Beads & Buds Workshop Heals Through Art, Cannabis and Community

The North American cannabis industry has a high volume of events, workshops and meetups that all vie for our attention. What the industry could use more of are events that bridge the gap and marry social impact causes allowing attendees—especially those who are victims of trauma and struggle in social settings—to feel welcome and encouraged to share their stories, ideas and connect with others in a safe group setting. This was the premise of last month’s Beads & Buds jewelry-making workshop in support of This Is Jane Project (TIJP).

Founded in 2019, TIJP began as a photo-activism campaign to de-stigmatize conversations around trauma, healing and medicating with cannabis. After seeing how much they could help lives through media, they were determined to do more. This led to the transition of TIJP into a 501c3 nonprofit in 2021. According to their website, the group’s mission is “to offer robust healing-centered programming to support their growing community of Janes while continuing to document stories of hope and healing with cannabis.”

A “Jane” is a woman or non-binary trauma survivor who uses cannabis as medicine. As TIJP Executive Director Shannon DeGrooms says, “We’re all surviving something, and TIJP has created a trauma-aware community curated for an often-underrepresented population: women and non-binary people.”

The Beads & Buds workshop was a fun way to bring Janes together for healing and connection in a safe, group therapy-like space. The one-day, sold-out event took place June 30 at the Astor Club in West Hollywood, California, produced by Nancy Chains, a cannabis accessories brand, and By BB, a plant-medicine based marketing agency run by Addie Babcock. Capped at 35 Janes, participants gathered together to create beaded necklaces or bong bracelets (yes, apparently they’re a thing). To sign up, those interested in attending were asked over Instagram stories to DM This Is Jane Project on Instagram, and then selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Needless to say, the workshop filled up quickly.

DeGrooms, who’s known Nancy Chains Founder Gal Bar El since the early days of Nancy Chains, says a collaboration like this has been years in the making. “She’s been involved with TIJP both as a ‘Jane,’ and as an unwavering supporter, hosting fundraisers, donating unique Nancy Chains necklaces, and now this—hosting a healing-centered Beads & Buds experience just for survivors.”

Gal Bar El echoed DeGrooms sentiments: “I’m so excited to bring together a community that has also helped me heal. I, too, am a trauma survivor who has been helped by This Is Jane Project in the past. Having the ability to give back is absolutely incredible for me.”

The Beads & Buds event flowed organically; groups naturally formed, and Janes connected with one another while creating their one-of-a-kind Nancy Chains piece. “I personally engaged in conversations about different healing modalities, astrology and the use of cannabis for PTSD while stringing my bracelet,” DeGrooms shared. 

As the event leader, Bar El said she loved seeing the different creative processes, the varied outcomes and the joy that combining creativity and community brings.

“The conversations happening within organically formed groups of people were so beautiful and inclusive,” she said. “The safe space that was created let us spread our wings, let go a little, and create something new and unique—something we can use to ground ourselves when needed, as each Jane chose very personal beads, charms and color palettes.”

Most of the Janes that TIJP serves unequivocally credit cannabis with helping them confront, manage and heal trauma. So, it made sense that cannabis was supplied at Beads & Buds (thanks to event sponsor Cream of the Crop), and many Janes chose to consume while making their jewelry. Cannabis can also help amplify the creative experience by relaxing the mind and body, making it easier to tap into one’s creativity.

“Janes rely on holistic approaches to healing trauma,” DeGrooms said. Art and cannabis certainly fall within this category, and when paired together, they can do wonders. Bar El knows this well—after all, it’s what inspired her to form the Nancy Chains brand. 

“Creating art can be therapeutic, allowing us to process emotions and find a sense of calm. Cannabis, with its relaxing properties, can help reduce stress and anxiety, making the healing process smoother and more enjoyable,” Bar El explained. “Together, art and cannabis create a unique space where we can explore our creativity while supporting our well-being. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Attendees got to not only take home their creations, but they were also given swag bags. “The goodie bags were a thoughtful touch, especially the branded iSpire device and the Cream of the Crop flower,” DeGrooms said.

Cream of the Crop played an important role, donating flower that Bar El used to lead the one-day class and lend tricks of her trade in creating the perfect cannabis-inspired jewelry built around the idea that made her so well known in cannabis as Nancy Chains.

iSpire’s graphic designers created a custom branded DZD400 battery for the event, giving the Janes something to remember the special occasion by (and enjoy using, of course).

“We chose to sponsor this event because Buds & Beads expressed their commitment to the healing and creative powers of the plant, which align with our own mission,” said Nakisa Motamed, iSpire’s Sr. Global Marketing Manager. “We want to provide our brands and the community with safe and useful vape hardware products that stay true to the plant.”

Motamed also noted she’s aware that the partnership between Nancy Chains and TIJP is a special one: “I’ve seen the events Gal and TIJP have done in the past and know that they put their heart into it and really care for our community. A lot of companies are in it for themselves, and we make it a point to support the brands that truly care and give back to the community in this industry.”

To date, This Is Jane Project has hosted over 100 events, facilitated the donation of over 100,000 units of compliant cannabis and supported nearly 2,000 “Janes” on their healing journey. “It’s through thoughtful partnerships with companies like Nancy Chains that help us do this work,” DeGrooms said.