For the last seven years, the government has chosen to ignore the needs of approximately 80,000 workers in California by excluding cannabis professionals from employment data. Little information was available on the wages, working conditions, training, and benefits of these workers until 2025, which caused a lack of representation of these workers during formative policy making. Taking matters into their own hands, the UCLA Labor Center and Cannabis Worker Collaborative has been working toward the release of the first quantitative study of cannabis workers in California. Surveying over 1100 employees and conducting over 50 in depth interviews, this team has come together to create a geographically representative research sample; the first of its kind.

After nearly 10 years of experience in the political organizing and nonprofit sectors, I never expected to find myself behind the counter at a cannabis dispensary. But when I graduated from college during the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, like so many others, I struggled to find a job in my field. The pandemic upended the job market, leaving graduates and seasoned professionals alike facing a new, uncertain reality.

As we recognize Black History Month, it is impossible to ignore the troubling reality that DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives are being rolled back across industries. This regression goes against everything WWO stands for. DEI was created to level the playing field for marginalized communities—people of color, women, older workers, and other underrepresented groups—and its dismantling signals a blatant disregard for workplace equity.

Thanks to your generosity and unwavering support, Project Sisterdope has achieved its first major funding goal in under a year! We are thrilled to announce that we’ve donated $500 each to two essential workers in the cannabis industry. These funds provide much-needed relief and showcase the power of collective action.