JULY 3 - 5, 2009

ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

LOUISEANA, NEW ORLEANS

The ESSENCE Brand–Where Black Women Come First

ESSENCE is Where Black Women Come First for news, entertainment and motivation. ESSENCE occupies a special place in the hearts of millions of Black women–it’s not just a magazine but her most trusted confidante, a brand that has revolutionized the magazine industry and has become a cultural institution in the African-American community. Founded in 1968, Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) launched ESSENCE, the groundbreaking magazine created exclusively for African-American women in 1970. For 38 years, the company has flourished and expanded beyond the pages of its flagship magazine to generate brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit, Window on Our Women (WOW I, II & III) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD) via Essence Studios. The ECI corporate headquarters are in New York City, with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit.

ESSENCE MAGAZINE

ESSENCE is the premiere lifestyle, fashion and beauty magazine for African-American women. With its motivating message, intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone, compelling and engaging editorial lineup and vibrant and modern design, ESSENCE is the definitive voice of today’s dynamic African-American woman. ESSENCE speaks directly to a Black woman’s spirit, her heart and her unique concerns. Every month African-American women rely on ESSENCE for editorial content designed to help them move their lives forward personally, professionally, intellectually and spiritually. Sections such as Work & Wealth, Healthy Living, and Looks We Love cover topics that focus on career and finance, health and lifestyle, and fashion and beauty and share an intimate connection with readers. In 2008, ESSENCE won 12 New York Association of Black Journalists awards in the Investigative, General Feature, International, Business/Technology, Science/Health, Arts & Entertainment, Personal Commentary, Public Affairs and Online categories. The publication has a monthly circulation of 1,050,000 and a readership of 8.5 million. The first issue of ESSENCE hit the newsstands in May 1970, with a circulation of 50,000.

                                       ESSENCE MAGAZINE MUSIC FESTIVAL & SEMINAR

The Essence Music Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of African-American musical talent featuring an unprecedented three days of cultural celebrations and ESSENCE Empowerment Seminars and three nights of musical performances. The Festival has featured some of the biggest names in entertainment including Prince, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Lionel Richie, Chris Brown and more! Birthed in New Orleans in 1995, the Essence Music Festival is held every Fourth of July weekend, bringing more than 200,000 attendees to the Crescent City and adding more than $1 billion to Louisiana’s local economy. In 2007, presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made special appearances at the Essence Music Festival. In 2008, CNN reported live on-site throughout the weekend; partnering with ESSENCE to develop and tape a co-branded special presentation “Black in America: Reclaiming the Dream”.

Having set itself apart from other music events around the world by including three full days of Empowerment Seminars, the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL can now confirm the final list of Seminar participants. This year’s 15th anniversary weekend-long celebration of music and empowerment is set for this July 3, 4 and 5 in New Orleans will include seminar participants Bishop T.D. Jakes, Steve Harvey, Bill Cosby, Roland Martin, Tom Joyner, Juanita Bynum and Rev. Al Sharpton. The Empowerment Seminars--which are free of charge--are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Beyond the daytime seminars, the annual event also features nightly musical performances. This year’s ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL performers include Beyoncé, Maxwell, Anita Baker, Al Green, John Legend, Keri Hilson, Robin Thicke, Salt-N-Pepa, Ne-Yo, Raphael Saadiq, En Vogue, Eric Benet, Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Teena Marie, and more than 30 acts. As in previous years, musical performances are slated for the New Orleans Superdome and Empowerment Seminars will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The updated seminar list is below. “As the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL reaches its 15th anniversary, the Empowerment Seminars will commemorate this milestone with in-depth and timely programming to help advance the cultural discussion for Black America,” says Angela Burt-Murray, Editor-in-Chief, ESSENCE magazine. “Over three full days, ESSENCE will tackle women’s issues from the perspective of purposeful living; partner with CNN to explore ‘Black America’s State of the Union’; and celebrate spirituality with an all-star gospel tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes.”

THE ULTIMATE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND

JULY 3, 2009 SEMINAR  @ THE ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

LIVING AN AUTHENTIC LIFE

Opening Remarks: Angela Burt-Murray, ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief * ESSENCE Music Festival Welcome: Michelle Ebanks, ESSENCE Communications Inc. President * Host Remarks: Mikki Taylor, ESSENCE Beauty Editor & Cover Director * City Of New Orleans Welcome: Mayor C. Ray Nagin

Part I - Getting the Love You Deserve

Living An Authentic Life: Carla Harris * HIV/AIDS: Sheryl Lee Ralph * HIV in the Black Community: Marvelyn Brown * Dr. Hilda Hutcherson * Phill Wilson (Black AIDS Institute) * Donna Richardson-Joyner * Dr. Watkins-Hayes Celeste * Getting The Love You Deserve: Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook * Image Versus Reality: Omarosa Manigault Stallworth * Lisa Wu Hartwell * NeNe Leakes * Sharon Quinn * Malinda Williams * Keynote Address: Juanita Bynum *

Part II - The Steve Harvey's Love and Relationships Tour
"Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man"

Steve Harvey QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Black Men Unplugged: The Game * The Lies * The Truth: Ed GordoN * Finesse MITCHELL * Malik Yoba * My Message To Black Women On Getting The Love You Deserve: Steve Harvey

ALL-STAR ESSENCE MAGAZINE PERFORMANCE * JULY 3, 2009 *

LIVE CONFIRMED PERFORMANCE BY: BEYONCE * JOHN LEGEND * NE-YO * SALT N PEPPER * * ERIC BENET * SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS * SOLANGE * SIERRA LEONE REFUGEE ALL STARS * KERI HILSON * MARVA WRIGHT * BIG SAM’S FUNKY NATIONS * PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND REVUE * DWELE * DJ CAPTAIN CHARLES * DJ JUBILEE * DJ DYNAMITE DAVE SOUL * DJ EF CUTTIN * DJ SOUL SISTERS *

JULY 4, 2009 SEMINAR  @ THE ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

BLACK AMERICA'S STATE OF THE UNION

Opening Remarks: Angela Burt-Murray * Louisiana State Welcome: Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu * Host Remarks: Roland Martin * Opening Remarks: Benjamin Todd Jealous, NAACP * National President and Chief Executive Office * Politics - The Next Generation: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA)

LIVE CONFIRMED SEMINAR BY: EDUCATION: BILL COSBY * Valerie Jarrett * Tom Joyner * STEVE STOUTE * DONNA BRAZILE * ROLAND MARTIN * BEN JEALOUS * KEYNOTE SPEAKER: REV. AL SHARPTON * Economy & Jobs: George Fraser * Finding Solutions: Stephen Stoute * Monique Greenwood * Carla Harris * George c. Fraser, Sheryl Hilliard Tucker * State of the Black Family: Judge Penny Brown Reynolds * Malaak Compton-Rock * Ed Gordon * Dr. Michael Lomax * Dr. Calvin Mackie * The Black Church: Roles and Responsibilities: Conversation with Donnie McClurkin and Roland Martin

ALL-STAR ESSENCE MAGAZINE PERFORMANCE * JULY 4, 2009 *

JULY 5, 2009 SEMINAR  @ THE ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER

TRIBUTE TO BISHOP T.D. JAKES

Opening Remarks: Angela Burt-Murray * Host Remarks: Steve Harvey * Performance: CeCe Winans (Co-Host) * Sermon & Dedication: Bishop Noel Jones * Tribute: Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Baptist Church: Bishop Paul S. Morton and Pastor Debra Morton * Presentation: Mayor C. Ray Nagin Presents Bishop Jakes with Key to the City * Keynote Address: Bishop T.D. Jakes

ALL-STAR ESSENCE MAGAZINE PERFORMANCE * JULY 5, 2009 *

LIVE CONFIRMED PERFORMANCE BY: CeCe Winans (Co-Host) * MAZE F. FRANKIE  BEVERLY * LIONEL RICHIE * AL GREEN * TEENA MARIE * RYAN LESLIE * THE KNUX * EN VOGUE * TROMBONE SHORTY AND NEW ORLEANS AVE * REBIRTH BRASS BAND * DJ CAPTAIN CHARLES * DJ DYNAMITE DAVE SOUL * DJ EF CUTTIN * DJ SOUL SISTERS * BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA * LEDISI * Marvin Sapp * Smokie Norful *

SINGLES & COUPLES FUN AN FABULOUS WEEKEND SCHEDULE

· FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2009

CHECK INTO HOTEL

ENJOY THE ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

· SATURDAY JULY 4, 2009

MEET AN GREET AMERICAN

BREAKFAST @ 9AM

ENJOY THE ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

· SUNDAY JULY 4, 2009

CHECKOUT @ 1:00PM

ENJOY THE ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

MEN & WOMEN FOUNDATION TO STOP THE VIOLENCE PLATINUM TRAVEL & TOURS

HOTEL ACCOMENDATIONS & RESERVATIONS

@

THE HOTEL MONTELEONE

·         214 Rue Royale  * New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-2201 *

* CREDIT CARD * PAYPAL * PAYMENTS EXCEPTED *

$275.00 per person (4 per room)

$325.00 per person (3 per room)

$350.00 per person (2 per room)

$425.00 per person (1 per room)

FLIGHT AN TICKETS ADMISSION IS NOT INCLUDED

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL * 347 – 695 - 5237

visit www.essencemusicfestival.com DAILY admission tickets are available for $51-$200

applicable service charges To purchase tickets * visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 800-277-1700