Essence Fest: celebration or corporatised rebrand? The Aunties chat with Deja Zhané to debate whether the festival still centers Black American heritageWhat we cover From the claim that local vendors & creators are overlooked to reports of influencers flown in from the UK/Toronto, we dig into leadership decisions, rising costs, and how to honour Black American culture without stoking diaspora wars. We also talk solutions: prioritising local talent, transparent curation, and building spaces for both Black American heritage and wider Pan African connection.00:00:00 – Why we invited Deja: Essence Fest backlash & context set-up. 00:03:00 – Deja’s viral video: “Essence no longer feels like us” (heritage vs corporates). 00:07:00 – Leaving comments open & being unapologetically Black—Deja’s stance on discourse. 00:10:30 – Does leadership still center BA heritage? The Caroline Wanga debate. 00:11:30 – Are locals being skipped? NOLA vendors/creators & who gets invited. 00:26:00 – Price hikes, paid lounges & why it now feels “curated” not community. 00:28:00 – Kensington Grey, UK & Toronto influencers at Essence—fair or foul? 00:40:00 – “Global Blackness” vs BA identity: inclusion without erasure. 01:10:00 – Can we keep BA culture at the core and invite the diaspora? (Pan-African approach). 01:54:00 – Big-picture wrap: colonialism, reparations, and shared struggle across the diaspora. 01:56:00 – Deja’s next steps: nostalgia, BA beauty focus & creating for overlooked girls.🔗 Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https:https://www.instagram.com/yourauntiescouldnever/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourauntiescouldnever🌍 Website : https://www.yourauntiescouldnever.com/