Reflections on Shattered Glass & a MJBiz Women Leadership Award

It was inspiring, humbling—and more than a little surreal to be on stage last month. I’ve spoken before about imposter syndrome, but that wasn’t what made it feel a little strange standing shoulder-to-shoulder with an incredible group of powerhouse women at MJBizCon. 

What I was feeling were the invisible shoulders of so many smart, tough, insightful trailblazers who came before us—many who shattered glass ceilings at great personal cost and some who remain overlooked or even incarcerated.

🏆 Sharing the stage with the brilliant Dasheeda Dawson, Jeanne Sullivan, Angela Cheng and Dr. Rachel Knox reminded me that success isn’t a solitary pursuit. It was a truly collective celebration at the Empowering Women in Cannabis event, held in partnership with Dr. Chanda Macias and her organization, Women Grow. 

Each of us stands on the shoulders of those who have paved the way, often in silence or sacrifice. Maybe what I felt was the weight of all the work there is to be done.

But you know how leadership is—you take a beat to sit with the accolades and the fist bumps and feeling the feels, and then it’s on to the next thing… especially during conference and tradeshow season.

⚾ Here's where the universe threw me a curveball: The beautiful glass trophy hand-blown by the famous, Jerome Baker arrived on my front porch shattered into a thousand pieces. My heart sank for a moment when I opened the package. 

Then it hit me: This was actually *really* fitting.

Glass ceilings don’t break cleanly. Neither do decades of failed drug policy or the lives smashed by regressive cannabis laws. Sometimes, this industry is downright heartbreaking. But we also are experiencing a collective moment in time when the power of coming together, in rebuilding, and in pushing forward truly resonates.

So, here’s to the work we’ve done, the challenges we still face, and the unbroken spirit of everyone working toward a more inclusive, just, and equitable cannabis industry. 💪

—Jamie Pearson, Founder, New Holland Group