Articles from ESSENCE

ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® today announced that Teyana Taylor and her creative team, The Aunties, have been named Chief Curator for the 2026 festival, set for July 3–5 in New Orleans. In this newly created role, Taylor will bring her signature lens rooted in Black culture, feminine power, and intentional creative storytelling to shape the programming experience across the festival’s most celebrated stages and spaces.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® unveils the first wave of performers for its 2026 Evening Concert Series, leading with the LADIES welcoming Cardi B, Patti LaBelle, Kehlani, Latto, and former ESSENCE cover stars Brandy & Monica to the Caesars Superdome, July 3–5 in New Orleans. Together, the artist collection signals a stage shaped by women who have set standards, broken ceilings, and built careers on their own terms.

ESSENCE proudly announces Chase Infiniti, Kerry Washington, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Zinzi Coogler, alongside a Luminary Spotlight moment honoring the women of 'SINNERS’ – including Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Hannah Beachler, Jayme Lawson, Ruth E. Carter, Shunika Terry-Jennings, and Wunmi Mosaku – as honorees during the 2026 Black Women in Hollywood ceremony, kicking off entertainment’s biggest awards-season weekend on Thursday, March 12th at the Fairmont Century Plaza.

For more than five decades, ESSENCE has celebrated Black women as the architects of culture, power, and progress. This October, ESSENCE Black Women in Business continues that legacy with an intimate ceremony spotlighting six extraordinary women whose brilliance has reshaped industries and inspired generations. The celebration took place on Thursday, October 9, during a private luncheon, and will stream online on October 16.

ESSENCE Ventures, the parent company of ESSENCE, and the Office of the Chicago City Treasurer, led by Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, announced a landmark partnership to advance financial empowerment and wealth-building opportunities for Chicago’s diverse communities.

ESSENCE, the premier media, technology, and commerce company dedicated to Black women, introduces Eternal Aura. Not a runway. Not a panel. A private fashion house experience, in alignment with September 2025 New York Fashion Week and ESSENCE’s 55th anniversary – bringing together fashion insiders and cultural leaders to celebrate the legacy of Black style and its influence on global fashion.

Today, ESSENCE proudly announces its coveted honorees for the 18th annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards, returning to the stage on Thursday, February 27th, 2025, in the luxurious backdrop of the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel. This year’s honorees embody a tireless commitment to cultural elevation, including Emmy, GRAMMY, Tony winner and 3x Oscar nominee actress and singer, Cynthia Erivo, multifaceted award-winning actress, singer, and creative lead Teyana Taylor, industry veteran, Emmy-nominated actress, producer, and writer, Marla Gibbs, alongside Raamla Mohamed, Emmy-nominated creator, writer, and executive producer of Reasonable Doubt. Hosted by producer and star of Prime Video’s Cross, Aldis Hodge, the highly anticipated event will culminate in Los Angeles, serving as the premiere precursor to one of entertainment’s most coveted weekends.

Essence Ventures, the parent company of ESSENCE Communications, Inc., today, announces Michele Ghee as Chief Content Officer, underscoring the company’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the New General Market. In this role, Ghee will oversee content and video strategies across all of the company’s platforms, as well as each brands’ associated events and digital properties. Her extensive experience in media, content creation, distribution, data and research insights will play a crucial role in expanding Essence Ventures' reach and impact in the marketplace. In conjunction with this appointment, Essence Ventures is engaged in talks to acquire Expectant Media, the content creation and strategy firm founded by Ghee that scales Black creators’ distribution channels by expanding their reach to new audiences, thus increasing their revenue opportunities.

The 2024 ESSENCE Girls United Disruptor Summit is back, bigger and bolder than ever on Saturday, October 12 from 9 AM to 6 PM ET at the PC&E Soundstage (2235 Defoor Hills Rd.) in Atlanta, with a powerful lineup of dynamic voices that define what it means to lead, create, and challenge the status quo. Gen Z isn’t interested in waiting their turn – they’re defining culture in real-time, driving conversations that matter, and reshaping the world on their terms. Returning to its hometown of Atlanta, the Summit is a pivotal part of ESSENCE’s continued celebration of loving us, this time, passing the mic to the generation who is spearheading the redefinition of our future. Over the past five years, the ESSENCE Girls United Disruptor Summit has brought together top zillennial celebrities, influencers and creatives to the main stage and this year is no different! Serena Page, Amber Riley, Lady London, Reyna Roberts, Deandre Brown, a special performance from singer-songwriter and producer Laila! and more, hosted by radio personality MiAsia Symone and sounds by Hourglass.

ESSENCE announces the appointment of new executive team members, who join the organization as the company continues to deepen its investment in talent. This move underscores the company’s commitment to meet the needs of the cultures, ethnicities, and demographics that combine to make up the characteristics of the New General Market.

Comedian and actress, Jessica Williams our Essence April digital cover star is one of the hottest talents in Hollywood. She just wants to bring people joy and laughter. She can turn any role into a moment you won’t soon forget, while simultaneously transporting you to whatever world she exists in. Whether it’s playing Miss Fine in Booksmart, Mia Hines in the HBO Max romantic comedy series Love Life or embracing her well-known fascination with Harry Potter as Lally Hicks in Fantastic Beasts, Jessica will surely steal your breath away.

ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announces its March/April 2022 issue featuring EMMY award-winning actress Niecy Nash and singer Jessica Betts. In an issue dedicated to celebrating breakthrough moments of powerful women, they are ESSENCE’s first same-sex couple featured on its cover in the magazine’s history. In the cover story, Sure Betts, they talk to writer Demetria Lucas about everything from what they love about each other, handling the public’s initial response to their union, facing fears, feeling seen and more:

ESSENCE’s January/February 2022 Black History Month issue champions the power of Black love and business by featuring power couple Pinky Cole, CEO and Founder of popular vegan fast food chain Slutty Vegan, and Derrick Hayes, CEO and Owner of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. In the cover story, Hot in the Kitchen, ESSENCE talks to the business owners about everything from food, community, their love for each other, second chances and how they turned their multimillion-dollar businesses into a family affair. Here’s what Pinky and Derrick tell ESSENCE:

ESSENCE Girls United, the premier destination for young Black women leaders and cultural disruptors, announces its second annual Girls United Summit, taking place on Saturday, October 9th at Plywood People in Atlanta, GA and also streaming live from the venue on ESSENCEStudios.com. ESSENCE Girls United (GU) is a multi-media platform that provides access, resources, and opportunities to a global audience of Gen Z and millennial women, empowering them to chase and achieve their wildest dreams. Leveraging the strength of the platform’s digital community of mentors, leaders, and innovators, the ESSENCE Girls United Summit will deliver content focused on issues including career, relationships, mental health, social activism, gender identity and more. Through community, leadership and the exchange of information, this experience will empower Gen Z Black women and girls with the tools they need to reach new heights. The presenting sponsor of the Girls United Summit is CBS Original The Equalizer; major sponsors are American Airlines and McDonald’s USA.

ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, will celebrate global Black Fashion with its annual ESSENCE Fashion House™ taking place during New York Fashion Week. Coming on the heels of its Global Black Fashion September/October issue which features rapper Megan Thee Stallion, this star-studded experience discovering and recognizing cutting-edge Black creatives in fashion and their contributions is critical as the fashion industry continues to grapple with diverse representation and constructing solutions for economic inclusion. During this red-carpet event, ESSENCE will highlight Black excellence with awe-inspiring runway collections, exclusive designer showcases, insightful conversations with industry mavens and celebrities, post-worthy photo moments, and more. ESSENCE Fashion House™ is sponsored by Coca-Cola and Hennessy.

ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, features Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion on its coveted September/October “Global Black Fashion” issue cover. With millions of fans, three Grammys and a new album in the works, the artist has been hailed by music’s biggest names in music—and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Megan is resplendent as her alter ego “Tina Snow” for the stunning fashion spread—dripping in diamonds and designers including Hanifa, Cartier, Norma Kamali, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Catherine D’Lish, Orseund Iris and more. In the cover story, Snow No Mercy, she doesn’t hold back as she talks to ESSENCE Associate Editor Brooklyn White about everything from working on her highly-anticipated new album, what’s behind her fierce drive, her musical influences and more:

The 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture Presented by Coca-Cola® unveils invigorating branded experiences for this year’s virtual ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Taking place across two weekends, the virtual Festival is offering world-class consumer activations curated by corporate partners including presenting sponsor Coca-Cola® , and major sponsors Estée Lauder, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Walmart, as well as premium sponsors AT&T, Disney and UnitedHealthcare. This year’s Festival branded experiences are featured across two weekends—June 25-27 and July 2-4—all streaming on ESSENCEStudios.com. Visit here to learn more about the full festival programming and top brand activations, which include:

ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announces its full talent line-up for its 2021 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards and 2nd annual Hollywood House.

ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announces its daytime and nighttime schedule for its virtual 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture Presented by Coca-Cola—the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience. With the theme “Live Loud,” ESSENCE curated an invaluable hybrid experience that offers the best of in-person and virtual worlds via a celebration of the resilience, power and achievement of Black communities and the omnipresence of our culture. Under strict adherence to guidance from local health agencies, ESSENCE produced live-to-tape activations in early June available only to New Orleans and Louisiana residents honoring essential workers and first responders. As a result, the entire Festival will present a “taste of New Orleans” with a full schedule of can’t-miss content centered around culture, equity and celebration—and a tribute to the city that the Festival has always called home. It will be broadcast on ESSENCEStudios.com and ESSENCE.com–Friday-Sunday over two weekends, June 25-27 and July 2-4. In addition, for the first time, this year’s Festival will host a live Verzuz battle to remember on Thursday, July 1, with soon to be announced guests. For more details, visit ESSENCE.com.

ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announces its stellar talent line-up for its 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture Presented by Coca-Cola—the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience. Incorporating virtual for the second year in light of the pandemic, this year’s event will live up to its theme of “Live Loud” by featuring exciting content across all of its stages centered around culture, equity and celebration. As the nation continues to reopen, ESSENCE’s exciting and elevated hybrid experience will present a celebration of the resilience, power and achievement of our community and omnipresence of our culture — and a tribute to the city that the Festival has always called home. The star-studded lineup will feature performances by: Jazmine Sullivan, DJ Khaled & Friends, Ne-Yo, Tank, Michelle Williams, Kirk Franklin, Davido and D-Nice. The Festival’s powerful interactive sessions will also showcase leading voices throughout the two weekends including: Mary J. Blige, Angela Yee, Adrienne Bailon, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Tracy G., Tiana Major9, Big Freedia, Miss Lawrence, Supacent, Shantrelle P. Lewis, Jesseca Dupart and more. The Festival will stream on ESSENCEStudios.com and ESSENCE.com—Friday-Sunday over two weekends, June 25-27 and July 2-4.