Tea Pad: A 501(c)(3) committed to equity in the cannabis industry
Tea Pad empowers women to lead
and innovate in cannabis STEM
through skill-building education
and professional development.
The "tea pad" is part of a very rich history of cannabis (marijuana) in the Black community of
New York City and the jazz scene of the 1920s and '30s.
It was a dynamic time in American history.
During this time, the United States government launched an aggressive campaign of
marijuana prohibition, which had a catastrophic impact on Black and Brown communities
for decades to come.
Tea pads were convivial speakeasy-style spaces where people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds
could come together free from the violence of prohibition. American jazz was born in tea pads. The music and lyrics of American jazz legends are the foundations of America's Civil Rights Movement.
"It isn't where you came from; it's where
you're going that counts."
- Ella Fitzgerald
The Queen of Jazz
1917 - 1996
Save the Date: Tea Pad Baltimore, November 13, 2025
Fireside Chat with Christina Betancourt Johnson
Christina is the first Black Latina woman in the U.S. to own a vertically integrated cannabis company. Not just in cannabis, she's successfully led complex business initiatives. Join us for her insights on fundraising and free capitalism being the most effective system for social cooperation and human progress.
Tea Pad Annapolis, Maryland, Thursday, June 5 2025
Maryland Cannabis & Economic opportunity with MCA DIRECTOR
MCA Director Tabatha Robinson joined us at Tea Pad. Everyone there enjoyed live music, networked, and gained valuable insights into regulatory priorities and market opportunities, laying the groundwork for a collaborative future in Maryland's dynamic cannabis industry.
Congratulations to the Tea Pad Founder!
Jacquie Cohen Roth Named Maryland t0p 100 women 2025
On May 5, 2025, Maryland's Daily Record named Tea Pad Founder/CEO Jacquie Cohen Roth one of Maryland's Top 100 Women. The theme of the 2025 award is pearls: "Every pearl tells a unique story of endurance, courage, resilience, and strength, regardless of background or circumstance." Congrats to Jacquie!
The Inaugural Tea Pad Fellow
LIz Brockman, MS
We're incredibly proud that we've supported Liz on her professional journey to be impactful in ensuring sound policy in the cannabis industry. Liz is the epitome of what it takes to advance in the cannabis industry with her commitment to education, professional development, and community support.
March 14, 2024 with MD State Delegate Jheanelle K. Wilkins M
A day for social equity history
We were back in Annapolis, Maryland with Del Jheanelle Wilkins (D-20), Chair of Maryland's Black Legislative Caucus.
"... We're one of the very few states in the nation that really put a marker down around social equity and inclusion when it comes to cannabis. " (see Tea Pad Gallery for more)
Support Equity & Education in Plant-Based Medicine
The Tea Pad Fellowship Program
Donating to Tea Pad supports our crucial mission to create a more inclusive and equitable landscape in the rapidly growing field of plant-based medicine. Historically, women and BIPOC communities are under represented and often excluded from the opportunities within this industry. We are changing that.
donate to tea pad !
Tea Pad is a nonprofit focused on advancing women and BIPOC in cannabis STEM (science, technology, engineering, and medicine) via the Tea Pad Fellowship Program. Our Tea Pads are lively networking and fundraising events for learning how to and actively advocating for equitable cannabis policy and making invaluable connections in the cannabis industry.
Thank you to our 2025 tea pad SPONSORS!
