When health equity meets cultural celebration, something powerful happens. That’s why Acclinate was proud to show up at one of the most influential gatherings of Black excellence in the country—to listen, connect, and lead with purpose.
This July, Acclinate proudly made its debut at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture 2025—and it was more than a milestone. It was a moment of powerful alignment between our mission and a movement.
Held in the heart of New Orleans, the event is the largest festival in the U.S. by per-day attendance, with over 1.6 million phygital attendees and 420,000 in-person visitors this year alone. Known for its unique ability to connect culture, commerce, and community, ESSENCE Fest has evolved far beyond media and entertainment—it’s become a vital platform for driving change across health equity, wealth building, and representation.
This year, Acclinate was honored to be featured in the Health Innovator Hub—a curated space spotlighting solutions to some of the most urgent health challenges facing Black communities today.
Showing Up With Purpose: A Booth Built on Trust
Our presence at ESSENCE Fest was all about connecting.
Over the course of three days, we transformed our booth into a trust-building experience that resonated deeply with festival-goers. Together, we:
- Welcomed 1,500+ visitors to our digital platform via QR scans and form fills.
- Collected 766 completed health surveys, filled with valuable data and stories.
- Grew the NOWINCLUDED community by 709 new members.
- Listened to 250+ deeply personal health stories, each one a powerful reminder of why representation and respect in healthcare matter.
Importantly, we didn’t just reach out. We built relationships at scale, meeting people where they were—in the middle of celebration and community—and offering space to reflect, share, and be heard.
The Health Innovator Hub: Innovation Meets Impact
The Health Innovator Hub, produced in partnership with the New Voices Foundation, showcased how innovators advance health equity in underrepresented communities. It was also a sanctuary for action.
Fifteen health-focused entrepreneurs and brands came together to offer real solutions for real issues—from chronic illness and mental health to maternal care and inclusive clinical research.
Festival-goers could explore demos, engage in meaningful conversations, and participate in health-centered activities that were as joyful and interactive as they were informative. The message was clear: this is the kind of presence our communities want and need—at ESSENCE and all year long.
Building Bridges With Industry Leaders
While our booth created powerful moments with everyday attendees, we also used this opportunity to engage strategically with leaders across pharma, health innovation, and policy.
We held high-impact conversations with key partners—including Merck—focused on deepening our collective efforts around inclusive research, trusted community engagement, and measurable outcomes.
These weren't mere discussions, but strategic dialogues, rooted in shared values and a sense of urgency to transform systems that have long failed underrepresented communities.
Why This Moment Mattered
Participating in ESSENCE Fest was a thrilling experience for our team. But it was more than that. It represented a strategic touchpoint in our ongoing commitment to advancing health equity through culture, data, and trusted relationships.
It allowed us to:
- Reach first-time audiences in a high-trust environment.
- Test and validate messaging and engagement strategies at scale.
- Capture rich qualitative and quantitative insights.
- Position Acclinate as a community-first platform and serious innovation partner.
As the Health Innovator Hub pitch deck reminds us: “Impact = how much, how well, and whether anyone is better off.” By that measure, ESSENCE Fest was a powerful success—not just by the numbers, but by the quality of conversation and connection we fostered.
What’s Comes After ESSENCE Fest
We left New Orleans more energized, connected, and committed than ever to showing up and changing the way healthcare engages our communities.
One way we’re continuing that momentum? Our new podcast, NOWINCLUDED: Unfiltered.
Filmed live during the festival, this series features candid, inspiring conversations with changemakers like Melissa Butler, Alma Austin, and others—diving into topics like health equity, entrepreneurship, masculinity, hydration, and legacy.
Podcasting offers us a uniquely intimate platform to elevate stories and voices that are often overlooked—and turn listening into action. These episodes begin rolling out later this summer and into early fall, bringing the energy of ESSENCE to an even broader audience.
To the ESSENCE team—thank you for creating space for innovators like us. To everyone who visited our booth, shared a story, or joined our movement—we see you, and we’re building for you. And to our partners—both new and long-standing—we’re just getting started.
Want to learn more about our mission? Schedule a 1:1 with our team.
