Cultural Rhythms Show & Conversation with Sheryl Lee Ralph

Join us on Saturday, April 4th, 2026 at Sanders Theatre for the Harvard Foundation's 40th Annual Cultural Rhythms Showcase, a celebration of the multitude of cultures at Harvard. Cultural Rhythms showcases 11 cultural performances and an award ceremony and student-led conversation with our Cultural Impact Award Honoree. This year's theme, Bridges through Time: 40 Years of Cultural Exchange, pays tribute to the changemakers who came before us and whose efforts have strengthened our community through the celebration of culture. We hope that all who attend will leave with the understanding that each performance serves as a bridge, connecting histories, identities, and traditions to future possibilities.&nbsp;The Cultural Rhythms Cultural Impact Award Recipient for 2026 is Sheryl Lee Ralph. Performers Include: The Kuumba Singers of Harvard College Harvard Undergraduate Asian American Dance Troupe Sharon Cheng Candela Latin Dance Troupe Harvard College Opera Harvard Undergraduate Philippine Forum Harvard College Steelpan Ensemble Harvard Undergraduate Bhangra Undergraduate Mariachi Veritas de Harvard Harvard RAZA Ballet Folklorico Omo Naija x the Wahala Boys: Harvard Undergraduate African Dance Troupe Sheryl Lee Ralph&nbsp;has become a staple in the entertainment industry and for her acclaimed career spanning more than four decades, she recently received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ralph can currently be seen in the hit ABC/Warner Bros. Television comedy series Abbott Elementary; her portrayal of “Barbara Howard,” which won her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, as well as the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Ralph first made a name for herself on television starring in over 100 episodes of UPN’s Moesha, for which she received five NAACP Image Award nominations, and she has also appeared in feature films such as A Piece of the Action, The Mighty Quinn, To Sleep with Anger, and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. On stage, Ralph is well known for her award-winning work and creating the role of “Deena Jones” in the legendary Broadway musical “Dreamgirls,” which earned her Best Actress nods for Tony and Drama Desk Awards, and she recently appeared as Madame Morrible in “Wicked,” becoming the first African American actress to take on the classic role. Beyond her work on screen and stage, Ralph is a passionate health advocate and nationally recognized AIDS activist. In 1990, she founded The DIVA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established as a memorial and lifelong commitment to the many friends she lost to HIV/AIDS. The foundation is dedicated to improving health outcomes for all communities through innovative programming that harnesses the transformative power of the arts.Their signature fundraising event, Divas Simply Singing! Raising Health Awareness, which is an annual benefit concert that raises awareness and funds, has a 35-year history making it the longest-running consecutive running HIV/AIDS and Health Awareness benefit concert in the United States. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://dso.college.harvard.edu/office-culture-community/about-harvard-foundation">The Harvard Foundation webpage</a>&nbsp;and follow us on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/harvardfoundation">Instagram</a>. Reserve tickets at: https://boxoffice.harvard.edu/Online/default.asp?BOparam%3A%3AWScontent%3A%3AloadArticle%3A%3Apermalink=harvard-foundation&amp;BOparam%3A%3AWScontent%3A%3AloadArticle%3A%3Acontext_id=&amp;utm_source=Harvard+Foundation+Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=7583ff670b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_01_OCT_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-3de682d068-&amp;__cf_chl_tk=rjYkZx.LqX0vO8viVQhyczAyEhMP20Xd8uc2nwOtoP0-1774895120-1.0.1.1-tZ_WipVaTdu9jjR7ia8Op4R1PABTZqa_D2Ira.CnN2A&amp;utm_source=Harvard+Foundation+Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=7583ff670b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_01_OCT_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-3de682d068-287920958

Sanders Theatre

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S11: happening this weekend

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S16: editor picks

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S21: roundups

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S28: calendar experiences

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S20: c+d experiences

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S3 (A): trending experiences

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S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

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S19: interest based

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S18: interest based

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Cultural Rhythms Show & Conversation with Sheryl Lee Ralph