Essence Communications will join forces with CNN and Headline News to produce a weekly series of news segments highlighting issues of importance to the African-American community, the media giants announced Tuesday.  Together, they will develop “What Matters,” which is an extension of regular news items and features in ESSENCE magazine and multicultural programming on CNN. The on-air segments will be hosted by Tony Harris and Don Lemon, with contributions from CNN’s Black correspondents, Roland Martin, Fredricka Whitfield and T.J. Holmes. On HLN, anchor Richelle Care will host the segments. What Matters debuted on Friday. “ESSENCE is proud to partner with CNN, HLN and CNN.com to launch What Matters as a platform to inform, educate and define the cultural discussion,” said Angela Burt-Murray, Editor-in-Chief, ESSENCE. “Last year’s collaboration on the ESSENCE/CNN co-production CNN & Essence: Reclaiming the Dream laid the groundwork for What Matters — a project that will combine our reach and expertise to further the development of quality programming for African-Americans.” Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S., echoed those sentiments, saying, “Our partnership with ESSENCE has been a very productive one, and What Matters is an important next step in those collaborative efforts. The power of our two brands promises to continue to enhance the dialogue about issues important to our collective audiences.”

This Mother’s Day, ESSENCE magazine will feature the Mobama issue. Adorning the cover of the May edition will be First Lady Michelle Obama and First Grandmother Marian Robinson, who not only provide the African-American women’s periodical with a major-league coup but the public with a bona fide look at what Mother’s Day is all about. Speaking to the magazine from the first lady’s East Wing office, the mother-daughter duo spoke about life in the presidential mansion and why glowing role models are so important.  “Michelle has always been Michelle,” said the 71-year-old Robinson. “And she has always accomplished whatever it was she set out to accomplish. I have always looked up to Michelle because she has been able to do things that I couldn’t do emotionally, psychologically or physically. I think she is amazing.” Mrs. Obama was just as laudatory of her mom: “She made me who I am,” said Michelle Obama, who has two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. The first lady also discussed her responsibility to provide motherly advice to the world. “We have to talk about flex hours and exercise and nutrition and health and what that means. And we have to talk about values and our relationship with men,” she says. “All of those are part of the conversation that I think we need to have, not just in this country but around the world.” The Obama mamas might even pen a parenting book in the future, Michelle Obama said.