NEW YORK — In even the darkest times, Colman Domingo believes art is the way through.
Time magazine’s Impact Dinner on Thursday evening celebrated the honorees of The Closers issue, highlighting 25 Black leaders working to close the racial equality gap, from the Oscar-nominated “Sing Sing” actor Domingo to Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas and Emmy Award-winning queer actor Niecy Nash-Betts.
“We’ve seen the world change, progress, sometimes regress, then progress, many times over,” Domingo said as he ended the night with a moving toast. “When we think about equality in the world, it’s not sweeping gestures, but it’s actually the tiny acts. They can add up to real change.”
Domingo urged guests to “make a difference” however possible. “I’m here to remind you that a small act of grace can go a long way to a better understanding of one another and how we view the world around us.”
Colman Domingo talks ‘Sing Sing’and how the cast of formerly incarcerated men inspired him
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Colman Domingo urges ‘responsibility’ in closing equity gaps, praises ‘healing’ work of his Oscar-nominated film ‘Sing Sing’
Domingo opened his powerful toast by commending Time’s impact: “Thank you so much for putting a black gay man from Inner City West Philadelphia, the proud descendant of slaves and a proud son of an immigrant. I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”
In his Oscar-nominated film “Sing Sing,” Domingo portrays the real-life John “Divine G” Whitfield, who spent 24 years behind bars after being wrongfully convicted of second-degree murder. While imprisoned at New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 1996, Whitfield co-founded Rehabilitation Through the Arts, a theater group helping incarcerated people gain critical life skills through writing and performing plays.
The men in these programs “found the practice of theater and doing plays to be liberating and helping to give them tools to heal and find pathways to, as one character in our film says, ‘to be human again,’ especially in a place that is as dehumanizing and not set up for anyone’s rehabilitation,” Domingo said during his speech Thursday.
He went on to cite the success rate of the program: It boasts less than a 3% recidivism rate compared to the 60% nationwide. Many of the formerly incarcerated men who took part in the program played themselves in the A-24 film.
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“It’s a program that truly works. I know this as a theater practitioner. You pour love and hope and art into someone, and they will blossom, and it benefits every single one of us in this room,” Colman added as guests nodded their heads in agreement, filling the room with echoes of “mhm.”
Colman cited a quote from Bayard Rustin, whom he portrayed in the biopic “Rustin,” that resonates with him “every single day”: “We either believe in freedom and justice for all, or we do not.”
“This is the way that we can actually do the work of healing. We look out for one another. We try to tune out the constant barrage of noise and focus on being, being love,” he continued. “You are love, and I am love, and we lead with love. We have to win.
“The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out,” Domingo said, quoting writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin. “It is all of our responsibility to close the racial equality gap, the racial equity gap. We will all win when we look at our fellows and see them thriving.”
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After President Donald Trump’s DEI rollbacks, ‘tough work’ ahead
Journalist Elaine Welteroth took the stage to lead a discussion on “strategies for achieving racial equity.” The room felt heavy under the weight of President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for the end of what The White House called “radical and wasteful” diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The Closers honoree Elise Smith, the CEO and founder of tech startup Praxis Labs, who was worried that the panel’s name (“Bridging the Divide: Strategies for Achieving Racial Equity”) would be changed as major corporations abandon their DEI initiatives. But what gave her hope, she says, was the Time team doubling down on the mission. “It’s that type of standing 10 toes down,” Smith said, prompting applause throughout the venue.
“We’re in a moment where we’re systematically under attack. How do we reframe the narrative around what it means to care and do the work of DEI?” she added from the stage.
National Black Justice Collective CEO and executive director David J. Johns challenged listeners not to turn away from conflict. “So much of what’s happened since November is that we’ve been retreating,” he said during the panel discussion. “I’m asking you to do the tough work of staying in relationship with people who need to come closer to us and to show up with love.”
Olympian Gabby Thomas, who won three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, dedicated a toast to the women in her life: her mother; fellow Olympian Allyson Felix; and her inspiration, track and field star Sanya Richards-Ross. “There’s always someone beside us pushing us forward, and there’s always someone ahead of us showing us what is possible,” Thomas said.
The event was curated to uplift Black changemakers, setting the celebratory tone with music and soul food. A DJ started the night with Afrobeats and closed with Beyoncé, playing “Essence” by Wiz Kid and Beyoncé’s early-2000s hit “Naughty Girl.”
The three-course meal was served family-style and prepared by Darnell Lane, Chef De Cuisine at Second Floor NYC. Guests dug into honey butter cornbread, chow chow salad, southern fried chicken, blackened creole salmon, braised green bean with smoked turkey, mashed candied yams and vegan mac and cheese throughout the night’s programming.
Colman Domingo, a prominent actor and activist, recently shared his thoughts on the controversial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) changes implemented by the Trump administration during a dinner hosted by Time magazine. The changes, which have sparked heated discussions across the country, aim to reshape the way DEI initiatives are approached in various sectors.
Domingo, known for his outspoken advocacy for social justice issues, expressed his concerns about the potential implications of these changes on marginalized communities. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that DEI efforts are not only inclusive but also effective in addressing systemic inequalities.
During the dinner, Domingo engaged in a lively conversation with other attendees, sharing his insights on the need for meaningful and sustainable DEI reforms. He called for a more holistic approach to diversity and inclusion, one that goes beyond surface-level changes and actively dismantles systemic barriers.
As the debate around DEI continues to evolve, Domingo’s perspective serves as a reminder of the ongoing work needed to create a more equitable and inclusive society. His words resonate with many who believe that true progress can only be achieved through genuine and comprehensive efforts towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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