ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola® served attendees with unforgettable experiences from the debut of AFROPUNK BLKTOPIA™ and Beautycon: ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ Edition, to various impactful conversations on the Global Black Economic Forum™ Headquarters Stage.
Festival highlights included panels and conversations with Vice President Kamala Harris who spoke on the Global Black Economic Forum™ Headquarters Stage. Also on the stage was actor Tyler James Williams from Abbott Elementary.
Oprah Winfrey joined Essence Ventures President and CEO Caroline Wanga for a Chief to-Chief conversation. There was also a panel with 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.
Caption: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNE 30: (L-R) Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Blitz Bazawule, Oprah Winfrey and God-is Rivera speak onstage during ‘From the Page to the Stage and Beyond: A Discussion of the nearly 40-Year Legacy and Impact of The Color Purple’ during the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)
Day two of 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® wrapped with incredible nighttime performances by headliner Ms. Lauryn Hill alongside Doug E. Fresh, Juvenile and Janelle Monae.
Hill celebrated the 25th anniversary of her Grammy-winning album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” with surprise guest, her Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean. Other performers included Hip-Hop legend Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, KRS-One, Slick Rick, Juvenile, Janelle Monaé, Tobe Nwigwe, Jagged Edge, and Ari Lennox.
Check out photo highlights below
Caption: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNE 30: Fantasia Barrino speaks onstage during ‘From the Page to the Stage and Beyond: A Discussion of the nearly 40-Year Legacy and Impact of The Color Purple’ during the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)
Caption: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNE 30: Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris speaks onstage at the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images FOR ESSENCE)
Caption: Top left: Tyler James Williams; Middle: Sheryl Lee Ralph; Top right: Malcolm Mays and Maino; Bottom left:, Blitz Bazawule, Fantasia Barrino, and Taraji P. Henson;. Bottom right: Caroline Wanga,Oprah Winfrey
