Trail Blazers is a series of portraits by photographer Maria Levitov spotlighting cannabis consumers from all walks of life.
Like it or not, Denver is quickly becoming a city of transplants. Patrice Ingham wasn't born very far away, originally hailing from Wyoming before eventually ending up in Denver — but she took pit stops in New York and Washington, D.C., along the way. Now the 27-year-old is switching careers as she finds her connection to the city, and she's using cannabis to help the transition.
"My name is Patrice Ingham. I moved to Denver two years ago from Manhattan for mountains, sunshine and to be close to home. Originally from Wyoming, I went to college in Washington, D.C., then moved to New York and worked as an investigator for a public defenders office."
"I’m a dog owner, avid snowboarder, outdoor enthusiast, an aspiring designer and a stoner. I started regularly smoking in college. It began as a way to meet people in a sea of new faces. Sit down with someone, smoke a joint, and get to know them a little."
"At the time, in D.C., it was a bonding experience. Before sharing a smoke, we were strangers, and after: co-conspirators. My relationship with weed has evolved, and smoking is part of my daily routine."
"I’m going down a completely new path in life: trying to establish myself as a designer and avoid the trap of jobs that’ll 'do for a year or so,' all while making ends meet to live in the city. Smoking helps with both anxiety and creativity, and sometimes it just pulls me back to Earth when I’m lost in a sea of thoughts."