An Interview With Monica Sanders
We tend to look at the world through a time frame lens that can lead to “rushing’ through life. Slow down. Be patient. Realize that incremental change is not only in line with the way of the world, it is easier to navigate effectively. Patience is power.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Bocskor.
Mr. Bocskor is a seasoned investment banker and highly regarded industry thought leader. He offers a wealth of industry insight and access to a vast reservoir of business resources and influential partners and associates. Mr. Bocskor has helped hundreds of cannabis companies make mission-critical decisions that often determine success or failure in the highly competitive legal cannabis industry.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
Wow. Some of the key points of my childhood. My parents were both from Eastern European countries who had been dramatically affected by the USSR. They came to the United States of America and discovered possibilities here. I grew up with an appreciation for what the USA offered because of that. As well, my time was spent in a mix of NYC and nearby rural areas with lakes, fishing, swimming, skiing, skating, and forests. It was pretty idyllic in that regard. When I was in my teens I moved to NYC full-time and really was able to benefit from so much that the city offered, art, museums, culture, friends and an expanding social life, and so much more. I was very lucky and remain so to this day.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
My “why” may be a little out of the ordinary. I was 18–19 when I left college to return to NYC. I started working immediately, and in the summer of that next year was spending a lot of time in Central Park playing frisbee and more. At some point, I was faced with the opportunity to get a motorcycle and take off across the country with a few friends. I had dreadlocks and was really thinking about this choice when it seemed that for me, that would be like running away from something. So I cut my hair, bought some suits, and decided to try and make a difference in the world… from the inside… by getting into business and following where that would take me. Here we are.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
I would say that we are trying to live our best lives, make the best decisions we can as citizens of Earth, and make a difference in how people conduct business, showing that sustainability is in fact, the most profitable path, and that, as well, conducting oneself in such a way that ethics and integrity manifest through your actions, that perhaps it will make some difference.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Learning so much about how the U.S. governmentUnited States of American government works through my business was far from anything I anticipated. And yet, we have learned so much that it now informs every aspect of my life. I got to wear some magic glasses. What I learned is that I can no longer take them off (what is seen can not be unseen) and I can not make anyone else wear them. Once you have looked behind the curtain everything changes.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
David M. Darst Senior is my dearest friend, my son’s godfather, and a mentor beyond anything I could have ever hoped for. I have learned so much from him about business, art, food, life, and people that I would not be the person I am without his friendship.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
Climate Justice is what we are all experiencing. As we start to and continue to adjust what we are doing to take into account what is happening we will be faced with more and more decisions that almost seem too obvious to even be called decision points. It is like what we, as humans, deal with in health. If you ignore something that is affecting your health adversely you get stronger and stronger reminders. That is where we are as a species.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
We work on promoting the farming of hemp. It is potentially one of the most significant carbon negative industries out there; for plastics, for paper, for fibre, and for consumer products. Hemp can, and will, change the world. Watch.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
Lead, Follow, or Get out of our way.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
We are in the smokable hemp business. It is potentially so profitable as to seem too good to be true.
This is the signature question we ask in most of our interviews. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?
1 . First, anyone who goes down the path of actually working on sensible long term policy realizes that the false narrative that “regulation is bad for business” is rooted in the dysfunctional aspects of “capitalism 1.0”. The same way we realized that we need to curb the worst tendencies of the criminally minded by eliminating exploitative child labor, we can see that sensible review of data for the long term, with patient approaches to the accumulation of said data allows for a solid economic framework to be built that can thrive in a more long term framework. I wish I had been told that.
2 . We tend to look at the world through a time frame lens that can lead to “rushing’ through life. Slow down. Be patient. Realize that incremental change is not only in line with the way of the world, it is easier to navigate effectively. Patience is power.
3 . When someone tells you who they are, listen. Work on fewer projects with people who are more aligned with you.
4 . If it “feels” wrong, it probably is. Trust your instincts. Take the time to know how to listen to them. When you have sustainability as a goal, the complexity and dynamism of the world can easily be overwhelming. Your mind can contemplate, on a synthesized conscious and subconscious level, so much data, that when you learn to quiet it, and listen for the analysis it sends to you, “feeling” wrong is usually an indicator to look deeper into what you are doing and who you are doing it with.
5 . Take a realistic view of where humanity may actually be from an evolutionary perspective. There is so much to learn, so much evolution societally in front of us, that framing our perspective to view humanity as “just emerging from dark ages” may allow a more nuanced understanding of where we are. The better you know where you are, the better off you are to get to where you are working towards arriving. Someone once said to me “Thinking you are in one place, and being somewhere completely different leads to bad decisions with bad outcomes”. Know thyself.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Xi Jinping, I would really like to understand more of the perspective he brings to the future he will help to create.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
It is best to find me on linkedin and twitter. @lesliebocskor on the platform formerly known as “X” and https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliebocskor/ on linkedin
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org
How Leslie Bocskor of Indoor Harvest Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.