Planned Parenthood to Sponsor 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
New York, NY – For the first time in the organization’s nearly 100-year history, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) will be a sponsor at the 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival on July 5-8 in New Orleans.
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Planned Parenthood Federation of America
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While at the festival, PPFA and its affiliate Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast will educate attendees on Planned Parenthood’s affordable, high-quality health services and offer birth control counseling and information.
“At Planned Parenthood, we know that women and families are often too busy with work and life to prioritize their own health. That’s why, we’re focused on making sure that women have access to high-quality, affordable health care and education,” said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president for public policy, advocacy, and communications at PPFA. “The ESSENCE Music Festival is not only a great cultural event but also a great opportunity to educate festival attendees about health disparities in the African-American community and the affordable, high-quality care that Planned Parenthood provides in communities across the country.”
The Planned Parenthood booth at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will feature celebrity guests: Grammy Award-winning singers Estelle and Q Parker, Rocsi Diaz, co-host of BET’s 106 & Park, actress Keisha Knight Pulliam (The Cosby Show and Tyler Perry’s House of Payne), celebrity stylist June Ambrose of VH1’s Style by June, and Reverend Al Sharpton, host of MSNBC’s Politics Nation. The booth will also have a photo/video area, screenings of the film A Vital Service: African American Stories of Reproductive Health Care, and “Ask the Expert” question-and-answer sessions with Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for external medical affairs at PPFA. On Saturday, July 7, Planned Parenthood will present a 30-minute “Ask the Expert” Game Show on the Essence.com Live Stage at 3:30 p.m., which will be hosted by Rocsi Diaz. Also, on Saturday, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast will offer birth control counseling and information. Throughout the festival, Planned Parenthood staff and volunteers will hand out fans, T-shirts, water bottles, and tote bags.
“African Americans have higher rates of many preventable diseases, including cancers, diabetes, heart disease and sexually transmitted infections,” said Dr. Cullins. “Planned Parenthood wants to help African Americans get and stay healthy, and the Essence Music Festival is a terrific place to engage with and educate people about how to live healthier lives. The festival is a party — but with a purpose.”
The ESSENCE Music Festival is one of the largest entertainment and cultural events in the U.S. This year’s festival will offer dozens of performances from top entertainers and free seminars led by the nation’s leading speakers, authors, and educators. More than 400,000 people are expected to attend.
Published
July 06, 2012
Source
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Contact
Planned Parenthood Federation of America media office: 212-261-4433
Published
July 06, 2012