Q & A
with your fav ‘weed tia’, Mennlay.
Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey is a multidisciplinary cannabis professional and the author of The Art of Weed Butter. She has collaborated with Whoopi Goldberg's award-winning edibles company and co-founded Xula Herbs, a brand that supports PMS, hormonal balance, and overall wellness.
Her work, essays, and recipes have been featured in publications like Vogue, Bon Appétit, The Washington Post, Interview Magazine, High Times, The CUT, Bloomberg, and others.
Mennlay co-hosted Broccoli Magazine's podcast, Broccoli Talk, and was a founding member of the Floret Coalition, an anti-racist cannabis collective that donates to communities affected by the war on drugs.
She is currently based in Mexico City researching and exploring the modern African diaspora through plant-medicine and foodways.
bio via mennlay.com
Q. Name / title (or however you choose to describe yourself)
A. Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey, a multidisciplinary cannabis professional (:
Q. You are an early pioneer in the women's health and cannabis field, working with Whoopi & Maya and then founding your own brand around women's health Xula herbs. What is some of the plant wisdom that you hope women can learn from your work?
A: Everything I know about plant wisdom I’ve learned through the plant itself, other women, and people with wombs who have shared their experiences and knowledge. But two of the most resounding lessons I hope one can learn through my work is that;
Painful periods—pain in general—should never be normalized. If you find yourself enduring pain and unable to advocate for yourself, talk to your physician, your naturopathic doctor, your bestie. Don’t suffer alone in silence, let them help you advocate for yourself.
When it comes to plant medicine education, you have ample free access to information. I’m not talking about the search bar on TikTok. I’m referring to free online vetted, peer-reviewed articles on herbalism and plant taxonomy. Research will be your ally to understanding plant medicine and, specifically cannabis.
Q. Your parents are from West Africa and you live in Mexico City, where you are involved in the emerging (regulated) Mexican cannabis industry. As someone deeply connected to the African diaspora, how are you reconnecting with the plant from an ancestral perspective? (Food + cannabis is where I'm going here)
A. When I first arrived to Mexico City in 2014, the Mexican government was still drafting and undergoing the complicated yet inevitable process of legislation. Initially during that time, I was in incognito mode. I didn’t tell many people about my profession and kept my work under wraps. Overtime I started to branch out, attending some conferences (I hate cannabis conferences btw), connecting to policy makers, advocates, and folks in the underground industry alike—soon becoming what people call me now, ‘weed tía’.
Because cannabis has been the main throughline for my work and personal life for almost two decades, I use that as a lens to learn about the diaspora and migration patterns of the cannabis species. I also used this framework to educate myself on the other herbs, plants and foodways that have deep historical connections between Africa and Latin America.
This feels like my life's work and it’s been a nurturing way to live and explore Mexico. In a way that feels less extractive and more connective. It’s like the culinary anthropology links make me feel like I belong here.
Q. What does it mean to you as an "industry person" to approach cannabis from a values-driven perspective?
A: That’s a great question. My cannabis industry roots stem from an underground, legacy landscape based on loyalty and respect for the plant and community. So it’s still hard to see myself as an “industry person”. That being said, because of my background I don’t know any other way to operate in the space other than from a values-driven perspective. In my world, everything I do is purpose driven in hopes to serve. Maybe it’s my Virgo moon, maybe it’s because I’m the eldest daughter from a humble single-mother household. Maybe it’s because I’m a Black woman that understands that sometimes all I have in this world are my values.
Q. How can people connect more with the work that you do? (plug your book!)
A: You can always find me on socials @mennlay sharing recipes, sunday memes, and rants. But to connect for freelance writing, my cookbook The Art of Weed Butter, or sound advice about your cannabis brand child, visit my website at mennlay.com.
“Painful periods—pain in general—should never be normalized.”
