Welcome to Your Highness Podcast, a show where we get comfortable with the uncomfortable uncover areas of cannabis where accessibility and inclusiveness are lacking and elevate conversations about ways to affect real change in this space with a specific focus on folks who identify as women.
You're listening to Your Highness Podcast. This is your host, Diana crash. And I am joined by the fabulous Leslie Andrew Chuck, founder of alpha woman. And I've had her on before, so she's not brand new to the podcast, and I can't wait to dive deep into some great topics with you. But before we start, we're going to begin with this segment that we always do. And that's called fav pot Fave not pot where each of us will go through our favorite current cannabis related and non cannabis related item at the moment. Hey, Leslie, how are you doing? Hey, Diana, I'm doing well how are you? Great. So I'm going to start with my feed pot. I was recently sent a sample of a new brand called toasty. It's with two wines at the end. And you might be seeing the founder of that. making the rounds on podcast and other shows because it's a newer brand. And I love this lotion. It's broad spectrum. 300 milligrams CBD. It's on the packaging, it says high CBD hand and body lotion, which would make you think it's like more of a pump type. That's what I think when I hear lotion. This is more of a body cream. And it absorbs very easily. It's lightweight. It has a very pleasant light smell. It's like very light citrus. And it made my little lizard paws look less scary. I desperately needed it right now I can tell you that. So I'm really a big fan. And you can check it out at www dot getting toasty with two eyes.com. And it's cruelty free, which Hello.
Yay.
What's your favorite part right now? Leslie?
Well, I have a lot of issues with sleeping. So yeah, I've really and yeah, I just in this been basically 17 years since I became a mom. And the sleep thing is just persisted. And so I you know, like many people I'm not I don't want to take sleeping pills. So and cannabis has been the one thing that over the years has really saved me. But the newest and most amazing thing that I have found is and I'm up here in Canada. So of course the products that we can get are different from the ones down in the US. Right my little secret that I use now is there's a company here in Ontario called Red Akan and they produce a product called rain drops our Ei gn drops and they do you know they do pure CBD and then one to one and then one to 15 and what I take for sleep is a 3030 milligrams I believe what it is a pure THC. And I gotta tell you Diana, what I do with my secret now is I smoke a nice, you know, a nice pink Kush a nice heavy indicar before I go to bed, and then I take my raindrops and I literally sleep through the night which is wow for me. I like I'll wake up but I still wake up at six. Right when I wake up I go Wait, did I did I just leave through the night? Wow, is that even possible? So it's just been a real game changer for me.
Wow. I guess I have to move to Canada to get some What are we any reason? Alright, so that's awesome. I'm so glad that you're getting sleep because yeah, I suffer with that too. And you said I have a son is 17 I'm thinking is it because he doesn't sleep as well because that's what I have. My son doesn't sleep he parties. Oh boy. He's three but
my son breastfed till he was three. He was angry when I said you know this is this has got to stop because nobody's getting up still three or four times a night. I was working full time and I was a mess. as you can well imagine but the problem really was that it then That had cultivated already in me and my mind my brain however it works. Insomnia, and so I just, it's just been persistent ever since then.
Wow. Yeah. Well, I'm glad you found something that works that is so important because I was just talking about this the other days, prescription sleep medication or pharmaceutical sleep medication. I mean, if it works for you, you know, go Go for it. But that is the only thing that has ever made me really hallucinate in a way where I was, like, petrified I took what's the one that everybody always talks about? I don't know, a the one that not add a van. But it looks like it's asleep medicine that people were like buying stuff on it and stuff like that. Remember, like, people would like murder people while they were on it. I totally believe all of that, by the way, because I was I saw auras. I saw, like, oh my god. Yes. I, I was very scared. And when I took it, I mean, in my doctor's answer was let's just increase your dosage. And I'm telling you, I didn't sleep for three whole days. I was losing my mind, literally. I mean, I Oh, it was a tough, tough, tough journey. They're trying to figure out like, what would work and what didn't, and I'm so glad I finally got away from pharmaceuticals and that department. Actually, I'm off of all pharmaceuticals right now. But I don't want to shame anyone who's taking them because they need to take them. But of course, if it works for you,
that's Oh,
yeah. So my fav, not pot right now. Is a show called Never have I ever on Netflix. I don't know if you've heard of it. I've seen it. Yeah. And I kept seeing the little things pop up on my Netflix. I'm like, I don't know. Should I watch another teen drama? And then I mean, I just got done. Got the girl. Okay, I'm kidding. I will watch teen dramas if they're good. I am that person. But this is Mindy callings. I was like, Okay, I'll give it an episode. I've got to tell you. This is one of the best shows I have ever seen. When it comes to teens ever hands down my whole life. This is such a good show. It is so funny, by the way. And let me just read the synopsis because you would not think it's funny at all. After traumatic year. First generation Indian American Teenager wants to improve her status at school. But friends, family and feelings don't make it easy on her. And to go even further. She winds up spoiler alert, I'm just going to tell you one thing, it won't spoil the whole thing. But she winds up paralyzed and like the first episode and so you're like, there's no way this could be funny. It's so funny. It's so funny. It's so good. It has so much representation in it. I love it. It's I cannot recommend it enough. So Wow. And I support anything that Mindy kailyn does. She's incredible. She really is. And she's so funny. Oh my god, the way she wrote. I mean, I don't know if she wrote I'm sure she had something to do with the writing it but all of her work I really find very funny. So what's your fav? Not Pat?
Well, right now, a girlfriend recently lent to me a book called braiding sweetgrass. Robin was
crazy. My best friend just recommended that book to me, one of my old high school friends said that because we're talking about plants all the time.
Exactly. And it was recommended to me months ago, and I put a hold on at the library for it. And it was like a five month hold. But it was weird. My girlfriend gave it to me like a week ago. And suddenly the book is in the library. So there's something that's, I must read this, I've been wanting to read it for a long time. And I and I, you know, so I'm not too far into it, but I really feel like it should be required reading for everyone on the planet. And, you know, there's already so much beauty in both the writing and the writing style, but also what she writes about and, and also, you know, the notion of respect and listening to indigenous cultures, because, you know, they were here and we're both North American and you know, I think it's the reckoning time has come as well, that we all it is time for us to listen, shut up and listen. Yeah, I can't I there I have such a well of emotion when I think about the, you know, the horror that has been inflicted, you know, on indigenous folks and on the planet on the earth and it's time that we you know that we all start to understand that caregiving and caring for our planet. Caring for each other. Caring for women is an important part of life. Yeah, and, you know, so I'm really excited. I know that I'm probably gonna cry but a million times, and I already have, you know, cried because I just want so I want everyone to read this book.
Well, I'm definitely going to because I need something that isn't completely nonfiction to read. I've been in that, you know, you get in that zone, and you're just reading like one nonfiction book after another. And so I really, is it a nonfiction book now that I just said that I hadn't even checked to see if the question is what I would say nonfiction is recounting of stories. Okay, so it's kind of like, Is it like a selection of essays? Or Yes, like, like, yeah, five different sort of story, my friend did not explain it well enough, and you just did a beautiful job of it. So I'm definitely going to put that on my list next, because I need another book to read. So that isn't telling me how to parent or change my way of thinking that isn't, you know, I need something different. So I'm definitely going to look that up. So talking about reading things that are important, and, you know, shutting up and listening and all of that, that is what alpha woman's speaks to me. That's how it speaks to me, I see alpha woman and all of the different iterations. And it's a multimedia platform. I didn't even give it enough of an introduction. But you we discussed this a little bit earlier, off the air, but you were on our show on your highness a couple of years ago, it might even been three years ago now. And I remember the beginnings of this platform, and what you've done with it is incredible in such a short time. And as a writer, this just makes me so excited to see the topics that I want to cover that I want to read, and that make me really feel good about people who are writing other writers, you know, it makes me feel good about the fact that people are speaking truth to power. And you're cultivating uncomfortable conversations, necessary, essential conversations, but also conversations that aren't very common, like commonly had, right? They're not very popular, because like, I don't know, they don't fit into whatever. Whatever specifications people want to read. Well, the
time. Yeah, that's it. And I've worked in publishing and broadcasting for a long time that some of some of Canada's, well, actually Canada's premier media, media companies, like the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. So you know, I really had a very particular experience in these extremely patriarchal and old companies, where, literally, Diana, like the Toronto Star had their first editor in chief who was female, like three years ago, and she lasted an hour. Yeah. Wow. So you can imagine why like, Oh, my God, why would anyone and any of these, you know, old patriarchal, and most of them are now owned, by I think, actually, all of the media outlets in Canada, because they're now all consolidated into these conglomerates, in fact, owned by Republicans, US Republicans. And so what happens is that, that that very political conservative stance trickles on up here. And so none of these important actually important topics, make it to air. Because most of what, you know, makes it to air or is published, you know, it goes through the political slant, even though no one's going to actually admit to that in
right. It comes across as Why did people care? You know, and when you're asked that as the writer, like, I care, isn't that enough? I mean, if I care, and and you know, 10 years ago, I used to think that wasn't enough. And now it's like, well, there's a very specific reason why they're making you feel like, what you care about doesn't matter. Right. Yeah. And, and having publications like yours, or media, empires, rather. It's so important, and and it's flourishing for a reason, because there's so many voices that need to be heard. And this is what's interesting, and this is what we need to be talking about. And so, in that vein, can you tell me about some of your recent pieces that you've ran on your site? I know that recently you ran a feature about period poverty. And you interviewed the CEO of diva International. Can you talk about that a bit like what was your process, coming up with that with a theme that you came up with or
so you know, in the old tradition of magazine, publishing, What we do at alpha woman is we have an editorial focus for each month. And that helps me do a number of things that helps. It helps us really create, you know, gravitational content that is in depth that, you know, I can assign out different angles and focuses around that theme to different people and explore it in a really full way. The second thing that it allows us to do is to go out and find sponsors, because what I've done is built an editorial calendar, where I know from a 12 month snapshot, what we're going to focus on like, August is fitness and sports month. Coincidentally, the Olympics are also on September is sex month. And you know, actually September fourth is world Sexual Health Day. All right? Yes. So I always try to coordinate what we're going to focus on with, there's like within sort of a cultural Zeitgeist, as well. And then October, Small Business Month, and so on, and so forth. So. So, you know, with my team, we decided that, and always this has to be looked at through the lens of alpha woman, and what our mission is. So with my team, we came up with the idea to have July being menstruation month, I don't really look at menstruation through a number of different lenses. One is a financial lens. And this is an and we really do have a very global view, a global viewpoint at Alfa woman, and I'll explain a little bit about more about that, and how we do that in a moment. But we wanted to look at menstruation through four different lenses. So financial, the physical, the, the mental, ask are sort of the, the societal aspect of it. And then there's one more My apologies. It'll come back to me in a second. So what we did was we, so I assigned out to the different writers to, you know, oh, and then we did reviews the actual product aspect of it. Oh, yeah. And then just leveraging all all of the, of the different assets that we have. So we did, as you mentioned, we did the podcast with Corinne chambers. sany, who's the CEO of Diva Cup. She's an incredible woman. And she and her mother actually founded diva diva international quite a few years ago in 2001, and become a global sensation with other in 44 countries. And they have an organization called diva cares, which is helping to eradicate period poverty. Right. I saw that. Yeah, really, really interesting. But what you know, what has been so fantastic about this whole thing is that I have, I have 10 interns, and I work with University of British Columbia. And so I work directly with their School of International Economics. And so I have currently I have six interns who are at the U at UBC, in the School of International Economics. They all come from different countries around the world. And it's been absolutely fascinating. So all of them are currently still in still in their home country due to COVID. But they're all coming back to Canada very soon. So one has been in Mumbai, once in Tokyo once in Kuala Lumpur, once in Vancouver, Winston, Saskatchewan, and even those that are in Canada are from you know, other other countries. So what we've done is really explored menstruation and how it how it happens, how women experience masturbation around the world and Diana, it has been so eye opening and I and you know, there are people who who have heard this information, but probably now when I you know, as we explore not that many because the statistics are shocking. Yes. It's Yeah, it's shocking and extremely perturbing. And I've had just the tremendous benefit of working with these young women who are economic students. So we're exploring that. Yeah, right. Like it's incredible. And one of them coined the term menstrual nomics.
So I don't want that. Oh, my God, that needs to be a shirt.
Well, we have T shirts, we actually have best reason about t shirts. And you know what, you're right. I'm going to put on one of our T shirts. But I want to read you what she wrote because it's fantastic. She said, here's here's what menstrual novick's is basically investing in the production and promotion of promoting the use of menstrual products like sanitary napkins, tampons, And menstrual cups are what economists term pure, positive externality, an individual's action that benefits society collectively. And we never think about this. But here's the thing. The use of production of sanitary napkins and other hygienic products will significantly lower the probability of women contracting reproductive disorders and infections. This, in turn will reduce not only the financial and emotional strain on women, their families and the healthcare system, but will also help optimize their performance at work. In the parlance of capitalism, efficiency is key. Access to menstrual products has been found to reduce absenteeism from work by 21%. Every month, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate, that's almost one quarter of the world's population. A huge percentage of women in this quarter are being held back compromising their work, education and personal growth. This is either due to lack of access to menstrual products, or societal societal castigation for being incapacitated or repulsive. Went on their period, with necessary expenditure for awareness based menstrual hygiene campaigns, governments would ensure the entry of a sizable menstruating population into the workforce. So there's a very compelling economic argument for countries to provide menstrual products
for free. Yeah, and I wonder how deep that goes? I mean, I wonder if there's some research there about the prisons, you know, because I know here in the prison system, there's a severe lack of sanitary napkins and everything, everything surrounding period health in the prisons. So I mean, it goes so far, it's so far reaching. And I don't understand why I mean, other than the patriarchy, but everything right. It's like, why isn't childcare more? more comprehensive? It would help you all make more money. Why is it right? We can go on and on and on? Yeah, like why? Why make it easier for the people that that they're threatened by? Right. anyway?
So
can you tell me one of the most surprising things you've learned since creating a multimedia platform? I mean, collectively, over your course of the course of your career, you've probably learned so many things, but just in the last several years?
That's a good question. The surprising thing. I think it's less about the multimedia platform, because I'm a creator, I love I, I'm kind of one of those people give me a sheet of white paper, and I will create something. You know, I'm kind of stupidly fearless in that way. I think the surprising things that I've learned and that I continue to learn, are around human beings. And even about myself, to be honest, I think that I've learned a lot about myself. And I think, you know, I've realized in looking back, that the process of creating alpha woman was a lot about my own self actualization into becoming an alpha woman, that I probably should have been 15 years ago. So I think that the surprising things that I've learned are around myself, and, and my own journey, and how strong I really can be, but also that I need to really trust my own instincts. As it relates to collaborating with other people to working with other people. I tend to be kind of trusting and to open up, but it's not always the right thing. You know,
as that is my biggest lesson that I'm learning is hard, because I'm trying to find the balance now between like, trusting people and expecting the best out of them automatically expecting the worst. You get jaded. And it's hard, right? It's hard to find that balance of like, how do I proceed with caution, but also not cut people out? Before I let them in?
Yeah, and the other thing that I'm really, really working on is just telling my truth. If it doesn't work for me, just say it. You know, Canadians, we tend to be nice, like everyone kind of I'm also like, doubly nice because I'm just like, nice. I've been told Oh, you're too nice. I've been told that. So I really I am working on that. I'm working on saying my truth in a very positive way. But it's my truth and it's just intractable.
Right? Absolutely. Well, that's awesome. I love to hear that. So you're also giving a really awesome plan. forum for people to tell their truth, which is really great. And it's invaluable. So in that, in that regard, let's talk about what you're doing with young alphas. What's that about your young alpha program? Oh, I can't even oh my gosh, Diana, like they're literally giving me life.
thought it was going to be like a bad thing. It
sounds really,
they're giving me life, like, I just love them. But I feel so much gratitude. I sort of stumbled into this, because I've been working with a platform called ripen. And what they do is they match up companies with, with schools who are looking to place students in internships or Co Op programs. So in like, late last year, we discovered each other and they invited me onto their platform. And I was able to connect with three amazing young interns in March. So I went along quite quickly hired them on and one of them are suggested, you know, she sort of timidly said, Would you? What would what would you think about doing something along the lines of young alpha, and I had been thinking of this for quite a while, because to me, alpha woman, I actually believe that most women, most women on the planet, have an alpha woman inside themselves. And there's nothing more important to me, I'm now you know, in my 50s, there's nothing more important than fulfilling to me, then then to communicate my knowledge and to help give a platform for other women and diverse, you know, women to also communicate their knowledge and their power and to communicate this specifically to young alpha women. However, I'm going to say one thing, I I'm also someone who I hate ageism, and I hate ageism, in both ways, I believe young women have so much to teach us. And that is why I got so excited when you asked me to talk about young alpha, because I am living for it, because I learned from them every day. And, and it's it's just a beautiful collaboration. And they get excited about what you know, what is on offer for them. You know, Visa V, what they can do with alpha woman because I just, I want to give them all the creative opportunities that I can possibly give them. But what's humbling for me is to see their passion for alpha woman to see where they want to take the brand and why it's important to them. Like it literally makes me emotional. Like we did our first street team out in Vancouver, at University of British Columbia, one of the young alphas she came up with the idea to do a street team around restoration. So you know, they got special t shirts made and they went out into UBC campus and they polled a lot of folks ask them, you know, tell us about, you know, the myths that you know about menstruation or what are the stupid things that you know, people have said to you when you're on your period, and we're just now putting together that, that that real and it's just so exciting. Can't wait to see it?
That's amazing. Yeah. Such a collaborative. I love that. You know, I love when younger people I I love when any, any age, either and I do hate ageism. And I mean, I don't participate in it. But there there is a fact that some people are younger. But I, and yes, and they might have things to learn, but they have things to teach. And just like we have things to learn when we get older. I mean, we're always learning, right? There's always things to learn. And it's if you're not then what are you even doing really that's just a that's so awesome, though. And I love that you have that attitude about it. And I can totally relate to getting emotional like ever since I had my son I've like I just tear up about everything in that regard in regards to anyone younger or people with new ideas or you know, people telling the truth, anything, I start to get emotional now just like this is so cool. I mean, it's what keeps you going and is toxic Hellfire that we live in today. You know, I hope that there is a future for humanity. And that's a big deal right now. I mean, it might be the biggest deal ever, right? Yeah. Wrong. Yeah. So before we go, how can the cannabis community best support you I know you don't cover exclusive cannabis related topics, right? It's not exclusive to plant medicine, but You do include cannabis in your topics pretty regularly. So how can the cannabis community best support you both personally and professionally?
That is a great question. And and yeah, you know, cannabis is very much in our DNA, we really did start out, intending to change the cannabis industry. So and I'm just a personal believer in in the goodness of cannabis, both medical and recreational. So it will always be in our DNA. There's no doubt about that. And that's a great question. We, you know, I just put it out to the industry at large and this is nothing about alpha woman or, or me personally, but I say to the industry at large, please try to be intelligent, try to be the first industry, you know, ever in humanity that starts out with the intention to be equitable and diverse, and higher on not just women but but but but people you know, of all colors and creeds and it because it will make a better company, there's just no doubt about it, it will make a better industry period. The second thing I would say is, you know, support support my business. I've got for example, I have an upcoming comedy club, I'm looking for a sponsor. I've been a marketer my whole life. I know how to build marketing packages, even in a difficult industry like cannabis. So, you know, companies like yours, Diana like mine, support us with your money with your money.
Can you say that one more time for the company's money. I would love to get your input about marketing plans and everything like that with with you know, I'm sure people can hire you for that. I'm not saying just give me all your give me all your knowledge for free. But yeah, anyway, that is so true. Give us your money. businesses don't run on air people. Anyway, so it was so great to have you on again, and I really appreciate what you're doing. And I really, really hope that you come back on again. So before we end, tell people where they can find you and your podcast.
Absolutely. So you can find us at alpha woman co.com you can see the podcast everything we do and on socials where alpha women co everywhere.
Awesome. Thank you again, Leslie. I really appreciate you. Thank you, Diana and likewise, I love what you do as well. Until next time, stay high and beautiful. Bye. Thanks for listening. You can find us on Instagram at Your Highness Podcast, or on Twitter at Highness Podcast, be sure to rate us on iTunes and subscribe.