About Us
Reclaiming rights to our ancestral medicineOur Mission
The People’s Ecosystem is a catalyst for community empowerment.
Our mission is to provide a brighter future for communities through cannabis, to challenge past stereotypes and ideas about cannabis use and enjoyment, and to empower and transform communities historically harmed by the criminalization of a product that studies show is highly beneficial to healing, general health, and well-being.
Our Team
Christine De La Rosa
CEO & Co-Founder
Charleen Caabay
CINO & Co-Founder
Melanie Davis
COO & Director of Managed Services
Michael Schlieker
Co-Founder Emeritus
Frederika Easley
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Kate Stevens
Director of BUSINESS Services
Vicki Wais
Director of Product Development
Dante Mandala
Director of Project Management
aNTHONY HERNANDEZ
Director of Financial Strategies
Sulema Silva
Executive Administrator
Kenya Daugherty
Executive Assistant
THE PEOPLE’S PLEDGE
Our people risked it all to bring cannabis medicine to the masses. In acknowledgement of their sacrifice, and to work in partnership for a better tomorrow, we ask that you join us in taking this pledge.
Say it with us!
We are rooted
in the foundation of cannabis culture and its rich, diverse history; using this as our guide for social and equitable inclusion of both new, legacy, and ancillary business growth.
We Educate
on our shared responsibility in sustainable, socially equitable, and inclusive business practices that directly affect and improve community environments of those most impacted by prohibition and the drug war era.
We Invest
and engage others to invest in the restorative healing process to bring into balance the abundance of this plant with the people.
We Shape + Foster
a purpose-driven, values-based culture stemming from the legacy markets of cannabis culture, and the harm that was caused by prohibition and “The War on Drugs”.
We Thrive
on a symbiotic culture based on the centuries long understanding of this plant, our relationship to, the many generations of people who have taught us, science, and data.
We Recognize
cannabis culture as the structure in the regulated industry and place this culture at the center value of all we do.
Our Story
We started in a closet. Created because we did not see ourselves reflected in the adult-use cannabis industry, as people of color, women, queer people, disabled, veterans, formerly incarcerated, and people with chronic illnesses.
In 2018, with the advent of California Prop 64, which created the adult-use market, we decided to move from the informal market into the adult-use market. It has been a WILD RIDE, fraught with heartache and hope, disappointment and dreams, trials and triumphs. It is important to know the cannabis industry is exponentially more difficult if you are a person of color. But WE MUST PERSIST because this industry belongs to all of us and should be a mirror of the communities that created an industry and marketplace despite the threat of incarceration and, in some cases, death.
It was with this lens that we began building a company in the regulated cannabis industry. The communities we served and continue to serve to make up the largest segment of this industry are still not reflected in the new, regulated cannabis market.
Here is what we know:
- Communities that surround the dispensary create the most value for our company.
- Communities that know we are invested in their wellness and health are our best brand ambassadors.
- Communities that see us providing workforce development and workforce opportunities will invest in our success because we are invested in theirs.
- Communities that buy from us understand our commitment to them.
We persist because of our collective communities. The cannabis industry is projected to become a $500 billion global market. The People’s Ecosystem takes this unique opportunity to bring the best cannabis to its communities, financial wealth to its investors, and create many opportunities to uplift the communities it serves.
