Towards More Radical Human Connection

In "Towards More Radical Human Connection", Heather introduces listeners to Pete Cessa, a pivotal figure who transitioned a high-profile career in marketing and large-scale event production, including the Grammys and Super Bowls, to his pioneering work in the cannabis and psychedelic communities. 

Learn how he co-founded the Florida Cannabis Coalition in 2014, laying the groundwork for the state's current cannabis industry. This trailblazing effort culminated in Cannadelic, a groundbreaking event that has united cannabis and psychedelics under one roof, drawing over 25,000 attendees from more than 32 countries since 2022.

Uncover the origins of Pete's career in marketing and events, stemming from a transformative psychedelic experience in college that offered profound insights into both advertising and human perception. Learn how Pete, despite facing public scrutiny, responded not with animosity, but with unwavering dedication to his mission, consistently delivering impactful, community-backed events.

This conversation delves into the Cannadelic phenomenon that has fostered a unique, open environment unlike traditional industry gatherings. Pete shares his evolving relationship with cannabis and the intentionality he now brings to its use, along with the powerful concept of "integration" within the psychedelic space.

Explore how the events Pete creates transcend typical commerce, becoming vital spaces for personal growth and collective awakening. You'll hear about the fierce loyalty and support Pete has cultivated within his community, and the surprising ways in which his personal journey has shaped his commitment to these transformative gatherings.

Born on 4/20, Pete Sessa is a leading voice in cannabis and psychedelic culture, known for building platforms that center truth, transparency, and community over ego. Sessa’s journey with plant medicine started as self-medication in high school as a way to quiet a mind that wouldn’t slow down. A cannabis activist since 1993, Sessa’s psychedelic awakening came in the form of a transformational psilocybin experience in college through which he discovered two things: how marketing works and… mushrooms make you smarter. (Fast forward a few decades and the FMRIs prove it.)

Sessa used what he learned during that mushroom journey to build a career as a marketing and events executive in NYC. While successful, he was not fulfilled. So he quit. And moved to Florida. Starting over, Sessa married his experience producing large-scale events at the GRAMMY Awards and Super Bowl, with his passion for plant medicine to co-found the Florida Cannabis Coalition in 2014. The company launched a wave of events that helped shape Florida’s cannabis industry before it was legal. That groundwork, which included 9 cannabis conventions and 150+ networking events, ultimately led to Cannadelic, a first-of-its-kind event that united cannabis and psychedelics under one roof, drawing over 25,000 attendees from 32 countries since 2022. But the path hasn’t been easy. After a painful divorce, Sessa faced a wave of public attacks, online smears, and sabotage. Instead of responding with hate, he responded with results: four successful, community-backed events in less than two years, all while under fire.

Today, Pete speaks not just as a cannabis and psychedelic event pioneer, but as someone who knows what it means to stand in the fire and still hold a vision.

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