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. The first time I picked up an issue of Essence magazine, I noticed Susan Taylors picture. Colorful earrings by @wheatgrass_scorpio. Co-founded by Ed Lewis and Clarence Smith in 1968, Essence has been one of the lifestyle go-to companies for African-American women. Throughout the years, I have seen her with various writers, artists, activists, and its easy to see that she is loved. Magazine articles are $250 per article. Ebanks directly links this growth to Essences new all-black ownership. 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.. As the Time-Meredith deal closes, Time Inc. has been quietly selling off its more niche titles, including the lifestyle-focused Sunset and now Essence. Essence Ventures is an African-American owned company focused on merging content, community, and commerce founded by Richelieu Dennis, the CEO and founder of Sundial Brands. Please email all questions and submissions to jennifer.diane@epochtimes.nyc. 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.. Know Thyself sweathshirt available @Alkebulan Ujaama Book Store. 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 also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. As a classicist, he's at ease with the ancient world but often brings a historian's insightful perspective to current . Got it from Dillards for $14. Essence covers African-American beauty and style. and a graphic artist! In 2017, it was sold to the conglomerate Unilever, but Dennis remains Sundials CEO and executive chairman. 1028 on display. Johnson family sells Ebony magazine It does not store any personal data. Essence, as an archive of Black life, is also a cornerstone in the . However, she also doesnt think BeautyCon will suffer from the negative stain of Essence. Articles in classical art, music, craft and architecture aims to showcase the timeless beauty of master artists and craftsman throughout antiquity. With this sale, the legacy of essence is back in the control of Black owners. They also alleged that he tried to force Essence employees and contractors to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect himself and his family members who worked in leadership positions at Essence. The Essence team denied the allegations in a statement Monday, calling them mischaracterizations and unfounded attempts to discredit our brand and assassinate personal character.. And I feel that over the years they expanded their branding and their marketing, which is fine, but I feel like they kind of neglected their base demographic. This was an important week for minority media. That superseded the priority of Black hair care.. The Essence motto is Black women come first, and Mr. Dennis said he intended to live up to it. Mr. Dennis, the founder of Sundial. Starting with the magazine in 1970, it has expanded globally, eventually leading to the annual Essence Music Festival in 1995 and online website ESSENCE.com. 5:11 pm. Essence Ventures started in 2017 and is chaired by founder, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Richelieu Dennis. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Edward Lewis, co-founder of Essence Magazine, is defending his decision to sell the legacy publication to Time Inc. after recent criticisms from recently . American Success - American Essence When it started off, we knew their demographic. When you have someone that dominates space that already provides windows and opportunities for women of colorand Black women in particularif Black women speak up, what other spaces are there for them? This will give Essence a platform and a voice to serve its consumers, which are women of color, Dennis told the New York Times earlier this week. The Epoch Times is looking for writers - Talking Biz News Essence Appoints New CEO Following Allegations Owner Richelieu - Forbes It will serve as a guide to make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality, help you avoid costly mistakes, assist in financial preparations, serve as a resume of sorts for future potential business partners and much more.. In 2000, Time Inc. acquired a 49 percent stake of Essence from its founders and acquired the remaining percentage five years later. 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. I could live life on the beach, but it was very cold near Lake Erie. Ebanks is referring to the fact that Essences executive team consists entirely of black women. This is a continuation of my quest to do that.. Im not in the business of selling my soul for a couple of dollars or for popularity, DelSol said. I dont even know if theres an apology substantial enough to fix it.. Instead, Essence is now in the hands of Dennis, a media newcomer who made his fortune in shea-butter cosmetics. Last year, The Wrap reported that a year after a huge event that attracted thousands of attendees, BeautyCon was still struggling to pay vendors. 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. Long a touchstone of Black culture, Essence celebrated its 50th anniversary with its May issue, which featured the model Naomi Campbell on the cover. A person who identified herself as a representative of the essays writers, contacted through the Black Female Anonymous Instagram account, declined to be interviewed for this article. We have two magazines: Radiant Life and American Essence as well as an online platform: Bright. 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. https://t.co/q2BGN0pxNF pic.twitter.com/CbLQlpK9Qz. 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. It is with great joy that we announced that Essence is under new ownership and is now an independent African-American-owned company. 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. For more than 50 years, ESSENCE has been a leader in promoting Black-Owned beauty brands. In its tipping guide . HOME - American Essence Citing an abusive work culture, the essays writers also said that Black women at the company are systematically suppressed by pay inequity, sexual harassment, corporate bullying, intimidation, colorism and classism.. filed for bankruptcy last year after being ravaged by the pandemic. The move returns 48-year-old Essence to black ownership for the first time in over a decade, and solidifies the magazines status as the most important minority-owned publication in America. While [people] say they want to protect Black women, thats a lie. Clearly, Ebanks team hopes that Essence wont just evolve, but thrive and survive for the next 48 years. Dennis acknowledged that, though progress has been made in the beauty industry in terms of racial efforts, it doesnt mean the problem is solved. He said theres still a need for awareness and education to dismantle structural racism at the root of bias in the community. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This is a BETA experience. Lol, FAMILY: The children and I @University Circles Parade the Circle, Modeling for: http://www.afropunk.com/ Brooklyn, New York, August 2014. 1035, and the Maine Classic Car Museum has No. We accept that because what else is the ultimate goal in this country?. 40 Founders Of Black-Owned Hair Care Brands You Should Know About | Essence The letter, which was posted on social media, also demanded that Essence be transparent about the law firms it will hire for the planned review, adding that they must not have ties to Mr. Dennis or others in leadership roles.In an Instagram post on Thursday, Ms. Wanga sounded optimistic about the future of Essence. iEmerge in a duo. 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. Ebanks will also have equity stake in the business along with the executive team of ESSENCE. Savor each page [of American Essence]. The owner of Black business empire Essence Ventures, who vowed to step away as the acting CEO of Essence magazine after being an awful boss during last years racial reckoning, is not-so-quietly asserting his power againand Black influencers are torn. 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. This major move marks. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Forbes reports that he and his cofounder and mother Mary owned 51% of the company and walked away with an estimated $850 million fortune, making them two of the wealthiest Black entrepreneurs in the world. The company bought the remaining 51 percent in 2005. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The spokeswoman added that Ms. Wanga would oversee the independent review of the Essence workplace. We can now invest in women of color as consumers.. It tells the stories of real Americans who take individual initiative to make their lives and the lives of others better. We may earn a commission from links on this page. No one cares about Black women, she continued. 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. And the mid-sized Penske Mediaowner of Variety and Robb Reportjust snapped up Rolling Stone. This denim skirt is from the thrift store for $3. 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. Time Inc. Sells Essence Magazine and Its Music Festival | Fortune 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. The owner of Black business empire Essence Ventures, who vowed to step away as the acting CEO of Essence magazine after being an awful boss during last year's racial reckoning, is. They have allowed us to invest into the business so that we can bring in the infrastructure and resources.. Essence CEO Richelieu Dennis Resigns Following Scathing Op-Ed (Page Six), These Mother-And-Son Entrepreneurs Went From Selling Soap On Harlem Streets To An $850 Million Fortune (Forbes). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The City of Cacapava, Sao Paolo, Brazil, owns No. The executive team will also have an ownership interest in the business. Essence magazine sold (Image Source: Facebook/@Essence) Since 1970 Essence has been the premiere fashion and culture magazine for women of color. 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. The authors called for the resignation of Dennis and other executives, urged for an advertising boycott and painted a damning portrait of Dennis, including alleging that his surface-level commitment to Black women is driven by greed and a debaucherous sexual appetite, that he has sexually harassed multiple women and has used NDAs to protect his family against liability or disparagement. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation has one on display, which is ironic because the Ford Motor Company was one of the Big Three that was supposedly . , who will keep her place at the helm of the company will also joining its board of directors. Ebony is a monthly magazine that focuses on news, culture, and entertainment. All of that changed this week after it was announced that the company has been sold to Essence Ventures LLC, a company launched in 2017 by Shea Moisture founder Richelieu Dennis. This pocket Bluetooth printer lets you print your precious memories before they hit Instagram. Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning. Essence Ventures LLC, an independent black-owned company today announced its acquisition of Essence Communications Inc., home of Essence magazine, from . 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. The magazine focuses on fashion, pop culture, music and black life. The company said that there had not been claims or evidence of sexual harassment or misconduct and that it would review any new instances brought to HR. American Essence FO R E V E RYO N E W H O LOV E S T H I S C O U N . Members of the team were excited about the announcement. American Essence highlights the morals and traditional. His departure was part of a larger revolt at the magazines parent company, Cond Nast. The most valuable part of writing a business plan is the education you gain by researching and . Im not surprised people are not talking, DelSol said. Starting with the magazine in 1970, it has expanded. Reporters, poking around, have unearthed intriguing connections: a documentary co-produced with Steve Bannon; a donor who worked at the secretive hedge fund run by the Breitbart benefactor Robert. 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. 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. So, these Black women in particular, if they come forward, where will they go? Its branding was so popular . I spent 30 years of my life breaking down the racial barriers of beauty, he said. In the essay, Black Female Anonymous tied their efforts to the larger social protest movement that has swept the country. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. Its target audience is the African-American community, and its coverage includes the lifestyles and accomplishments of influential black people, fashion, beauty, and politics.. Ebony magazine was founded in 1945 by John H. Johnson, for his Johnson Publishing Company.He sought to address African-American issues . This was an important week for minority media. Whether BeautyCon becomes a platform to help combat those inequities remains to be seen. This is historical.. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Creating Effective Employee Resource Groups | HISPANIC Network Magazine Despite the allegations made against him, Dennis has broken some racial barriers within the beauty industry. Essence Communications announced Thursday that it was acquired from Time Inc. by Essence Ventures for an undisclosed sum. They faulted a previous Essence leader, Michelle Ebanks, blaming her for a toxic culture. Ms. Ebanks stepped down as the chief executive of Essence Communications in March, after nearly 20 years at the company, and is a member of the Essence board. 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. That reality was reflected by Johnson Publishing Companys sale two years ago of Ebony and Jet to a private equity firm in Texas, creating a void in black-owned media companies. 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 . 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. 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.. Founded in 1970, Essence has now expanded, reaching a global audience of more than 16 million across its many platforms. Essence currently reaches an audience of more than 16 million across its various platforms, including its print magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; and live events, such as the annual Essence Festival, a 22-year-old cultural celebration that attracted more than 450,000 attendees to New Orleans last summer. 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. Essence Magazine (1970- ) - BlackPast.org Again, with skinnys I like my booty to be covered as much as possible. Those findings have not changed the views of some. The magazine has a circulation of more than one million and its website attracts nearly seven million unique visitors each month. The anonymous essay suggested that many Essence employees believe he has not lived up to that statement. According to Black Enterprise magazine, Essence president Michelle Ebanks will continue in her role and join its board of directors. Writing a comprehensive business plan is the first step in starting a business. She looked like a statue of an ancient African goddess, sort of that Grace Jones bold look, but with clothes. The essay also had criticism for two other Essence leaders, the chief operating officer, Joy Collins Profet, and the chief content officer, MoAna Luu. Essence Ventures was founded in 2017 by Richelieu Dennis, who also. 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. Bain Capital took a minority stake in Sundial in 2015 in a deal that valued the company at roughly $700 million. A target of Black Female Anonymous is Richelieu Dennis, the owner of Essence Ventures, the parent company of the magazine and Essence Communications. READ: Chance The Rapper Joins Essence Fest As Headlining Act. Essence Ventures LLC, an independent black-owned company today announced its acquisition of Essence Communications Inc., home of Essence magazine, from Time Inc. on Wednesday. I hope this means there is an opportunity for us to stay in business, she said. American Essence- Vol.1 Issue 7- Preview by Bright Magazine Group - Issuu Bennett Raglin / Getty Images For SheaMoisture, Lifestyles publisher Meredith buying Time Inc. in Koch brothers-backed deal. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Richelieu Dennis had the title of interim CEO. I dont believe in losses, she wrote. 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. In addition, the all black female executive team of Essence, including Ebanks, will have an equity stake in the business. Thoughts have power; thoughts have energy. They neglected their niche of Blackness their base demographic of Black women with kinky hair. When The Daily Beast spoke to him this week about his buy up of BeautyCon, Dennis refused to directly answer any questions about the 2020 controversy and his promise to step away from Essence magazine. His firm, Sundial Brands, was founded to provide hair- and skin-care products to minority women, and was inspired by traditional shea-butter recipes found in Denniss native Liberia. African-American company buys Essence Communications from Time Inc. I dont know, but I dont have high hopes of BeautyCon being a more Black space.. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Essence currently reaches over 16 million people via social media, print, digital engagement and live events, according to a spokeswoman for Essence Ventures. Gerren Keith Gaynor March 13, 2013 918. Copyright 2022 Rolling Out. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. Im very focused on giving back, investing and growing my community, he said. Essence Ventures is founded and chaired by Richelieu Dennis, founder of Sundial Brands which owns Shea Moisture. In the Medium essay and on social media, Black Female Anonymous has called for the resignations of Ms. Profet and Ms. Luu; demanded that Ms. Ebanks leave the board; and demanded that Mr. Dennis have nothing to do with running Essence. I like my face in this, though. The American Hotel & Lodging Association recommends $1 to $5 a night left daily, preferably in a marked envelope making it clear that it is intended for the housekeeper. The coronavirus pandemic didnt help financial matters. Celebrity OTE - Spring Arts Guide Daniel Kaluuya. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. New CEO of Ebony and Jet maps a comeback for Black magazine - Los Online content may range from $100-250 per article. 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. They dont take into account victims unless its close to home or it happens to them personally.. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. I thank the entire ESSENCE team for their tremendous passion and unrelenting commitment to driving the brands success. The event had always centered white women and white entrepreneurs, DelSol said, and therefore never appealed to her. The acquisition 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, Ms. Ebanks said in the statement. But hes entering the industry as a neophyte at a time when mediaparticularly independent mediais struggling for survival.