Mary J. Blige’s Reign Extends To Women’s Empowerment

Over the course of her career, Mary J. Blige has used her remarkable artistry to empower women from all walks of life, and that hasn’t changed. The New York native has successfully catapulted her megawatt star power into a platform that celebrates and affirms women’s empowerment, making it clear that her reign as Queen of Hip-Hop Soul includes helping other women discover the royalty within themselves. In collaboration with Pepsi and Live Nation, Blige recently hosted the second annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit in Atlanta. The annual event, which took place over Mother’s Day weekend, featured a variety of events designed to empower and uplift women, including live music, panel discussions, and more, all assembled by dynamic duo Nicole Jackson, Vice President of MJB Inc. and Ashaunna Ayars, founder of The Ayars Agency.

While it’s clear that Blige, Jackson, and Ayars’ collaborative effort is one of success, it’s their sisterhood that shines through — so much so that the summit reflected that. The summit, which took place on Saturday, May 14, featured panel discussions with successful women across entertainment, entrepreneurship, beauty, wellness, financial literacy, and more industries. Jackson feels that it’s crucial for Black women from diverse backgrounds to come together in spaces like this to support one another.

“I feel that we need to look after each other because it’s hard out here for Black women in any career space, anywhere we go,” Jackson said. “Coming together, getting information, and learning more things, I think, is the purpose of coming to Strength of a Woman. Sometimes you want to lean on someone outside of your circle, and sometimes, you want to bring your circle in to lean on others, so I think that’s what it speaks to.”

As attendees entered the highly-anticipated event, they were greeted with an abundance of lush, pink scenery accentuated by vendors and pop-ups from notable brands, including Mielle Organics, Amazon Music, and many more. The space, specifically curated to reflect the beauty of womanhood and sisterhood, also featured a host of panel discussions on various topics led by prominent women across multiple sectors. One panelist in particular, CEO of Glam-Aholic Lifestyle Mia Ray, who spoke on the importance of financial freedom, feels that her participation in the event aligns with her background of being a confident woman as well as the village that raised her to be one.

“When I think of this summit, it’s really everything that I was raised on,” Ray said. “I was raised by very strong Black women, not even in the aspect of being independent, but just in exuding power and confidence. We had confidence builders and self-esteem builders in my house, and I hope I’m making them proud.”

The Detroit native was among several high-profile panelists across various subject areas, including Mara Brock Akil, Ciara, and Iyanla Vanzant. The television personality, known for inspiring women worldwide to become their highest selves, served as the event’s keynote speaker. When it comes to Vanzant’s definition of the Strength of a Woman, she feels that it’s the embodiment of one’s most authentic self.

“For me, the strength of a woman means the alignment and integrity of her inner self,” Vanzant said. “The outside doesn’t matter because so many of us walk around looking good on the outside and totally demolished on the inside. So for me, our strength is bringing our inner life into alignment, integrity, and peace so that we can demonstrate all of that on the outside.”

The summit’s registrants may have had a packed day full of insightful commentary from some of the biggest stars in the world, along with participating in buzzy activations of major brands, but the fun didn’t stop there. Later that night, the second part of the weekend’s concert series took place with a lineup of R&B artists headlined by Ms. Lauryn Hill. Saturday’s concert, while a departure from the electric tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop the night before, encompassed the same great vibes and music to match. One artist in particular who kept the energy flowing through a searing rendition of her popular hits was rising R&B star, Coco Jones. As her performance was on the eve of Mother’s Day, Jones reflected on her relationship with her own mother, who was in attendance for the starlet’s musical set.

“The type of strength that I learned from my mother is the strength of selflessness because she was my team when there was no team, and that comes from being selfless. It’s never about her. It’s always the bigger picture for the bigger vision. I think as I come into being a boss, it helps me realize that this is bigger than me, and I want to always take my mom’s selflessness and apply it to myself and think about my community and my team. I think about the next young girl who wants to sing and who wants these opportunities and how I can continue to break down those doors so she can get in those doors easier.”