BlackStar’s Luminary Gala
The Luminary Gala is BlackStar’s premier fundraising event, supporting a suite of year-round cultural programming for and by Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists. It is an unforgettable evening of celebration, entertainment, dancing, and the presentation of the Luminary Awards. Proceeds from the event support BlackStar’s suite of year-round cultural programming that provides Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists with the resources, support, and shine they need to thrive.
Save the date for our fourth annual gala, taking place Friday, November 20 at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia, PA.
Tickets
- • August 9 – Early bird sales open to BlackStar members
- • Early September – Early bird sales open to the public ($300)
- • October 1 – Regular price begins ($350)
When
6pm - 10:30pm
Where
200 S Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
What
Host Committee
State Representative Andre D. Carroll
Brandon Pankey
Deesha Philyaw
Dyana Williams
Ernest Owens
Dr. Fanon Che Wilkins
Dr. Garikai Campbell
Councilmember Isaiah Thomas
James Claiborne
Joe Hill
Joslyn G. Ewart
Julia Millan Shaw
Katie Adams
Marcel Pratt
Senator Nikil Saval
Reginald M. Browne
Skai Reynolds
Val Gay
Senator Vincent Hughes
Thank you to our 2026 BlackStar Luminary Gala sponsors: Open Society Foundations, The Ogilvie Family Foundation, and PECO.
Firelight Media
Firelight Media is a nonprofit organization with a mission to support the creation, distribution and impact of documentary media by and about communities of color in all our vibrancy and complexity. By providing filmmakers mentorship, funding and creative development, they seek to advance the art of nonfiction storytelling to realize a more just and beautiful world.
John Simmons (he/him)
John Simmons, ASC, is an Emmy-winning cinematographer, director and photographer whose work spans film, television, music videos and fine art, exploring Black life, culture, and memory. A member of the American Society of Cinematographers and the Directors Guild of America, his work spans comedy and drama across formats. A graduate of Fisk University and USC School of Cinematic Arts, he is a longtime UCLA adjunct professor, and co-chair of the ASC Vision Committee, reflecting a career-long commitment to mentorship and advancing underrepresented filmmakers.
Mahershala Ali (he/him)
Mahershala Ali is a two-time Academy Award-winning actor, recognized for his performances in Moonlight and Green Book. He recently starred opposite Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth and will next be seen in Bassam Tariq’s Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. His acclaimed credits also include True Detective, Leave the World Behind, Swan Song, Hidden Figures and House of Cards.
Mara Brock Akil
Mara Brock Akil is a celebrated writer and producer of more than 400 episodes of television and is the only African American showrunner to have a major television series on the air every year throughout the 2000s. Her groundbreaking credits include Girlfriends (2000–2008), The Game (2006–2015) and Being Mary Jane (2013–2019). She also served as an executive producer on Netflix’s Stamped from the Beginning, which was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Most recently, Brock Akil created, wrote and executive produced the critically acclaimed Netflix adaptation of Judy Blume’s 1975 novel Forever. The series earned Brock Akil a 2026 Peabody Award and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination. Brock Akil is the recipient of numerous industry honors, including the Norman Lear Achievement Award at the 2026 Producers Guild Awards, ESSENCE magazine’s Visionary Award and the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award from NATPE.
