This month, we’re not just celebrating women– we’re celebrating women in weed! Join us for part two of our trip down memory lane with three more of California’s most successful women in weed as we discuss their products, passions, and incredible success stories, many of whom began their journies intending to improve the lives of women like you and me. Missed part one? Find it here!

Susie Plascencia – Humo

Before we get to know Susie, let’s start with a bit about her brand, Humo! A Spanish word for smoke, humo is the unmistakable result of cannabis when it’s ignited. Humo has quickly become California’s leading Mexican-American-owned and woman-led cannabis brand since its creation in 2017. From nostalgic strain names to iconic events and apparel, Humo strives to destroy the stigma surrounding cannabis in the Latino community by celebrating a rich cultural history with the plant and normalizing daily use.

Susie plays a massive role in achieving this goal; as a brand partner at Humo, she oversees everything from brand development, social media, and marketing to sales! As a Latina entrepreneur, storyteller, and cannabis advocate, Susie leads Humo’s commitment to providing meaningful representation in an industry that has caused disproportionate harm to Latino communities. Since joining the Humo team, Susie has been recognized many times for her accomplishments, including being named a “Top Cannabis Power Player” by Merry Jane Media in 2020 and making Marijuana Venture’s shortlist for 40 under 40 rising stars in cannabis.

As a Latina in cannabis, Susie is especially passionate about Latina representation in the industry. She’s a proud Trojan and alumna of the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. She holds a Master of Arts in Specialized Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. Susie’s achievements don’t stop there– she’s also the co-founder of MOTA Glass, a leading brand of functional glass made in the USA. To learn more about Susie and Humo, head to their website: www.getHUMO.com

We asked Susie to share her favorite Humo strain; here’s what she said,

“Limonada, grown by Humo’s team at POSIBL in Salinas, CA, is consistently one of my favorite daytime Sativa strains. It’s so deliciously sweet, and the effect is a fuzzy, happy high. She’s also a gorgeous cultivar. This bud has thick nugs covered in dark green and purple hues.”

Anna Willey – CAM

Anna founded CAM, California Artisinal Medicine, in Colorado in 2009. She was born in India and raised in Queens, New York, where her passion for cannabis began. Anna began her journey into legal cultivation in Colorado, which led her to develop a 1400-light facility & premier storefront location in Denver, Colorado. In 2018 when California legalized cannabis for recreational use, Anna relocated CAM to contribute to the already massive and competitive California cannabis market.

Since 2018, Anna and her team have cultivated CAM flower in Sacramento at a 500-light facility and have recently expanded with a brand new 2000-light facility in Sacramento. Anna’s primary objective has always been to cultivate a variety of high-quality flower that can stand up to the highest standards of cannabis.

When we asked Anna’s team about her favorite CAM strain, they said, “one of Anna’s favorite sayings to live by is ‘you’re only as good as your last round,’ and because of that, her favorite strain is always changing. A few of her favorite strains at the moment are 92 OG, Scotties Cake & Papaya Juice.”

Krystal & Chelsea Kitahara – Yummi Karma

It all began in college with CEO Krystal Kitahara’s self-serve, honor-system juice cart: the original Yummi Karma. At that time, she was growing cannabis during prop 215 while earning a degree in entrepreneurship. Their dive into tinctures really started when their mother began struggling to find restful sleep. After trying countless formulas, Krystal and Chelsea came up with a cannabis tincture with a ratio that would help their mother get off her sleep medication and, most importantly, find some Zzz’s! That tincture is now one of their best-selling formulations, Drift Away. Seeing how much their tincture was able to help their mother live her best life, they wanted to continue paying that goodness forward, so in 2014, they launched Yummi Karma: California’s first full line of cannabis tinctures designed for specific wellness solutions.

Now, if you’ve tried their tinctures, you know where the “Yummi” comes from– but what about the Karma? As a sister-founded brand, Yummi Karma is committed to uplifting women however possible. Their annual Empower Women, Period campaign will be going on all March and addresses period poverty: a lack of access to menstrual products, education, and hygiene facilities that affects 500 million people worldwide. Collaborating with local organizations, Yummi Karma has collected over 10,000 pads, tampons, and liners to make “period packs” for Californians in need. Head to their website to learn more about this powerful campaign and how you can help!

We asked both Krystal and Chelsea about their favorites off the Yummi Karma lineup, and here’s what they chose!

For Krystal, it’s Just Peachy; their 30:1 CBD tincture featuring a fresh peachy flavor. She said,

“High? Def. We really went for it with this new formulation – adding the maximum allowed product by CA standards, 1,000 mg. (That’s a whole lot of gummies you’d have to buy!) I love this juicy 30:1 ratio because it tastes like peach rings, and after a long day at the office, it’ll have you dripping in some much-needed peach and quiet.”

For Chelsea, it’s Light’s Out; their 1000mg marshmallow-flavored sleep tincture! Here’s what she had to say:

“Like a weighted blanket for the soul, our Lights Out tincture is my favorite knockout blend. Hitting heavy at 1,000 mg THC, it also contains herbs like calming chamomile, soothing lavender, and magnesium to relax the nervous system. I love mixing the mellow marshmallow flavor of our most-potent sleep potion in some hot chocolate before bed.”