2011 ESSENCE Music Festival Announces the Day-by-Day Line-Up for the All New "Essence Empowerment Experience" July 1, 2, 3 in New Orleans

NEW YORK, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ESSENCE proudly announces the day-by-day line-up for the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience, taking place July 1-3 in New Orleans at the 17th annual ESSENCE Music Festival.  Having already announced participation by Steve Harvey, Iyanla Vanzant, Terry McMillan, Soledad O'Brien, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tavis Smiley, Dr. Cornel West, CeCe Winans and Marvin Sapp, the dynamic ESSENCE Empowerment Experience "Weekend of Transformation" has added CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, The View hostess and actress Sherri Shepherd, "Jumping the Broom" star Laz Alonso, commentator Sophia Nelson and an array of others.

"The ESSENCE Music Festival's unique offering of world-class music, arts and culture also features one-of-a-kind enrichment opportunities within the Empowerment Experience," states Michelle Ebanks, President of ESSENCE Communications Inc. "This year's theme of 'transformation' is perfectly aligned with the ESSENCE brand mission to uplift and inspire, which we accomplish via critical information and dialogue from our nation's top thinkers and innovators over three full days."

The 2011 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience is free and open to the public.  The day-by-day line-up (as of 5/12) is as follows:

Friday, July 1: "Transforming Your Life" – Sponsored by My Black is Beautiful

• "Family Feud" auditions with show producers and live segments hosted by Steve Harvey
• "Conversation with Sherri Shepherd and Demetria L. Lucas," led by an ESSENCE editor
• Keynote address: Iyanla Vanzant
• Keynote address: "Choose Love" by Phill Wilson
• "Terry McMillan Presents," featuring authors Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Danielle Evans and Tayari Jones
• "Reel Men on Real Love," featuring Laz Alonso, Terrence J., Lamman Rucker and Thompson Young

Saturday, July 2:  "Transforming Your Community" – Sponsored by U.S. Army

• "Conversation with Steve Harvey," led by Soledad O'Brien
• "America I Am: The African-American Imprint," hosted by Tavis Smiley, featuring Dr. Cornel West, Iyanla Vanzant, Tom Burrell and Jeff Henderson
• "Conversation With Terry McMillan," led by Soledad O'Brien
• Keynote Address – Rev. Al Sharpton
• "Black in America: Historically Black College and University Discussion", moderated by Soledad O'Brien
• "State of Black Women," moderated by ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Constance White, featuring Dr. C. Nicole Mason, Sophia Nelson, Louisiana State Senator Karen Carson Peterson
• "Women of Reality TV," moderated by Anderson Cooper, featuring the leading women of reality television including: NeNe Leakes, Cynthia Bailey, Shaunie O'Neal, Evelyn Lozada and Tami Roman

Sunday, July 3:  "Transforming Your Soul" – Sponsored by Verizon

• "All-Star Gospel Salute" featuring CeCe Winans and Marvin Sapp
• A full-day of praise and worship, with performances by Kierra Sheard, Deitrick Haddon and Dr. Juanita Bynum, Kelly Price, Tyronne Foster and the Arc Singers, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and Fred Hammond
• Opening/Closing Prayer by Bishop Lester Love

In addition to the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience, the Festival's daytime offerings include the ESSENCE MARKETPLACE, a showcase of quality fine arts by African-American vendors from all over the world. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will also feature interactive sponsor presentations, celebrity meet-and-greets, festival merchandise and a book fair with author book signings.

For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest updates and to sign up for the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL newsletter, visit http://www.essencemusicfestival.com.   Join the Festival community: follow us on Twitter @essencemusic #EMF2011 and become a fan of 2011 Essence Music Festival on Facebook.

The presenting sponsor for the 2011 Essence Music Festival is Coca-Cola.  Major sponsors include Coors Light, CoverGirl Queen Collection, Ford, McDonald's, Olay, Pantene, Tide, U.S. Army, Verizon and Wal-Mart; official sponsors include CNN, My Black is Beautiful, State Farm, TNT and Visa Pre-Paid.

GeChar is the executive producer of the 2011 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience. The 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC, a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).

ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS INC.:

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media and communications company dedicated to African-American women. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is "Where Black Women Come First".  The company's flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood, Window on Our Women (WOW I & II) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For more than 40 years, ESSENCE magazine, which has a brand reach of over 8 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women's lives.  Additional information about ECI and ESSENCE is available at www.essence.com.

SOURCE ESSENCE

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