Syd Kieng has been in the Cannabis industry for two years and feels she has found her home at Liberty. A strong and vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Kieng aims to continue creating a safe space for everyone in the industry. Using Cannabis, she guides her self-therapy sessions to process thoughts and break them down before they get a chance to spiral. Kieng sees the importance that Cannabis has in their life, and the people that they assist every single day. It’s passion like this that drives the industry forward and creates meaningful relationships between a budtender and their customers. Follow her on Instagram @flowerr.fog
What was one of your first memories with Cannabis?
It was actually funny; I got my older brother in trouble for smoking weed. He was a teenager, and I was probably like 7 years old. I found his stash and tattled on him, which is funny because now I’m selling weed for a living. Kind of a big turnaround from being raised in a world where “drugs are bad.” I started getting into the Cannabis world and looking into the health benefits of it and how good it is to have in your life as someone who suffers with mental illness as well. I am diagnosed with anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, which I also take medication for, but the weed helps with those in general.
How does Cannabis help you explore your creative side?
I was really into acrylic painting, but now I am more on the digital side. I studied graphic design in college, and Cannabis has helped me to focus on the art. I use Procreate on my iPad Pro along with a mix of Photoshop, and work with realism because I like to draw what I see. I draw inspiration from real life, so I mainly draw animals, people or anything nature-related.
What trends have you seen in the art technology world?
I like to see how people are being more creative with the art they’re putting out, pushing back with art that AI cannot duplicate. The artists are fighting the AI with an attitude of “Yo, you can’t be doing this.” I think AI can be useful in certain aspects, but it can also feel really lazy and I don’t like it overall. Within the Cannabis industry itself, there are so many talented and creative people that would love to share what they have to offer.
What dispensary technology do you like or not like?
I really enjoy Dutchie. I’ve worked in three dispensaries during my time in the industry, and that has been my favorite platform when it works. On the other hand, I feel like too much technology in a dispensary confuses people. Being hands-on with customers takes them a lot further than throwing technology at them and expecting them to understand.
Tell me something about the Cannabis industry.
I feel like the industry should be a safe space for everyone, and every dispensary I’ve worked at has been filled with all different kinds of people, and that’s something that I really enjoy about working in the industry. You’re never going to find a store where there is just one type of person. I love interacting with different types of people and showing my support for everyone.
