by dustin hoxworth
May 1st isn’t just another date on the calendar It’s sort of a signal fire that’s been burning for well over a century What most people casually call “May Day” is formally known as International Workers' Day, and it was born out of struggle, sacrifice, and a refusal to accept a world that only worked for the wealthy ruling class
To understand it, you have to go back to the Haymarket affair in Chicago Workers were striking for something that now feels pretty basic: an eight-hour workday Not luxury, or excess, but just some basic dignity in a world where it’s in short supply. The protest turned violent after a bomb went off and police opened fire People were executed right then and there And instead of burying the movement, it actually lit a fuse that ended up spreading across the globe
May Day became this very real line in the sand. A reminder that labor is not disposable nor are people fucking machines That progress has always been paid for by those willing to stand up and tell the ruling class to eat shit, and maybe even throw a molotov cocktail or two. The wealthy ruling class does not give up it’s wealth or power through voting alone They are forced to do so by being scared of the 99% Keep that in mind as we continue to deal with this fascist bs we’re going through right now
The fight might look slightly different, but it’s still here: wages, workers’ rights, access to healthcare, a fair justice system, and who gets to build wealth and who gets left grinding just to survive The names and industries change, but the imbalance doesn’t disappear
We just got back from ICBC (International Cannabis Business Conference) in Berlin, a city that knows something about division, rebuilding, and rewriting its own story Berlin carries history in its bones through war, separation, resistance, and reinvention It’s not polished for tourists at all, which makes it feel truly alive
Walking those streets while covering ICBC wasn’t just about cannabis It was about witnessing an industry trying to find its place inside a global system that hasn’t quite caught up yet Sound familiar? Because cannabis, at its core, is still a labor story
It’s legacy growers who built the culture before it was legal It’s small operators trying to survive brutal regulations and impossible tax structures It’s patients, advocates, scientists, and creatives pushing against stigma that never should’ve existed in the first place. It’s people doing the work while larger forces try to control the narrative and the profit That’s May Day energy!
This zine isn’t just a travel recap It’s a visual and written archive of a moment where worlds collided Old systems mixed with opportunities so people can carve out something sustainable in the middle of chaos The photos you’re about to see aren’t staged perfection. They’re glimpses into a living, breathing movement through conversations , connections, exhaustion and hope
May Day reminds us that nothing meaningful is handed over cleanly It’s built, continuously fought for, and carried forward by people who refuse to sit quietly when they know something better is possible Berlin reminded us that even the most broken systems can be reshaped And cannabis proves every damn day that culture will outlast control
So as you move through this issue, don’t just look at it Feel it The weight of where we’ve been and the moment we now find ourselves is the undeniable pull toward where this all could go if the right people keep pushing
