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2006 Essence Music Festival -- Paving the Way on the Third Coast: Chevy
POINT A: Houston, Texas by day
POINT B: Houston, Texas by night
The steam rose from the pavement as the humidity hung low and damp on the greenery of East Texas landscape. That didn’t stop them from coming by the thousands. They came from near and far — by plane and car. They came for the music, with Mary J. Blige topping their lists again and again, and the informational seminars with speakers like Angela Davis and Yolanda Adams moving the crowds in the auditorium at the Reliant Center. They came for themselves, as a gift to themselves. And if they paid attention, they came away with a gift to take back to their communities. As Houston Mayor Bill White proclaimed at the press conference kicking off the event, “The cadence of life in Houston will have a nice rhythm to it.”
For some it was their first time around, and for some this was a weekend they wouldn’t dream of missing. What seemed consistent was a state of mind— these ladies know exactly what they are looking for and they’re not afraid to travel in order to get it.
It’s not surprising, that many of these tendencies translate into the 2006 Essence Festival fans car buying patterns, in a metaphorical sense. “I like it plain, but with a little bit of class,” says Joyce Garrett, Sergeant First Class in the Army, stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Garrett drives a Saab 9-5, but was eying the new Impala at the Chevrolet stand with interest when she saw the specs on the Impala Super Sport, which she said would be perfect for her teenagers to get in and out of the backseat. Then Garrett stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the yellow Corvette on display. “I’m kind of selfish. This is something just for me.”
Perusing the finery on display, Shavon Henley told Ladies’ Choice that she drives a company car — a gray Chevrolet Impala — but what she’s fiending for is something with more pizzazz and power like a Range Rover that keeps her riding high. Henley’s zest for zip is real. She’s a Suzuki sport bike rider in her spare time and is part of Miami’s Gravedigga’s motorcycle club with her boyfriend.
Whereas when it comes to cars for Kenyatta Jarrett, it’s about keeping the legacy alive. The Flint, Michigan woman used to intern at GM and her dream car will always be the ’Vette. A loyal soul, it’s no surprise that the Essence Festival is an annual pilgrimage for Jarrett, whose been coming for the past five years. “I’m glad it’s Houston so I can see something different.” Back home, she drives a ’99 Olds Bravada, but today all she’s thinking about is Chris Brown, who she will see perform. “He’s so cute,” says the 25-year old.
Ensie Jones has a sparkle in her eye canvassing the convention center floor, and it’s not just because she’s wearing a crown as Miss Texas Plus. She speaks with a warm sunny lilt to her voice and insists that she loves her 1997 Acura Integra. “It was a gift. I plan to drive it until the wheels fall off.” When she’s not wearing her crown, she’s teaching elementary school. Though the festival is part of her rounds as a pageant winner, her favorite band, Frankie Beverly and Maze, is her most anticipated moment for her third Essence Festival.
And some Essence fans don’t need to do much research on getting value from their car purchases. Katherine Devoe is a credit manager from Missouri City, Texas. She is confident that her 2005 Dodge Stratus is right for her. “I looked at the gas savings. I liked the body, styling and price.” Devoe collects knowledge in her spare time, too, citing the seminars as some of her favorite parts of the festival. “The seminars are all very uplifting. They all have a clear positive message.”
While the Essence Festival seems to be at its peak with traffic lining the freeways around the stadium, there’s always room for growth. And sometimes growth is sparked by tragedy. Up until last year, the festival was held in New Orleans, and the Bayou is not far from memory or conversation or activists’ minds. But perhaps Texas native Jamie Foxx said it best in a few words after his polished performance. Foxx was speaking on his accomplishments, with words that can be applied to just about every thing worth striving toward in life. “This is the beginning,” he said, commenting on something Quincy Jones told him. “It’s a marathon.”
Ladies, get your driving shoes, there’s still miles to be covered.
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