Editor’s note: Florida Courier contributor Lisa Rogers Cherry and her daughter, Chayla, attended part of last week’s Essence Festival in New Orleans. Here is Lisa’s abbreviated account.
What we witnessed wasn’t just a festival. It was a full-on cultural revival. Black excellence was in full bloom, and we soaked up every minute of it!
We started on the Fourth of July at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center where the melanin was poppin’, the vibes were vibin’, and the freebies were flowing like sweet tea at a summer cookout down South.
We walked in and got hit with:
- Hair care goodies that will have our curls bouncing and behaving.
- Makeup samples that made us pause like, “Wait… is this Fenty?”
- Smell-good samples that made us sniff ourselves all day long.
- And colorful tote bags that would make any Black auntie proud.
The food samples were delicious – from barbecue ribs to the blueberry cornbread…