Oprah Winfrey Gives Inspiration Speech At Essence Fest

Essence Fest Highlights (Day Two): Inspiration From Oprah, Mariah Carey Sangs And More

Oprah Winfrey at Essence Empowerment Experience

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Oprah Winfrey. That’s really all that needs to be said about the second day of the 2016 Essence Festival in New Orleans.

The philanthropist and billionaire media mogul graced visitors with her presence on Saturday, and brought with her some serious words of wisdom. “You don’t get what you wish for,” Winfrey told the large audience. “You don’t get what you hope for. You get what you believe.”

In addition to Winfrey, Ava DuVernay, Cookie Johnson, Misty Copeland, Soledad O’Brien, Al Sharpton, The Real co-hosts, and the cast of Queen Sugar were there for the Essence Empowerment Experience panel discussions and motivation speeches.

“Every single episode is directed by a woman,” said DuVernay about her new OWN Television show, Queen Sugar. “It isn’t something that we see hardly enough. If Game of Thrones can have all men for the last three seasons, Queen Sugar can have all women and show what a fantastic show can be made from our hands and our minds.”

Fans went crazy for Doug E Fresh and Mariah Carey who performed on the main stage. But there were also performances from Jidenna, Lalah Hathaway, Charlie Wilson, Estelle, and Jeremiah.

All is all it was a solid day of entertainment, expression, and most importantly, empowerment.

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