Women to Watch: Alycia L. Mundell
As the granddaughter of the well known Commander Thomas W. Mundell, part of the immense volunteer corps of New Approach Missouri, and having held roles with Project 422, Asa Botanicals, The Evolution Magazine, and now as the Business Development Director for Midwest Canna Expos, Alycia L. Mundell may be one of the most photographed people in Missouri’s cannabis industry, but many of those photos show her in the background.
“Midwest Canna Expos produces business conferences, educational events, seminars, and networking events to increase connection and education within the rapidly growing cannabis industry,” Mundell explains.
“I have just recently joined Midwest Canna Expos in June, but have worked steadily within Missouri’s cannabis legalization process since 2016. Karin Chester and I met petitioning, early on in Missouri’s signature collecting process, before the Trump election. We both continued working with New Approach MO until the successful passing of Amendment 2. I attended MoCannBizCon+Expo 2019 and immediately knew that it was an amazing way to reach thousands of people with great impact. Something I have been working to do for years and finally found my outlet.”
While much of her experience and advocacy revolves around medical marijuana in Missouri, Mundell and her new employer see more than one side of the coin.
“Hemp has the ability to change our planet in the most beautiful way, and I feel it will be the saving grace to our history of destruction. The medical benefits, the harmful resources it will replace, and its ability to cleanse our environment is absolutely astonishing.”
Mundell also stressed the importance of not only access, but prioritizing sustainable hemp as an American commodity.
“Keeping other countries’ hemp products out of the US is extremely important.”
Mundell cites the unnecessary environmental impact, unregulated markets, potential toxins among the reasons to look inward for solutions to hemp cropping.
“Hemp is a purifier, it will absorb what is incorporated within the plant’s surroundings as it grows, we don’t want other foreign toxins being dumped into our country for any reason. Being allowed to grow hemp is not only our right but also our obligation. Foreign hemp products should be illegal to transport into the United States and it is our duty to educate our citizens.”
Mundell says part of her new role is to ensure Midwest Canna Expos is “helping to set a well educated, actively involved, and exhilarating business foundation for the cannabis industry as a whole.”
On the business side MCE will be, “Opening doors and creating consistent opportunity for long lasting relationships to be built and grown into successful endeavours,” she explains. But the company aims to do more than that.
The community goals for Midwest Canna Expos revolve around “breaking the stigma historically placed on cannabis by hosting events to highlight the current laws, details, and increasing community involvement,” Mundell says.
“I am most excited for our citizens to have access to safer medical options,” Mundell believes the new cannabis market can decrease pharmaceutical dependency and help reduce addiction.
“Missouri has a real responsibility and the ability to set a standard nation wide. Our timing is impeccable and I feel honored to be a part of such a meaningful and impactful time in history.”
Be on the lookout for Alycia Mundell and the Midwest Cana Expos crew as they gear up to present MoCannBizCon+Expo 2020 at St.Louis’ Iconic Union Station.
With all that’s going on in and around the cannabis industry it can sometimes feel like every undertaking is an uphill battle, and in most industries the battle can be that much harder for women, so Greenway asked, What is it like being a woman in this field?
“Empowering, everyone in this industry has to work side by side to be effective. Segregation will never be something that I partake in or let entertain my energy. Men and women alike are important – anyone who feels differently is expressing a direct reflection of themselves. I am the type of woman who can sit at the round table with a 60+ year old man and be the exact same person I am while sitting with 5 women my own age. I speak mindfully and am always compassionate, sometimes the truth is hard to hear no matter who your audience is, but when you are mindful of your approach it can be just the impact needed to make proper adjustments.”
As a mother, an advocate, a volunteer, a problem solver, and a compassionate voice in the medical cannabis community, Mundell has been on the ground and behind the scenes at nearly every Missouri cannabis related event in recent years.
“Cannabis smacked me right in the back of my head. After many late nights of research and geeking out on cannabis politics I ended up attending a very small New Approach meet and greet that had me front and center with a group of speakers that had me crying the entire time! I felt extremely vulnerable and guilty for not being more invested in the help needed to make the necessary changes. I knew after meeting Sarah Runge, Ayden and Ashley Markum, and Jeff Mizanskey that I would absolutely never have another excuse to feel tired. They have all impacted me to aggressively keep moving forward for the cause.”
“I am a mother of two young men who have been raised to fully understand that our time here is temporary. Regularly seeing their great grandfather on the news publicly grieving the loss of our family in a final attempt to get the attention of society for a rebooting change has urged us all to the front line. Being raised as a young, only child, who had lost most all of her immediate family before preteen age, I knew that my life would only be worth what I made it. I am inevitably an empath who has immense compassion for most all situations that others are faced with. The one thing that has stood out to me most in my thirty years of life is that cannabis has the ability to positively change the world as we know it and I can’t give that up.”
Mundell continues, “Public speaking is not currently my strong suit, but I have always felt that it is meant to be my calling. I struggle to speak confidently in front of large groups. My mind blanks out and I become incredibly nervous that I will misrepresent my overall goal. But, I have this recurring dream that I am in the right place, with an audience that has to have the information that I know to survive, resulting in me giving a flawless speech that ultimately impacts thousands of people’s lives in a way that couldn’t have been done any other way. I know that cannabis will be the reason that this dream becomes my reality, and I assure you that it will take every ounce of courage I have to accomplish this task.”
“My personal goal is to create a space where anyone and everyone has a common goal to live a translucent, self-fulfilling, humble, and centered life. I want to highlight all of the tools available but make the focal point of my space the entertainment. Bringing the basics of society back to the mainstream lifestyle is crucial to my goals. I need the classic means of entertainment, respect for ourselves and others, and old school community vibes around me to feel fulfilled. To provide this lustful hub that fulfills everyone’s inner child, mixed with revolutionary education for the long lasting life of our planet is #goals. I will always be the person building bridges and encouraging people of all mindsets to smile and soak in the “now”. I feel that our current way of living is not working for most people. With Anxiety, depression, disease, dependency, work ethic, confidence, and low morale taking over our lives, I plan to find more ways than one to connect with society and encourage others to help indulge in what feels right.”
Mundell says she’s most excited about the emerging cannabis industry and being part of history.
“Being able to be a part of the change and experiencing the bad to the good is eye opening. These are the stories my great great grandchildren will be excited to sit and listen to and I look forward to it folding out into a beautiful story that we can all be proud of.”
“But most of all, being able to witness the change in the people who need cannabis the most is what feeds my soul. Seeing the change in our communities, thriving businesses, raising my children in an atmosphere surrounded by beautiful minds, creativity, enthusiasm, and uplifting actions – an educated centered world is what cannabis will bring and the news will be something we will gather to watch because it will be filled with accomplishments and love.”