responsible in its offerings. If you visit the

will realize they have a responsibility to those they feed.

McDonald’s website, you’ll find more nutrition informa-

Want to see more healthy options? Cause a stir on so-

tion than you ever imagined, but most importantly, the

cial media. Demand that companies offer healthier choic-

restaurant’s menu is continually shifting towards quality,

es. This country has a long way to go if we want to catch

cage-free, sustainably sourced, low-fat, and it even offers

up, but we have to do it together.

fair-trade coffee choices.

With over 1,500 locations in California alone, McDonald’s has a way to go if it wants to meet the trending consumer market saturated with more plant-friendly options. “McDonald’s does not currently offer any vegan or vegetarian options. but we hope to in the future,” says McDonald’s representative Justin S. So which chains are savvy enough to realize the potential of an untapped market? Burger King and Jack in the Box. Burger King recently introduced its Impossible

Tocaya Organica’s Zuma Tacos

Whopper, a burger with a patty made from plant-based products and toppings. (For a true vegan burger, omit the mayo and request a non-broiler method of preparation).

It’s still loaded with fat (34 grams), but it’s a start.

Jack in the Box’s famed tacos, meanwhile, are made of soy. One taco has only nine grams of fat but 363 milligrams of sodium, so be mindful when ordering the two-taco menu item.

America has some of the highest obesity rates in the world—approaching 40 percent, according to data in the American Medical Association’s The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America 2018. Since this report was released, six more states have been added to the list of those with increasing obesity rates.

As it stands, you have to get pretty creative at a drive-thru to make it a healthy choice. How nice would it be if

Fast, not Fat Should the need for nutritious grab-and-go options arise, a few places will suffice, but none of them have a drive-thru. You’ll have to exercise your right to walk and get in a few extra steps.

Chipotle: Grilled veggie burrito (replace rice with lettuce, skip the sour cream and guac and opt for salsa and avocado); vegan and Whole30 bowls.

Veggie Grill: Summer avocado toast; luxe burger (without “cream” sauce); grilled quinoa and veggie burger; BTLA; veggies, salads and bowls. (Note: This is the only chain that offers 100 percent plant-based items that don’t sacrifice taste.)

Baja Fresh: Grilled chicken tacos; Baja bowls and fajitas.

Tocaya Organica: Watermelon and heirloom tomato salad; zuma taco; black bean and quinoa bowl.

Veggie Grill’s Luxe Burger and fries

Starbucks: Classic oatmeal; hearty blueberry oatmeal; spinach and feta with cage-free egg white breakfast wrap.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 15

baileyscbd.com @ b a i l eys c b d

16 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 17

La Haute, dedicated to health, relaxation, and fun, is 100 percent authentic to its three founders.

by R A C H E L S VO B O DA

18 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

Introducing a new lifestyle cannabis brand, ACCORDING TO LA HAUTE FOUNDERS JOSH WEINER, MICHAEL GRIFFIN, AND COURTNEY LYNCH, INCLUDED A REFLECTION ON THEIR PERSONAL JOURNEYS WITH CANNABIS. YOU COULD EVEN SAY EACH LA HAUTE PRODUCT IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF EACH OF THEM. Weiner is a runner who uses cannabis as a nontoxic way to relieve aches and pains. Lynch is a “Boston Irish girl” who finds cannabis a healthy substitute for wine. Griffin is a working dad who takes cannabis to relax at night after his two kids are in bed.

“The culture of California is at the heart of what we do,” Wiener says. “We are professionals and parents. We enjoy exercising, cooking, traveling, love, fashion, and design. Microdosing is the grown-up version of getting high.”

Microdosing means taking small amounts of cannabis to reap the medical benefits of cannabinoids while avoiding interference to your daily life from the psychoactive effects of THC. The key is to find the minimum effective dose for your body; it’s different for each person, but once you find the sweet spot, cannabis becomes a fun and effective way to care for your overall well-being.

La Haute launched this year with four cannabis products ideal for microdosing.

Its health-centric, therapeutic approach and specifically formulated products offer users a natural alternative that targets health issues such as insomnia, pain, and anxiety without traditional prescription medicine.

“We created the brand out of our lifestyle. We knew we didn’t want to smoke cannabis, but we wanted to participate in all the benefits and fun of the plant,” says co-founder Josh Weiner. “As we got older—not that old though—we noticed we used a lot more supplements and wanted to incorporate cannabis into our routine.”

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 19

20 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

Haute off the Shelves

La Haute products are available at these locations: 420 Central, Santa Ana BARC, Los Angeles Cornerstone Wellness, Pasadena Captain Jack’s Dispensary, San Bernardino LA Kush, Los Angeles Pottery LA, Los Angeles Strain Balboa Caregivers, Chatsworth Coming soon to MedMen, Orange County Online at LAHAUTE.COM

Weiner says nothing on the market is like La Haute in

tail and delivery accounts,” Weiner says. “However, we

look, feel, or application. They invested a lot of time de-

know our core customer is still on the fringe of cannabis.

veloping products made with little to no sugar that can

They are curious but aren’t visiting dispensaries regular-

replace chemicals they have been using for years. “We’re

ly or aren’t fully informed. It’s still taboo to some of them.”

the first to bring microdosed supplements infused with

The company has quite a few ideas for La Haute’s

other natural ingredients like melatonin, ginger, coco-

next products, but the goal for now is getting current

nut oil, turmeric, and a few others to the market,” says

products into customers’ hands. La Haute is focused on

Weiner. “There was an opportunity to create something

launching and building repeat business, partnering with

unique in a growing space. Before we entered the mar-

like-minded retailers to create more brand awareness

ket, both our brand and products were not represented in the industry.”

The product line includes

Wellness

Capsules, developed

“The cannabis industry is a clean slate for entrepreneurs,” Weiner says.

the grassroots way, and paying close attention

to

market

and consumer feedback. The brand began a delivery partnership

this

year

to support wellness and immunity with a special blend

with MyJane, a California-based company that delivers

of coconut oil, turmeric, and CBD. With a 20:1 CBD-to-THC

curated boxes of THC and CBD products.

ratio, this 100 percent natural vegan capsule helps calm

Weiner says the cannabis industry is a “clean slate”

the mind and keep the body healthy while delivering the

for entrepreneurs. “The cannabis industry is so new that

benefits of a daily multivitamin.

it has that new-car appeal,” he explains. “Still, there is

Relief Capsules can replace regular aspirin use with a

a steep learning curve for entrepreneurs. There are no

gentle blend of herbs, ginger, galangal, and devil’s claw,

road maps for this industry, and the rules are much dif-

along with microdoses of CBD and THC. Users will enjoy

ferent than industries we have a better understanding of

reduced inflammation and relief from aches and pains.

in terms of laws, licensing, and operations.”

Happy Mints, with an equal parts THC-to-CBD ratio,

Innovations in cannabis education, product assort-

are intended to benefit the body and mind with good

ment, customer retention, and marketing are the main

vibes and stress reduction. This simple blend could be

trends Weiner sees for the cannabis industry. “Because

used as an alternative to a glass of wine.

there are a few things off limits, like direct-to-consumer

Dream Capsules feature a unique blend of CBD, THC,

sales for a brand like ours and certain digital channels,

and melatonin to help ease into a natural, deep sleep.

you have to innovate around what is available,” Weiner

It’s a great alternative to prescriptions such as Ambien

states. “Because of the laws and regulations, depending

or Lunesta.

on where you are located, you have to think differently,

“Our first step is to get our products into the right customers’ hands, which is starting to happen with key re-

test and retest, and react accordingly if you want to reap the benefits of this business.” sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 21

{highprofile }

by DAW N G A R C I A

CHANGE IS UPON US Ladies, welcome to your forties.

I remember being 22 years old, all full of promise, taut

The commonality among them is the realization of time

skin, a tight bum, and nothing but time ahead of me. I also

and aging. “Physical aging—white hair, wrinkles, weight

remember thinking how old 40 seemed. And then you ar-

gain, less energy, muscle loss. And technology. I’m afraid

rive at the decade and think, What the hell? I don’t feel two

of not being able to keep up with all the new tech discov-

decades older, except everything is little more effort, I’ve had

eries,” says Livia W.

a child, I sometimes pee a little if I laugh or cough, and my big

Angie W. wrote: “My changing body, the thought of

dreams of how life is supposed be at this stage are slightly

menopause approaching, weight gain; threat of diabetes;

altered.

accepting there are no more babies in my future; notic-

Like most women in their 40s, I’ve been married and

ing how shop clerks stopped noticing me; noticing how no

divorced and, thankfully, both were civil, happy, and free

one opens doors for me anymore. Wondering if I have any

of drama because we are the odd pair who still like each

idea what really makes me happy. I made so many long-

other. We gave each other a daughter. Sometimes that’s

term choices without understanding what long-term real-

the best you got. Now that I’m a mom to an almost teen-

ly meant—were they good choices? —is this midlife crisis

ager, life is a bit different. Aside from the aforementioned

time? Yes. Yes, it is.”

(raising a teen), I have trouble getting a good night’s sleep,

Sophie V., who works in Hollywood, has felt ageism rear

and I have the sex drive of an 18-year-old (and I’m roll-

its head. “Of course there was the age thing, like, oh, God,

ing with it because I’m pretty sure the expiration date on

now I’m 40. I have no relationship, no kids, my career is like

that wraps up at the end of this decade). I’ve always had

most in LA (all over the place), and age/ageism has a way of

low blood pressure, and what do you know? Mine is now

making it seem like, well you didn’t do it by 40 so now you are

higher than before, primarily because the realities of the

screwed.” Kristen H. and Chaya M. agree that one of the

current state of the world we’re living in has its downfalls.

prominent thoughts as you start this decade is, “Am I still

Those fantastical dreams of being able to retire at the

relevant? Am I running out of time to achieve my goals?”

age of 40 had to take a backseat because I have even more

To which I say, no. This is when we will rock the sh*t out of

ambition than I ever have. In the words of Sandra Oh, “The

whatever we dare to endeavor.

best part of being in your 40s is you stop giving two fucks.”

That thread of comments made me realize I wasn’t alone

To follow up on this idea, I reached out to women in their

in feeling like everything seemed different. As a woman in

40s, and the response was overwhelming. I received more

your 40s you either have 20-somethings picking up on you,

than 50 replies in three days. I asked a series of questions,

wanting to be sexually schooled while you find yourself

and the answers ranged from hysterically funny to pain-

torn between being flattered and thinking, Jesus, control

fully true.

your mommy issues, or you have men your own age look-

22 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

ing at you like, Sure, you’ve aged gracefully, but your days of

in their late 20s or 30s is something to enjoy should the

mothering my children are over, as they scroll through Tinder

opportunity present itself. They aim to please, and you’ve

looking at women 10 years younger with better boob jobs.

still got it. And yes, for some people in their 40s (present

The funny part of it is when you reach this strange, dare-

company included) sexual preference matters less. We’re

I-say, middle of your life, you know you have more tools in

ready for substance, whether that be with a woman or a

your sensuality box than any youngin could, but you don’t

man. My theory is as long as you are fulfilled and happy

have time or the desire to teach anyone anything. Raising

no one gets to weigh in. To quote millennials, “you do you”.

adults is not sexy.

(Don’t judge me, I’m still up on the lingo.)

Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun being hit on by someone

Chava M. recalls: “When I was 41, I went on an audition,

half your age, but at some point, the whole cougar thing

and the casting director asked me my age. I proudly said,

is not attractive, and when the person hitting on you

‘I’m 41.’ To which the young 30, flirty, and thriving casting

could be your child, it’s time to rethink the obsession with

director said, ‘Ah, it’s okay, that’s not so old.’ I said, ‘Ummm,

younger, more virile men and women. That said, a lover

I know.’ He then responded with, ‘Really, I get it, I’m old, sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 23

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24 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

too. I’m 31, you don’t have to feel bad,’ to which I responded, “I don’t.’ ‘No, really,’ he continued, ‘it’s not so bad.’ So finally, I said, “Look, if life was a race, I’d be ahead. I know it’s not bad. I’m winning. Do you hear me? I’m ahead. I won.’

And that’s what it’s like to be 40.”

What other fun things do you get to look forward to in your 40s? Weight gain—with a wicked vengeance. Weight comes on like a leech attaching to your flesh in muddy waters, and it takes years and years of angsty gym-going and excruciating yoga practice and diet change to drop a single pound. (Maybe it’s not that melodramatic, but it sure feels like it.) According to the many studies done on women’s ability to lose weight in their 40s (way more studies than

Let’s clear this up right now.

Age is not taking away our sex drive in this decade. In fact,

sex is actually better in your 40s.

are done on helping us through menopause), it’s tough, yet gaining weight is like a cage fight. It comes quick and strong, and it will knock you on your ass. The plus side is you’ll have extra cushion for the fall.

“The biggest culprit behind your body’s changes after 40? Hormones,” says Alyssa Dweck, MD, gynecologist and assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai School of “This fluctuation in hor-

desses in our own right. Thankfully, it is kind of true. Some-

mones causes a cascade of changes, from decreased

thing about being a woman in your 40s means you slowly

bone density and lean muscle mass to lower sex drive and

but surely ditch your insecurities because at this stage,

mood changes.”

what’s the point? Women find they are more self-assured,

Medicine, on

HEALTHLINE.COM .

Let’s clear this up right now. Age is not taking our sex

far more fearless, and appreciate all of their well-earned

drive away in this decade. I, along with my fellow wom-

curves, lumps, sags, lines, and changes. As India Arie sings,

en, refuse to allow this. We’re supposed to feel like horny

strength, courage, and wisdom are what women can ex-

twenty-somethings. That’s the trade-off for all the other

pect at this stage of life.

crap, right?! SCARYMOMMY.COM blogger Stefanie Iris Weiss

Some of the cast of Facebook Watch’s Chair Gang re-

writes that there are solid reasons why sex is better in

sponded to being in their 40s. Lydia R., who plays Bree,

your 40s. “You’ve abandoned the same industrial complex

says: “Some of the biggest fears I faced entering my 40s

for good. You have no fucks left to give about what other

were quickly dispelled with self-talk and ‘remembering’

people think about you—including what the lover in your

who I was. Nevertheless, they initially showed up as: My

bed thinks about the size of your thighs. Quick sex isn’t a

divorce proceedings will never end. A suitable life partner

problem. And you’re hornier than you’ve ever been in your

is not going to be attracted to me. My mindset became a

whole life.” She reminds readers that in your 20s, you have

major focus of attention in my 40s when I realized how

performance sex, but in your 40s? Pleasure is your goal,

much success as an actor hinged on recognizing my ‘good

and you aren’t about to be that selfless in bed. It’s time to

mindset’ from my ‘bad mindset’ and then adjusting if

cash in on all those promised multiples.

needed. Changing my mindset has taken me to another

Age is just a number. Those blasphemous words have

level personally as well as professionally. It’s all about per-

been spoken for decades, and they are what we tell our-

spective! I’m much calmer, less anxious, and I’m able to

selves to soften the blow of mortality and wrinkles. This

access joy in the now.”

decade should consist of the crazy good sex we were

Monica H., who plays Mo, says: “When I was in my 40s,

promised, total self-acceptance, and a chance to be god-

I was deep into a teaching career and felt I didn’t have sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 25

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choices. I longed to have variety and different challenges.

real with ourselves, ageism is a real thing and losing the

I didn’t fear my 40s, but did see it as a milestone of no

tautness we took for granted earlier in our lives kind of

longer being young. In hindsight, I realize that it is not so

sucks, but we’ve been married, mothers, divorced, sur-

much of a milestone. Aging is a gradual process and hap-

vived loss, heartache, failures, and doubt. That opens the

pens to everyone.” Sharla F., who plays Pauline, is matter-

door for more passion, more focus, more hope, way bet-

of-fact about what entering her 40s means: “Time is run-

ter sex (this is well worth repeating), and tackling all those

ning out.” She pauses and adds that one thing she loves

dreams we put to the side. We’re way more badass and

is financial security and taking time for herself. “I’m doing

confident than we’ve ever been. Instead of focusing on the

more to please myself and not judging myself so harshly

mortality of it all, we should use it as an excuse to give

like I did in my 20s.”

less heed to anyone else’s opinions, to stop feeling guilty

Turning 40 isn’t a death sentence to our sexier, more

about pleasing ourselves (take this however you’d like), to

youthful selves. It isn’t the end of an era, it’s the beginning

embrace that we are no longer afraid to speak up, speak

of something more intriguing than the self-consciousness

out, and stand for what we believe in. That is liberation.

and uncertainty that accompanied our 20s and 30s. Time

Entering our 40s is the chance to claim the woman

comes for us all, but wouldn’t it be refreshing to embrace

you’ve always wanted to be. Reclaim you. And don’t apol-

every year with less judgment and just be grateful you’re

ogize for it. You’re sexy and fierce, and to hell with anyone

still here to enjoy whatever may come? If we’re being

who makes you think otherwise. You’ve got this.

TURNING 40 ISN’T A DEATH S E N T E N C E. IT ISN’T THE END OF AN ERA. IT’S THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING NEW AND MORE INTRIGUING.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 27

{lifestyle }

by DAW N G A R C I A

REVELATORY ON FILM Movies that changed me.

Some of my earliest memories consist of watching B

70s, spoke of it with a smile on her face and a brightness

movies, typically horror films, with my dad. A big fan of Elvira

in her eyes. I was curious. At the old Alex Theatre—erected

and Vincent Price, my six-year-old self could stomach mov-

in the 1930s whose walls had stories of their own, hosting

ies like The Hand, Swamp Thing, and Tarantula, but it was The

an array of Hollywood stars and starlets from once upon a

Worms that would create an anti-bath phase because I was

time—I watched as the red velvet curtain parted and Singin’

convinced worms would rise from the tub drain or descend

in the Rain started playing. I was enthralled. The strength of

through the faucet.

the lead played by Debbie Reynolds, the wit and welcomed

It wasn’t until The Shining came out on VHS that I was told

banter between Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor, and the

I couldn’t watch a film because it was too scary, but my par-

joyous feel of a film showing the transition the industry was

ents watched it in the other room, sound blaring. (My dad

facing from silent films to talkies made this exceptional. It is

insists on theater-level volume when movie watching to this

a lesson in cinematic technology, the clear blurred line of a

day.) The horror of it all! I could hear it, and I can assure you,

woman’s place in society, and the beautifully complex world

that film is more terrifying to listen to when all you have is an

of eternal optimism. I watch

overactive imagination. Now that I’ve seen the movie, I real-

this film because the dance

ize what a brilliant psychological thriller and horror film it is.

routines, the story, and the

Fast-forward to being an adult, able to watch whatever I

songs garner a feeling of

please; movies are the way I recall the story of my life. Dif-

happiness so often lacking

ferent films mark pivotal moments in my memory. I have

in modern cinema.

learned so much from the cinematic arts, including understanding that a movie can reach inside of you, open your eyes, give you pause, educate you, inspire you, scare you,

The Power of One (1992)

encourage you, and endear you. I’ve seen hundreds of films,

The Power of One is a

and some forever changed me. And while I can’t list the

compelling tale of war in

many, I wanted to share some. (All these films

South Africa during the

are available to rent or stream if you want to

1930s and 1940s, told from the perspective of a

see them for yourself.)

South Afrikaner boy named P.K. A harrowing story of ex-

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

cruciating loss, childhood cruelty, racism, twisted politics, beautiful friendships, deep love, and standing up for what’s

The first time I saw Singin’ in the Rain was

right, this is a film everyone should see. Starring Morgan

in the 1990s. My grandmother, then in her

Freeman, Stephen Dorff (17-year-old P.K.), Simon Fenton

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(12-year-old P.K.), and Guy Witcher (7-year-old P.K.), The Power of One is a film I return to often. After losing every-

Before Night Falls (2000) Before Night Falls may be one of the most impactful

one he loves, P.K. is sent to a boarding school where he is

films I’ve seen. Exposing the oppression of artists and the

repeatedly tormented by Nazi sympathizers. P.K is taught

gay community in Cuba during the 1950s and 1960s, this

to box as a young boy by Geel Piet, played by Freeman. In

movie takes you through the rise of Fidel Castro and his

an effort to stand up to those who have been bullying P.K.,

impact on a beautiful community that added color and

Piet teaches P.K. to fight “first with the head and then with

culture to the nation. The film stars the insanely talent-

the hands,” instilling integrity, strength of heart and spir-

ed Javier Bardem, who plays the world-renowned Cuban

it, and the mindfulness to think before acting. The film is

poet Reinaldo Arenas, and Johnny Depp, who plays Bon

based on the book by Australian author Bryce Courtenay.

Bon/Lieutenant Victor. The story begins at the start of

It reminds us that we can all play a part in changing the

Arenas’s career when Cuba awards him one of the coun-

ugliness of the past and be instrumental in opening minds

try’s top honors for poetry. Even Castro was enamored by

and creating unity, not division.

Arenas’s poetry, but when he takes control of the coun-

This Changes Everything (2019)

try, artists and the LGBT community are banned. Bodem portrays a brilliant mind from a time in history that shamed the creative and open-minded, and fights

A documentary directed by

with every last bit of his soul not to lose the ability to

Tom Donahue and produced by

see beauty and hope and successfully flee from the

Geena Davis, This Changes Ev-

prison Castro created.

erything spotlights the gender disparity in Hollywood. While women held positions as writ-

Colors (1988) I grew up in Los Angeles during the 1980s and 1990s,

ers and directors during the

when the infamous battle between rival gangs and the

days of silent films, when

Rodney King trial exposed the deep-seated corruption

talkies came on the scene,

and racism within the LAPD. Colors showed the rest of

women were seen as little

the world the truth about surviving in certain parts of LA.

more than actresses. Despite the histo-

This film was one of the only that didn’t

ry of women’s suffrage, civil rights, and equal pay, we’re

shy away from real-time gangs and

here yet again, fighting to be seen as we are: half of the

the hardship of growing up in places

population. No matter how hard the fight, things changed

like East LA, nor did it diminish the hu-

only in increments of nine years before society and gender

manity and goodness of the people liv-

discrepancy went right back to its conditioned response.

ing in and through it, with the help of one

Women are not seen as equal or valued—at least not in

of the best soundtracks of the time.

the film industry.

Shadows have been cast on women in the indus-

Colors exposed a very different part of LA, far from the glitz and Hollywood glam-

try, especially as writers and directors. There are sever-

our often associated with the city. Starring

al award-winning women who have had huge box office

Sean Penn, Robert Duvall, Don Cheadle, Da-

successes only to then wait some 14 years between jobs,

mon Wayans, Maria Conchita Alonso, Randy

which male filmmakers rarely experience. Featuring Meryl

Brooks, and an unbelievable cast that made

Streep, Natalie Portman, Tiffany Haddish, Jackie Cruz, Jes-

up the world of East LA, Colors shows a very poignant part

sica Chastain, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Saldana, Marisa

of Los Angeles history in a way that educates, informs,

Tomei, and a dozen other prominent actresses, This Chang-

and sheds light on surviving in a broken system that ne-

es Everything is important. The research and investigative

glected its neighborhoods and allowed corruption to run

data retrieved over the last 70 years is too solid to deny.

far too deep. sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 31

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When Harry Met Sally (1989)

It’s a heartbreaking and hopeful tale that has some of the most stunning visuals in cinema, especially at the time, and

In true Rob Reiner form,

put del Toro on the map of cin-

When Harry Met Sally is one of

ematic brilliance. I recently at-

the wittiest and most honest

tended an anniversary screen-

romantic comedies of all time.

ing at the Academy Foundation

Starring Billy Crystal (Harry),

of Motion Pictures, Arts, and

Meg Ryan (Sally), Carrie Fish-

Sciences with the entire cast,

er (Marie), and Bruno Kirby

and I can tell you the film still

(Jess), When Harry Met Sally

resonates as one of the most

follows two oddly matched

magical,

people over 15 years, through

promising in movie history.

relationships, engagements, careers, friendships, and holidays. The result is a fast-paced, intelligently written, hysterically acted film that has the greatest (and funniest) fake orgasm scene you’ll likely ever see—in a diner.

devastating,

and

Films from here, there, and everywhere.

I could name a hundred more movies that impacted me

The story begins with a road trip to New York when Har-

and ultimately led me to my other career of writing for film

ry and Sally (two strangers) are leaving college for the real

and television. Regardless of where you land or what your

world and pair up on the drive for convenience. They bare-

favorites are, always explore not just American cinema,

ly tolerate each other as Harry has wild ideas about men

but foreign films as well. There is immense beauty, knowl-

and women not being able to be friends because of sex.

edge, and truth in films from abroad and, quite honestly,

Five years later, they meet again, only this time it’s less

they are some of the most profound.

awkward and both are in happy relationships. Another five years later, they’re set up on a blind date by their friends, and from there the real friendship begins. Reiner’s masterful way of showing the woes and humor of friendship and the potential of love is genius and, at times, uproarious.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Seldom is there a movie that can toggle between fantasy and reality and leave you wondering which was more real.

Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) is writer and director Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece. This film tells the story of young Ofelia of Spain in 1944, forced to live in a home with her mother and her mother’s new husband, a sadistic army officer, while they wait for the arrival of the baby brother her mother is pregnant with. Treated as less-than, Ofelia turns to her imagination and playful visions, which become more than fantasy. Off exploring one day, Ofelia comes across a place in a tree that leads to a stairwell underground, where she meets an odd creature, Fauno, who informs her she must complete several tasks if she wants

Honorable Mentions

Here is a down-and-dirty list of other films that opened my eyes to the power of cinema: Mississippi Burning

Scarface

To Kill A Mockingbird

Eat Drink Man Woman

Battleship Potemkin

Cinema Paradiso

Léon (The Professional)

Tucker & Dale vs Evil

Run Lola Run

In the Mood for Love

Memento Nightmare on Elm Street The Matrix Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Beasts of No Nation Elling Restrepo Amélie Roman Holiday In Bruges

to get back to her kingdom, a magical place where she is the princess. sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 33

POT S PE C I A L R E PO R T

OR

HEMP IS NOW LEGAL ON A FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT STRUGGLES TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM CANNABIS. THE 2018 FARM BILL, WHICH LEGALIZED INDUSTRIAL

HEMP WITH LESS THAN 0.3 PERCENT THC, WAS HAILED BY THE US HEMP INDUSTRY AS CAUSE FOR INTENSE CELEBRATION. AN AGRICULTURAL STAPLE ONCE PRODUCED IN ABUNDANCE BEFORE WORLD WAR II, HEMP WAS, FINALLY, AGAIN TO BE TREATED LIKE ANY OTHER PLANT. The 2018 Farm Bill was lauded as the first step toward

nies on legal issues. “The hemp bill is clearly pro-farm-

giving farmers the chance to make the US a hemp na-

er and pro-cultivation. Let’s grow it, process it, create a

tion once more. “Congress clearly wanted to encourage a

thriving market, and in my opinion also turn it into in-

hemp industry. It couldn’t be more obvious,” says Frank

ternational commerce,” he says. “The language is clear

Robison, a Denver lawyer who works with hemp compa-

that it wanted to create a market.”

34 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

NOT? How the 0.3-percent THC figure is fraying the American hemp industry.

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

Some unexpected problems are threatening to under-

In January, a trailer carrying 7,000 pounds of hemp

mine this growth. And it all boils down to this: What is

was seized and the driver arrested by the Idaho State Po-

hemp, what is cannabis, and how is that determined?

lice. A truckful of hemp was apprehended in South Da-

Since the 2018 Farm Bill’s implementation, neither the

kota and the driver charged with cannabis possession

Federal Drug Administration nor the Department of Ag-

in August. A company whose shipment of hemp was

riculture have produced national rules and regulations

seized by Oklahoma police, who claimed it was marijua-

for hemp. And because most hemp is now being trans-

na, are suing the police, the county, and an attorney to

ported by trucks and trailers passing between states,

get their product back.

each with different rules and knowledge about the legality of hemp, it’s causing any number of hassles.

Police and district attorneys in several states are complaining they don’t have the equipment or knowledge to sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 35

36 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

make the distinction, either. In Florida, the State Attorney’s Office has ruled that the sight or smell of marijuana can no longer be used as probable cause for search because they both smell skanky. Charges against University of Nebraska football players for possession were dropped because the state couldn’t prove whether what they had was cannabis or hemp. In Texas, the Austin district attorney said her office would stop prosecuting possession cases involving four ounces or less unless there was a lab test, and Houston’s DA dismissed 32 felony marijuana cases, estimating that it would cost $185,000 and take up to a year to implement the testing procedure and hire people to run it.

In a sign of the significance of the problem, the US Drug Enforcement Administration put out a request for information on private companies that might have the technology for field tests sensitive enough to distinguish between hemp and marijuana. The USDA’s William Richmond said in August that the agency is grappling with the Farm Bill‘s requirement for a national THC testing protocol. “We need to have testing procedures in place,” he said, but coming up with reliable testing methods is “as complicated as you think it is.”

IS IT REALLY THAT TOUGH? Not everybody feels it’s that difficult. Cannabis, or marijuana, and hemp are the same plant species, Cannabis

sativa. Though similar in appearance and odor, they are distinctly different in composition and the chemicals they produce. The national standard written into the 2018 Farm Bill for determining whether a crop is hemp or cannabis is that hemp must contain no more than 0.3 percent of the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on a dry-weight basis.

“And that’s just a very random, arbitrary number,” says Cindy Orser, chief scientific officer at Digipath, an independent cannabis testing lab in Las Vegas. “And you

good chance of coming in above that 0.3 percent delta-9 THC percent limit at maturity.”

THREE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT

know, it’s just not right to define a plant species based

In 1937, hemp and cannabis were both essentially

on a chemical that can fluctuate based on its growing

demonized and taxed out of existence. There is reason

environment and by its genetics.”

to believe that other industries—cotton, building—were

Hemp has been grown forever for its fiber and seed

behind the hemp ban, but at least one was because of

for use in a wide variety of products. “When people say

law-enforcement difficulties distinguishing between

hemp, they usually mean industrial hemp, which is also

hemp and cannabis. With both illegal, there was no need

called European hemp,” she explains. “It’s been bred for

to differentiate between the two, and no attempt was

centuries for its fiber content, and it has very low canna-

made. The number 0.3 percent delta-9 THC (3/10 of 1 per-

binoid content.”

cent) on a dry weight basis comes from a 1976 study of

Orser notes that there is also another hemp, what she calls American hemp, or resin hemp, which is grown for

cannabis taxonomy and was never intended as a legal distinction, Orser says.

its higher CBD content. “It’s not being grown for fiber,

While there are several different forms of THC, only one,

it’s not being grown for its flower,” she says. “It’s being

delta-9 THC, gets you “high.” The 0.3 percent legal limit

grown for oil, from either seeds or clones that have a

only applies to delta-9 THC. By law, this is the sole cansensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 37

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nabinoid that is considered when determining whether a cannabis plant is lawful hemp or unlawful marijuana.

The issue is that gas chromatography (GC), a primary testing method used by both law enforcement agencies and state departments of agriculture, heats up a cannabis sample in order to tease out and measure delta-9 THC levels.

THCa, another of more than 100 chemicals produced by the plant which is not mentioned in the statute, converts to delta-9 THC when heated. “In other words, the GC testing method actually creates the very same cannabinoid that is being tested,” says Asheville, NC, cannabis attorney Rod Kight.

Here’s what Project CBD says about the number. “The 0.3 percent THC legal limit is an arbitrary, impractical, euphoria-phobic relic of reefer madness. Although it lacks a scientific basis, it has become the latest lynchpin of cannabis prohibition, a dishonest, anachronistic policy that impedes medical discovery and blocks patient access to valuable therapeutic options, including herbal extracts with various combinations of CBD and THC.”

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION Farmers are uncertain, too, and for good reason. If any portion of a hemp crop comes up at 0.4 percent delta-9 THC or higher at harvest time, that entire crop would have to be destroyed. Orser is trying to empirically determine a representative value for THC that would enable farmers and not confuse law enforcement. She has done testing on American hemp and has found that more than half of the plant samples of CBD resin hemp, turn up “hot,” or above the 0.3 percent number. Digipath is currently beta-testing a molecular or DNA-based assay that distinguishes industrial hemp from resin hemp and drug-type cannabis within two hours.

Growing hemp for CBD is difficult enough, Kight says, and limiting the strains a farmer can use places an undue and unnecessary burden. “Aside from legal considerations, the reason that this issue is important is because widespread adoption of the total THC position would be harmful to the hemp industry—in particular hemp farmers,” Kight says. “Requiring total THC concentrations to remain within 0.3 percent, rather than just limiting delta-9 THC, severely limits the hemp strains a farmer can grow.”

Although the gas chromotography test is the most widely used, Kight and others argue that another test— high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)—does

“We’re talking about such minuscule amounts [of THC]. On or off the record, WHO CARES?”

not use heat to separate and measure delta-9 THC con-

—Frank Robison, Lawyer

be sold or used instead as recreational or medical canna-

centrations, which means it’s testing the actual amount of delta-9 THC in any sample.

The HPLC test doesn’t create higher concentrations of the same molecule that determines whether a plant is lawful or an illegal controlled substance. Because GC testing creates delta-9 THC, Kight says that using it to test hemp is contrary to law and can even amount to evidence tampering in the context of a criminal case.

One final thing to remember here is that we are talking about minuscule amounts of delta-9 THC. There are no concerns that a hemp crop that comes in at 0.4 percent, or 0.7 percent, or even 1.0 percent delta-9 THC, is going to bis. Most legally available cannabis begins at around 15 percent delta-9 THC and goes up from there. Nobody will ever get high using any hemp product, even if it comes in over the limit. And it’s the farmers, the ones who find out whether their crop is legal or not after it has grown to maturity, who are paying the price for such a fickle number.

“Farmers work on razor-thin margins. We should be giving them the most latitude possible and have this uniform from state to state,” says Robison. “We’re talking about such minuscule amounts. On or off the record, who cares? It doesn’t make any sense. Why not give farmers the chance?” sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 39

40 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

With Cosmic Sister, Zoe Helene is working to create balance and diversity through sacred plants—an earth-centered antidote to patriarchal malware in the matrix.

by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N C E

DELIC FEMINISM TWELVE YEARS AND MANY JOURNEYS AGO, DURING AN AYAHUASCA

CEREMONY IN THE PERUVIAN AMAZON, ZOE HELENE WAS CHALLENGED BY A POWERFUL, ANCIENT GODDESS ARCHETYPE TO STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING GROWN UP IN A PLACE WHERE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRACEY ELLER / PHOTO EDITS BY JOSH CLARK

SHE FELT SAFE, WITH PARENTS WHO ENCOURAGED HER TO FOLLOW HER NATURAL CREATIVE TALENTS. Helene saw during this vision that she had turned inward and given up on her artistic dreams after being

cybin mushrooms, and cannabis, which she calls “nature’s evolutionary allies,” in a safe, legal set and setting.

sexually harassed by a graduate school professor. “We

A few years after she founded Cosmic Sister, Helene—

know now, with the #metoo movement, that what I sur-

who has worked in the arts, high tech, and the natural

vived happens to most females in this male-dominated

products industry—came up with the term Psychedel-

world,” Helene says. “It harms us into silence, which is

ic Feminism as a way to describe the feminism that

a type of censoring. Finding and freeing our voice is

embraces psychedelic plants as evolutionary allies for

something a lot of women deal with.”

women’s healing and empowerment and to popularize

Blown away by the power of her own transformation, He-

Cosmic Sister’s core educational advocacy work.

lene went home to Amherst, Massachusetts, and founded

A tireless and passionate environmental advocate for

Cosmic Sister, an environmental feminist collective that

decades, Helene is convinced that Psychedelic Fem-

advocates for women, wilderness, and wildlife and for hu-

inism is the key to saving the planet from patriarchal

mans’ natural right to work with “sacred” plants and fungi

malware fouling up the matrix. “The entire idea of Psy-

such as ayahuasca, peyote, iboga, San Pedro cactus, psilo-

chedelic Feminism, in a nutshell, is that we humans, as sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 41

42 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

FROM LEFT: Dawn Musil, Shipibo Ancestral Healer Laura Lopez Sanchez, and Sabrina Pilet-Jones

a species, have survived male-domination for thousands

and post-psychedelic integration. She and her hus-

of years and that system has brought us to where we are

band, ethnobotanist Chris Kilham, who wrote The Aya-

today—destroying our own home and taking everything

huasca Test Pilots Handbook, have been taking groups

else down with us,” she says. “Cannabis and other plant

of pasajeros (journeyers) to experience ayahuasca with

medicines such as ayahuasca, peyote, iboga, and psilo-

Indigenous healers in safe retreat centers in the Pe-

cybin may help save us from ourselves.”

ruvian Amazon for more than a decade. In 2013, she

Helene believes it’s high time women took center

launched the merit-based Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit

stage, and psychedelics can help make that happen

grant, which provides support for women to experi-

by bringing them inspiration, clarity, and perspective,

ence ayahuasca ceremony in the Peruvian Amazon,

as well as liberation from old wounds, self-sabotaging

where ayahuasca is legal. She’s seen la medicina

thoughts and thought patterns, and disempowering so-

work magic on women whose superpowers had been

cial programming. “In the medicine space, women can

blocked by trauma or grief, often the result of a world

explore conditioning and wounds that stunt and si-

that is inherently harsh to women.

lence,” she says. “We can make sense of them, learn to live with them differently, or purge them altogether.”

“So many cases of PTSD from sexual misconduct and assault, ancestral trauma, and abusive relationships,

Psychedelic feminism has nothing to do with promot-

so much anxiety and depression, repressed rage, low

ing victim consciousness, Helene adds. “We’re about

self-esteem,” Helene says. “So many women living with

moving forward. Facing wounds and demons resulting

debilitating eating disorders and body image dysmorphia,

from having been victimized is an essential step to-

with addictions, with obsessive compulsive disorders. So

wards healing.“

much strength and so much needless suffering. Why?”

FINDING OUR VOICE AND POWER

Ayahuasca, a powerful blend of two plants native to the Amazon, is an intense psychedelic that can “help

Helene has worked with dozens of women in

us access and communicate with our subconscious

pre-psychedelic preparation, immersive journeying,

selves—our pysche—the wilderness within” through visensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 43

44 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

sions, which Helene describes as “life-enhancing messages that show up in abstract, symbolic, archetypal, and universal poetic languages.”

Dawn Musil, a scientist and pollinator advocate who went to Temple of the Way of Light in Peru with Helene last March, says ayahuasca taught her to face fear, guilt, her rapist, family pain, and the loss of a loved one—all things she thought would kill her but actually taught her how strong she was. Raised in a family that valued women less than men and taught females to keep quiet, Musil came to a deep understanding while she was in the medicine space that her voice had as much value as men’s.

“Mama Ayahuasca taught me that my power and strength as a female reflects the feminine power of ayahuasca as a plant spirit and that through plant spirit, we will find our voice and power as females to lead the future of gender equality and human rights,” says Musil, who came home from Peru determined to work with plant spirit medicine. “The medicine taught me who I can be and to know that my voice has as much value as the voices of men in the plant medicine space.”

AMBASSADOR PLANT Cosmic Sister founder Zoe Helene sees cannabis as an “ambassador plant” that is moving the greater plant medicine conversation forward. She considers it a sacred (and sometimes psychedelic) medicine for journeying and an ally for post-ayahuasca integration work. “In the right set and setting, with the right medicine and the right dose, cannabis can get you there,” Helene says.

Whenever possible, she implements cannabis into the Temeno (an indigenous Greek word for “sacred space”) Talking Circles she conducts to explore the effects of damaging patriarchal programming and gender imbalance as well as women’s work in the medicine space.

Sabrina Pilet-Jones, an urban gardener who also traveled to Temple with Cosmic Sister last March, had a similar experience of tapping into the essence of all that she could be, empowered by the lineage of her ancestors—an entirely new perception of herself. “Ayahuasca is not a magical pill. It’s hard, deep, transformative shamanic work that forces you into the deepest, darkest parts of yourself to find the unique light we all hold,” Pilet-Jones says. “I left with a strong desire to expand my connection with plants and to continue my research into indigenous plant remedies and now psychedelic plants for healing.”

COEXISTING IN EXQUISITE DIVERSITY The Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit grant is part of an interconnected quartet of merit-based grants that support women’s voices in psychedelics and cannabis. Psychedelic Feminism grants make it possible for women from diverse backgrounds to be heard through writing, photography, and speaking engagements and media placements. Cosmic Sister will play a key role in the upcoming Spirit Plant Medicine Conference (SPMC) in Vancouver, BC, this year, sponsoring all seven of the female speakers, including Helene.

The Cosmic Sister Women of the Psychedelic Renaissance and Cosmic Sisters of Cannabis grants help get widespread media placement for women’s stories in support of cannabis liberation and responsible psychedelic use. Launched just last month in partnership with the Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics (SOAP) conference in Pittsburgh and Vancouver’s SPMC the first

week of November, the new Emerging Voices Award supports talented newcomers who demonstrate potential in the field of psychedelics by strengthening their visibility and gifting them tickets to important conferences.

One of Helene’s goals with the grants is to help more minority women achieve name and face recognition in the psychedelic community because, she says, “the psychedelic scene is white, cis-gendered, and male-heavy— and our psychedelic culture is supposed to be leading in a more enlightened way.”

Helene’s also quick to point out that Psychedelic Feminism is about promoting gender balance, and she doesn’t believe matriarchy would be any better than the patriarchy we’ve had for thousands of years because “power over” naturally corrupts. Blaming men for everything is sexist, Helene says, and it’s important for the movement to welcome male allies who are interested in growing when it comes to their own archaic gender programming.

“Matriarchy would not be balanced, and it would not be healthy,” Helene says. “It’s all about working together and coexisting in exquisite diversity.”

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis, traveled to Peru on one of the first Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit grants in 2013

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 45

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The brand’s mission, in Shannon’s words, is “to provide

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{HereWeGo }

by E L I D U P I N

Weden

1625 E. St. Gertrude Place // Santa Ana // WEDEN.COM

REDESIGNING MORE THAN SERVICE How Weden’s redesigned flagship is changing the cannabis landscape.

Los Angeles continually sets the standard for design, in-

education about which products to use, dosing, and how to

dustry growth, and edgy concepts that conform to the times

buy. The experience can be exclusionary and, quite frankly, in-

and then transform that idea into something entirely unique.

timidating. There has to be a better way, and Weden was born

The cannabis giant, Weden, a brick-and-mortar known for its

out of this. This started as a grassroots idea about creating a

innovative cannabis concept, is doing a complete redesign

space to embrace people as they are and give them uncom-

on its 7,200-square-foot space that will serve as its flagship

mon ways to experience cannabis for all of life’s moments.”

retail experience in Santa Ana. “This redesign coincided with

Weden’s flagship is inviting and approachable. Customers

ManifestSeven’s acquisition of the Haven (formerly operat-

can walk in knowing they will be met with an understanding

ing as ShowGrow) dispensary in Santa Ana. We are rebrand-

expert willing to guide them through the process of finding

ing this retail storefront as Weden Santa Ana to serve as the

the right cannabis product for them. “This understanding of

flagship location for Weden,” says Pierre Rouleau, chief oper-

the new cannabis consumer—and our vision of uniting a

ating officer at ManifestSeven.

community around the goodness of cannabis—prompted

Weden’s mission is to ensure customers have a refreshing

us to delve into five common experiences that bind us all and

and welcoming retail experience, and according to Rouleau,

create uniquely identifying messaging: WeRelax, WeThrive,

the redesign by designer Raad Ghantous will be sleek and

WeParty, WeSleep, and WeLove,” states Rouleau.

warm with a feeling of entering your “best friend’s home— with a quick smile and a warm embrace.”

Whether it’s lessening stress, being your best, exploring and discovering, or stirring up sensuality, Weden is po-

“The cannabis industry is at an inflection point, coming out

sitioned to help you find what you’re looking for. “Weden is

of the shadows and emerging as a cultural touchpoint,” Rou-

a garden of accessible opportunities, helpful conversations,

leau says,. “Yet in this transition, cannabis remains far from

and shared experiences—much like the warmth of fami-

accessible for most people. Consumers are often at a loss;

ly, the easiness of friendships or the welcoming of an open

they’re dogged by stereotypes, and there’s very little practical

door,” says Rouleau.

“WE’RE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF WHAT WEDEN REPRESENTS AS AN INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE THAT PROMOTES COMMUNITY.” —Pierre Rouleau

50 OCTOBER 2019 Southern California

THE VOICE OF THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY CVCAN is proud to count Sensi magazine as a member and media partner, we are so excited for the launch of the Coachella Valley edition as Sensi Magazine and their team bring a lot of value not only to our industry, but also to our amazing local communities.

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