#EssenceFest, Action & Ownership: Gov. Wes Moore on Black Wealth, Policy and Purpose

Filled with fun, purpose, and celebration, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and First Lady Dawn Moore graced the 2025 Essence Festival. The couple participated in the Global Black Economic Forum, joining a distinguished lineup of politicians, public officials, and artists, including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

Gov. Moore described Essence Festival weekend as “one of the greatest celebrations of Black love and of excellence that we have in the country,” noting that the event also marked a personal milestone: his 18th wedding anniversary with the First Lady.

“What better place to celebrate 18 years of Black love than the Essence Festival,” he added.

In our conversation, Gov. Moore shared his perspective on Black economic power, which he defined in one word: “wealth.”

“It’s understanding that we’ve gotta focus on ownership,” he said. “ I don’t just want to be a part of a conversation… And it’s about what are we doing to create more homeowners? What are we doing to create more Black owned businesses? What are we doing to make sure that we can own more than we owe? Right? We are focused in the state of Maryland of truly creating pathways for work, wages, and wealth. And you cannot have one or two if you’re not also making sure you’re incorporating the third, which is wealth. And so for me that is freedom. Freedom is wealth.”

His response emphasized the importance of action, taking concrete steps toward economic empowerment. That focus on actionable progress echoed sentiments he shared for vetoing a proposed reparations study earlier this year in Maryland.

“We have a whole litany of scholarship on this issue,” he said. “We’ve got reports, we’ve got analysis. We’ve got more data on this issue now than ever historically before. What we need right now is action, and I think about the work that we’ve done just in the past two years of our administration.”

Gov. Moore highlighted several of his administration’s key investments: over $1.3 billion directed to Maryland’s HBCUs, a rise in Black homeownership, more than $800 million in state contracts awarded to Black-owned businesses, and legislation allocating $400 million to communities harmed by historic redlining, mass incarceration, and urban development disparities.

“I am proud of the work that we’ve done and everyone knows no state in the country is moving like Maryland right now,” he said. “The truth is what we need is action… I don’t need two or three years for more analysis on this issue. We need to move right now.”