Pre-Conference | 3rd Annual Pan-African Thought & Cannabis Symposium

Cannabis Legalization, Justice, and Economic Empowerment by The Ethiopian World Federation Inc. Local Charter 12 and the UNIA-ACL Philly Div
About this Event

The 3rd Annual Pan-African Thought & Cannabis Symposium is a free pre-conference event of the Cannabis Opportunities Conference, taking place during Black Cannabis Week 2026 at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Hosted by The Ethiopian World Federation Incorporated, Local Charter 12, and powered by DACO, this interactive symposium brings together community members, scholars, students, policymakers, advocates, entrepreneurs, and Pan-African leaders for an afternoon of dialogue examining cannabis through the lens of history, culture, justice, and economic empowerment. This is the third staging of the event which has been curated by Scheril Murray Powell, Esq. And Empress Imma Young.

The symposium will explore three interconnected themes: the past, including prohibition, criminalization, community harm, and the cultural legacy of cannabis; the present, including legalization, leadership, ownership, policy, and participation in the emerging cannabis economy; and the future, focused on restorative justice, economic empowerment, community ownership, and building stronger pathways for people of African descent.

More than a traditional conference discussion, this gathering is designed to connect history to action—creating space to learn, exchange ideas across generations and sectors, and imagine what cannabis legalization can look like when community, culture, justice, and opportunity remain at the center.

The Ethiopian World Federation, Inc. was founded in New York City in 1937 to bring people of African descent together under a shared vision of self-determination, cooperation, and organized development. Rooted in a historic mission and carried forward by generations of members, the Federation continues to support community growth, leadership, and international connection.

The UNIA was founded in Kingston, Jamaica in 1914 to work for the advancement of people of African ancestry around the world. Its motto is "One God! One Aim! One Destiny!" and its slogan is "Africa for the Africans, at home and abroad!"

The broad mission of the UNIA-ACL led to the establishment of numerous auxiliary components, among them the African Legion (a paramilitary group), the African Black Cross Nurses, plus businesses such as the Black Star Steamship Line and the Negro Factories Corporation.