Published: June 30, 2011
Coca-Cola Jazzes Up the ESSENCE Music Festival with $125,000 in Scholarships to Schools in Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS - (BUSINESS WIRE) - And the party continues. The Coca-Cola Company is swinging down to the
"Big Easy" this week to continue its yearlong, 125th
anniversary celebration at the ESSENCE Music Festival. As part of the
festivities, The Coca-Cola Foundation will make a donation to help
deserving students in Louisiana.
As the Presenting Sponsor of the country's largest music and empowerment
event for African American women, Coca-Cola is awarding $125,000 in
scholarships to five Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs) in Louisiana. Each educational institution will receive $25,000
from The Coca-Cola Foundation to support women's empowerment and
education initiatives.
The grants will support the Coca-Cola Last Mile Scholarships which
benefit women who are the first in their families to attend college and
who lack the necessary resources to complete their degrees. Recipients
must be in their Senior year of college, maintain a grade point average
of 2.5 (4.0 scale) and be enrolled at Xavier University, Southern
University New Orleans, Grambling State University, Southern University
at Baton Rouge or Dillard University.
"The Coca-Cola Company has made a major commitment to empower women by
helping them overcome barriers to business success," said Ingrid
Saunders Jones, Chairperson, The Coca-Cola Foundation. "These
scholarships will empower women scholars to fulfill their dreams of
completing their college education."
Coca-Cola has been the Presenting Sponsor of the ESSENCE Music Festival
for the past 16 years and has given nearly $500,000 to support the New
Orleans community.
"At the ESSENCE Music Festival thousands of African Americans enjoy a
weekend full of music, empowerment sessions and fun with friends and
family," said Kimberly Evans Paige, Assistant Vice President,
African American Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. "While the
music and weather are hot, we cool down the fans with plenty of ice-cold
Coca-Cola."
Festival attendees can sample Diet Coke and Gold Peak Tea, enjoy star
appearances at the Coca-Cola booth by DJ Rock-T from the Rickey
Smiley Morning Show, celebrity Chef G Garvin and more. Coca-Cola
also will roll out the red carpet for an unforgettable interactive event
which places people center stage for the premier of the CokeFreeze360
cam. It's all part of the "Celebrate You" party to say "thank you" to
music fans.
Coca-Cola has also created a commemorative 125th Anniversary
souvenir Coca-Cola bottle to mark the occasion and thank people for
enjoying Coca-Cola for 125 years. The bottles will be distributed at
Coca-Cola booths during the weekend-long activities.
Other Coca-Cola activities include:
Chris Paul Foundation CP3K Walk for KIDS
As part of Coca-Cola's active living and youth development platforms,
Coca-Cola is the Presenting Sponsor of the Chris Paul Foundation's CP3K
Walk for KIDS, Thursday, June 30, 2011 at Tulane University in New
Orleans. The Walk will educate New Orleans youth about being active and
making healthy life choices.
Youth Outreach Program
Coca-Cola will co-sponsor the ESSENCE Music Festival Youth Outreach and
Empowerment Program. Speakers will share stories of their personal
triumphs, and Coca-Cola will bring New Orleans' own R&B singer Kourtney
Heart to perform. Teens will have the opportunity to win prizes and
receive premium giveaways.
Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Gold Peak Tea Booths
Coca-Cola will have three booths in the convention center to refresh and
excite Festival-goers. People can engage in social media and update
their friends about Coca-Cola's various activities, including DJ mix
sessions, text-to-win sweepstakes, cooking demonstrations by celebrity
Chef G Garvin and more.
CokeFreeze360
Debuting for the first time to a mass audience, CokeFreeze360 is a
digital "photograph' that portrays images in a continuous circular
fashion. A high-tech destination with 48 cameras will capture attendees
in a stop motion, 360-degree digital photograph that can be instantly
shared with family and friends across the country via Facebook and
Twitter. The CokeFreeze360 is located at the Coca-Cola booth.
Coca-Cola Super Lounge
As host of one of four Super Lounges, Coca-Cola will offer special live
entertainment from well-known neo-soul and R&B musicians.
Mainstage Moments
Coca-Cola is hosting three "Mainstage Moments" for fans. Each night
during the Essence Music Festival concerts, Coca-Cola will offer people
the chance to win access to an exclusive VIP " Celebrate You" party, as
well as cool Coca-Cola gift packs, and the opportunity to be tasters
during celebrity Chef G Garvin's cooking demonstration.
The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation has contributed more than $418 million in
support of sustainable community initiatives worldwide. For more
information about philanthropic priorities of The Coca-Cola Foundation,
please go to www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/foundation_coke.html.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage
company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still
brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, the Company's
portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta,
Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and
Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages,
juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the
world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200
countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion
servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable
communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our
environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe,
inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic
development of the communities where we operate. For more information
about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
The Coca-Cola Company
Wanda Yancey Rodwell, +01.404. 676.1068
wrodwell@na.ko.com
or
Gorki
De Los Santos, +01.404.676.3255
gdelossantos@coca-cola.com
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