On April 3rd 2023, NYU Hosted their Annual Tisch Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom after 3 years of Covid Epidemic and its spikes and flows. A lovely night filled with the biggest names from NYU Alumnus, staff, teachers and students coming together to honor and celebrate the Mother and Son Honorees: Alum and Guggenheim Fellow Hank Willis Thomas (‘98) and MacArthur Fellow and chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at Tisch Dr. Deborah Willis.
L to R: President Andrew Hamilton, Dean Allyson Green, Martin Scorsese
We began the night with a red carpet, pausing to take glamorous shots and conversations with people such as Dean AllysonGreen, Former Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl, President of NYU Andrew Hamilton, Director Michael Mayer, Delroy Lindo, and none other than the incredulous Martin Scorsese. Many shared their thoughts on NYU, their educational ideals, their fondness for the community. Following near after were the Honorees of the night: Dr. Deborah Willis and her son, Hank Willis Thomas. As the venue started filling, the vast community of NYU Tisch began to fill the space and the air began to buzz with community and celebration and enthusiasm.
The night began with wonderful music performed by c-Live band of the Clive Davis Institute of recorded music that stirred anticipation for a night of wonderful speakers and performances. Allyson Green then opened the event with a welcome speech that brought focus to a night overwhelmed with spectacle. As she names all the recent accomplishments of Tisch: the recent opening of the African Grove Theater, the Iris Cantor Theater at the new John A.Paulson Center, the 40th anniversary of the Department of Photography & Imaging, and the new Martin Scorsese Institute of Global and Cinematic Arts along with the ceremonial honoring of Dr. Deborah Willis and Hank Willis Thomas, she reminds us of how important it is to invest in the youth and focus on values of community, love, art and the desire for micro and macro change. Allyson Green then brought President Andrew Hamilton to talk, reminiscing on his time at NYU since this will be his final year as NYU president. With humor and fondness, he centers the force of energy that has gathered in the ballroom and how powerful that is, to an educational institution like this and to the people around us.
Afterwards, Alumni performers from the Department of Dance shared a piece commenting on the current political climate created by Seán Curran ‘84. Following after was tribute to Sarah Schlesinger with a new musical theater creation written by Michael Oosterhout ‘23 and Amanda Friedman ‘23 performed by current students of Tisch. With a small shaped stage in the center of the gala, the students and Alum performed with ownership and confidence and presented some beautiful and gracious work. Delroy Lindo, Tom Finkelpearl, Lorie Novak spoke highly of NYU and each of their relationship to Tisch’s Mother and Son Honorees by sharing stories and moments in their intersecting lives. From conversations to artistic collaborations, fondness was evidently permeating the atmosphere.
L to R: Hank Willis Thomas, Dr. Deborah Willis, Zalika Azim
And finally, The Honorees took the stage and shared the microphone as both Hank Willis Thomas and Deborah Willis accepted this honor, expressed their gratitude and their hopes for Art. Deborah even commemorated the moment by using her own phone to take a picture of the audience, because in her own words “images transform us” and it is how we “transform stories.” Hank then shared beautiful sentiments, talking about how deep his relationship with NYU has been and how he learned that it’s “not how you get in the door, it’s what you do when you get there” and at the end of the day, your community and effort defines you and your experiences.
The night came to a musical conclusion with a final performance by c-Live and performers from N’HARMONICS covering Empire State of Mind. With students singing and performing their hearts out, truly left all with a night filled with celebration and gratitude. It filled the stomachs and hearts of all who were there. With the energy rolling, people made their way upstairs where a dance floor was curated to fully cap out the night of community and effort.
Allyson Green shared how Deborah Willis taught her that “Love is an action, and a way to be,” and that “love is the most effective educational tool of all.” And after this night she hopes that there will be a“renewed commitment to lead lives of empathy, curiosity and learning to tell and support the stories that will inspire and will work across disciplines to solve global problems… there is no stopping this hopeful and daring adventure.”
L to R: Hank Willis Thomas, Allyson Green, Dr. Deborah Willis
(Photo credit: @samhollenshead: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau).
