My name is Luis Vega and I’m the founder and CEO of Wepa! Hemp Farms in Connecticut. I am one of the first licensed Latino hemp farmers, producers, and distributors in the state. I was born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn by a Puerto Rican family and moved to New Haven, Connecticut to attend college.

I began using cannabis as a teenager living in New York City. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the age of 11. Crohn’s, a disease that causes an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, forced me to undergo surgery and made me dependent on a series of prescription drugs for several years, until I started smoking cannabis. I continued to use cannabis throughout college. I graduated with a degree in hospitality management and began working in the food services industry which I thought would be my career. I later came to realize that investing in myself, taking a risk, and pursuing my true passions would be a more rewarding path.

“Before starting Wepa!, I spent 10 years working in catering management services, while also doing everything I could to learn about hemp farming…I used my network and travelled extensively to gain hands-on experience as a farmer.”

Before starting Wepa!, I spent 10 years working in catering management services while also doing everything I could to learn about hemp farming. I had friends in the cannabis cultivation business out in the pacific northwest, so I used my network and travelled extensively to gain hands-on experience as a farmer. I did this for several years, while continuing to juggle a separate full-time job in the food services industry.

In 2015, I decided it was time to leave my 9-5 routine and dive into my passion project of working in the cannabis industry. Using my life savings, I built out my future farm in Connecticut. Once the U.S. Farm Bill passed in late 2018, I applied to become a Connecticut hemp farmer. I was the only latino farmer awarded a license and have now been growing hemp since 2019.

“Raising money to build a company remains a huge challenge in the cannabis industry and even more for people of color, like myself. I attended over 100 investor meetings and was told ‘NO’ several times, before I finally reached an investor who took the time to really understand my vision in Wepa! Hemp Farm.“

Wepa! grows and processes hemp derived products, many of which we private-label for retailers across several states. The road to building Wepa! was not an easy one. I faced a variety of challenges along the way. Raising money to build a company remains a huge challenge in the cannabis industry and even more for people of color, like myself. I attended over 100 investor meetings and was told “NO” several times, before I finally reached an investor who took the time to really understand my vision in Wepa! Hemp Farm. Not many people of color get a fair chance to build a legitimate career in the cannabis industry with the current regulatory framework still geared to disproportionately punish the Black and Latino communities. Access to capital is a major hurdle for those like me looking to build a company in the cannabis space.

“As cannabis legalization moves forward, we should ensure that it’s done with a fair and equitable framework in mind. One where we have a level playing field for future entrepreneurs and we make sure policies give the plant the respect it deserves.”

I strongly believe that the road to supporting black and brown entrepreneurs requires that any form of cannabis legalization includes a way to help correct the failures the previous cannabis policies have done to our communities. As cannabis legalization moves forward, we should ensure that it’s done with a fair and equitable framework in mind. One where we have a level playing field for future entrepreneurs and we make sure policies give the plant the respect it deserves.

“My grandfather was a farmer in Puerto Rico before moving to New York City, so in a way I’m continuing with a family heritage…”

I am incredibly grateful to be supported by some of the most important people in my life, my parents. My grandfather was a farmer in Puerto Rico before moving to New York City, so in a way I’m continuing with a family heritage. I’m aware that a major challenge for Latinos like myself is de-stigmatizing cannabis within the Latino community, so it was helpful for me to know that parents had my back on the idea of starting a hemp growing business. I just hope I can do my part in educating the Latino and broader communities on the benefits of accepting a thriving cannabis industry into our everyday lives.

My journey has been a wild ride so far. Looking ahead, I plan to tap into my Puerto Rican roots and expand to parts of the Caribbean and South America.