For the Essence Festival of Culture’s producers, social media criticism is part of the job — and not necessarily a bad thing.
“It’s an honor and a blessing to have something you’re working on have that much emotional impact,” says Michael Barclay II, chief events officer for Essence Fest parent company Sundial Media Group.
“I remind my team that even the negative shows you how impactful you are. What we’re building is that important to people that they’re going to air us out if we get it wrong…