Blige and PEPSI® Announce Scholarship Opportunity for a Black Female Student Attending or Planning to Attend an HBCU
By Angela Redding | Los Angeles, CA, | Hollywood Beat magazine | 5/9/2023
Photos: PEPSI and David Mark
“The whole mission of this festival is to celebrate and advocate for Black women,” said global icon Mary J. Blige, “so to have Pepsi, show up and show out in the way they do is overwhelming. 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.”
During Mother’s Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, Pepsi will be back as a co-presenter of Mary J. Blige’s “Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit,” once again bringing its potent roots in music and culture to intensify the celebrations. For the second consecutive year, Pepsi is backing Mary J. Blige’s refreshingly unabashed mission to raise, inform, and empower festival-goers over the extended weekend of events. With a scholarship in cooperation with Mary J. Blige to be awarded to an HBCU student later in the year, the brand’s emphasis this year is on developing chances for connection and growth within the Atlanta community and beyond.
What is HBCU?
HBCU is an abbreviation for historically Black colleges and universities. A college or university in the U.S. established before 1964 for African American students. Although HBCUs were originally founded to educate Black students, they enroll students of other races as well. (source)
calendar of events
Pepsi will co-present with Mary J. Blige and her team with an extra day of programming and a full calendar of events to create happy spaces where attendees and the women who inspire them are highlighted and celebrated all weekend long. These contributions to culture and community are meant to have a long-lasting impact.
Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit
Mary J. Blige performing. (Photo by David Msrk)
Activities for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit Consist of:
- Pepsi Dig In Spotlights Atlanta’s Female-run, Black-Owned Restaurants: Pepsi Dig In – the brand’s platform designed to drive access, business growth, and awareness for Black-owned businesses – will provide complimentary food from a selection of local Black female-owned restaurants.
Attendees of the summit will be able to sample specialties from restaurants in Atlanta such Ms. Icey’s Kitchen, Gocha’s Breakfast Bar, Twisted Soul, and Local Green Atlanta, elevating these establishments during one of the city’s busiest weekends. - PepsiCo Donates $200,000 Towards Local Organizations That Support Opportunities for Women, Announces HBCU Scholarship in Partnership with Mary J. Blige: PepsiCo is contributing $200,000 to the first “PepsiCo x Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Scholarship,” as well as financing regional organizations that mirror the summit’s programming pillars, in order to create long-lasting impact for women in need in the Atlanta area and beyond. Silence the Shame, City of Refuge, Right Hand Foundation, and Earth Girl ATL are among the organizations in collaboration with Blige to support women in the fields of wellness, technology, finance, and the creative arts. PepsiCo is also unveiling a scholarship with Mary J. Blige, to be given to a Black female student planning to attend or already enrolled in an HBCU. The winner will be revealed during the company’s HBCU tour in the fall.
- PepsiCo Empowers and Uplifts Female Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders: PepsiCo will be utilizing the festival’s inspiration and aspirational environment to engage women leaders from across the company and industry. Bringing together local female entrepreneurs through its Stacy’s Rise Project and Black changemakers through its Doritos SOLID BLACK platform, PepsiCo will host a dinner to elevate and celebrate the women who have made an impact internally at the company and externally in the community.
“The Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit has proven to be a powerful platform for Pepsi and its brands to create opportunities that bring long-lasting change to amplify and elevate women. This year, with even more events for fans to experience, we want to recognize, celebrate, and support the voices of the community, from the incredible on-stage talent, including the iconic Mary J. Blige, to the on-the-ground local restauranteurs and entrepreneurs whose vision and passion inspire others,” said Kent Montgomery, Senior Vice President, Industry Relations and Multicultural Development, PepsiCo.
How to Get Tickets for Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit
Between May 11 and 14, 2023, the Mary J. Blige and Pepsi “Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit,” presented in association with Live Nation Urban, makes a triumphant return to the exciting metropolis of Atlanta, Georgia.
You can purchase every ticket at www.soawfestival.com
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