Essence Magazine Honors Community Leaders, Bell Biv DeVoe Performs at CBC Reception

By Chris Windham

Human Nature magazine

It was a night of both celebration and reflection at ESSENCE Magazine and Southern Company’s 5^th annual Evening of Excellence, a special awards reception as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference.

Each year, the event recognizes leaders in the community who advocate on the behalf of the disenfranchised and those with limited resources.

This year, the reception honored technology entrepreneur Sophia Marnell (Technology Innovation Award); comedian and “The View” co-host Sherri Shepherd (Civil Advocate Award); University of Alabama at Birmingham President Dr. Jessie J. Lewis, Sr. (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Major General Nadja West, the first African-American two-star general in the U.S. Army, who was given the Armed Forces Medical Advocate Award.

Hosted by Washington, D.C. news anchor Lesli Foster, the event also featured a special performance from the R&B group Bell Biv DeVoe, who treated the audience to renditions of their hits “Poison,” “Do Me!” and “When Will I See You Smile Again?,” as well as performances of some of their top songs from when the trio was a part of New Edition, including “Candy Girl,” and “Cool It Now.”

ESSENCE hosts the Evening of Excellence each year to honor thought leaders and influencers whose mission of always uplift and empower the community is similar to the magazine’s mission.

Following the reception, guests danced and mingled in the Google lounge after-party, which featured music from Ryan Cameron and DJ Baby Yu.

Bell Biv DeVoe Performs Poison

Bell Biv Devoe Performs “Candy Girl”