Recap: Mary J. Blige Had A Grand Homecoming With 2024 ‘Strength Of A Woman’ Festival And Summit In NYC

When looking at the career of Mary J. Blige, the undisputed Queen of Hip-Hop Soul for three decades and counting, it comes as no surprise that she puts emphasis on the title and standout track of her 2017 album, Strength Of A Woman. Birthed from the heartbreak and eventual failure of trying to keep her marriage afloat, the project showcased a woman trying her best to be the best version of herself for another. It was after finding that strength — a five-year journey of self discovery that resulted in the triumphant release of Good Morning Gorgeous and an epic Super Bowl Halftime performance in 2022 — that MJB could really call herself “da MVP.”

That inner strength inspired her to launch the Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit, which just commenced its third year with a Big Apple homecoming for the New York native this past Mother’s Day Weekend. We decided to swing by and check out the festivities, and not even rain on a Sunday could drown out what Mary had planned for the city.

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Shining all weekend like the boots she rocked during the main event concert at Barclays Center — it’s actually her new ‘Mary Boot’ collaboration with Giuseppe Zanotti (seen above) that’s already sold out online — Mary covered all grounds to assure that she provided something everyone could enjoy. From a classic welcome party at Harlem hotspot Corner Social and a jazz revue at Blue Note New York to kick things off, to an all-day summit on Saturday with scenic views by way of The Glasshouse that included panels, giveaways and flowers given both literally and figuratively with Black women primarily in mind, it was easily enough to please anyone at that point already. Mary instead followed up with the aforementioned concert, in addition to a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday followed by a gospel concert to close out the evening. So much was shared throughout the weekend that felt special in its delivery, and we can only hope the women in attendance will spread the camaraderie in their own worlds that clearly resonated throughout the day-long summit.

For panelist Sharon Content, who spoke on the From Crisis To Care: Navigating Mental Health In The Black Community panel, the message of “Strength Of A Woman” resonated especially. She says, “When I hear ‘strength of a woman,’ or when I participate in a conference that is inspired by the strength of a woman, it really empowers me to really understand and be honored to be part of bringing women together to empower, uplift, celebrate our resiliency and really create a sisterhood so that we can share in a space to express our vulnerability in a space of strength. It’s such an honor to be on a panel and be asked to participate in bringing sisters together — our women of color! — and really allow us to celebrate our resiliency.”

It echoes especially in the work she does daily to provide a haven for disenfranchised youth. Mrs. Content continued by adding, “As the founder and president of Children of Promise NYC, a community-based organization in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn and in the South Bronx, we specifically work for and serve children of incarcerated parents. Participating in the Strength Of A Woman Summit allowed me to showcase an opportunity for all of the participants and all of the members that attended today to be able to look at community service as an outlet of self-care. For us to really look at a non-profit organization serving the community, serving a community in need of support as a result of their parent being in prison — all the young people that we serve have one or both parents in prison — it felt like a call-to-action for participants today and women who came out to give back. I challenge everyone to identify a non-profit organization that touches your heart; a non-profit that means something to you. Utilize that as an opportunity to give back. There’s always a way.”

Fellow panelist Rosezena “The BizLawyer” Pierce, who spoke on the panel Operation Secure The Bag: The Keys To Unlocking Financial Freedom, had similar sentiments, but had one woman in mind specifically when thinking of what Strength Of A Woman means to her. She told us exclusively, shorty after dropping some serious gems on stage, “When I think of ‘strength of a woman,’ I think of really my mom. The way you go through things and conquering things, my mom went through a lot! However, she don’t look like what she been through. That’s the strength of a woman; she knows how to get over and climb. She’s just amazing. Strength of a woman to me really is going through it, getting through the fire and coming out still well-done like my girl Chrisette Michele says.”

Overall it was a weekend that we think many women across the Tri-state area and beyond won’t soon forget, and are very likely to spread to their fellow sister-girls. We look forward to seeing how The Queen tops herself next year!

Check out a full recap of Mary J. Blige’s 2024 Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit, from the welcome party in Harlem and full-day summit at The Glasshouse NYC to a star-filled concert at Barclays, jazz revue at Blue Note and gospel concert on Mother’s Day to close out the eventful weekend:

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