The Gordon Parks Foundation Award was presented to Peter Beard, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Donna Karan and Carrie Mae Weems. The awards were presented by Theodore Stebbins, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Deborah Willis. President Bill Clinton was Honorary Chair and Alicia Keys and Karl Lagerfeld were the Co-Chairs. Brian Stokes Mitchell was the evening's Master of Ceremonies. 7 scholarships were also awarded to students at SUNY Purchase, Ghetto Film School, YoungArts, Rush Philanthropic and Harlem School of the Arts. The award is given to individuals who have enriched our lives in ways that reflect Gordon’s ideas and goals of using creative means to change and educate the world.