Right before the festivities of this yr’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture kicked off, Girls United, ESSENCE’s Generation-Z-centric platform, hosted their second annual Day of Service.

Happening on the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Recent Orleans natives, volunteers, and ESSENCE staff got here together to serve the Louisiana community with activations, performances, and even a special surprise for all of the kids in attendance. Sponsored by Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Disney, and AT&T, this yr’s Day of Service went off with out a hitch starting with a press conference featuring remarks from ESSENCE CEO Caroline Wanga, reality star and creator Antonia “Toya” Johnson, Mayor of Recent Orleans LaToya Cantrell, and Girls United co-creator Rechelle Dennis.

With 230 campers across six NOLA organizations – including KUUMBA Academy, Future Femmes, Dancing Grounds, Studio BElite Collective, Youth Empowerment Project, and Mic-Amped Summer Leadership Project – 2022 Girls United Day of Service was one more success! With youth performances by Warron Easton High School Band and Dancing Grounds, and spinning tunes by DJ Arie Spins, children, teens, and young adults got here together to have a good time the gorgeous culture of the town of Recent Orleans.

GU Day of Service also included an HBCU Peer-to-Peer Panel moderated by associate editor D’Shonda Brown. HBCU students Zion Rouege (Xavier University), Nina Giddens (Xavier University), Tiana Thomas (Southern University Baton Rouge), Daryelle Dehhonah Mitchell (Southern University Recent Orleans), and JaKiyah Steinbrook (Dillard University) joined Brown on stage for a conversation about their HBCU experiences. Campers starting from 16 years old and up learned from the scholars about being student leaders of their communities, the best way to apply for HBCUs, and advice they’d give to incoming freshmen and interested prospects.

While older campers enjoyed the panel, younger attendees engaged in rotating activations including Mardi Gras beading to grasp more in regards to the creative aspect of Recent Orleans culture, the Drumming Circle to focus on the historical significance and modern interpretation, and Art Painting of Ashe Mobile, where participants had the chance to color a mobile mural throughout the Youth Block Party.

To round out the afternoon, Brown and ESSENCE Gen-Z editor Brooklyn White introduced the Shining Star Day of Service Awards to attendees. With this special accolade, Goal awarded Ashe campers with $100 gift cards at the tip of the day for exemplifying leadership and Black joy throughout the day’s activities. They were each also gifted with tote bags that included Day of Service certificates signed by Girls United co-founder Rechelle Dennis, McDonald’s gift cards, and “I Have A Mayor Named LaToya” written by Charell G Coleman about Mayor of Recent Orleans LaToya Cantrell.

At the tip of this system, Disney Dreamers Academy Executive Tracey Powell presented the “Watch Them Grow” scholarship to members of St. Augustine High School. The eight $2,500 scholarships were awarded to eight families of ninth through twelfth graders with GPAs starting from 3.1-4.63. Recipients included Pierce Marshall, Kaden Kelly, Kenyon Hughes, Bryce Robinson, Samuel Bonds, Turner Duncan, Daunte Kelly, Shane Payton-Hodges, and Malcolm Venable. 

As a special surprise, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and Recent Orleans native Ambré performed for the campers in addition to parents and volunteers.

To learn more about Girls United, head to girlsunited.essence.com.