10/09/2026
We are excited to announce that this year's Divine Impact Award winner is André De Shields, actor, educator, philanthropist, and so much more (see his bio below)! We will honor Mr. De Shields at the 2026 MAPACA Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD. We can't wait to see you there!
At eighty Earth years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor/activist, educator, iconic philanthropist and Broadway Deity. As Actor, Mr. De Shields’ mission is to fill intimate spaces with enormous beauty. He defines intimate spaces as the hearts of humanity. As Activist, he endeavors to restore majesty, elegance and literacy to the Black Thespian’s toolbox, to advocate for long term survivors of HIV and AIDS, and to champion the legacy of the Wellderly (elderly individuals who continue to kick butt). His idiosyncratic career has resulted in a treasure trove of accolades, among them an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has founded The André De Shields Fund. His other markers of esteem include being declared the triple crown winner of the 2019 awards season, having garnered Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Grammy Awards for his universally acclaimed role in HADESTOWN as Hermes, messenger to the gods.
Perennially renowned for his show-stopping performances in five legendary Broadway productions –THE WIZ (title role), AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ (Emmy Award), PLAY ON! (Tony nom), THE FULL MONTY (Tony nom) and his portrayal of Old Deuteronomy in the radically re-imagined CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL. He rang the closing bell for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June as part of The “Ring the Bell for LGBTQI+ Equality” Initiative. Mr. De Shields reigned as The Grand Marshal of the 51st Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, achieving the sui generis reputation as one of the ten wonders of New York City. SAWUBONA! www.goatman.vip
