As cannabis moves further into the mainstream, Leafly believes there are more opportunities than ever to celebrate our favorite plant out in the open, for all to see and free of stigma.
That’s why this 4/20, we’re thrilled to launch a brand-new project: We’ve commissioned a group of cutting-edge artists to design and paint a series of innovative murals in four cities around North America—Chicago, Portland (OR), Toronto (CAN) and Washington, D.C.
These gorgeous murals highlight cannabis’ incredible ability to fuel artistic creativity. Furthermore, they depict cannabis as an uplifting force for good on one of its most notable holidays and help give back to just and equitable causes. That’s right! The murals aren’t just beautiful, but also directly benefit the communities where they are on display.
Bridging the worlds of art and technology, these 420 murals will be available for purchase as NFTs (non-fungible tokens): unique digital art pieces that provide a new business model for creators to thrive and succeed.
Proceeds from the NFT sales will directly benefit non-profit organizations based in each of the four cities that also fight for justice and fairness in the cannabis industry.
If you see one you like (in person or online,) you can purchase the NFTs for $420, via OpenSea. And that’s not all. As a special bonus, each mural includes a QR code that viewers can use to access enhanced Augmented Reality (AR) content on their phones.
Read on to learn more about the murals themselves, the remarkable artists behind them, and the organizations that will benefit from the sale of the NFTs.
Chicago, Illinois
Find the mural: 3555 N Clark St. Chicago, IL 60657
Designed by: Shala.
NFT proceeds will support: Cannabis Equity IL Coalition
Learn more about Shala.
A pioneer in the field of “Solar Art,” Shala. creates dazzling large-scale sculptures and murals that double as generators of solar energy (the period is indeed part of his name). One of his best-known pieces, Shala’s Bronzeville Solar Pyramid, is 16 feet tall and covered in customized solar panels and imaginative symbols. His vivid murals, which often stretch several stories high, embrace playful and exuberant designs.
Shala.’s mural for Leafly—just across the street from Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs—portrays a woman of color lounging on a boat, savoring both Chicago’s lakefront views and a joint. The mural evokes the calm and tranquility of soothing cannabis strains. “I liked the idea of doing something simple and unexpected for a weed mural.
Something friendly but subversive,” Shala. explained. “The idea of putting up a mural of a Black woman enjoying a smoke in the middle of Wrigleyville was too good to pass up.”
Learn more about Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition
The Cannabis Equity IL Coalition fights to ensure that the burgeoning Illinois cannabis industry “prioritizes people over profits.”
The grassroots organization advocates tirelessly for the industry to make repairs and reinvestments in the communities most impacted by the War on Drugs.
The Coalition told Leafly that funds from the sale of NFTs will provide direct resources like “community resource fairs, record clearing events, know your rights and community advocacy teach-in’s, and more.”
Portland, Oregon
Mural address: 1637 SE MLK Blvd, Portland, OR
Designed by: Magdaline “Maggie” Wang, in partnership with the Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA)
NFT proceeds will support: Oregon Handlers Fund
Learn more about Magdaline “Maggie” Wang
Magdaline “Maggie” Wang—also known as Magdre—began her artistic career in Portland, Oregon. She creates art in a range of mediums including murals, tattoos, drawings, prints, resin molds, and more. Her style draws on elements of pop culture from the 90’s and early 2000’s, creating a world of nostalgia for her viewers. The Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA) champions and advocates for street art and street artists. Since 2012, it has managed more than 120 commissioned and publicly-funded projects.
Maggie’s vibrant mural depicts some of Portland residents’ favorite pastimes – riding bikes, savoring the mild weather, and smoking cannabis.
“Partnering with Leafly was a no-brainer for me. I love to smoke, and weed is a core part of my artistic process,” Maggie remarked.
“I believe that anyone—and especially Black and brown communities—should be able to enjoy weed without stigma. The mural captures what I love most about my hometown: That anyone can do what makes them happy, no matter what other people think.”
Learn more about Oregon Handlers Fund
Proceeds from the sale of this mural NFT will benefit the Oregon Handlers Fund. The organization maintains a singular purpose: To help Black and non-Black people of color obtain Marijuana Worker Permits, facilitating opportunities to work in the cannabis industry.
“I’ve always just wanted to help people. We want to see people of color thrive in this industry,” the organization’s director, Raina Casey, told Leafly.
Toronto (Canada)
Find the mural: 587 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1M5, Canada
Designed by: Haena Joen
Non-profit name: Cannabis Amnesty
Learn more about Haena Joen
Haena “Haena.J” Joen is a freelance illustrator originally from South Korea. She currently lives in Toronto. Haena also works as a graphic designer and project manager at the Kadence World collective—a community agency founded by her husband, Phil Song—focused on celebrating and growing Korean skateboarding culture.
Attached to the iconic Ruby Soho Bar in Toronto’s Design District, Haena’s serene mural depicts a woman of color enjoying cannabis, a book, and a picnic as the city skyline stretches across the horizon. “Growing up in South Korea, I was always told that cannabis was illegal and dangerous. But when I moved to Canada with my husband Phil and joined Kadence World, I saw what a force for good cannabis could be in building communities and fostering creativity,” she told Leafly.
Learn more about Cannabis Amnesty
Since 2018, Cannabis Amnesty has advocated on behalf of Canadian communities who have been harmed by cannabis prohibition and fights for equity within the cannabis industry. Proceeds from NFT sales will support Cannabis Amnesty’s ongoing legislative efforts to ensure that the historically and disproportionately harmed Black and Indigenous communities of Canada can access the industry’s economic opportunities.
NFT sales will also support a new legal clinic for Canadians with cannabis convictions, and paid internships for marginalized Canadians hoping to enter the cannabis industry.
Washington, D.C.
Find the mural: 3124 Georgia Ave NW, Washington D.C.
Designed by: Shawn Perkins
NFT proceeds to benefit: Center for Black Equity
Learn more about Shawn Perkins
A widely-recognized graphic designer, painter and muralist, Shawn Perkins—also known as SP the Plug—was commissioned as one of several artists to paint Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. His wide-ranging paintings reference pop culture icons and cartoons. His murals can be seen on storefronts and walls around Washington, D.C. and beyond.
Perkins’ mural depicts a Black woman—who wears beautiful, bold jewelry, and a striking arm tattoo that reads “knowledge is flower”—enjoying a joint on a spring day in Washington, D.C.
The location of the mural—on the side of the beloved dispensary House of Herbs in the Park View neighborhood—carries special significance for Perkins.
“I walked by this wall many times when I was in college at Howard, and knowing how many people will see this message of activism and joy really resonates with me,” Shawn explained. “My creative process includes cannabis, so when I designed this art for Leafly I knew I wanted to evoke those feelings of creativity and joy I get from smoking. That is what the woman in the mural signifies for me,” he added.
Learn more about the Center for Black Equity
Proceeds from NFT sales of this mural will benefit the Center for Black Equity (CBE), a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, DC. CBE promotes a multinational network dedicated to improving health and wellness opportunities, economic empowerment, and equal rights for LGBTQ people of African descent.
Leafly is committed to donating to all of our 420 NFT mural partners, no matter what, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hurry to grab this unique and beautiful art ASAP.
Support your community, spread love, and embrace your fellow cannabis enthusiasts. It’s4/20!
