“Essence is yes.” The singular yet impactful descriptor Marcia Ann Gillespie (Essence Editor In Chief from 1971-1980) utilized to define ESSENCE’s boundless legacy hits it right on the nose.
In an-person screening ahead of the season finale of Time of Essence, members of the magazine’s vast community gathered to experience the concluding chapter together. Laughter and love filled the theater as people joined executives of 51 Minds, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, ESSENCE Ventures, and the co-founder of ESSENCE himself, Edward Lewis. Producers from OWN and 51 Minds voiced their enthusiasm to contribute to such a historically-rich, educational, and fulfilling project. Edward Lewis spoke with sincerity as he expressed his hope for audiences tuning into the series, “I want Black women to know that four Black men stepped forward to tell their story, to celebrate their beauty, their intelligence.”
The fifth and final installment of Time of Essence culminates with past and present ESSENCE employees and cover stars reflecting on the magazine’s lasting influence. “That’s why I was able to dream,” Actress Taraji P. Henson said, speaking to the power of representation ESSENCE so masterfully displayed. The legacy brand is “yes” because it dares Black women to see themselves in new heights and is as limitless and resilient as the community it represents.
The last piece of the five-part docuseries finds ESSENCE entering the new millennium. The episode opens with cultural defining moments from the year 2000 to 2010: the new era of women rappers, reality TV stars, the first Black president, viral “memes,” award-winning shows with Black leads, televised police brutality, and the explosion of internet culture as we know it. It signals ESSENCE’s journey into the new digital age and with it, the growing pains and triumphs alike. Similar to the brand’s original response to hip-hop, ESSENCE staffers admit that the company was slow to adapt to the technological landscape. When it did arrive, however, its presence made waves. The documentary’s tasteful and honest retelling of the magazine’s more recent history made the messaging all the more relatable.
The docuseries and its participants did not shy away from addressing the sore points in the magazine’s legacy such as the transitions in ownership, frequent turnover, and unfit editorial directors. A tumultuous period under the ownership of Time Inc. left the ESSENCE team disheartened, decentralized, and weary as it adjusted to new ownership under Richelieu Dennis. The company as a whole was left to reckon with the impact of these changes, including an anonymous letter written by disappointed employees, and find a way forward. It was clear that in this new era of Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and social media spotlighting both progress and disparity, the only direction for the magazine to go was onward—intentionally.
Caroline Wanga, CEO and President of ESSENCE Ventures, enters the company to usher the era forward only to be met shortly after with the COVID-19 virus. The global pandemic and simultaneous civil unrest urged Essence to pivot as its audience needed and cement itself into the virtual world of media. In spite of these challenges, the magazine prevailed; Wanga said it best, “ESSENCE survived because its reason for being could never be argued with.” The powerhouse of a CEO graced the theater with her commentary alongside Kai Bowe, Director of Current Programming Unscripted at OWN and 51 Minds Executive Raymond Garcia, in a discussion moderated by Stephanie Dunivan, VP of Branded Solutions and Video for Essence Ventures. The executives detailed the inception of this docuseries, the gravity behind its storytelling, and their optimism for Essence’s future. Wanga expanded on ESSENCE’s process of “digging deep” and returning to its founding mission in the current era. She described the present-day as the sixth episode to the series and offered a call to action for all in attendance to take ownership of their own “ESSENCE story.”
As the theater buzzed with conversations post-screening, a particular phrase found its way flowing out of several attendees’ mouths —“full circle moment.” That full circle feeling resonated intimately with every attendee. So many Black women across industries have been given a chance due to ESSENCE’s support and platform. Ella Baker once said, “give light and people will find the way.” ESSENCE is the undeniable light that has led millions of Black women across generations and continents to see themselves.