PAGES TRG Presents: 'Christmas Trees'

PAGES the Reading Group is back to doing our Better Dialogue pop-up discussions IRL (in real life)!

For our first (in a while) in-person discussion, we'll be having a conversation around books, cannabis and cannabis advocacy where we'll hear from a panel of Black folx who exist in various parts of the industry.

Topics of discussion will include cannabis (of course), books, educational resources and viewpoints on the state of cannabis advocacy.

What you can expect:

• Discussion and Q&A with specialists in the cannabis space
• Educational resources
• Limited giveaways & optional shopping

Come through, chat and learn with us!

*Please note: in-person seating will be limited & virtual attendees will receive the event link 30 minutes prior to the event via email the day of.*

About the panel

Justin Clardy, PhD (he/him) is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Author, Avid cannabis connoisseur, and the Founder of PAGES the Reading Group. As a scholar, Prof. Clardy works on the cutting edge of relationship ethics and political theory. Recently, Clardy has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities for his pioneering work in the Philosophy of Love which explores the intersections of love, race, monogamy and non-monogamy. Prof. Clardy is also committed to making philosophy available and accesible to communites that the academy routinely marginalizes. To this end, his work on love has appeared in open access academic journals such as Analize: Journal for Gender and Feminist Studies, popular blogs such as Daily Nous and been cited in The New Humanist. He has also appeared on a range of media outlets including The Tameron Hall Show, Jubilee Spectrum, and The UnMute Podcast, among many others. His debut book, Why It’s OK to Not Be Monogamous, is forthcoming in March 2023 with Routledge Press.

His work in political theory explores the ways that public emotions like tenderness and compassion might be leveraged in ways that promote justice for those who are or were formerly incarcerated and for those who are living in or near poverty. To this end, his work on America's prison industrial complex and American poverty have been published as chapters in collections by Springer Press.

Cecilia Oyedrian, Esq (she/her) currently serves as an attorney in Foley Hoag LLP’s national cannabis practice group. As a cannabis attorney, Cecilia helps clients navigate the legal cannabis industry. Cecilia also serves as Chair-elect of the Cannabis Section of the New York State Bar Association and Co-Director of the Student and Academic Affairs Committee of the International Cannabis Bar Association. Cecilia became inspired to refocus her law practice exclusively on the cannabis industry after her breast cancer diagnosis in 2016, having learned firsthand the healing benefits of cannabis. A passionate advocate for cannabis education, Cecilia is a frequent speaker and panelist on a range of topics such as cannabis legislation, state cannabis licensing, social equity, and business law, and volunteers her time to mentor students and young professionals interested in entering the cannabis industry. Cecilia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, a Master’s in Education from Harvard University, and a law degree from Stanford Law School.

Kika Keith is a nationally-recognized momtrepreneur and activist with 25 years of experience building high-growth businesses and community organizations that operate at the intersection of social justice and cannabis.

Kika currently serves as the Co-Founder and President of the Social Equity Owners and Workers Association and the Founder and CEO of the Life Development Group, a constellation of cannabis brands, retail spaces, and community organizations that leverage the power of cannabis to transform lives, shape culture and empower underserved communities.

Kika’s celebrated career at the intersection of entrepreneurship and activism has made her uniquely positioned to capitalize on the modern consumer’s desire for companies that prioritize both product quality and social impact. August 2021, Kika launched the highly anticipated Gorilla Rx Wellness Co., the first Black woman-owned Social Equity dispensary in Los Angeles.

Kika’s advocacy has proven instrumental to securing groundbreaking, widely-celebrated cannabis policies and programs — most notably, a settlement with the City of Los Angeles for an additional 100 of the city’s cannabis licenses designated for entrepreneurs from communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Her leadership has been nationally-recognized in a variety of local, national, and international news media, including Forbes, Esquire, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, CNN, BBC, MTV, HBO, People Magazine, the Guardian and POLITICO.

(Moderator) Nannearl Brown (she/they)is one of the charismatic co-hosts of the PAGES Podcast, PAGES Pod. Away from PAGES, she works as a User Experience (UX) Researcher at Figma and cares about creating a shared understanding of the industry with all, most especially Black folx and other marginalized groups. Nannearl has shared her knowledge by leading workshops, serving as a mentor and design educator for online bootcamps, and through her YouTube channel, Unpacked Angles. She’s also the creator of the largest UX club on Clubhouse, UX Research Corner (active from 2020-2021), where she and six other women facilitated discussions on UX research topics with people from all around the world. Nannearl holds a B.S. and Master of Engineering degree from the University of Virginia in Engineering Science and Systems Engineering (respectively), in addition to a master’s degree from the University of Southern California in Nonprofit Leadership and Management (focused in Social Entrepreneurship).

About the event

The event space is limited and tickets to attend in-person are free but will be capped to suit a more intimate group setting and maintain COVID safety. A Zoom link will be provided for virtual attendees who RSVP.

We ask that all in-person participants wear masks while inside the venue.

Agenda

6:00pm - 6:15pm (PST): Arrival & greetings

6:15pm - 7:30pm (PST): Discussion & Q&A

7:30pm - 8:00pm (PST): Fellowship, shopping & closing

About PAGES TRG

PAGES TRG (formerly Pages L.A.) is an online and IRL reading group aimed at igniting critical public dialogue over a variation of literary works. PAGES was established in 2014 in Los Angeles, California by Justin Clardy, PhD and it originated as an annual summer reading group aimed at igniting critical public dialogue in Clardy’s hometown of Gardena, California. In its original format, PAGES facilitated diverse and dynamic face-to-face critical dialogues over a variation of literary works.

Now, PAGES has grown to include an online bookshop, in-person pop-up discussion forums, online discussion forums, video archives, book reviews, giveaways, as well as national and international engagement with an audience worldwide.

About The Salt Eaters Bookshop

The Salt Eaters Bookshop is an independent bookstore in Inglewood, CA prioritizing books, comics, and zines by and about Black women, girls, femmes, and gender expansive people. ​Inspired by The Salt Eaters by Toni Cade Bambara, our shop is working to create a resting ground for us all, a place to come home.