![[STANFORD, CA] — May 1, 2026: Stanford’s Institute for Diversity in the Arts hosts a gala to celebrate its 25th Anniversary, at Roble Arts Gym. (Photo by Nikolas Liepins/Ethography for Stanford IDA)](https://ida.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026.05.01_StanfordIDA_25thAnniversary-245-2000x1333.jpg "IDA 25th Anniversary")
On May 1, 2025, we welcomed our community back to campus to celebrate our first gala in support of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts
Hosted by the IDA Champions: Yvette Lee Bowser ’87, Jan Barker Alexander, Jeff Chang, and Alex Fialho ’11. Performances by Grammy Award Winners Tank and the Bangas, Bay Area Dance Legends amara tabor smith and Joanna Haigood, East Palo Alto’s Fua Dia Kongo, Chocolate Heads Movement Band, and Everyday People A’Capella
Evening Highlights
Announced in the room: IDA’s Faculty Director will now be named:The Elam Family Director of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts A gift was given to the Institute for Diversity in the Arts to name IDA’s Faculty Director position. This naming is to honor Professor Harry J. Elam Jr. as IDA’s Founding Faculty Director, but also to honor the contributions of Professor Michele Elam, the William Robertson Coe Professor of Humanities in the English Department, in addition to Professor Elam’s Father, Judge Harry J. Elam Sr., the first Black chief justice of the Boston Municipal Court, his brother Guru (Keith) Elam, legendary hip hop artist, and record producer, and the entire Elam family.
The Chocolate Heads led by artistic director and dance pioneer, Aleta Hayes ‘91, showed off the artistic excellence of the next generation. We thank Aleta Hayes for her deep contributions IDA’s creative community.
✨ You looked Great, By the way ✨