Black Excellence
ESSENCE honors six trailblazing Black women in business at intimate celebration presented by L’Oréal Groupe
For over 50 years, ESSENCE has celebrated Black women as cultural architects. This year’s honorees continue that legacy by reshaping boardrooms, arenas, and industries — on their own terms.
NEW YORK — ESSENCE Black Women in Business, presented by L’Oréal Groupe, honored six groundbreaking leaders whose influence spans music, tech, sports, and corporate America. The private luncheon took place Thursday, Oct. 9, and the stream is available online.
ESSENCE Black Women in Business honorees
- Patti LaBelle, Grammy-winning “Godmother of Soul,” who built Patti’s Good Life into a national lifestyle brand.
- Ursula Burns, the first Black woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company, now mentoring future leaders and serving on global boards.
- Monica Turner, President of North America at Procter & Gamble, who drives growth across the company’s largest and most profitable region.
- Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty, who led the team to its first WNBA championship and New York’s first basketball title since 1973.
- Valeisha Butterfield, SEED founder and tech equity advocate, whose career spans the Obama Administration, Google, and the Recording Academy.
- Cheryl Porter, vocal coach and entrepreneur, whose method has reached millions and built a global brand for online music education.
“Black Women in Business is both a tribute and a torch,” said Michele Ghee, ESSENCE Chief Content Officer. “These women lead with courage, community, and vision.”
Celebrating Black women
For over 50 years, ESSENCE has celebrated Black women as cultural architects. This year’s honorees continue that legacy by reshaping boardrooms, arenas, and industries — on their own terms.
ESSENCE Black Women in Business 2025 affirms the brand’s commitment to honoring Black excellence across every sector, from Hollywood to Wall Street.
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