richelieu dennis
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Essence Ventures Has Acquired BeautyCon Media
The growing media company also kicks off New York Fashion Week with its annual Essence Fashion House.
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Wat U Iz: Pyer Moss Made Haute Couture History With an Emphasis on Black Innovation
Kerby Jean-Raymond staged 'Pyer Moss Couture 1' at Madam C.J. Walker's Villa Lewaro, opening with words from former Black Panther Party leader Elaine Brown.
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HBO Max Is Developing a Post-Civil Rights Era Drama Series About Essence Magazine's Origin Story
The essence of Essence Magazine is coming to your television screens! According to Deadline, HBO Max is developing a period drama series based on the launch of Essence Magazine, executive produced by the co-founder of the publication and Chairman-Publisher Emeritus of Essence Communications, Inc. (ECI), Edward Lewis. Shukree Tilghman and Jessica Rambo will co-write the…
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Citing the Unprecedented Impact of COVID-19, Essence Announces Staff Furloughs
It’s been a difficult year for all of us—and as a statement published in Essence magazine Tuesday night revealed, “Essence Communications, Inc. (“ECI”) has not been immune to it.” Framed as an update on the actions taken by the company in response to the now six-month-long impact of COVID-19, the legacy imprint, which celebrated its…
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Further Refuting the Claims of #BlackFemaleAnonymous, Essence Publishes Results of Final Independent Review
The saga that began with a bold public plea to #TakeBackEssence seemed one step closer to ending as of Tuesday, as Essence released the results of yet another independent legal review, this time conducted by the law firm Morgan Lewis. The firm’s report appeared to quash claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, and toxic work culture…
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Essence Answers Sexual Harassment Claims Against Owner Richelieu Dennis With Results of 1st Internal Review
As the 26th annual—and first virtual—Essence Festival dawned this year, #BlackFemaleAnonymous, a group of “former and current employees” of the 50-year-old magazine published an indicting missive titled “The Truth About Essence.” The open letter (subsequently legally referred to as “the Article”) alleged a toxic workplace culture, pay inequities, nepotism, and “an unhinged abuse of power.”…
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![4 Days Into Their Effort to #TakeBackEssence, the Collective Known as #BlackFemaleAnonymous Declares Success [Updated]](https://www.theroot.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ibdgsduolu9wfvedrmmp-300x169.jpg)
4 Days Into Their Effort to #TakeBackEssence, the Collective Known as #BlackFemaleAnonymous Declares Success [Updated]
After a barrage of accusations and threats to publish incriminating evidence to support their claims, the group of current and former Essence staffers who comprise #BlackFemaleAnonymous say their conditions have been met. The announcement, made via a tweet on Thursday night, came a day ahead of the collective’s pronounced July 3 end-of-day deadline, after a…
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Amid a Firestorm, Essence Appoints an Interim CEO, Promising an Independent Review and 'Transparency' [Updated]
The pioneering and still most prominent media brand for Black women will once again have one at the helm—at least, for the immediate future. This is just one of the announcements Essence Communications made in a statement emailed to The Glow Up on Tuesday night, just two days after a now-viral open letter was published…
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#TakeBackEssence? As Essence Celebrates 50 Years, Explosive Allegations Against Its Leadership Spark Controversy
This past weekend was intended to be a landmark one for Essence. The beloved Black legacy publication celebrated its 50th anniversary amid a pandemic, pivoting its 26th annual Essence Festival of Music and Culture to a virtual format spanning over not one, but two weekends, culminating in its traditional Fourth of July weekend festivities. Instead,…
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Brakes Pumped on Essence Festival 2020 Amid Coronavirus Crisis
The show must not go on—at least for the time being. The coronavirus crisis has gotten everybody and everything fucked up right now, and after a couple of weeks of evaluating how this global pandemic would impact business, the producers of the Essence Festival decided to postpone its annual party with a purpose in New…