The fallout from the controversial 2025 Essence Fest is now headed to court. Caroline Wanga, the former CEO of Essence Ventures, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the company and its parent company, Sundial Media & Technology Group, alleging that company leadership allowed a false public narrative to spread after last year's festival and failed to correct the record despite repeated requests. According to the complaint filed in New York State Court, and obtained by NOLA.com , Wanga claims she was wrongly blamed for many of the decisions that sparked backlash surrounding the 2025 Essence Fest, including criticism of the festival's Pan-African programming focus and its partnership with Target, which faced scrutiny from some consumers over changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The lawsuit argues that Wanga had no involvement in planning or executing the July 2025 event. At the center of the complaint is the timing of Wanga's departure.…