17 Comments
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Ava DuVernay's avatar

What a wonderful reflection. Your connections to the current moment really land. Brava. 👏🏾

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Maya's avatar

i was going through old photos from that time. it was so special. and you were our captain making sure we got it right. and it was everything and beyond. thank you for the memory that has since turned into wisdom 🤍

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Ashley Rudolph's avatar

I love this lens Maya. I think about it a lot as it relates to leadership. Your analysis of Oprah’s response to feedback is spot on. Even when it hurts most feedback comes from a place of wanting things to be better and being able to see that is mature. It takes a certain kind of leadership and as you point out, a strong sense of self.

I really enjoyed this. Thank you so much for writing it!

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Maya's avatar

so glad to hear it! she taught me so much about how to hold space for it all.

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Carol Rose's avatar

“When people care enough to speak up, to push back, to demand better, it’s a sign that the work matters. That it’s landing. That it’s theirs, too.” …holding this close!

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Maya's avatar

thank you for reading 🤍

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Alyssa Co's avatar

As someone still in NOLA for my first Essence as we speak this was an extremely timely read. My vet travel partner cited a lot of the critiques you shared rgd the festivals changes.

With no prior context, I still had an amazing time. The critiques that others have mentioned online are all valid but it was by no means a bad event!

Regardless, I do hope they take the feedback in stride and keep evolving towards better.

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Maya's avatar

yeah i think it’s about a pattern of the experience diminishing over time. it wasn’t just this year. there’s been a history of not listening to the consumer.

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Brittney King Brock's avatar

thank you for sharing this beautiful moment and memory with us.. your words perfectly painted the picture. ESSENCE is sacred to us, we care!❤️

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Maya's avatar

we love you Essence.

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I Write Life™️'s avatar

It’s what happens when we dare to put ourselves out there in the public. Having said that, I’ve never attended an Essence Fest; the timing just never worked for me. I still have the goal of attending; hopefully, by then it will meet all of my nostalgic expectations. (From the few clips I’ve seen this year, I’m not sure this is it.)

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Maya's avatar

it’s such a beautiful thing. hoping they continue to get better!

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Rachael T's avatar

They survived past transitions, I believe they will survive these. The ongoing technical difficulties that have been happening lately have my spider senses wondering how much of it is only Essence and how much is others who would rather Essence fail. I loved my time at Essence festival, in the past, and hope to get there again. This was a well thought out and presented piece.

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Maya's avatar

agree 🤍

thanks for taking time to read 🤍

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Jerveris Floyd's avatar

A bar (or several) !!!

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DJ Johnson's avatar

Nice write-up. Thanks for sharing.

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L'Oreal Thompson Payton's avatar

This was, by far, the most eloquent and comprehensive critique I've read on the matter & you hit the nail on the head. Feedback is love, and hopefully they listen.

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