Let's Rethink Black Friday
Calling on Brands to take the Redistribution Pledge
This November 27th - 30th, MJ Lifestyle is joining Reclaim Collaborative in a campaign designed to redistribute a percentage of total sales from Black Friday weekend to Black and Indigenous-owned environmental organizations: Reclaim Black Friday.
Thanksgiving is steeped in America’s history of genocide and theft from Indigenous people. The weekend of frenzied consumerism that follows further contributes to issues of racism and classism in this country.
Reclaim Black Friday is a campaign dedicated to amplifying the work and voices of Indigenous and Black leaders, and a call to action for redistributing wealth to those who have suffered the most because of historic and continual exploitation in America. The campaign focuses on land-based organizations in an effort to acknowledge the original stewards of this land and return it to those who have historically cultivated regenerative and healing relationships with the Earth. Throughout the weekend Reclaim will be collaborating with and highlighting the work of Black and Indigenous content creators, brands, and organizations, making space for the powerful voices that have been historically sidelined. Stay tuned for live discussions, panels, and more.
It is important to hold space for reclaiming and healing, recognizing the trauma and genocide that is widely celebrated through what we have painted as an endearing holiday of gratitude.
As a white woman-owned business, it is important to recognize our role in this campaign. The Redistribution Pledge calls on predominantly white-owned businesses to acknowledge how they have benefitted from intersectional privilege, and redistribute wealth to support initiatives driven by communities whose ancestors had their lands stolen from them and who were stolen from their lands. MJ Lifestyle was created to celebrate all women, sharing their journeys laced in knowledge and tradition. As a white woman in the cannabis space, I feel called to educate and fight for the severe injustice and trauma men and women of color are still experiencing in both legal states and prohibited states. It’s outrageous and it needs to stop.
This campaign is one aspect of a larger conversation on how each of us thinks about the role we play in dismantling systems of oppression. Redistributing wealth is a small way we can give back the stolen wealth and land we have all benefited from. It is by no means the only way nor is it a panacea.
White individuals in America have directly and indirectly contributed to harmful cycles of exploitation by the nature of this country’s history. It is, therefore, the responsibility of white and white-passing individuals to help dismantle the systems that cause harm. We simply cannot be silent—nothing can change without standing up and collectively amplifying our voices.
What MJ Lifestyle is doing to participate in Reclaim Black Friday
Releasing Green Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving), MJ Lifestyle has joined forces with Mae Delivery for our first-ever Highly Curated THC Box ‘The Hot Box’. Mae is a new delivery service powered by Community Gardens, a Black-owned, veteran-owned, and family-owned Oakland-based cannabis retailer. Community Gardens was the first equity business to be licensed by the State of California for adult-use sales of cannabis, based on their participation in the revolutionary City of Oakland Cannabis Equity program. We are thrilled to be part of Mae’s new personal concierge cannabis delivery service bringing cannabis goods to Bay Area doorsteps. No apps or passwords required, a simple text to Mae will connect you with your personal budtender and deliver the goods!
This season’s Hot Box features all female-owned brands & products inside! Available for delivery in California’s Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, and Marin Counties. Delivery to San Francisco County is available for scheduled delivery only. The Box Drops on December 1st, 2020.
>> Pre-Order by texting ‘Hot Box’ to 510-726-9049<<
Here are some ways that you can participate in Reclaim Black Friday and support the redistribution work of the campaign:
Directly supporting Indigenous or Black land-based organizations.
Purchase products from Black and Indigenous businesses and creators.
Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ Artists Growing List
Hire Black Female Creatives Growing List
Purchase products from businesses that are taking the Redistribution Pledge.
Tune in to the panel or Instagram lives hosted by @ReclaimCollaborative on deconstructing America’s history and future.
From Thanksgiving to Black Friday: Deconstructing America’s History and Future—a panel hosted by Reclaim Collaborative on Friday, November 20th at 11am PST. Learn about what it means to dismantle the systems of oppression America has been built on.
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Keep learning. Educate yourself and share content created by Indigenous and Black leaders to raise awareness on the problematic history of Thanksgiving and ways to consider redistribution during these holidays and beyond.
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