ESSENCE Ventures announced President and CEO Caroline Wanga will not be returning after taking an extended leave of absence for health reasons.
“The ESSENCE family extends heartfelt appreciation and best wishes to Caroline Wanga as she continues her journey of storytelling, empowerment, and cultural leadership,” ESSENCE Ventures wrote in a statement.
Wanga, who previously served as Target’s chief DEI officer, oversaw the planning and execution of the ESSENCE music festival in New Orleans in July.
This year’s music festival brought widespread criticism and backlash online.
R&B legend Stephanie Mills wrote an open letter complaining about July’s disorganized Essence Fest.
In her letter, Mills said she was writing to share feedback following her performance. “My overall experience was unfortunately marred by significant production issues that negatively impacted both my performance and the artist experience as a whole,” she wrote.
The music festival was poorly attended this year due to the economy and high ticket prices. According to Nola.com, the entire festival ran behind schedule.
Lauryn Hill performs “Killing Me Softly..” at 4am for #ESSENCEFest25
?: https://t.co/aDSZFmFENY pic.twitter.com/qoNGm1isbl
— Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) July 5, 2025
Ms. Lauryn Hill. Live. Last night.
You just had to be there.#ESSENCEFest25 pic.twitter.com/RuBtTBKi3N— ESSENCE (@Essence) July 5, 2025
