CULTURAL ARCHITECTS & TORCHBEARERS: THEN, AND NOW — THE NIGHT ATLANTA BECAME A LIVING ARCHIVE

Last night in Atlanta, an event unfolded that refused to be ordinary.

Inside Illuminarium Atlanta, Cultural Architects & Torchbearers: Then, and Now, presented by IN-HALE Media & Entertainment and powered by Gilead Sciences, transformed from a scheduled program into a living cultural moment. This was not a gathering people simply attended — it was an experience people entered, one that demanded attention, reflection, and presence.

From the moment guests arrived, the atmosphere signaled intention. The space felt curated rather than crowded, immersive rather than overwhelming. There was a shared understanding in the room that this evening was built with care — that it was meant to honor legacy, elevate artistry, and create connection rather than spectacle.

Illuminarium Atlanta became more than a venue. It became a container for history and possibility. Visuals wrapped the room, sound carried emotion, and the audience moved as one collective body — listening, watching, and feeling together.

The event unfolded as a seamless journey through film, music, dance, and spoken word, each element building upon the next. Nothing felt fragmented. Nothing felt rushed. Every moment worked in conversation with the larger narrative: that culture is shaped by those bold enough to create it and sustained by those committed to protecting it.

At the heart of the evening was Nathan Hale Williams, Founder and President of IN-HALE Media & Entertainment, whose vision shaped the experience from beginning to end. Cultural Architects & Torchbearers: Then, and Now reflected Williams’ long-standing belief that storytelling is not just entertainment, but preservation — a way to honor truth, lineage, and courage.

Through four original short films, Williams curated a cinematic tribute to LGBTQIA+ artists whose work has shaped global culture across generations. Figures such as Alvin Ailey, Audre Lorde, Billy Porter, Laverne Cox, Lena Waithe, and Patrick Kelly were honored not as distant icons, but as cultural architects whose influence continues to ripple through today’s creative landscape.

The films did more than recount achievements. They explored impact. They highlighted how these artists carved space when visibility came at a cost, and how their bravery built foundations for those creating today. Williams’ approach made one thing clear: legacy is not something we look back on — it is something we carry forward.

That sense of continuity carried into the live performances that anchored the night emotionally.

Jacob Lusk delivered a musical performance that grounded the room with both power and vulnerability. His voice set the tone for the evening — intimate, resonant, and deeply felt. A moving dance work choreographed by former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer Christopher Jackson, performed by Olivier Medus of the Metropolitan Opera of New York, translated legacy into motion. Each movement felt intentional, turning the body into a vessel for memory and expression.

Throughout the evening, ButtaFlySoul, award-winning spoken-word artist from Def Poetry Jam, served as Master of Ceremonies, weaving poetry and reflection into the experience with authenticity and grace. DJ Poison Ivy’s musical curation connected eras, reinforcing the event’s central message — that culture evolves, but its roots remain deeply connected.

As the program continued, the experience expanded beyond artistic tribute into a broader conversation about responsibility, access, and impact when Marcus Wilson, Senior Director of U.S. Public Affairs for Gilead Sciences, Inc., took the stage.

Wilson’s presence did not interrupt the flow of the evening — it deepened it.

He reminded the audience that Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company with more than three decades of pursuing and achieving breakthroughs in medicine, is driven by a clear goal: creating a healthier world for all people. His remarks were grounded and human, reinforcing that innovation in medicine must always remain connected to the communities it serves.

Wilson spoke about Gilead’s commitment to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer, and inflammation. Yet just as powerfully, he emphasized that Gilead’s work extends beyond treatment alone.

Through its “More Than Medicine” approach, Gilead shows up with meaningful collaborations — partnering with local clinics, advocates, and LGBTQ+ leaders to ensure prevention, care, and education are informed by lived experience and real community needs. His words resonated deeply in a room built on honoring humanity, creativity, and dignity.

In the context of an event celebrating cultural architects and torchbearers, Wilson’s message reinforced a vital truth: culture and care are inseparable. Art shapes narratives. Medicine protects lives. And when both move in alignment, impact multiplies.

What made Cultural Architects & Torchbearers: Then, and Now exceptional was how seamlessly these elements worked together. Williams’ storytelling vision and Wilson’s advocacy leadership were not separate messages — they were complementary forces, each strengthening the other. The event became a model of what is possible when creativity, science, and community share the same purpose.

The audience felt it.

Guests were not passive observers. The room held moments of stillness, reflection, and collective response. Applause felt communal. Emotion felt shared. The experience was not something happening on the audience — it was happening with them.

As the formal program came to a close, the energy in the room did not disappear — it transformed.

What followed was an intimate post-program celebration where guests gathered with many of the architects and torchbearers honored throughout the evening, sharing conversation, laughter, and connection. It was a rare and meaningful extension of the experience — one where legacy felt accessible and community felt tangible.

Even more powerful was the presence of future torchbearers in the making — creatives, leaders, and visionaries whose journeys are just beginning, now standing in rooms made possible by those who came before them. The exchange of stories and inspiration felt organic, as if the night itself was quietly passing the torch in real time.

The celebration affirmed the heart of Cultural Architects & Torchbearers: Then, and Now: culture does not end when the program concludes. It lives in connection. It grows in community. It moves forward through shared experience.

By the time the evening fully came to a close, one thing was unmistakably clear — this was not simply a successful event. It was a memory being made, a lineage being honored, and a future being affirmed.

A truly magical night in Atlanta.

Some events are attended.
Others are lived.

Cultural Architects & Torchbearers: Then, and Now was lived.