1035, and the Maine Classic Car Museum has No. Got it from Dillards for $14. As reported earlier by Journal-isms for The Root, the Essence brand was not part of the historic, nearly $3 billion sale of Time Inc. to the Meredith Corp. in November 2017. Published January 6, 2018. The magazine has a circulation of more than one million and its website attracts nearly seven million unique visitors each month. I thank the entire ESSENCE team for their tremendous passion and unrelenting commitment to driving the brands success. We can now invest in women of color as consumers., With Sale, Essence Is Once Again a Fully Black-Owned Magazine, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/us/essence-sale-black-owned.html. It also marks the first time a major womens style magazinewhich heavily features beauty-based advertisements and editorialis connected via ownership to a consumer-products company. They neglected their niche of Blackness their base demographic of Black women with kinky hair. Im very focused on giving back, investing and growing my community, he said. The top editor of Bon Apptit, Adam Rapoport, resigned last month after a photo of him costumed in stereotypical Puerto Rican attire resurfaced on social media. Like SheaMoisure, she said. An op-ed, titled The Truth About Essence and written by Black Female Anonymous was published on Medium on Sunday that outlined allegations of a toxic workplace culture in which Black employees are systematically suppressed by pay inequity, sexual harassment, corporate bullying, intimidation, colorism and classism.. The essay is part of an online campaign that includes Twitter and Instagram accounts and a change.org petition, which has collected more than 2,000 signatures. Adenike Olanrewaju contributed reporting. Mr. Dennis sold Sundial Brands to Unilever that month. Ivie is a Nigerian-American, native New Yorker, and journalist covering, Essence Ventures LLC, an independent black-owned company today announced its acquisition of Essence Communications Inc., home of, magazine, from Time Inc. on Wednesday. . For the last 50 years, Essence Magazine has consistently found innovative approaches to archiving Black women's lives by immortalizing our intellect, literature, and culture on glossy pages. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Articles in classical art, music, craft and architecture aims to showcase the timeless beauty of master artists and craftsman throughout antiquity. African-American company buys Essence Communications from Time Inc. Under the pseudonym Black Female Anonymous, Essence magazine staffers demanded Dennis resignationalong with other leadership changesafter they said women were systematically suppressed by pay inequity, sexual harassment, corporate bullying, intimidation, colorism and classism and the company had been hijacked by cultural and corporate greed and an unhinged abuse of power. The staffers blasted execs for an ironic turn of events: A publication that was meant to empower Black women instead mistreated and abused the women who worked for it. And you can make your world or break it by your own thinking. -Susan Taylor, When is Kwanzaa and my daily Kwanzaa practice, "I saw the Angel in the marble, and carved until I set him free", Prime my subconscious, one hint at a time. As a classicist, he's at ease with the ancient world but often brings a historian's insightful perspective to current . Today, however, Time Inc. is set to be owned by Midwest magazine publisher Meredith Corporation, which bought the conglomerate late last year in a $2.8 billion take-over, partially funded by the conservative-focused Koch brothers. Got it from H&M for $10 a year ago. Mr. Dennis has also stepped away from the daily leadership role he had assumed since the departure of Ms. Ebanks, the company said in a separate statement. Johnson family sells Ebony magazine The magazine was founded in 1970 as a black-owned publication for black women who, coming out of the Civil Rights era and in the midst of a new feminist wave, were eager to read not only about fashion and beauty but careers and spirituality too. Ebanks directly links this growth to Essences new all-black ownership. We knew they wanted to help Black people with Black hair care, especially with people who do their own hair. Jan 03, 2018. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Essence Ventures started in 2017 and is chaired by founder, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Richelieu Dennis. Essence has always had a close connection to its readers. The City of Cacapava, Sao Paolo, Brazil, owns No. What we now have is an opportunity to have the liquidity to make investments in Essence, said Mr. Dennis. So lets GOOOOOOOOOO!!! Instead, he framed his latest venture as part of a mission to fight racism in the retail industry. This is a magazine for Americans who love their nation. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Article length can vary from 500 to 2500 words. Receive updates about new stories in the industry daily or weekly. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. IE 11 is not supported. Essence said that he helped lead the team but never took on the role and responsibilities as CEO. By clicking submit, you agree to receive emails from Rolling Out and accept our web terms of use and privacy and cookie policy. American Essence highlights the morals and traditional. The release states further that Essence will focus on expanding its digital businesses and continue to plant its rich content in more global markets (the Essence Festival launched a Durban, South Africa, festival in 2016). The brand was looking for another buyer and has apparently found one with Essence Ventures, which was founded and is chaired by Liberian-American Richelieu Dennis, who also is founder of SheaMoisture (in November, Unilever acquired the parent company for SheaMoisture, Sundial Brands). Alexis Nottingham, whose TressesOfAlexis YouTube channel focuses primarily on Black hair care, said she understood that the allegations were found unconfirmed, but still felt uncomfortable with the accusations. The future of Essence was uncertain when it was announced Meredith Corporation was buying Time Inc. in November. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. THE GRIOT PROJECT: Akron with Umojah Nation Reggae band and student Patrick Warner, poet in training. Black Women In Hollywood To Know: Creatives | Essence It does not store any personal data. You may negotiate rate based off experience and expertise. But while Meredith hopes to cut costs, Essences new owners are planning to investheavily. Why the FT bought a majority stake in Endpoints News, Vice News Tonight canceled, company announces layoffs, The Messenger hires Scotti as a biz and finance editor, Traditional Art (Paintings and Sculptures from Renaissance to early 1900s), Classical Architecture and Houses of Beauty in America as well as Europe, History of Performative Art (opera, theatre and ballet), All applicants must send a sample of their writing along with their resume. The event had always centered white women and white entrepreneurs, DelSol said, and therefore never appealed to her. Even with your apology, [victims] still have their trauma and the after-effects. Sources familiar with Essence told Page Six that it is likely that current and former employees wrote the anonymous op-ed. Im not in the business of selling my soul for a couple of dollars or for popularity, DelSol said. With Sale, Essence Is Once Again a Fully Black-Owned Magazine The allegations didnt even go very far. It took me 16 years before I agreed to go into mass retail. AMERICAN ESSENCE brings to you stories that remind us of the promise of America. Essence magazine sold (Image Source: Facebook/@Essence) Since 1970 Essence has been the premiere fashion and culture magazine for women of color. This is historical.. Essence Appoints New CEO Following Allegations Owner Richelieu - Forbes Receive updates about new stories in the industry. Essence Magazine (1970- ) - BlackPast.org I dont know, but I dont have high hopes of BeautyCon being a more Black space.. In the summer of 2020, a Medium article was published with damning accusations against Essences owner Richelieu Dennis. For more than 50 years, ESSENCE has been a leader in promoting Black-Owned beauty brands. Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth and Jonathan Blount founded Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) in 1968. who owns essence magazine | Orbit Melody Spann-Cooper, chairwoman of Midway Broadcasting Corporation, which owns WVON, a Chicago radio station whose target audience is black, welcomed Essence's return to being an. "There's nobody who owns a factory like this that could make thousands, 10 thousand pieces or more, that pays New York 48 . Essence Ventures was founded in 2017 by Richelieu Dennis, who also. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". No one cares about Black women, she continued. The Epoch Times is looking for writers - Talking Biz News They have allowed us to invest into the business so that we can bring in the infrastructure and resources.. Instead, Essence is now in the hands of Dennis, a media newcomer who made his fortune in shea-butter cosmetics. That superseded the priority of Black hair care.. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Get notified about exclusive offers every week! Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) was founded in 1968 by Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth, Jonathan Blount, Denise M. Clark, and Edward Lewis. I think many people dont even know about it because no one cares about Black women. This was an important week for minority media. In 2000, the magazines founders, Clarence Smith and Ed Lewis, sold a 49 percent stake in Essence to Time Inc. Essence magazine is a monthly publication whose target audience is African American women. Shanygne Maurice, creator of beauty product reviews on a YouTube channel called TooMuchMouth, said she had a rather unpleasant experience as a Black creator at the last BeautyCon but actually sees the Essence buyout as an opportunity to make the event more inviting and inclusive for Black influencers and enthusiastsgiven Essences history in the Black community., Im not sure if Id participate in the first one [under Essences ownership], she said. I dont believe in losses, she wrote. But Black capitalism looks like misogyny, sexism, and sexual assault. The company announced Tuesday night that it had appointed Caroline Wanga to be interim CEO and that they would launch an independent investigation into the workplace culture. American Essence Magazine is also a nonpolitical magazine that aims to showcase the values and traditions of American culture with stores of the people and places, past and present, that helped and continue to help shape this nation. filed for bankruptcy last year after being ravaged by the pandemic. We are hiring for both print as well as online articles. But we must fix the systemic brokenness of any Black cultural institution that devalues Black women. An annual study found that the total number of magazine readers in the U.S. remained above 220 million in every year between 2016 and 2020, having previously hovered around the 210 and 215 million . Recording Studio: Great journey, I gave a lot of myself to these sessions. Essence Ventures swooped in at a foreclosure sale to acquire BeautyCon, the so-called Super Bowl of the Beauty industry that nearly filed for bankruptcy last year after being ravaged by the pandemic, financial issues, staff layoffs, and unpaid bills. The company also runs the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans, a celebration of Black culture that has drawn headliners like Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige and John Legend. BRIGHT Magazine Launches Today. Editor-in-Chief Sarika Bansal on the Originally from Liberia, he founded Black beauty brand SheaMoisture and then Sundial Brands, the parent company to SheaMoisture. Braids by my homegirl Aziza Yasmine. American Essence Magazine is also a nonpolitical magazine that aims to showcase the values and traditions of American culture with stores of the people and places, past and present, that helped and continue to help shape this nation. Copyright 2022 Rolling Out. The Essence team denied the allegations in a statement Monday, calling them mischaracterizations and unfounded attempts to discredit our brand and assassinate personal character.. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. According to a statement released by the magazines owner, Essence Ventures, Essence will keep its current executive team, which consists entirely of black women, including Michelle Ebanks, the magazines president. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Richelieu Dennis had the title of interim CEO. Black women deserve to feel safe both in white America and Black America., In a Wednesday letter to Ms. Wanga, Black Female Anonymous asked for a guarantee that Mr. Dennis would not have a role in running Essence and that the three other executives they had identified leave the company by the close of business on Friday. Long a touchstone of Black culture, Essence celebrated its 50th anniversary with its May issue, which featured the model Naomi Campbell on the cover. The sale of Essence to Mr. Dennis comes at time when traditional media companies continue to struggle to adapt to an increasingly digital landscape, challenges also faced by black-owned media. Melody Spann-Cooper, chairwoman of Midway Broadcasting Corporation, which owns WVON, a Chicago radio station whose target audience is black, welcomed Essences return to being an all-black-owned company. I am happy to be alive! These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Black Women In Hollywood To Know: Creatives | Essence Meet the writers, hair stylists, costume designers, and all around creatives who are setting the standard today. The ESSENCE team has extended the brands reach and influence across multiple platforms, solidifying its position as the premier destination for African-American women serving an audience of 16.3 million, said Time Inc. President Rich Battista in a memo to staff obtained by NBC News. Essence, as an archive of Black life, is also a cornerstone in the . Ebony (magazine) - Wikipedia In addition, it represents a critical recognition, centering and elevation of the black women running the business from solely a leadership position to a co-ownership position.. 5:11 pm. 2,017 people have signed it. New CEO of Ebony and Jet maps a comeback for Black magazine - Los I see you, with my black panther intuition, They say, you made your bed, now lay in it! So, I make sure I dwell in a spiritual, spirit-filled bed. Were counting on you, Caroline. I like the tapered sweater. - Edward long Timeless reading that calms and reassures is hard to find. , who will keep her place at the helm of the company will also joining its board of directors. Essence President Michelle Ebanks will continue at the helm of the company and will join its board of directors; she will also have an equity stake in the business. Its branding was so popular that Time Inc., purchased the magazine and for the past 12 years, a publication dedicated to Black women was in White hands. The demand for a new America calls for the complete accountability of all Americans, even those of us in Black America and our cultural institutions, the writers said. Colorful earrings by @wheatgrass_scorpio. Essence currently reaches over 16 million people via social media, print, digital engagement and live events, according to a spokeswoman for Essence Ventures. When it started off, we knew their demographic. Founded in 2011 by Marina Curry, a Black woman, BeautyCon was a hub of live events before it started to falter in 2019. Mr. Dennis, the founder of Sundial Brands, a Black beauty products company, bought Essence from Time Inc. in 2018. American Success - American Essence Co-founded by Ed Lewis and Clarence Smith in 1968, Essence has been one of the lifestyle go-to companies for African-American women. We can now invest in women of color as consumers.. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The original name in concept was Sapphire. Im not surprised people are not talking, DelSol said. Altogether Richelieu and the Dennis family directly and indirectly buy the silence of current and former Essence Black female employees who fear backlash of Richelieus massive financial and social capital, the authors wrote. With a circulation of over 1 million and some 8.5 million monthly readers, Essence is hardly nicheand it should have been appealing to major publishing corporations. On Thursday (Jan. 4), Essencethe nations leading African American-focused publicationwas sold by Time Inc. to a newly formed company backed by Richelieu Dennis, a multimillionaire personal-care-products mogul. Time Inc. Sells Essence Magazine and Its Music Festival | Fortune Continuing in our tradition, we're introducing you to the masterminds behind some of the most popular. Ebanks will also have equity stake in the business along with the executive team of ESSENCE. An anonymous essay published on Sunday criticized Essence, the groundbreaking Black media brand, citing an abusive work culture in which bullying and sexual harassment were common. Essence Magazine Founder Says He Doesn't Regret Selling to Time Inc. Yet the sale, no matter its community significance, suggests that minority-focused magazines will forever remain along the fringes of major media. Although financial details remain confidential, Essences sale comes at a precipitous time for both the magazine and the larger media landscape. Fine art articles for American Essence include American architecture and houses of beauty, traditional American artists and musicians that helped establish the culture as well as cinema and film stars that inspired the nation and the American people. The essay, titled The Truth About Essence, was published on the digital platform Medium under the byline Black Female Anonymous, which has identified itself as a group of former and current Essence employees. I see this being extremely profitable, honestly, just because people are going to spend money however they want to. A new CEO was named for Essence magazine and the company, which owns several other entities like Afropunk festival and hair care company Naturally Curly, promised that Dennis would be taking a step back. Members of the team were excited about the announcement. Ebanks issued a statement which reads in part, This acquisition of ESSENCE represents the beginning of an exciting transformation of our iconic brand as it evolves to serve the needs and interests of multigenerational Black women around the world in an even more elevated and comprehensive way across print, digital, e-commerce and experiential platforms, In addition, it represents a critical recognition, centering and elevation of the Black women running the business from solely a leadership position to a co-ownership position.. Thoughts have power; thoughts have energy. Mr. Dennis said that he approached Time Inc. about buying Essence after Time Inc. agreed in November to be sold to the Meredith Corporation, the owner of Better Homes & Gardens and Family Circle, in an all-cash transaction worth about $2.8 billion. It tells the stories of real Americans who take individual initiative to make their lives and the lives of others better. U.S. Magazine Industry - Statistics & Facts | Statista [3] [4] Lewis and Smith called the publication a "lifestyle magazine directed at upscale African American women". African-America backing, she notes, is not only symbolically important, but ownership is an important pillar of economic empowermentand directly builds wealth and strengthens communities of color., Black media insiders also applauded the Essence deal. Derek T. Dingle, chief content office of Black Enterprise magazine, described it as groundbreaking, and lauded Essences return to black ownership as a rare event in contemporary black business history.. Print fond memoriesThis pocket Bluetooth printer lets you print your precious memories before they hit Instagram. But hes entering the industry as a neophyte at a time when mediaparticularly independent mediais struggling for survival. Magazine articles are $250 per article. We have an opportunity to control our media and tell our own story and that is often muted when traditional media companies that represent the African-American culture are owned by someone outside of an African-Americans hands it loses something. Essence Communications will be led by an all-black female executive team. The magazine, a mainstay of black culture for almost half a century, was bought by Richelieu Dennis, the founder of Sundial Brands, a large personal-care products company, from Time Inc., Essence Ventures announced on Wednesday. You win and you learn. A Traveler's Guide to Tipping in a Changed World Its not to say that they shouldnt be able to cater to all types of hair and all types of people, but theres always this desire to cater to whiteness and white features. It also holds an annual music festival, which was headlined last year by Diana Ross, Mary J. Blige and Chance the Rapper. I spent 30 years of my life breaking down the racial barriers of beauty, he said. In its tipping guide . Fix it or fold.. Best-known for massive magazine brands like Time, People, and Sports Illustrated, Time Inc. bought Essence more than a decade ago, back when the publishing company was one of Americas most formidable media giants. With the sale of Essence magazine to a personal-care products mogul, the publication is once again fully black-owned for the first time since 2000. Essence Communications Inc., the 48-year-old mutliplatform brand that owns Essence magazine and the annual Essence Festival, has gone back to black (ownership), having been acquired by Essence . The strategic vision and leadership that Michelle has provided to ESSENCE over the years have been exemplary, and we are thrilled to work with her and her talented team to provide the necessary resources and support to continue to grow the engagement and influence of the ESSENCE brand and transform this business, Dennis said. Time Inc. announced Wednesday that Essence Ventures, LLC, an independent African-American owned company, acquired Essence Communications. Historian Victor Davis Hanson on the Farmer's Virtues - American Essence Since 1970, Essence Communications has served as a source of empowerment for black women across its platforms, including its flagship print magazine, television specials, and the annual Essence . It is owned by Essence Ventures, an independent African-American owned company focused on merging content, community, and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of women of color.. And the mid-sized Penske Mediaowner of Variety and Robb Reportjust snapped up Rolling Stone. Essence Magazine Leaves Time Inc. And Is Now Completely - Okayplayer Inside 'The Epoch Times,' a Mysterious Pro-Trump Newspaper - The Atlantic Top editors from Refinery29, the New York Times, Bon Apptit and the Philadelphia Inquirer resigned last month in response to journalists calling out their own organizations and now Essence can be added to the list of companies making changes. Despite Dennis promises, Black influencers are still wary. More curiously, his history with beauty brands, which will be core Essence advertisers, also raises questions about the magazines ability to truly separate its business and editorial sidea core value of traditional media that is quickly eroding in the age of advertorials and native advertising. I like my face in this, though. Time Inc. announced Wednesday, that Essence Ventures LLC, an independent African-American owned company, acquired the media company. (The festival was canceled this year and replaced with a digital event because of the coronavirus pandemic.). But this month, he was back. Creating Effective Employee Resource Groups | HISPANIC Network Magazine 'Essence' Just Took the Lead in Serving Women of Color. Here's Why It 1028 on display. Speculation Centers on Value of Successful Festival. Later in the essay, the writers said the problems at Essence predated the arrival of Mr. Dennis. All rights Reserved. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Is Our TV Pick Of The Week, Small Town Horror Story: The Racist Attack Of A FedEx Worker. I read her letter from the editor and it became my favorite part of the magazine. The Life And Legacy Of ESSENCE | Essence Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. We wish you could have been in the room to see the excitement and pride on the Essence Teams' faces as we gave them the good news, according to a statement on the Essence website . Anyone can read what you share. In a phone interview on Wednesday, Mr. Dennis, 48, said that he bought the magazine to serve and empower women of color., This will give Essence a platform and a voice to serve its consumers, which are women of color, Mr. Dennis said during a flight from his native Liberia to the United States. The magazine focuses on fashion, pop culture, music and black life. Radiant Life Magazine is a nonpolitical magazine that aspires to revive traditional culture with lifestyle content that uplifts and inspires readers. The Daily Beast attempted to reach out to former and current Essence magazine employees to get their views on Dennis latest business ventures in light of the 2020 controversy. Essence covers African-American beauty and style. However, she also doesnt think BeautyCon will suffer from the negative stain of Essence. Gerren Keith Gaynor March 13, 2013 918. It is a magazine that focuses on traditional American values and great American stories. We are excited to be able to return this culturally relevant and historically significant platform to ownership by the people and the consumers whom it serves and offer new opportunities for the women leading the business to also be partners in the business, Dennis said in a statement. The once exalted media brand dedicated to Black women has been hijacked by cultural and corporate greed and an unhinged abuse of power, the writers said in the essay. We are hiring for both print as well as online articles. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. But if I were to see how that goes and hear about the event moving in the right direction and it being the fun and inviting event its supposed to be, Id certainly attend in the future., Nottingham, however, questioned whether Essence could really change BeautyCon or if it was another case of diversity initiatives being whitewashed..
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