Mary J. Blige invites Taraji P. Henson, Marsai Martin and more to the Women’s Summit in New York

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mary J. Blige is bringing her mission of empowering women beyond music to her hometown – with the help of the singer’s superstar friends.

Taraji P. Henson, Tiffany Haddish and Jill Scott and other stars and experts will join Blige on her behalf Women’s Power Summit and Festival starts on May 10. Her three-day event over Mother’s Day weekend in New York will feature live shows, comedy acts, a gospel brunch, panel discussions and workshops specializing in technology, beauty, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

On Thursday, organizers announced additional speakers including Henson, Marsai Martin, Method Man, Larenz Tate, Tasha Smith, Michael Rainey Jr., Angie Martinez and Pinky Cole. The event will likely be hosted by comedian Jess Hilarious and podcast host Gia Peppers.

“We teach each other, support each other and lift each other up,” the R&B singer said in a recent interview. “We help each other stay in our businesses and maintain our mental health and so on.”

Blige launched the Women’s Power event in 2022 after years of seeing women at her live shows “hanging on every word like my life belonged to them.” The singer felt she was connecting with concert-goers as she told her own deep stories about overcoming pain.

“I thought to myself, ‘Let me do more than just sing for them,’” said Blige, a nine-time Grammy winner who has won an Emmy, two Oscar nominations and will likely be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this 12 months.

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“In the middle of my songs, it just jumps out at me,” she continued. “Some words of inspiration. People love it. My team and I thought, “Why don’t we just create a festival with the same theme?”

After two successful years in Atlanta, Blige moved her festival to her native New York. He will play an enormous concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with guest appearances by 50 Cent, Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Lola Brooke and Muni Long. Robert Glasper will headline a jazz concert at the Blue Note Jazz Club, and Haddish will take the stage for a comedy act at the Apollo Theater.

Blige stated that in addition to entertainment, she wants to provide resources that may uplift and encourage participants to succeed in life.

“I do my job,” she said. “I’m doing what I was sent to Earth to do. I do my job by uplifting women and letting them know you’re not the only one. You can come here as a safe haven and find comfort.”