Nominated by
Lamourie MEDIA
November 22, 2020
After two and half decades in retail Natalie Cox
Natalie Cox has been described as a powerwoman of Canadian cannabis. She first came to the plant for personal reasons - she realized she had been coping badly with untreated anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia. Cannabis, she says, helped - it gave her a better quality of life. With the federal legalization of cannabis in Canada, she felt empowered to start growing her own. She was good at it - and so, after a lifetime serving customers in retail, she determined to go back to college to study Horticulture. She also became an influential member of the Canadian cannabis community - and she realized her voice was needed - there was other advocacy work left to do. Noticing a jarring lack representation by visible minorities, Cox went online in search of groups where she could find other Black women interested in cannabis, being vocal in the space. Over conversation with Khadisha Thornhil, the two lamented over the lack of spaces for Black women and committed to filling to the gap and creating the space they craved, birthing Afro Cannada Budsistas. Together, their mission is to normalize cannabis use among Black Women by information, education, and exposure.