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The annual Essence Fest will get a little more star-studded in its return this upcoming weekend as it has been confirmed that Vice President Kamala Harris will be attending.
According to reports, the Vice President will appear at the festival celebrating Black excellence this Saturday (July 2nd) in New Orleans, Louisiana. This will be the first time that she has attended since 2019, during her campaign to be the Democratic nominee for President. Harris will appear in a panel on the main stage along with other members of the Biden presidential administration that night, which will coincide with a concert performance by Janet Jackson at the Superdome. She had reportedly made a personal request to the festival organizers to attend, given the air of uncertainty that shrouds issues that are of vital importance to Black women and the Black community.
The Vice President’s appearance is reported to be styled as an intimate conversation similar to when former First Lady Michelle Obama was interviewed by CBS news anchor Gayle King about her memoir, Becoming back in 2019. Harris is expected to speak at length about what can be done in the wake of the Supreme Court’s vote to overturn the decision in the 1973 Roe V. Wade case that allowed for abortion to be legally protected. The Vice President is also expected to discuss the administration’s plans concerning Black maternal health, which she has been passionate about for years, making it a priority to connect with groups and activists who work to improve that issue.
Her appearance will be a highlight in a weekend that will be full of events focusing on the state of Black women in America. “Black women from across this country will be ascending into New Orleans, flexing their economic power, their buying power, their political power, and their power to not only center joy,” said Glynda Carr, president and CEO of Higher Heights, “but also to take this moment to recognize that Black women are the driving force in America.” Higher Heights will be one of the main groups hosting events at the Essence Festival which will be in full effect after not being held for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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