ESSENCE MAGAZINE CELEB MOMS & DAUGHTERS; BRANDY, FANTASIA, HOLLY, VANESSA & ALFRE

A mother's bond with her daughter(s) is something special, unconditional and everlasting. And with Mother's Day being right around the corner, Essence magazine, in true form is featuring several Hollywood moms and their adorable daughters in beautiful portraits in its May 2010 issue as they celebrate what they've learned from--and what they cherish about--each other. They speak of their bond, revel in their mutual triumphs and share how they're building a legacy for future generations.

These intimate mother/daughter portraits feature starlets Holly Robinson-Peete and her daughter Ryan; Alfre Woodard and her daughter Mavis; Vanessa Williams and her four daughters; mom-mager Sonya Norwood along with her superstar daughter Brandy and Brandy's daughter Sy'rai; and Fantasia and her mother Diane.

Click on each pic below to read each how each mother likes to spend their time with their daughter(s).

READ MORE STORIES AFTER THE JUMP!

FAVORITE MOM-AND-ME TIME: GOING TO HORSE SHOWS-AND RIDES TO THOSE EVENTS, WHEN ALFRE SAYS THEY TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING: 'LIFE, SEX, RACE, MEAN GIRLS....'

Alfre Woodard's 18-year-old daughter Mavis is a champion equestrian. 'Even when she was a little girl, I never got nervous when she'd do five-foot umps, because it was a God thing. I feel like the Creator speaks when I'm watching her.' This past January, Alfre coaxed Mavis into trading boots and jodhpurs for high heels and a Valentino gown to assume the role of 2010's Miss Golden Globe. 'I rarely put makeup on. Afterward,I was like, 'It's time to get back to reality.'' Mavis says embodying the statuette at the sixty-seventh annual telecast. 'I was always an independent person. It makes Mama proud. 'Mavis is smart. She's an alpha girl and she's unapologetic about it.'

Credit: Susan Fales-Hill