Born in Moscow, Idaho and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Parisa Rad graduated honors from New Mexico State University where her studies focused around business and marketing. Parisa moved to the Phoenix Valley in 2012 with her family to pursue better healthcare opportunities for her visually impaired, special needs daughter Yazy, who is now 17 years old.

Since moving to Phoenix, Arizona, she performs pro-bono work for nonprofits while also immersing herself in seeking alternative medical treatments for her daughter. Her charitable work and ongoing exploration of alternative medical treatments for her daughter led to her more recent discovery of medicinal cannabis and a new passion for advocacy. She is active in the Phoenix Market of Woman Grow and founder of Marijuana Momma’s a support group for women seeking more information about cannabis, for themselves and children.

Please tell us about your work in the cannabis industry

My career in cannabis came about due to being propelled into the cannabis industry to find holistic methods to help my daughter, Yazy. I wanted to find ways to treat Yazy’s rare, life-threatening conditions, cerebral palsy, chronic pain due to scoliosis & Superior Masentric Artery syndrome, a rare life-threatening condition which prescription opioids contributed to developing.

“We tried a myriad of pharmaceuticals to figure out what would work, she was like a guinea rabbit for the doctors,” said Mansouri-Rad. “Not only was she on pain medication that was really damaging to her body, but on other pharmaceuticals that we then had to treat with other pharmaceuticals because of the side effects,” she added.

After seeing in real-time the positive effects cannabis has for my daughter, I decided to pursue medical marijuana advocacy work. As a cannabis advocate, I leverage my voice to re-brand the maligned Cannabis industry through ongoing advocacy and education of the public on the benefits of medicinal marijuana.

I also serve as the Market Leader for the Women Grow – Phoenix Market, & have previously been Fundraising Chair for ​Mom Force​, an organization that works to eliminate stigmas associated with Cannabis consumption, and have been known to volunteer with the​ Marijuana Policy Project ​(MPP).

What makes your work different than other cannabis advocates?

Many people don’t know what I do professionally as my company plays a behind the scenes roll. My canna-business, MjMomma Consulting helps build businesses via branding services, so business owners can focus their energy on nonmandated testing and ways to improve their overall patient experience. My role as an advocate always comes first! Because it’s this passion that brought me to this beautiful budding community!

What are your hopes for the future of medical marijuana and the cannabis industry as a whole?

My hope is for medical marijuana & our cannabis industry is to have affordable access to clean and tested medicine for our loved ones, whos’ lives desperately depend on this plant, and eventually live in communities where true legalization is the reality for everyone!

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