Utica Phoenix newsmagazine celebrates Women’s History Month this year by highlighting women in Utica who have done remarkable things.
Kali Alemu was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and moved to the United States in 2005 at the age of 15. After attending White Plains High School, she relocated to Utica, New York in 2008. She graduated from Rome BOCES, trained to become an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and then pursued college.
Alemu first worked in healthcare before transitioning into the financial industry, where she has worked for the past nine years. Over the last two years, she has also managed Exit 31 Exotic Dispensary, an experience that opened her eyes to the opportunities within New York’s legal cannabis industry.
That experience inspired Alemu to make the leap from consumer to entrepreneur. Today, she is the 100% owner and founder of TreeWay VibeZ and is recognized as the first woman in the Utica area to hold a Type 3 cannabis branding license.
This license allows her to buy cannabis flower from cultivators. She visits various farms; gets samples, evaluates them, and purchases quantities which she uses to create her branded marijuana products.
TreeWay VibeZ is built around a unique concept Alemu calls the “canna-cocktail.” Each product contains three strains designed to support consumers throughout the day – a sativa for morning energy, a hybrid for midday balance, and an indica for evening relaxation. The idea offers what Alemu describes as a full-day cannabis experience, a concept that remains largely unique within New York’s market.
For Alemu, cannabis has always been personal. As a consumer, she found that marijuana helped her through challenging moments in life and often used it in a way that felt medicinal and calming.
A proud mother to her 10-year-old son, Alemu says her family continues to motivate her to stay focused while building a business that represents positivity, balance, and community.
Through TreeWay VibeZ, she hopes to grow a brand that not only introduces new ideas to the cannabis industry, but also encourages more women to step into their power and explore opportunities within the legal cannabis space.
Kali speaks about her experience in building her career as such: “If my journey shows anything, it’s that women belong in every room—including the cannabis industry.” She went on to say that: “Like many immigrants, I learned early that hard work, resilience, and believing in yourself are necessary to create opportunities. As a woman and a Black woman in business, I understand that sometimes we have to work even harder to create space for ourselves. That has motivated me even more to lead by example. I want other women to see that it is possible to step into leadership roles, build businesses, and create opportunities in industries that are still growing. My son is also a huge source of motivation for me. Being a mother keeps me focused and reminds me daily why building something meaningful matters.
With TreeWay VibeZ, my goal is not just to build a cannabis brand, but to represent balance, positivity, and entrepreneurship in our community. I hope my journey encourages other women, especially women of color, to believe in their vision and pursue ownership in industries where representation still matters.”
For more information: email TreeWayVibez@gmail.com.
Kali’s products are also available at Exit 31, located at 255 Genesee Street in Utica, NY.
photo of Ms. Kali Alemu, owner of TreeWayVibes
