BTC ANNOUNCES 2025 GALA HONOREES
Press Contacts:
Rick Miramontez / Kendall Edwards / Bailey Everett
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
BTC
TO HONOR
PHYLICIA RASHAD
LUIS A. MIRANDA, JR.
JOHN GORE ORGANIZATION
AND
GIRL BE HEARD
AT 2ND ANNUAL
“BUILDING THE CHANGE” GALA
IN NEW YORK CITY
WITH PERFORMANCES FROM
ANIKA NONI ROSE
AND
ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST MEMBERS FROM “MOTOWN THE MUSICAL”
AWARDS TO BE PRESENTED
THE POITIER-BELAFONTE AWARD FOR CULTURAL ACTIVISM,
THE CHADWICK BOSEMAN CHANGE MAKER AWARD,
THE LYNN NOTTAGE BOLD BEACON AWARD
AND
THE INAUGURAL BTC VISIONARY ALLY AWARD
ON MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2025
AT THE RAINBOW ROOM
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!
New York, NY (February 10, 2025) – Co-founders T. Oliver Reid, Warren Adams, and Reginald “Reggie” Van Lee, along with Board Members Aaliytha Stevens and Naila McKenzie, announced today that BTC will honor Phylicia Rashad (Award winning Actor, Director, Activist, Humanitarian), Luis A. Miranda, Jr. (Activist, Philanthropist, Producer), John Gore Organization (leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide), and Girl Be Heard (non-profit organization) at its 2nd Annual “Building the Change” Gala.
It was previously announced that BTC will host its 2nd Annual Gala on Monday, March 3, 2025 in New York City at the Rainbow Room (30 Rockefeller Plaza, 65th Floor).
For photos of the honorees, click here.
This event, the 2nd Annual BTC Gala, is celebrating entertainment professionals working in theater, film, television, cultural institutions, and music which will be held at the Rainbow Room at 6:00pm ET cocktails, followed by a 7:00pm ET dinner and tribute.
Tickets to the “Building the Change” Gala begin at $1,000. Visit the event page and purchase tickets at https://givebutter.com/buildingthechange2025.
The evening will include special performances by Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose and cast members from the Original Broadway Cast of Motown the Musical including Valisia LeKae, Charl Brown, Bryan Terrell Clark, Ryan Shaw, and Morgan James.
“The Board of BTC is beyond thrilled as we approach our 2nd Annual Gala and the opportunity to acknowledge the work of Phylicia Rashad, Luis A. Miranda, Jr., John Gore Organization, and Girl Be Heard. It is truly humbling for us to have the blessing of Ms. Lynn Nottage, the Poitier, Belafonte, and Boseman families to honor individuals and organizations who are being the change in our world with their courage, vision, and activism. Our mission remains to remove the illusion of inclusion in the American Theatre and our vision for 2025 is to continue on that path as we reach for exponential growth in the number of fellows and apprentices in the theatrical ecosystem and expand our organization nationwide,” said the board of BTC.
BTC is deeply honored, with permission of the Poitier and Belafonte families, to present the Poitier-Belafonte Award for Cultural Activism at this year’s gala to Luis A. Miranda, Jr. This award was created in recognition of these two groundbreaking black artists and activists in the entertainment industry.
With the blessing of the Boseman family, the Chadwick Boseman Change Maker Award will be presented to Girl Be Heard. Boseman was an actor, playwright, and activist who promoted the Black Lives Matter Movement. He significantly impacted Black cinema and culture by writing plays and directing as well as instructing drama. He played the Black superhero King T’Challa in Black Panther and starred as other changemakers and Black icons such as Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get On Up, and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall.
The Lynn Nottage Bold Beacon Award will be presented to Phylicia Rashad. Phylicia Rashad is a trailblazing actress, director, and educator whose impact spans television, theater, and film. A Theater Hall of Fame inductee, Rashad’s legacy is defined by artistic excellence, education, and cultural preservation.
BTC will present the inaugural BTC Visionary Ally Award to the John Gore Organization. The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.
To purchase tables or sponsor the event, please contact Dwight Johnson at djohnson@dwightjohnsondesign.com or visit the event page to purchase tickets at: https://givebutter.com/ri2kaW.
ABOUT BTC
BTC was founded by T. Oliver Reid and Warren Adams during the Summer of 2019. They identified the disparity between the growing inclusivity onstage, versus the almost non-existence of Black professionals off stage. They invited their colleague, Reggie Van Lee, to join them as Co-Founder in their march towards dismantling the systemically racist and biased ideology in the theatrical job space. BTC officially filed as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in June of 2020.
BTC’s mission is to remove the “Illusion of Inclusion” in the American Theatre by removing barriers to access for those who have been historically marginalized and building a sustainable, ethical roadmap that will increase opportunities for the next generation of emerging talent.
For more information about BTC, visit their website https://buildingthechange.org/.
BIOGRAPHIES
LUIS A. MIRANDA, JR. (Honoree) is a dynamic leader whose nearly four-decade career has transformed public service, politics, and the arts. A dedicated advocate for the Latino community, he was the founding president of the Hispanic Federation, amplifying support for Latino nonprofits nationwide. His influence spans government, having advised multiple New York City mayors and led efforts to strengthen the city’s public hospital system. A passionate champion of education and the arts, he founded Amber Charter School and chairs ¡Viva! Broadway, fostering Latino engagement in theater. His unwavering commitment to empowering diverse youth and expanding access to the arts continues to inspire and uplift future generations.
PHYLICIA RASHAD (Honoree) is a trailblazing actress, director, and educator whose impact spans television, theater, and film. Best known as Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” she has captivated audiences on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Gem of the Ocean, among others. As a visionary director, she has helmed acclaimed productions nationwide, earning accolades like the NAACP Theatre Award. A dedicated mentor, she was the first Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre at Fordham University and continues to shape future artists through master classes and as Dean Emeritus of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at her alma mater, Howard University. A Theater Hall of Fame inductee, Rashad’s legacy is defined by artistic excellence, education, and cultural preservation. She has appeared in NBC’s “This Is Us,” in the popular Fox TV series “Empire,” and in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Peabody Award-winning series “David Makes Man,” on the OWN Network.
GIRL BE HEARD (Honoree) began in 2008 with just 12 participants and $300, growing into a thriving Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women through theater. What started as a commissioned “girl power” show became a transformative space for young women to share their own stories under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Ashley Marinaccio. Joined by Jessica Greer Morris and co-director Elizabeth Koke, the ensemble—Project Girl Performance Collective—used street theater and grassroots fundraising to sustain its work. Despite early challenges, their performances profoundly impacted participants, fostering self-esteem, healthier relationships, and resilience, proving the power of storytelling to change lives.
JOHN GORE ORGANIZATION (Honoree) is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America. Its productions span Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, Canada and 48 markets in North America. It has won Tonys in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk, and Olivier awards. The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals. Broadway Across America is the leading presenter of touring Broadway, with a presence in 48 regional markets.
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