Check Out Breanna Bates’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Breanna Bates.

Hi Breanna , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started on the dispensary floor. Today, I help shape the stories being told about the cannabis industry and the communities behind it.

My name is Breanna Bates, though many know me as **The Ebony Hempress**. I’m a Columbus, Ohio-based media personality, cannabis educator, creative director, and cultural storyteller. My journey has been anything but conventional, but I’ve learned that some of the most meaningful careers aren’t built by following a straight path. They’re built by recognizing the connections between your passions and having the courage to create something that doesn’t exist yet.

My professional journey in cannabis began in 2021, working in dispensaries and learning the industry from the ground up. What initially began as a career in cannabis retail gradually evolved into something much bigger. I discovered that my greatest strength wasn’t simply understanding products or educating consumers. It was connecting with people, understanding their experiences, and making information accessible in ways that felt authentic, relatable, and culturally relevant.

I started to recognize a disconnect between the cannabis industry and the communities that helped shape its culture. As legalization expanded and businesses grew, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the people, stories, and cultural identities behind the movement were receiving the same opportunities and recognition.

That realization became a defining part of my purpose.

I believe the cannabis industry cannot grow responsibly without acknowledging and preserving the culture that shaped it. And I wanted to be part of telling those stories.

Over the years, I’ve worked across multiple markets, transitioning from dispensary operations into brand education, business development, content creation, and media. Each experience taught me something different, but collectively, they helped me discover my voice and understand the value I could bring to the industry beyond traditional retail.

One of the most unexpected chapters of my journey was the creation of **Classic Gals**, a women-centered creative collective that combines cannabis culture, golf, fashion, friendship, and experiential marketing.

The story of how we came together still makes me smile.

What started with a few girls getting lost on a golf course while trying to find the Ohio Classic turned into a chance encounter with two women dressed in pink. We connected, shared a golf cart, and discovered a natural chemistry that would eventually inspire something much bigger.

Classic Gals grew from that spirit of spontaneous sisterhood.

I wanted to challenge the assumptions people make about women in cannabis, especially women who embrace their femininity, creativity, and individuality. We could be glamorous and playful while also being knowledgeable professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, and leaders.

Those identities were never mutually exclusive.

Through Classic Gals, I’ve had the opportunity to develop creative concepts, build brand partnerships, coordinate experiences, and bring women together in spaces where they might not traditionally see themselves represented. What started in Ohio has since taken us to Las Vegas and Los Angeles, including our Cali Classic experience.

Watching something that began as a simple connection between women grow into experiences in different cities reinforced one of my biggest beliefs: community is one of the most powerful forms of currency.

Another significant turning point came through my work with **OH-HighYo! Media**, a Midwest-based cannabis media platform dedicated to storytelling, education, and cultural representation.

I initially contributed through editorial and creative work, eventually growing into my current role as Director of Content & Cultural Programming.

Today, my responsibilities extend across magazine editorial direction, multimedia production, talent coordination, interviews, podcasts, live event coverage, and the development of original cultural programming. I work with creative teams to transform ideas into meaningful stories and experiences that connect audiences with the people shaping this evolving industry.

I’ve had opportunities to interview entrepreneurs, artists, advocates, and industry leaders; speak on cannabis education and mindful consumption; and represent the creator community at major industry gatherings, including being selected as an Official Content Creator for MJBizCon for two consecutive years.

These opportunities have allowed me to expand my network nationally while remaining committed to elevating voices from the Midwest, a region whose creativity and cultural influence deserve far more recognition.

Alongside my work in media, I continue to support cannabis businesses through education, staff development, and community-centered marketing strategy. For me, education and storytelling are deeply connected. Both require understanding people, earning their trust, and communicating in ways that inspire confidence.

I often say that I want cannabis education to feel like culture, not a classroom.

But beyond the accomplishments and professional titles, my journey has also been one of personal transformation.

I’ve had to learn how to advocate for myself, recognize my worth, navigate uncertainty, and embrace the fact that my talents don’t fit neatly into one category.

There have been moments when balancing my ambitions with life’s challenges felt overwhelming. I’ve questioned my direction, struggled with the pressure to constantly prove myself, and had to redefine what success looks like on my own terms.

But I’ve also learned that resilience isn’t always about pushing harder. Sometimes it’s about slowing down, reconnecting with your purpose, and trusting that the experiences that make your journey different are the very things that make your perspective valuable.

As I’ve grown professionally, my purpose has grown with me.

I’m no longer interested in simply being recognized as a content creator or cannabis personality. I’m building a career rooted in creative leadership, cultural programming, media production, education, and meaningful partnerships.

Through The Ebony Hempress, OH-HighYo! Media, and Classic Gals, I’m developing different expressions of the same mission: **healing, visibility, and empowerment through cannabis culture.**

My vision is to continue expanding my reach beyond the Midwest, connecting with national media platforms, brands, creative professionals, and organizations that understand the value of authentic storytelling and community engagement.

I want to help create opportunities for the next generation of women, particularly those who have been underestimated or made to feel that their identities and interests are too unconventional to belong in professional spaces.

Most importantly, I want my work to demonstrate that you don’t have to abandon your authenticity to become a respected leader.

You can be creative and strategic. Feminine and influential. Unconventional and professional. You can honor your roots while building something that reaches far beyond them.

I’m proud of the woman I’ve become, but I’m even more excited about the woman I’m still becoming.

And if there’s one thing I hope people take away from my story, it’s this:

**You don’t have to wait for someone to make space for you. Sometimes your greatest contribution is creating a space where others can finally see themselves, too.**

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. I dealt with a lot of personal and family issues at first. I had to put back into myself and curate my own self worth and confidence to put myself out there. Although I have accomplished quite a bit in a short amount of time, I face lots of uncertainty in a highly volatile market/industry.. not to mention racial discrimination… workplace bullying… and just general hater-isms.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At my very core, I am an educator, I have a heart for helping women and people of color, but really everyone learn to empower themselves to heal naturally and holistically. I am a creative. I started my creative journey growing up writing poetry and participating in dance with friends. I turned to social media and content creation early on when Youtube first came around. I finally found my niche when I started working in cannabis and I felt inspired to create educational and inspirational content around my personal journey and growth as a new mother and cannabis consumer.

I am most proud of how far I have come in such a short amount of time ( being invited to the largest b2b cannabis trade show two years in a row as an official content creator, being asked to travel and visit places because of my work, and just being recognized for my knowledge and work).

What sets me apart is my uniqueness and authenticity and how I convey that through my content. Also, Ohio is still fairly new to cannabis creators so I do consider myself as one of the trailblazers here.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My consistency and dedication is demonstrated across platforms and in real life. You cannot deny my work ethic and my passion for the plant and it’s people.

Pricing:

• My pricing is flexible. Feel free to reach out to me directly for rates.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ebonyhempress/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breannabates1221/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@The.EbonyHempress

Image Credits
Photos taken from OH-HighYo! Media, headshot by Jewel Raven