July 9, 2025
Stephanie Mills had a few words about her participation in the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture. Needless, to say the icon was displeased.
On July 8, Stephanie Mills penned an open letter to Essence amid rising criticism of its 2025 Essence Festival of Culture.
Queen of song and stage, Mills was a featured performer at this year’s event. However, the experience left her with conflicting emotions. Both thankful and concerned, Mills wrote about the disorganization of the event. An industry professional for over 30 years, Mills shared her experience both on and off the stage, but it was impeded by poor execution on the part of Essence.
The Wiz actress cites that poor time management, scheduling, and disorganization lead to a chaotic environment.
Beyond execution, Mills stressed that the “persistent” failings of the sound equipment were egregious. The Tony Award winner went on to make clear that Essence is known for quality, and these impediments were below the brand.
“The overall professionalism I witnessed fell far short of the standards I expect from such a highly regarded festival. The lack of technical preparedness is unacceptable for an event of Essence Festival’s caliber and prestige,” she wrote.
Unfortunately, numerous grievances are being raised about the 2025 Essence Fest. Local vendors have spoken out about being excluded from the New Orleans festivities. As the city’s culture has been an integral part of the Essence event since its inception, the lack of inclusion is baffling to many. Jalence Isles, founder of Where Black NOLA Eats, says the New Orleans culture and community are no longer active participants in festivities.
“Essence uses New Orleans as a venue, and that’s it. They’re not here to necessarily make specific impacts on the New Orleans community,” Isles told WWNO.
Much of the criticism directed at the company stems from the “Clean Zone Ordinance” imposed on local vendors.
The ordinance bars vendors from operating in designated parts of the city during the Fourth of July weekend, when the event is held.
In 2023, Essence organizers shut down a book fest for Black authors organized by local Black-owned bookstore Baldwin & Co. The rationale for the suit claimed that it violated the clean zone law. Additionally, the suit claims that the promotion of the event was misleading and unlawfully used the Essence trademark. The suit was dropped shortly after it was filed due to public backlash, NOLA reported.
Many more criticisms of the festival continue. Social media users are concerned that Black American culture is taking a backseat to the African diaspora. Others believe that there is no longer a clear demographic for the event, and a money grab is all that remains.
Whether those concerns are founded in reality or not, one thing is clear. Mills, a legend in the Black community, has spoken. As an elder, Mills felt compelled to chastise the longstanding institution publicly. As a witness and participant in Essence Festival’s evolution over the past 30 years, her words are worth noting.
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