
Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida
#IfNotForMyGirls
Coca-Cola’s “Cheers To Her Brunch”
Coca-Cola recently put on an elegant brunch honoring nine dynamic women taking the New Orleans community to new heights through leadership, entrepreneurship, and service across a variety of industries.
50 women attended the first-ever Coca-Cola “Cheers to Her Brunch” at Restaurant August, during the 2019 ESSENCE Festival. Coca-Cola and brunch host Jessica Clemons (AKA Dr. Jess) celebrated the brand’s new campaign in partnership with ESSENCE titled, “If Not For My Girls”, a theme celebrating sisterhood and the incomparable strength, bond, and friendship of black women.

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Cheers To Her Brunch
The honorees included;
Leilani, the Founder and Creative Director of Abstract NOLA, a creative collective committed to creating platforms for artists of all mediums
Sevetri Wilson, the Founder and CEO of Resilia, a tech start-up created to revolutionize how nonprofits are created and maintained
LaTonya Green-Jones, the Executive Director of Auxilliary Enterprises & Support Services at Xavier University
Michelle Matthew, the Director of Auxilliary Services at Dillard University
Cierra Chenier, writer and creator of NOIR ‘N NOLA, dedicated to highlighting the history, politics, and soul of Black New Orleans
Linda King, the Director of the Health and Science Center Dining at Tulane Medical School
Christine Brown, a visual and performing artist on a mission to bring back positive images and music in the Black community
Gia Hamilton, the Executive Director and Chief Curator of New Orleans African American Museum
Stevie Rogers, a womanist writer, educator, and orator with a passion for innovative examination and advocacy of Black culture and womanhood

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida
Guests and honorees noshed on delectable dishes like pain perdu topped with quail while sipping craft cocktails throughout the intimate affair. Later, ladies slipped into Coca-Cola’s fun SharingBox photobooth.

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida
Not only were the honorees on hand, but “If Not for My Girls” ambassadors and real-life girlfriends LeToya Luckett, Eudoxie Bridges, and Keri Hilson, also joined the brunch to chat about their #BlackGirlMagic and honor these incredible women making a difference in their hometown of New Orleans.

Source: Dani Canada / Danielle Canada for iOne Digital
The ladies also spoke exclusively with BOSSIP about their beautiful camaraderie and of course, their amazing ESSENCE Fest adventure courtesy of Coca-Cola.
Hit the flip to see LeToya Luckett, Eudoxie Bridges, and Keri Hilson reflect on their beautiful bond.

Source: Dani Canada / Danielle Canada for iOne Digital
According to Eudoxie who was enjoying her very first ESSENCE fest experience, she felt inspired by the bevy of women executives she spotted trekking through NOLA during ESSENCE. Not only that, she, like her girlfriends, LeToya and Keri, was LOVING the food.
“The beignets, the food—it’s amazing!” said Eudoxie.
LeToya echoed that statement and added that “crawfish, or charbroiled oysters [from Drago’s],” are the first things she seeks out during the women’s empowerment weekend.
The ladies not only spoke on the undeniable deliciousness that is New Orleans food, however, they also told BOSSIP that they feel truly honored to have Coca-Cola celebrate their friendship with their #IfNotForMyGirls campaign because it’s shining light on the importance of having a “Tribe.”
“I would say the term “tribe” has kind of come back because it’s super duper important, we always talk about your sister circle, your friends, but I love TRIBE,” said LeToya. “Tribe has a very powerful meaning to it. Just like back in the old days, the mothers in your neighborhood, they would help with your kids, they would cook for you, they would support you—that’s what I think is coming back in sisterhood.”
“Our sisters are coming together, loving on each other, supporting each other, and that’s what I have with my friends here,” she added. “The girls that I can call that I know I can trust with all my stuff, my prayer partners, my prayer warriors. These are the people that you picked, your God chosen sisters.”
“I’m excited that Coca-Cola decided to create a platform bringing other women together, specifically chooising us to tell and share our stories.”

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida
The campaign rings especially true considering that each lady plays a different dynamic in the friend group.
“I think we share multiple roles,” said Keri. “She’s [Eudoxie] the resident cook and she’s funny but she’s not trying to be funny. She’s [Letoya] more of the jokester and prayer warrior/ Pastor who’s funny and actually trying to be funny.”
“Keri is all about energy, she’s consistent,” added LeToya.
The ladies also gave BOSSIP their own personal definitions of #BlackGirlMagic which is clearly the underlying message behind Coca-Cola’s melanin marveling campaign.
“I just think of glitter when I think of #BlackGirlMagic,” said LeToya. “There’s something different about our light, when we walk into the room we possess something very different. It’s not even tangible.”
“I think it’s also the fact that our culture to begin with—we have all the different backgrounds and upbringing,” said Eudoxie. “That makes us different of course our skin tones and all that plays a part into it. The beauty of a black woman doesn’t come in just one shade, it’s all shades. That is what really brings us all together and we enjoy being able to bounce off each other’s energy.”
“I think it’s an energy,” said Keri. “For me, it’s a mentality, #BlackGirlMagic to me represents overcoming obstacles and we’ve done it time and time again. We’ve been overlooked, We’ve been at the bottom of the totem pole not only in the workforce but in the home, around the world, in the dating pool—but we are so resilient and that to me is #BlackGirlMagic.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dani Canada (@iamdanicanada) on
More photos from Coca-Cola’s “Cheers To Her Brunch” on the flip.

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Cheers To Her Brunch

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida

Source: Lane Borgida for Coca-Cola / Lane Borgida
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