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2007 Essence Music Festival: The Rebirth of an American Revolution
Chevrolet brought some much needed aid to the battered city of New Orleans this past week, in the form of musical celebration. Essence Magazine along with Chevy and other corporate sponsors presented the 13th Annual Essence Music Festival, by far the country’s largest collective assembly of African-American music talent. This amazing musical event took place July 4th weekend (July 5, 6, 7), with the New Orleans Superdome serving as the host stage for three days of soulful, spirit lifting performances.
 Artists like Slum Village, Ludacris, Common, Chris Brown, Ciara, Ne-Yo, The Isley Brothers, Nuttin’ But Stringz, The O’Jays, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland and many more rocked the stage each night with stellar performances. Songstress and fashion diva Beyonce’ Knowles stole the show with her high-flying song and dance routines that left the audience in absolute awe.
Due to the deadly effects of Hurricane Katrina, the festival has had an absence in its originating city last year. Respectfully known as “The Party with a Purpose,” the Essence Festival was themed behind music and community oriented “Essence Cares” Empowerment Seminars aimed at revitalizing New Orleans communities. Conducted by prominent speakers like Iyanla Vanzant, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and U.S. Senator Barack Obama, each session was packed with valuable advice and helpful information needed to restructure the fragile minds of Katrina’s victims. To New Orleans, the return of the festival was more of a coming home celebration. “We need our tourists to return to our wonderful city. We need the business very badly, not just the conventions but the return of the day-to-day visitors that will help make our economy grow strong again. We are a loving city that will always show our guests a great time,” stated a restaurant business owner in the French Quarter section of the city.
 Chevy put their best foot forward in playing a role in the redevelopment efforts for New Orleans by joining with the Children’s Defense Fund. Chevy also teamed up with community leaders and music icons like Kirk Franklin to engage the young people of New Orleans that have badly suffered educationally due to the aftermath of Katrina. The school districts of the city have yet to recover from the storm - only a third of the public schools have re-opened their doors since the catastrophe. Chevy has developed a music therapy program that allows youth to massage their emotions in a sense through the joys of music. More than 1300 student interns have been trained through Chevy’s “Freedom Schools” program. The student interns gain the necessary teaching instruction from the program and return to their communities to assist the 124 New Orleans schools involved. A portion of the total Essence Festival concert ticket proceeds will benefit the Children’s Defense Fund.
 During a visit to New Orleans Ninth Ward, the hardest hit area from Katrina, reality set in rather quickly throughout our visit. Driving through the area, the visible open sores of Katrina are far too hurtful to ignore. It was as if the storm had just subsided and that we were visiting the area right after the storms initial impact, when in fact it has been two years since the initial damage was done. We were fortunate enough to have had the chance to speak with residents of the Ward who all had the same compelling story. They simply want their lives back to regain some sort of normalcy and sense of pride restored to their community. What’s mind boggling is that within a five-minute drive you can find yourself in the robust retail-driven French Quarter with tourists spilling from its streets like the notorious Bourbon Street attraction that brings in major revenue monthly. So you ask yourself why is there not more being done in the Ninth Ward and its surrounding communities? More companies like Chevy and Essence need to continue supporting our American communities. Chevy’s “An American Revolution” theme was more than appropriate being this is exactly what the people of New Orleans require - an American revolution that will breathe the air into the lungs of these communities.
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