Categories: Audrey Bernard,
On Thursday evening, April 8, 2026, National Action Network’s Keepers of the Dream Award Gala was held in the Metropolitan Ballroom at the iconic Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in Midtown Manhattan and was attended by scores of NAN members, supporters, delegates from 140 chapters, national leaders and VIPs to celebrate the beloved civil rights organization’s 35th anniversary helmed by NAN’s President and Founder, Reverend Al Sharpton. The consummate convention also celebrated the 28th anniversary of NAN’s signature Keepers of the Dream Awards Gala, which was first held in 1999, and continues to honor those who uphold the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The esteemed evening began with a cordial cocktail reception followed by a delicious dinner and phenomenal program.
“This gathering is more a celebration. It is a reaffirmation of or covenant with the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a declaration that the work of justice, equity, and human dignity is never finished.” NAN’s board member Camille Joseph-Goldman introduced the evenings pristine program followed by an awesome informative video about the beloved civil rights organization. Governor Kathy Hochul presented Rev. Sharpton with a special award and congratulated him and NAN for the epic work they do for the underserved and overlooked.
“This year’s honorees represent the very best of what it means to keep that dream alive come from different walks of life, but they are united by a singular commitment to excellence in service of something larger than themselves,” said Sharpton. “Each of our honorees has used their platform, their influence, and their voice to open doors, challenge systems, and lift others as they climb. They remind us that keeping the dream is not a passive act, it is a daily discipline.”
The 2026 Keeper of the Awards recipients are: Chairman’s Award: Lawrence O’Donnell, Host, “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, MS NOW; President’s Award: Billy Porter, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award –winning Actor & Singer; Bayard Rustin Labor Award: Lee Saunders, President, AFSCME; Community Impact & Sports Innovation Award: Alex Lasry, CEO, FIFI World Cup 2026, NYNJ Host Committee; Michael A. Hardy Service Award: Jamie Bland, Founder, Jumpstart Productions, President, Paterson New Jersey Chapter, NAN; NAN Cultural Award: Louis Carr, President, BET; and NAN Business Leadership Award: Marc Holliday, Chairman & CEO, SL Green Realty Corp. A special recognition was presented to Tony award-winning Director & Choreographer, George Faison, Co-Founder, The Faison Firehouse, New York.
“To our honorees we see you, we salute you, and we are grateful,” said Rev. Sharpton. “They show us what is possible when talent is matched with purpose and ambition in accountability,” added Rev. Sharpton. “Tonight, we celebrate these remarkable honorees, leading the way in their respective fields, and we gather in community and love,” stated NAN’s Chairman of the Board, Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson.
Assisting Rev. Sharpton in handing out the awards were: Rev. Richardson, Martin Luther King III, Chairman, The Drum Major Institute, Jennifer Jones-Austin, and Dr. Robin Brown Hardy. Other participants in the elite program included Reverend Dr. David Jefferson, Sr. who delivered the invocation. Music was provided by the NAN Change Choir under the direction of Pastor Vincent Bohanan. The elegant evening closed with holding hands and singing “We Shall Overcome,” the landmark protest song and anthem of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. (Photos courtesy NAN)
