Under the vision of the newly appointed CEO and artistic director, Dr. Indira Etwaroo, the renowned Harlem Stage hosted their annual gala this past Monday where they surpassed their fundraising goal of $725,000 by raising $825,000.
Peering over the city on 10 Cubed NYC’s 100th floor, guests were able to not only network with one another but celebrate the organization’s legacy of celebrating artists of color. With over 100 guests in attendance, the event was attended by celebrity board members of Harlem Stage, such as Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Russell Hornsby, and Karine Jean-Pierre, to name a few.
This year’s theme was “Watch Your Step… There’s Glass All Over The Floor,” as an ode to artists of color breaking the glass ceiling in the arts and entertainment industry. Among the award recipients for the evening was Laura Walker who serves as president at Bennington College, philanthropic executive Monique Hanson, Lisa Jackson who is an executive at Apple, and Donna Walker-Kuhne, a marketing and community outreach executive.
The intimate evening kicked off with a three-course dinner exclusively for select attendees including entrees such as oxtail gyoza and seafood stuffed branzino. Soon after, dinner guests were joined by supporters of the organizations as the gala program began. Hors d’oeuvres, hand-crafted cocktails and friendly conversations were galore as attendees reminisced on the philanthropic efforts of the organization. 10 Cubed NYC’s Executive Chef Nduvo Salaam led the menu and cocktail curation for the gala.
All proceeds from the gala will help directly serve Harlem Stage and its constituents as it continues onward with its mission being a helm to ignite artist freedom among performing artists that decide to go against the grain and create new ideas that can lead to innovation for all.