phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES MARCH 24TH– MARCH 30TH, 2022 State Licensed Dispensaries & Doctor Certifications | CANNABIS | Soap from p 43 she’s made it a little more clear how the two interweave.” A former Arizona prosecutor who has been in the cannabis industry for almost a decade, Downing counts himself as one of the fortunate few who has in-depth knowl- edge of the nuances shaping the Arizona cannabis landscape. He has collaborated with Thomas and other industry leaders throughout the Southwest in fostering inclusivity and cultural and ethnic diver- sity in the cannabis space. “In the cannabis industry there’s this unique sense of community,” says Downing, who organizes a gathering of 300-plus industry professionals once a month in Arizona to share, teach, and learn about the cannabis industry. He says Thomas is a regular attendee even though she has suffi- cient knowledge of the industry. “She doesn’t need to come to MITA, but attends because she feels it is her duty to share,” Downing adds. Throughout the pandemic, Thomas expected major setbacks, when in fact, business began to tick up. “Actually, we got really busy,” she says. She credits the increase in sales to a well- timed product that hit the shelves when pent-up demand for disinfectants was at its peak. “We all learned how to make hand sanitizer.” She tinkered with aloe vera recipes and found success at a time when hygiene and self-care were on everyone’s mind. “I don’t let people tell me what I can and cannot do,” she explains. “I always find different solutions to make things happen, because at the end of the day it isn’t about me, it’s about helping others.” As a Black female business owner, Thomas feels a responsibility as a leader in an industry highly underrepresented by women and minorities. MJBizDaily, a Colorado-based outlet providing recreational and medical cannabis information to industry profes- sionals, released a finding last year showing that underrepresentation: The percentages of women and minorities in executive posi- tions within the U.S. cannabis industry have dropped over the last two years: women, from 36.8 percent to 22.1 percent; minori- ties, from 28.0 to 13.1 percent. The report explains that competitive markets tend to favor businesses with white men in leadership positions due to established access to capital. This trend is what Thomas hopes to break. In 2016, she took a leadership role at Women Grow, an organization focused on educating and empowering female leaders in the cannabis industry. She collaborated with Parisa Rad, owner of the MJ Momma Consulting agency, and together they helped develop the organization into new markets throughout the country. At the time of their collaboration, Thomas was looking for someone to run her company, and ultimately appointed Rad, who is of Middle Eastern descent, as presi- dent of Fourtwenty Collections last August. “It is very, very hard,” Thomas says, describing the path to success for minority women in the cannabis industry. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know in this industry.” Egyptian influence has always been a central theme to Thomas’ businesses. Essential oils, sea salts, and other natural ingredients were used by the Egyptians, and have inspired Thomas to follow that theme for all her products. “My whole brand is all built around Egypt,” Thomas told the Phoenix New Times last year, “because women are all goddesses, and because the cannabis plant is female.” In September, Thomas collaborated with New York fashion designer Korto Momolu in Arizona’s first cannabis- inspired women’s fashion show. The show celebrated Fourtwenty Collection’s new clothing and apparel line, including Egyptian-inspired tunics, tutus, dresses, and accessories such as hats and jewelry. The sold-out event was held at FABRIC in Tempe, a nonprofit fashion incubator, design studio, and fashion academy. “I gotta figure out a way to step it up a notch,” says Thomas, who received an overwhelmingly positive response from the attendees. Given the fully attended show, she hopes to find a bigger venue to host the event this year. Through her entrepreneurial spirit, love for community, and willingness to lead in an industry that lacks diversity, Thomas is a shining example of love and comfort to those around her. “It’s not just Marvina, it’s her team [as well] because she inculcates the spirit in her employees,” says Downing. “That mentality trickles down from the top, and when you have leaders like her, then companies develop like hers.” When asked who her dream interview would be, Thomas answers without hesita- tion — Snoop Dogg. “That is my dream, for me to be able to have an interview with him and just to chill and smoke a blunt with him,” she says. Find 420 skin-care products and edibles at 420-skincare.com. Her products can also be found on social media under the name @420skincare. 45
