Of the many Democratic candidates campaigning for the black female vote at the 2019 Essence Festival, there was one who presumably had an advantage. As the lone black female candidate running for the presidency in 2020, Kamala Harris is seemingly in the most privileged position to understand the issues most important to her own demographic—and to appreciate the unique dynamics of the annual pilgrimage known as Essence Fest (approximately a half million strong in attendees this year, according to Billboard).