Today we’d like to introduce you to Trina Liggins-Sledge.
Hi Trina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My love for cooking has always been around, it was when I realized what can be done with cannabis in my cooking when my love went into overdrive. I was first introduced to infused dinners when I came across the show Bong Appotit. The show intrigued me and inspired me so much that I watched all of the episodes in one night.
The next day, I spent creating the BlackGirl Infused brand. BlackGirl Infused started as a blog where I talked about cannabis and shared my favorite recipes to infuse. Then in November 2018, I decided to start doing cooking videos. I created my YouTube channel and enlisted the help of a friend to come and shoot the videos and start production. Because I did my graphics and editing I was able to control how my brand was presented, which took my brand to another level and garnered some attention that I didn’t even realize. Soon after I was invited to teach Cooking w/Cannabis 101 at Takoma Wellness, the top dispensary in the DC area.
By the time COVID hit in 2020, I had been doing infused catering and creating infused oils and butter. With the shutdown of America, I regrouped and thought of some other ways I could expand the BlackGirl Infused brand and started creating a bath and body line that includes massage oil, bath salts, body butter, lip balm, and facial toner, made with all-natural ingredients and infused with cannabis.
Once I could travel I took my bath and body line on the road and did pop-up parties in New York, Philadelphia, and Atlanta and was able to create a buzz around the brand again. I then started to add edibles back into the mix including infused snack mix, teas, honey, and all-purpose seasoning.
Through social media and word of mouth, I was invited to be a featured Chef at the Green Grow Festival in Oklahoma. I cooked infused BBQ for over 100 guests and was named “Stand Out Chef.” The BlackGirl Infused brand embraces the benefits that cannabis provides and strives to change the relationship our customers have with the plant in their everyday lives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge that I had was the fact that I was before my time.
I started before legalization came about so I had to be creative in the ways that I marketed and talked about my products.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
By trade, I am a Website and Graphic Designer, most known for working in the Broadcast Media Industry with Urban One, Inc. I specialize in creating, marketing, and maintaining brands, and still do freelance work for several clients.
However, I am also most known for my cooking, and that is what I am most proud of. What sets me apart as a chef is the love care and attention that I give when I am in the kitchen, I truly put my everything into every dish that I create, because the kitchen is my HAPPY place.
What are your plans for the future?
For the future, I want the BlackGirl Infused brand to have brick-and-mortar locations that include a dispensary, CBD store, and a cafe/lounge where infused drinks and dishes can be served or you can just come chill and consume in a cool, relaxing environment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blackgirlinfused.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/blkgirlinfused
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/blkgirlinfused
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blkgirlinfused
