GreenLeaf Feb 2021

and directly experienced having used cannabis
to win his own fight with cancer. He is using
everything at his disposal to make the world a
better place. Yes, the world! If you ask Rick, he'd
tell you the "cannabis arena" is really the arena
of life. Just as with anything else, change comes
through the bravery of those who have the courage
to be educated and to teach others, to lead
by example and take on the lies of history and to
make a brighter world for everyone. Ask him what
he wants to be remembered for and he doesn't
hesitate: "spreading love". That's who Rick Naya
is. That's why he almost seems to glow when you
see or speak to him. Passion pours out of him in
such a way that it becomes impossible to dismiss
him as a fluke or a gimmick. Rick Naya is the real
deal and make no mistake, he is on more of a
spiritual mission than a political one.
Rick is deeply spiritual. He will tell you so directly
but he really doesn't have to. You can gather as
much just from listening to him talk about cannabis
and what it means to him to make it accessible
for all. He says that God called his soul
to be a gladiator for cannabis. He believes the
world will be a better place when we as a species
realize and live what Rick calls "the 4 principles".
These 4 principles create the foundation for
everything that Rick does and it's no coincidence
that these 4 principles tend to make their way into
the priorities of anyone with a healthy respect and
affinity for cannabis. The principles are Health,
Wellness, Love & Compassion. Rick's own kids
went through periods of resentment and feeling
abandoned by his dedication to his cause but
later acknowledged the profound love that was at
the core of his being, driving everything he does.
While they have not explicitly joined him in his
mission, they understand it and support him. It's
hard not to when you realize that everything he
has worked for and accomplished has been built
on dignity and truth as the cornerstones. While
he may not have always been able to be home -
he was always operating from a place of love and
there is no denying that.
(or are at least looking for) the truth. He sees how
a money hungry industry continues to push for
growth of profits at the expense of the 4 principles.
Ever the self-styled superhero though, Rick
continues to push back. Whether or not you've
heard of him, there's no mistake that he is among
the few individuals who's sweat, blood and tears
got us to where we are today in this battle and
that's no small feat. He truly is bringing the cannabis
community together and has been for years
in ways that give new meaning and direction to
the culture he has proudly been a part of since
childhood. When I asked him what the most
positive shift in the culture has been, his answer
surprised me. He pointed to the dynamics directly
following George Floyd’s public murder at the
hands of the police. I didn't fully understand what
he meant until he pointed out that now "systemic
racism" was a household term. Now more than
ever we can address that issue which also lies
at the heart of cannabis prohibition and the continued
harassment and imprisonment of minorities
to this day. Only when this issue is properly
addressed can we ever hope to bring cannabis
fully out of shadows and bring humanity one step
closer to the light. The other major shift following
that horrific 9-minute video was the amount of
people who are ready to be activists. Not just for
cannabis or law reform, but for justice and lasting
systemic reform that has been so desperately
Today, Rick is extremely concerned with the
"cultural wedge" born of disconnect and control
that continues to create a gap between those
who have been lied to and those who have seen
Rick, underneath a Fluorescent Light Fixture.
J21