College & Independent Schools
Performing Arts
Performing Arts:
GRAMMY Award-Nominated Singer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist & Producer
Born blind in his left eye due to congenital glaucoma, standout musician Blessing Offor of The Voice emigrated to the U.S. from Nigeria. With a love of people and energy, Offor is making his dreams come true.
Award-Winning Spoken Word Artist
The Tony, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning, six-time HBO Def Poet Black Ice is credited with being a major pioneer of this millennium in turning spoken word into a mainstream art form.
Legendary Folk Singer & Activist
Following her son's suicide, iconic singer Judy Collins survived her grief through her passion for words and music. Today, she shares her moving experience with all audiences.
Cross-Cultural Performance
In The Color Orange, long-time friends Mohammed Bilal and Josh "Boac" Goldstein challenge American notions by offering a vibrant new look at race, racism and how we get along.
Filmmaker
An outspoken social critic, Spike Lee has directed critically acclaimed, socially conscious films such as Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, When The Levees Broke, 4 Little Girls and his latest, BlacKkKlansman.
Award-Winning Entertainer
Speaker Ben Vereen's credits include Broadway's "Wicked," Roots, and Law and Order. He addresses such topics as black history and overcoming adversity.
Award-Winning Music Historian
Dr. John Edward Hasse helps audiences understand the power music has to move and inspire us to greater heights. He is a gifted pianist, author and editor of several books including Jazz: The First Century.
Concert Pianist & Psychiatrist
A concert pianist and psychiatrist, Richard Kogan is known for his work on the connections between music and healing and on the influence of medical and psychiatric illnesses on the creative output of composers.