Tiara Darnell is a multimedia journalist and recent graduate from the University of Oregon (Portland) where she completed dual graduate degrees in Strategic Communications and Multimedia Journalism. While studying for her Masters Darnell worked as a budtender at Farma, one of the top dispensaries in Portland, Oregon.
Last year, Leafly named Darnell Oregon’s Best Budtender of 2017. Darnell recently transitioned from budtending to focus her attention and efforts toward her true passions and career goals within the cannabis industry, which are advocacy and increasing POC representation in cannabis media.
“Being a black budtender in a predominantly white industry, living in a predominantly white town in a predominantly white state has meant that I’ve become more aware of the social issues that come along with working in the cannabis industry,” says Darnell.
At this year’s Cultivation Classic, a craft cannabis competition and event in Portland, Oregon, Darnell moderated the High, Good People: Representation in Cannabis Media panel featuring women of color media makers. The panel featured event curator and plus size model Coco Madrid, Women.Weed.WiFi co-founder and fellow EstroHaze contributor, Amanya Maloba, and myself discussing our individual and shared experiences being women of color creating and contributing to cannabis media.
Aside from curating necessary panels to showcase and highlight women of color in the cannabis industry, Darnell is currently in production of the first season of her new cannabis POTcast, High, Good People where she discusses these issues and topics at large and introduces listeners to the experiences and perspectives of POC in cannabis.
The concept for High, Good People originally came about as a final project for Darnell to complete her Masters degree program (Listen to the pilot episode here). In researching the landscape of cannabis media, specifically podcasts, Darnell says she discovered it’s mainly white men who are discussing cannabis. And as a result, in many ways white men and women are becoming or being perceived as the authorities of cannabis education and science in the media.
“What I’m aiming to do with High, Good People is showcase narrative style storytelling that focuses on the experiences of POC in cannabis. There’s no one really talking about culture, lifestyle, history and social issues as they relate to cannabis and POC, especially from the perspective of POC cannabis consumers and those who work in the cannabis industry, ” says Darnell. “I thought it would be especially interesting to do something like this here in Oregon where they have an issue with diversity and a history of exclusion. I wanted to do something that really highlighted the POC experience in the cannabis industry, but also highlights what it’s like being here in Portland.”
Getting her start as a budtender has educated Darnell about cannabis and the industry at large, and it has helped create opportunities for her to pursue interests beyond cannabis retail sales and bring about real change for women and POC in the cannabis industry. While forever grateful for her experience at Farma as a budtender Darnell believes cannabis retail sales positions such as budtending may be a great start for individuals who want to gain some initial experience in the cannabis industry or educate themselves about the plant, but for someone like herself who has bigger aspirations and career goals in the cannabis industry she believes budtending should be seen as a “stepping stone and not an end goal.”
“Budtending is not a highly paid or even competitive position in some areas depending on where you are. Some people go on to budtend for a year or two, but if you’re someone who’s motivated and ambitious it probably isn’t going to be something that you want to do long-term,” explains Darnell. “So, if you’re going to be a budtender and it’s something you’re only going to be doing for a temporary time then think about what it is you’re really learning, who you’re learning from, and how you can then take that knowledge and build something for yourself.”
How Tiara Darnell Used Budtending As a Stepping Stone Toward Her True Passions and Career Goals Within the Cannabis Industry
1. Be open and network, network, network
“I went to classes taught by Emma Chasen, a well-known cannabis educator in Portland. Having someone like her who makes cannabis science less intimidating and more approachable and relatable was really helpful in the beginning, not feeling afraid to learn about something as intricate as the cannabis plant.
2. Be judicious in the cannabis dispensary you choose to work
“It’s kind of like choosing a college. You want to go to a place that’s going to give you the best experience all-around, not just in your academics, social life, or whatever. I think that finding a dispensary is like that too, you have to be very judicious in what you decide to do and who you decide to work for because there are a lot of horror stories out there. People don’t always treat their employees very well and some dispensaries are more concerned with turning around product and making money than they are with ensuring people are cared for compassionately. It really is important to not only make the right decisions for who to work for, but also what you’re planning to get out of it.
3. Be intentional. Know (or at least have an idea) what your goals and aspirations within the cannabis industry are before you apply to become a budtender.
“If you have an idea of what it is you want to change or accomplish coming into the cannabis industry it will give you more of a focus. Again, it will also make you be a little more intentional on what you’re learning and how you spend your time when you’re on the job.
4. Be fearless, live a little. It’s your experiences that are going to help you get the education and/ or network you need to be able to fulfill your dreams and aspirations within the cannabis industry
“I came out to Oregon and didn’t know anybody. I booked a 1-way ticket and came with my suitcase and a little bit of money in my pocket. I thought I was just going to stay for the summer and I’ve been here for four years now. It’s wild to think about the things and events that happened and people who walked into my life when they did. I couldn’t have ever imagined working in the cannabis industry, but here I am. I couldn’t have asked for anything better and then to have worked at Farma-it was such an amazing experience and I am sad to leave, but I believe Farma seeks people who have drive and ambition, and will be positive forces in the cannabis community and community at large.”