On a Chinatown rooftop in DTLA, a group of women (and some men) mingled over the love of cannabis and infused vegan ice cream. Some dressed up in glitter, oft accessorized with ganj, the crowd danced to electronic beats inside and scoped out the vendors outside selling medicated bath bombs, homemade candles, trendy pipes, and vintage clothing. The event was called “Disco for Puerto Rico,” hosted by OG GirlsClub — the first cannabis inspired social club for women in Los Angeles. The idea was to raise money for a cause and showcase some of LA’s trendiest cannabis and cannabis-friendly brands.
OG GirlsClub, founded in July 2017, functions as a “creative launchpad and support group” for women to mentor each other, share resources, and kick off their business ideas in or around the cannabis space. “We wanted to provide a platform for female entrepreneurs to join forces in business ventures and explore and educate themselves on the benefits of cannabis,” says OG GirlsClub co-founder Valery Sepulveda. “We all know as professional women, whether in the cannabis industry or not, that we are constantly fighting gender inequalities in a system that has been ruled by a ‘boys club’ for far too long.”
OG GirlsClub aims to reach the masses “in the most elegant and tasteful way possible,” Sepulveda explains, so events like “Disco for Puerto Rico” showcase “the glamorous, feminine side of cannabis, while staying socially responsible and giving proceeds to women centric charities.” The club’s events integrate LA’s unique subcultures, combining underground music with art, fashion, and cannabis — all for a good cause.
This coming year, Sepulveda, along with co-founder Destina Seaking and community director Lillian Ma, aim to launch an OG GirlsClub cannabis wellness product line for women, a fashion line, a podcast, and a co-working space. Though currently, their business model consists of a monthly club membership, ranging from $50 to $150 a month, which grants members access to social and professional networking events, branded merchandise, and private events.
“We focus mainly on strategic partnerships with female-owned brands and influencers, in order to provide a one-on-one platform where they can share, sell, and market their products to a chic, female audience,” Sepulveda says. When thinking of collaborations, the club aims to only endorse products that are lab-tested, ethical, and sustainable in their supply chains, she adds. “OG GirlsClub is about transformative collaboration between women, so any chance we get to help out a passionate entrepreneur is a win-win for us.”
Through creative collaborations, OG GirlsClub is changing the image of the female consumer cannabis brands will need to target in order to survive the market, Sepulveda says. “We are a network of fashionable, professional millennials, who live health-conscious lifestyles, understand the importance of social responsibility, and prefer quality branding over quantity,” she says. Known as the home of the “Glamorous Cannabis,” OG GirlsClub is helping to define what it means to be a successful, female, posh cannabis consumer — a far cry from the hyper sexualized 420nurses or lazy stoner stereotypes of yesteryear.
Sepulveda says she hopes OG GirlsClub’s biggest contribution will come from being the first group of women to combine charity with cannabis. “By donating to charities through our club, we’ll be supporting marginalized communities and showing the world that the cannabis industry does care and gives back,” she says. Collaboration, instead of competition, is the only way women will be able to run the cannabis industry in the coming years, she adds. “Women are each other’s lifelines, and by supporting each other, we have a stronger chance of competing with big corporations and big pharma versus each other.”
