Misty Copeland, Ava DuVernay, And More Move ‘Boldly Forward’ At Dance Theatre Of Harlem’s 2025 Vision Gala

On April 11, a constellation of stars gathered at the Dance Theatre of Harlem–the country’s first Black ballet company–for the annual Vision Gala, a fundraiser supporting Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 56-year legacy. During the event, with the theme of “Boldly Forward,” Ford Foundation President Darren Walker was celebrated as this year’s Arthur Mitchell Vision Award honoree, and over $1.3 million was raised to support the iconic dance company’s legacy.

Ava DuVernay, Misty Copeland, celebrity stylist Law Roach, and Dance Theatre Of Harlem artistic director, Robert Garland were among several celebs who attended the prestigious ceremony. One of the evening’s standout moments was the presentation of the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award to Darren Walker. As president of the $16 billion Ford Foundation, Walker has been a driving force behind efforts to advance social justice through community activism, the arts, and equitable business practices.

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The prestigious award—named in honor of the late Dance Theatre of Harlem co-founder Arthur Mitchell—recognized Walker’s far-reaching impact across both the philanthropic and cultural landscapes.

Under his leadership, the Ford Foundation became the first nonprofit in U.S. history to issue a $1 billion social bond in the capital markets–an unprecedented move aimed at stabilizing and supporting nonprofit organizations during the COVID-19 crisis, according to the organization’s website. A visionary in the art world, Walker also co-founded the Art for Justice Fund and holds board positions with major institutions including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, the High Line, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Ava DuVernay presented the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award.

While presenting the changemaker with his award, DuVernay described Walker as the “rarest kind of visionary, not the kind who demands the spotlight, but the kind who holds it up for others. Who aims it towards artists, towards activists, towards people whose voices have been too long unheard, whose stories deserve to be center stage.”

The 52-year-old filmmaker added, “He’s a champion of the Dance Theatre of Harlem—how could he not be? He’s always seen the beauty and the bold, the precision in the daring, and the grace in the fight.”

Misty Copeland gave an inspiring speech.

Copeland, the 2024 recipient of the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award, paid tribute to the Dance Theatre of Harlem for paving the way for ballerinas of color like herself. She made history in 2015 as the first Black woman to be named principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. In her remarks, Copeland expressed gratitude to the company’s late founder, Arthur Mitchell, for championing opportunity and diversity in the world of dance.

“Dance Theatre of Harlem has always been more than a ballet company. It has been a beacon for me and for so many dancers of color,” Copeland shared. “It stood as a reminder that we belong in this art form, that our presence on the stage is powerful, necessary, and beautiful, our commensurate, and now under the leadership of Robert Garland and Anna Glass, DTH continues to show the world what ballet can be when it’s bold, inclusive, and visionary.”

The energy in the room soared toward the end of the night when Executive Director Anna Glass and host Kenny Burns announced that not only had the $1.3 million fundraising goal been met—it had been exceeded, with an additional $132,000 raised live in the room, sending a wave of joy and celebration through the crowd.

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