Wow! You wrote an entire article and you are spot on! I don't think Essence will rethink anything cause you have people like Oprah and Kamala Harris who will continue to use the festival to connect to that audience to promote their next project or themselves for votes. When big names stop going, then we'll see a difference. Until then, Essence will likely keep the mentality that the "aunties" aren't welcome and since Oprah, Jill, and Erykah still come, we're good. Sad truth.

Thanks for reading and responding!!!