UNITING ESSENCE "GUNS DOWN" INITIATIVE AND NEW ORLEANS- "NOLA FOR LIFE"

ESSENCE EMPOWERMENT EXPERIENCE STAGE

ESSENCE PARTNERS WITH NEW ORLEANS MAYOR MITCH LANDRIEU TO BRING TOGETHER TO END VIOLENCE!

(New York, NY–July 2, 2013)--As the world watches one of the most prolific trials in America, the trial of George Zimmerman accused of gunning down teenager Trayvon Martin, Essence partners with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to bring grieving mothers together with their families to finally call for an end to all of the violence in America Sunday, July 7th.

At the culmination of the renowned ESSENCE Empowerment Experience at the 2013 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans (July 4-7), ESSENCE will partner with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to unite mothers and families in an effort to end violence and murder across America. 

ESSENCE and Mayor Landrieu will host ‘Love, Loss and Life’, a special prayer vigil for mothers who have loved and lost , on Sunday, July 7,  at 9AM (CST) at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage. 

Mayor Landrieu, highlighting the city’s comprehensive murder reduction strategy NOLA FOR LIFE (#NOLAforLife) and ESSENCE, referencing its Guns Down series (#ESSENCEGunsDown), will lead vital conversations and encourage collective prayer about stopping the violence and murder that are plaguing our cities. 

“The loss of young people to senseless violence is a national tragedy,” said ESSENCE Acting Managing Editor, Vanessa K. Bush, “Our community of ESSENCE readers is praying for our families.  As mothers, when we send our children out into the world, we expect them to always come home.  By joining with Mayor Landrieu and the City of New Orleans, we are coming together to mourn, rejoice and inspire a national movement.”

The ‘Love, Life & Loss’ program will include testimonies from mothers, choir performances, a moment of prayer, a second line procession and a pledge by the community.    In addition, a ‘Wall of Remembrance’ featuring images of the children lost to violence will be created on-site and the pledge will be shared around the world via social media. 

“Partnering with ESSENCE is an important step in galvanizing women and making murder reduction a national priority,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu.  “We understand that mothers who have loved and lost are critical in changing the culture of violence and in ending this unacceptable epidemic of young African-American men killing each other.”

For the latest news about the ESSENCE FESTIVAL, visit ESSENCE Festival www.essencefestival.com. Join the Festival community: follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2013 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook.

The 2013 ESSENCE FESTIVAL™ is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC, a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).  GeChar is the executive producer of the 2013 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage.