Mary J. Blige recently announced a new scholarship as part of her partnership with the PepsiCo brand in support of the return of the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit.
In a press release, the award-winning singer announced that she will donate scholarship money alongside PepsiCo as part of the inaugural “PepsiCo x Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Scholarship.” The donation is geared towards providing support for Black women as it will be awarded to a Black female student that currently or will attend an HBCU.
Through the partnership, the brands will also donate $200,000 in support to local Atlanta organizations. Selected alongside Blige, the businesses that are to receive the support will be organizations that work to empower Black women in different sectors such as STEM, finance, and the arts. Amongst the businesses chosen are Silence the Shame, Earth Girl ATL and Right Hand Foundation.
“The whole mission of this festival is to celebrate and advocate for Black women, “so to have Pepsi show up and show out in the way they do is overwhelming,” said Blige in a press release. “With their support for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, we are able to pay it forward in so many impactful ways and to be able to grant an HBCU scholarship for a deserving student is nothing short of incredible.”
This year marks the return of the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit. Founded by Blige herself, the event was launched as a way to empower women and the community through a series of events, including live music, all curated by an all-Black, all-women festival team. Alongside the songstress, Nicole Jackson, the Vice President of MJB Inc., and Ashaunna Ayars, the founder of the music marketing company Ayars Agency, have both helped curate the lineup for this year’s festival.
Back for the second year in a row, the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit is set to have performances by Blige herself, Lauryn Hill, Coco Jones, Summer Walker, Busta Rhymes, Method Man and Jadakiss, amongst others. A series of panels and speeches from keynote speakers are also scheduled throughout the three-day festival; during the festival’s span from May 11 to May 14, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ciara, Claire Sulmers and Monique Rodriguez, and more, will appear in talk events hosted by actor Marsai Martin.
The festival will also be offering other events such as the Comedy Show, the Gospel Brunch, the Purpose Ball and a performance by pianist Robert Glasper as part of their lineup.
