The Queen of R&B and hip hop soul, Mary J. Blige returned to Atlanta over the Mother’s Day weekend, for her second annual Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit. Presented by Pepsi and Live Nation Urban, the purpose of this powerful four-day event is to elevate, educate, and empower women around the world, and trust me when I say, it did not disappoint.

BET.com captured moments from the only festival experience in the market brought to you exclusively by an all-Black, woman-led team. From a village full of women-led restaurants, consecutive sold-out concerts, and groundbreaking discussions, to a night of comedy and a Purpose Ball full of drag superstars, the weekend experience totally knocked me off my feet.

Here’s a look into some of the most remarkable moments from the event, providing you with a glimpse into celebrity performances and appearances, fan reactions, and the soul-stirring feeling awakened by the final day’s events. It was a weekend to remember always.

As I walk into City Winery Atlanta, located at the historic Ponce City Market, I am met with an immediate feeling of intention and purpose. Mary J. Blige arrived and stood alongside Kent Montgomery, senior vice president of Industry Relations and Multicultural Development at PepsiCo, to present $35,000 each to various Atlanta community organizations that support opportunities for women, including Earth Girl ATL, City of Refuge, Silence the Shame, and Right Hand Foundation. The goal is to drive long-lasting change for women in need in the Atlanta area and beyond while empowering women in the areas of wellness, technology, finance, and the creative arts.

Later that evening, I returned to City Winery Atlanta for “An Evening with Robert Glasper” presented by Live Nation Urban. I walked down the stairway into the concert hall and was greeted with a room full of diverse and eager faces awaiting the highly anticipated performance from the Grammy and Emmy-winning artist and producer.  Did I mention this was the second back-to-back sold out show? Yes, the second, but that did not slow the energy down at all!

The lights are dim as I take my seat in this very intimate setting. Each person around me is ordering their food and drinks as we all prepare for a night to remember. Shortly after, the host introduces Glasper to the stage with a rousing, “presenting Rooooberrrtttt Glassssssperrrrrr.” The crowd roars with excitement as Glasper enters with a smile and a few jokes that undoubtedly connects him with the crowd.

He followed up with a toast dedicated to the strength that women seemingly muster at a moment’s notice, and without further ado, the music begins. It’s difficult not to be in awe as his hands gracefully glide across the piano, delivering a powerful range of songs and renditions, including Common’s “The Light”, Mary J. Blidge’s “Be Happy”, and random suggestions from the audience who connected with what we were all hearing. Glasper provided the perfect night cap with a special performance from Luke James and Queen Sheba. The bar is indeed set for the rest of the festival.

Friday, May 12th — Kickin' It With Mary 

Friday evening was capped off with a performance from the Queen herself in the wheelhouse in which she is most comfortable and cherished. Blige performed alongside some of our favorites from the early days of melding hip hop and R&B in front of a sold-out crowd. I knew timing would be everything, so I arrived just in time to beat the traffic, the crowd, and anything else that could potentially get in my way of getting in place before the concert began. As soon as I enter the State Farm Arena, I am met with the sounds of Jodeci giving me all of the feels and uncontrollable outbursts of sing-a-longs. The best part was that I was not the only one feeling it this deeply.

As I find my way to my seat, I am passing generations of people singing and dancing like no one else is around. It’s an instant reminder of why I love music so much! No matter your age, race, or gender, good music transcends and crosses barriers like no other art form.

I find my seat and DJ Drama is in the booth like it’s a boxing ring, giving us hit after hit  while featuring a few of his friends. I’m talking about heavy weights like Lloyd, Bobby Valentino, Young Dro and The King himself, T.I. gracing the stage and pulling each person in for a good time.

And if that wasn’t enough, Jeezy had the entire crowd hyped to “Put On” for the city (Atlanta, of course) that influences everything. He ended his set with “Soul Survivor” and brought out special guest Akon for an unforgettable performance.

Mary didn't hit the stage until all of this was done to get the crowd truly hyped. It does not matter that it’s 11:30 p.m., we await our Queen, and she does not disappoint.

Dressed to impress, Mary came out swinging and held no punches (or kicks, if you know what I mean) in her legendary thigh-high boots. Gifting us all with a sneak peak of her Lifetime Originals new shows, “Real Love” and “Strength of a Woman,” we got to see a sneak peak of all the drama from the woman who professes she wants no more of that. Executive produced by Blige, both programs are named after two of her major hits and scheduled to premiere on back-to-back Saturdays, beginning June 10th at 8 p.m.

Mary is then joined on stage by performers who, you know, are also close friends. There was Ciara, who surprised us all with the song, “Don't Play With It” Brooklyn newcomer Lola Brooke, as well as Jadakiss, Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Rah Digga, and Missy Elliott. And yes, the music did make us lose control. After a solid four outfit changes, each paired with a different style and color of boots, of course, the crowd couldn’t resist hyping the global superstar and Queen of Hip Hop Soul in unison with “Go Mary, Go Mary, Go Mary!”

Let’s be honest, if anyone knows how to properly honor the cultural impact of hip hop during its 50th anniversary, it's Mary J. Blidge.

“It really shows how essential women are in the culture. Headed by a Queen, Mary J. Blidge, the summit showed how much influence the culture has. To bring Atlanta out for an entire weekend shows how important relationships are in the industry. Mary sincerely has genuine love for each and every artist on this lineup, and it shows. It’s also showing the younger generation what is possible by seeing the evolution of the summit in real time,” said local artist Larry “NuFace” Compton.

It’s the morning of the summit, and the weather couldn’t be any better. As I walk through security at AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta, the little Black girl in me is filled with so much joy as I am experiencing waves of women uplifting and empowering one another in the most authentic way.

“As an aspiring journalist, this summit is giving me the platform to foster communities that will help me achieve my goals and dreams,” said Kayla Anthony. “It also connects me with like minded women that I can learn from as I continue to grow into the best version of me.”

After a Morning Wellness/Prayer/Affirmation moment brought by artist and author KJ Rose, the Summit dives right into education during its first panel moderated by The Baller Alert Show (featuring Ferrari Simmons, Su Solo) along with Mia Ray, Angel Gregorio, Milan Harris, and Jayda Cheaves, to discuss the rules of financial freedom, investing, and developing multiple streams of income.

From a Fireside Chat on Centering Black Women’s Stories with Mara Brock Akil, Marsai Martin, Gail Bean, Raven Goodwin, and Brandee Evans to a panel with Earn Your Leisure, moderated by Rashad Bilal and Troy Milling, with Egypt Sherrie, Tiffany James, and Ayesha Sheldon, I couldn’t help but notice how engaged the attendees were with their pen and notebooks and phones steadily in movement to ensure they are able to retain the smart information that was provided.

“To see this space and know that it is for Black women is amazing,” said Tiffany Jones of Modern Blk Girl. “My brand is for Black women, so to know that this is also led by Black women truly means a lot to me. I am always rooting for Black Women, so to be on a panel where I can just give the girls some information on finance, investing, and stocks on this platform, I’m ready!”

The day is nearing an end, and it hits me that I’ve fueled everything except my appetite. So I make my way over to the Pepsi Dig In activation, where local Black women-owned restaurants are spotlighted and supported to drive access, business growth, and awareness for their businesses. On my way over, I was greeted by a representative from the eye-catching CVS activation. She invited me to write some words of encouragement on a huge mirror covered in quotes and affirmations already written by other attendees. I was inspired to write three simple words: Faith With Works because that resonated with everything that I had seen and heard while attending SOAW 2023.

I finally made it over to the Pepsi Dig In, and I cannot even begin to express my level of excitement when I notice Local Green providing some of my favorite vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian meals as an option. My day is officially made.

The last concert of the Strength of a Woman Summit returns to the State Farm Arena on Saturday evening, and it’s completely dedicated to the passionate art form known as Rhythm & Blues. After breathtaking performances from Coco Jones, Muni Long, Summer Walker, and Lucky Daye, (who sent the crowd into a frenzy when he brought a fan on stage), the great, legendary Lauryn Hill finally hit the stage, performing her classic hits such as “Killing Me Softly” and “Doo Wop (That Thing)”. She was joined by her son, Josh Marley, who performed with Hill and embodied all the stylized soul of his talented mother.

As we wrap up another successful Summit, it is only right that we first celebrate and thank all of the mothers on this special Mother's Day. (Thank you Moms!)

The Summit concludes with a stirring Gospel Brunch followed by a Purpose Ball, both held at The Bank, an innovative and unforgettable event center located in the heart of Atlanta. Performances by Kierra Shepard, Chandler Moore, and Le’Andria Johnson brought Mary J. Blidge and many others to tears of appreciation, love, and gratitude. On the other side of town, at the Tabernacle event space, different tears were shed at the comedy show featuring Henry Welsh, Erica Duchess, Navv Green, and Mike Epps.

But whether this weekend sparked tears of joy or tears of laughter, Mary J. Blidge certainly made her intentions clear. 

“The legacy I want to leave is to continue to create content and spaces for us by us," she said. And, I truly believe that is something we can all get behind!