BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Through laughs, tears and speeches that turned into sermons and affirmations, the overarching theme of this year’s star-studded Essence luncheon was that in an unforgiving industry that often overlooks, black women need no validation from Hollywood — or elsewhere — to appreciate their self-worth. “No one in this room derived […]
Boston’s newly appointed poet laureate, Porsha Olayiwola, has had quite the journey as a Black queer poet. In an interview with Essence, the 30-year-old recalled how she used a particularly disheartening and insensitive comment at her first poetry reading as fuel to write honest poetry about blackness and identity. The remark, which had nothing to […]
During ESSENCE’s annual Black Women in Hollywood event, photographer Michael Rowe captured stunning portraits of powerful and inspiring Black women who are making history today, including Ava DuVernay, Dewanda Wise, Angela Bassett, Jenifer Lewis, and more. With “The Power of Our Presence: Art & Activism” being the event’s theme this year, portraits were taken of […]