Representation Matters: Why Time Magazine Got it Right in Naming Misty Copeland One of the Most Influential People in the World

Tonight I had the amazing opportunity to witness Kansas City native, Misty Copeland, return to her hometown to inspire both big and small brown ballerinas alike across the city. Anyone who isn't living under a rock knows that Misty is the very first African-American prima ballerina with the American Ballet Theater, one of the three leading ballet companies in the United States. 

Accompanied by my own beautiful brown dancer, my oldest daughter (pictured above), who is a junior dance management major at Oklahoma City University (one of the top ten dance programs in the country), I was moved to tears several times throughout Misty's remarks. Why? Because, representation matters, plain and simple. And for so long, the ballet world has failed to reflect the beautiful diversity represented in American society. 

As a Black woman raising three smart, strong, talented girls each with their own amazing athletic abilities, I am proud that Misty commanded a sold out auditorium tonight. I am even prouder that Misty is a living, breathing role model to my daughter and so many other brown dancers across the city and across the world. 

I am always perplexed when people question or flat out deny that representation matters. To this day, Misty remembers how she felt when she saw herself as a person of color, as a black woman, represented on the dance stage. Similarly, as a young lawyer, I remember all to well how important it was for me to see black men and women attorneys as successful, contributing partners in my first job as a lawyer in an AmLaw 100 firm. In fact, one of my early legal mentors was Sly James who is now Kansas City's mayor. In a full circle moment tonight, Mayor James presented Misty with the city's proclamation and declared July 31, 2017, as KC's "United We Dance Day" to celebrate Misty's professional accomplishments and her ongoing role in diversifying the world of classical ballet.

Championing a diverse and inclusive dance world is a role that Misty has readily embraced. Misty acknowledged this evening that she stands on the shoulders of many brown ballerinas who never made it as far as she has. Women like Raven Wilkinson paved the way for Misty to have the opportunities that she has today. Misty noted that Raven, also a black woman, made it into the illustrious Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1955 (after three tries!) and was told to "blend in." Raven, now 81, faced overt racism from whites who thought she had no place in ballet and ultimately such ugly racism forced her to move out of the country to continue practicing her craft. Misty counts Raven as one of her mentors and during tonight's remarks, raved about the importance of having representation. Misty underscored the strong connection between her (Misty's) ultimate success with ABT and knowing folks (like Raven) who looked like her who had weathered much greater storms than she has. 

I love the fact that Misty unapologetically claims her Black heritage and leverages her international platform as a mechanism for promoting inclusion in the world of classical ballet. Misty certainly hasn't forgotten her roots. She didn't even start formal dance lessons until she was 13 years old and had her very first class at a local Boys and Girls Club in California--notably, not the typical story of prima ballerinas. Misty spoke about Project Plié, a pipeline program she has helped to create with the Boys and Girls Club of America that is linked to ABT. The program educates and trains young, diverse dancers from underrepresented backgrounds. The goal is to help the classical ballet profession to better represent the multicultural and ethnic diversity of our country's population. 

To me, to my daughter, and to all those other brown dancers in the audience tonight, Misty matters. Misty represents excellence, perseverance, and top performance. But, most importantly, she represents possibility. These girls can now look at Misty and know that it is entirely possible for each of them to strive to reach the higher echelons in the dance world. That's what representation does, pure and simple. It takes a dream, a hope, an aspiration and makes it a living reality.

By Michelle Wimes

Inclusion Strategist, Cultural Innovator, Author and Speaker