More than 600 fashionable philanthropists gathered at the InterContinental hotel on Saturday night for the National Black Arts Festival gala, themed “For the Love of Dance.”
The event was chaired by Atlanta City Council Member Keisha Lance Bottoms, Marci Bailey Overstreet and Todd Tautfest and honored Geoffrey Holder, Mary Hinkson and Carmen de Lavallade. NBAF executive director Grace C. Stanislaus welcomed the crowd, and longtime Channel 2 anchor Monica Pearson served as emcee. Pearson, now heard from noon to 2 p.m. Sundays on Kiss 104.1 FM, teamed up with Legendary Events founder Tony Conway to host the live auction.
The gala featured dance performances choreographed by Jai Jones and live music from Joe Gransden and Tyrone Jackson.
Guests included former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young and Carolyn Young, Mayor Kasim Reed and Sarah-Elizabeth Reed, artist Radcliffe Bailey, Atlanta City Council Member Kwanza Hall and Natalie Hall and NBAF Board Chair Sonya Halpern.
Key committee members included Kimberlyn Daniel, Billye S. Aaron, Keri Arroll, Juanita P. Baranco, Myra Bierria, Rebecca Bily, Tony Brewer, Kim Creaven, Alicia Felder, Lolita B. Jackson, Toni Jackson, Catherine McGee, Kimberly Paige, Courtney Rhodes, Jack Sawyer, Sabrina Shannon, Bradford Sims, Leigh Sims, Robyn Sims, Morgan Spann, Karli Swift, Angie Thompson, Brannigan Thompson, Cynthia Widner Wall, Charmaine Ward and Mishon Williams.
The National Black Arts Festival is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the music, dance, film, visual arts, theater and literary arts creations by artists of African descent. For information on events and programs, see nbaf.org.
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