The entire ecosystem of the ESSENCE Ventures portfolio of brands came together to create an unforgettable Daytime Experience:
Vice President Kamala Harris joined the Global Black Economic Forum™ Headquarters Stage and provided attendees with insight into the fight for reproductive freedom with lawyer, journalist, author, and television host Sunny Hostin and executive director of Sister Song Monica Simpson. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen also joined the GBEF HQ Stage to discuss how the Biden-Harris administration is working to advance economic opportunity for Black people, businesses, and communities. The Stage was hot today with another panel titled Early Childhood Education anchored by a conversation with award-winning actor Tyler James Williams from Abbott Elementary.
Oprah Winfrey joined Essence Ventures President and CEO Caroline Wanga for a Chief to-Chief conversation. This was followed by the Page to the Stage and Beyond: a discussion of the nearly 40-year legacy and impact of The Color Purple featuring Blitz Bazawule, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia Barrino.
From the ESSENCE In His Zone™: Men’s Experience hosted conversations in celebration of Hip-Hop 50 with moderator Lowkey and guests Maino, and Cortez “Tez” Bryant.
Beautycon: ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ Edition is crafted with the community in mind shattering definitions, challenging perceptions, and creating space that champions Black beauty. Today, attendees experienced a segment called Celebrating The Hairs and Hues of Hollywood from those who create the images and stories across our screens who have profound responsibility in genuinely depicting the depth of the human experience, specifically the Black experience, including Coco Jones, Keisha Senter, and SheaMoisture’s President of Beauty & Wellbeing Cara Robinson Sabin.
ESSENCE Studios Film Festival™ hosted panels including Leaders of The New School with Dominique Fishback, Jacob Latimore, Jabari Banks, as they shared their journeys and experiences as the new age of Black Hollywood.
ESSENCE Stage™ was graced with fitness instructor Alex Toussaint and wellness coach Tai Beauchamp for a discussion on The Movement & Mindset Connection to discuss the connection and importance between the two.
Ms. Lauryn Hill took music devotees back in time with an extraordinary performance to celebrate the iconic 5x Grammy-winning “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” album’s 25th anniversary with surprise guest, Wyclef Jean. Additionally, concert-goers enjoyed a curated performance by Hip-Hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh which included Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, KRS-One and Slick Rick and special performances by Juvenile and Janelle Monaé. Tobe Nwigwe, Jagged Edge, and Ari Lennox also took the stage as Deon Cole hosted the evening, and DJ Clark Kent kept the party going all night long.
Flo Milli performs onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Cortez Bryant speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)BLÜ performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)RKHTY performs onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)John Houston Smith performs onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)(L-R) Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, LeMisha Fields and Kameelah Williams speak onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)LeMISHa speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Christopher Martin speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Christopher Reid speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)(L-R) Godine Oprah Winfrey and Caroline Wanga (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Sade Baderinwa attends the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)(L-R) Danielle Brooks, Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson attend the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris speaks onstage
(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE) (L-R) Oprah Winfrey, Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Blitz Bazawule and God-is Rivera (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE) (L-R) Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Blitz Bazawule and Oprah Winfrey speak onstage (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Fantasia Barrino speaks onstage (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)(L-R) Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks speak onstage (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Jessie Woo speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Oprah Winfrey speaks onstage (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE) Taraji P. Henson speaks onstage (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Doug E. Fresh performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)(L-R) Tobe Nwigwe, Martica “Fat” Nwigwe and kids (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE) Melle Mel (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)(L-R) Dr. Courtney Washington and Dr. Eric Griggs (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Big Daddy Kane (R) performs onstage
(Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Kelly Rowland (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Deon Cole speaks onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)DJ Mannie Fresh speaks onstage (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Jagged Edge (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Jennifer Freeman (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)(L-R) Jessie Woo and Sherri Shepherd (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Master Gee of The Sugarhill Gang performs onstage (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Lauren Speed-Hamilton (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Michael James Scott performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/2023 Getty Images)Sheryl Lee Ralph speaks onstage (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Juvenile performs onstage (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Ari Lennox (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio perform onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Bone Crusher performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)(L-R) Parrish Smith and Erick Sermon of EPMD perform onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Slick Rick performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)KRS-One speaks backstage (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)DJ D-Nice (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Janelle Monáe (C) performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Al Sharpton speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE): John Nesta Marley performs onstage Culture™ at (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Tyler James Williams speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE) (L-R) Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill perform onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Maino speaks onstage (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)Lauryn Hill performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)Janelle Monáe performs onstage (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
