Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz honored at Gordon Parks Foundation gala

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz were honored by the Gordon Parks Foundation at a gala in New York on Tuesday. Before the awards ceremony, Keys reflected on how she and Beatz, who wed in 2010, have influenced each other over their 14-year marriage.

“Since the minute we met, it was like - there's a way that each of us have our own way of creating. And we both constantly just by being, inspire each other. I love this man. I love all of his brilliance. And it's beautiful to have that kind of reciprocity,” Keys said.

Besides Beatz and Keys, other honorees included Colin Kaepernick, the late Richard Roundtree, and Myrlie Evers-Williams. Celebrity guests and presenters included Usher, Gayle King, Tim Reid, and Ben Stiller.

The Gordon Parks Foundation Award recognizes individuals with a deep appreciation of the arts and their impact on inspiring the next generation.

Gordon Parks is considered one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, known for depicting race relations, poverty, and civil rights. In 1969, he became the first Black person to write and direct a major feature film, “The Learning Tree,” and later directed the classic '70s film “Shaft.” Parks was also a music composer, author, and activist.