We had the good fortune of connecting with Dashayna ‘Dash’ Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Dashayna ‘Dash’, how do you think about risk?
Risk is absolutely necessary in life. I don’t think we can expand or evolve without taking them. They involve some level of faith, and trusting the unknown.
My journey to taking impactful calculated risks began as a teenager. It may be clichè but doing my big chop in high school literally put the battery in my back to keep leaping into unchartered territory. I understood that to gain something new I would have to do something different.
It taught me to keep leaping even if I’m scared or don’t fully trust the process. As a young woman, taking risks is a major key. They’ve afforded me opportunities to travel to places I’d never seen, meet people who come from completely different worlds, thrive in industries I’m passionate about, and start new chapters in my life. Learning to believe in and expect the best from these ‘leaps’ is important to me.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I feel like what I do doesn’t have an encompassing title yet; I’m actively building it out.
My educational background is in social service, so much of my work has revolved around problem-solving in communities with complex needs. Then, cannabis came into my professional worldview when I moved to California. Being adjacent to the legacy market throughout my life made transitioning into legal cannabis natural.
Since then, I’ve blended both spaces. I’m community-rooted with a passion for cannabis enhancing our lives. I get excited about improving quality of life and access to resources for communities that need it as well as providing education and rectifying harm from the war on drugs. Simply put, equity across the board is important to me.
Whether it was through providing individualized support to women experiencing chronic homelessness or being published writing about weed — I’m proud of my contributions to both spaces respectively.
It hasn’t been easy finding my footing and sometimes it still isn’t. I don’t feel like I know what I’m doing just because it’s been a few years now. I feel like I’m still learning and still showing up. That’s what got me here.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay bet, so we’re always going for a balanced time. This means great food, turn up, healthy stuff, and relaxation.
I’ll give a where I’m currently located version and a where I was most recently located version. Shoutout to Delaware and California.
If we’re in Wilmington/New Castle County, we’re definitely hitting Thak Thai for lunch and Bardea for dinner. Mikimotos for a cute Happy Hour, one of the hood bars as the after. We’re starting the days with smoothies from Greenbox Kitchen, probably Original Hot Bagels for breakfast. We can hike a trail up Brandywine or go to First State Park. Coworking and snacks at Troisieme Café. Chill and still fun.
If we’re in LA, we’re going to Urth Caffé for breakfast/brunch. LA press if we just want to start the day healthy with a smoothie. My 2 Cents, Hae Ha Heng, or Brothers Sandwich for lunch. Hiking at Elysian and for sure going to Manhattan Beach. King Taco for quick eats. Stopping by LaBrea Collective for our dispensary needs. Then a nice dinner at Cecconi’s.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I think of support, mentorship, love, and encouragement I have various vivid memories that come to mind.
I see integral communal spaces that have sustained me at different stages in my life. These spaces are my family unit (shoutout to the Browns and the Clapps), Black church homes, my alma mater Delaware State University, and my friends’ families that have become my family.
I see individuals who have held space for me to learn and thrive in my journey. These include my dear friends who’ve known me as Dashayna first, the man who has helped me transform through love (EWJ <3), mentors who saw my potential actualized before I did, and the work of so many Black and Brown artists.
They all deserve acknowledgment from me always.
Website: https://tested-canary-f87.notion.site/dsp-files-5585a0c63ba7477f9c1cc13612656995
Instagram: @dashsupremee
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dashayna-k-brown-366019134/
Image Credits
Brwnbox