“We Mistake Visibility For Power”: Black Leaders At ESSENCE Fest 2025 Call For Strategy Over Symbolism Amid Civil Rights Rollbacks

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JULY 04: (L-R) Rashad Robinson, Charles M. Blow and Nikole Hannah-Jones speak onstage during the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 04, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for ESSENCE) By Oumou

Melissa Noel
Author: Melissa Noel