Tsehaitu Abye is an Ethiopian-American business owner, campaign organizer, artist, and Pennsylvania Farmers Union board member advocating for equitable cannabis legislation. She is the daughter of a farmer who was deported for cannabis cultivation. In 2019, Tsehaitu launched Black Dragon Breakfast Club to help women and the BIPOC community reclaim agency and take control of the hemp and cannabis industry as their own legacy.
Where do you see the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania in five years?
I hope to see adult-use cannabis is legal in Pennsylvania with Black and Brown people representing 50% of business owners. Do I think it’s possible? Maybe… We need to be disruptive. We cannot allow anyone to silence OUR voices.
What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I used cannabis as a recreational user in my 20s. Eventually, I ended up living on a cannabis farm. A few years later, I learned my estranged father of 30+ years was deported for cannabis cultivation in the US. I get to be my full self in this industry.
Tell us one fun fact about cannabis.
Cannabis is a Connector.
Cannabis has clear value to people’s health, tell us your favorite way you stay healthy & fit.
As a lifetime vegetarian, plant medicine, homeopathic remedies, and eastern medicine have been my resources. I stay active and fit with exercise, yoga, and breath-work (singing).