When Charisse Thomas launched Grams & Pearls, she didn’t follow trends or ask for a seat at the table. She built her own. Her mission was clear—center Black women in cannabis culture by creating intentional, healing experiences rooted in education, joy, and wellness.
“Grams & Pearls is my love letter to Black women,” Thomas said. “It stands where cannabis, social impact, and our empowerment meet.”
She created the brand to challenge how Black women show up—or don’t—in the cannabis space. Too often, society either hyper-portrays them in negative ways or ignores them entirely. Grams & Pearls flips that script. Thomas put Black women at the center of the conversation, not just as consumers, but as experts, educators, and leaders.
She designed the brand to do more than sell products. Grams & Pearls teaches women how to engage with cannabis with purpose. That includes learning how cannabinoids and terpenes interact with the body, exploring how the plant can support mental and spiritual health, and embracing its cultural roots. For Thomas, cannabis isn’t about escaping. It’s about reconnecting.
“Cannabis has always been part of our healing,” she said. “We just haven’t been allowed to honor it that way.”
As 4/20 approaches, Thomas wants Black women to focus on reclaiming cannabis on their terms. She sees liberation as both systemic and personal. On one side, it means pushing for expungement, equity, and ownership. On the other, it means dropping the shame, fear, and judgment that still lingers in our communities.
“Liberation includes using cannabis without apology,” she said. “It means choosing it for our well-being without feeling like we have to explain.”
Healing comes when women use cannabis not as an escape but as a tool to ground, create, grieve, or unwind. That intention drives every Grams & Pearls offering—especially their newest addition: herbal cannabis blends.
Thomas introduced the herbal line to give people more control and clarity in their experience. By combining cannabis with herbs like lavender, rose, chamomile, and peppermint, Grams & Pearls helps users align their rituals with their needs—whether that’s calming anxiety, sparking sensuality, or improving focus.
“Cannabis alone is powerful, but combining it with herbs brings a deeper, more personalized experience,” she said. “It lets you pause and ask, ‘What do I need right now?’ Then you choose accordingly.”
Customers say the blends help them feel more grounded, more present, and more in tune with their bodies. That kind of mindful engagement with the plant isn’t just empowering—it’s revolutionary.
Thomas also stresses the importance of representation. She doesn’t want Black women to settle for inclusion. She wants them to lead. As she sees it, Black women bring cultural depth, healing wisdom, and bold creativity to the cannabis space. When they lead—whether as founders, growers, policy advocates, or wellness experts—they reshape the industry.
“We’ve always been the visionaries,” she said. “When we lead in cannabis, we build something better—spaces that truly serve our communities.”
This 4/20, Thomas invites Black women to slow down and celebrate with care. She recommends setting a clear intention before consuming. Curate the environment—light a candle, play music, sit in nature. Choose quality products that align with your goals and support Black-owned brands.
“Don’t perform 4/20,” she said. “Honor it. Let it nourish you.”
Grams & Pearls plans to keep growing. Thomas wants to expand its retail presence and make its organic rolling papers and accessories more accessible. She also plans to host more immersive events—herb bars, educational workshops, and collaborations with Black women creatives and healers.
“We’re creating a whole ecosystem,” she said. “A space where Black women feel powerful, supported, and connected.”
Thomas isn’t waiting for permission to lead this industry. She’s doing it, one love letter at a time.
Follow Grams & Pearls on Instagram @gramsandpearls or reach out at high@gramsandpearls.com.
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