Sade Lythcott

✨There are moments that take our breath away, not because of their grandeur, but because of their truth. Six pages in the November issue of Vogue Magazine, captured by the legendary Annie Leibovitz, is one of those moments. But it is not the recognition that moves me; it is writer’s’ focus on National Black Theatre’s work. It’s Annie’s lens capturing @kristenadelecalhoun intergenerational odyssey about the healing power of blood memory. Black women of every age, background and body type, gracing these glossy, exquisite pages, long reserved for the most elite…taking up space, unapologetically moving from the margins to center stage. A reminder that our story is not just about the scale of our project and partnerships; it is about the profound love and sacrifice of a visionary woman, Dr. #BarbaraAnnTeer, who planted seeds of possibility in soil often deemed barren. Collectively, ours is a story of mothers and the warrior seeds they sow deep within their daughters’ spirit. It’s about fearless women who take risks, bet on each other, and are rewarded by the strength of sisterhood. My mother believed in art as a tool for liberation, and I have carried that belief as we build the theater of the future—a space rooted in heart, heritage, and Harlem. Her dream, my North Star: “We must build cultural centers where we can be free, open, and Black.” This space is more than a theater—it’s a home for our voices, our dreams, and our future. Deep gratitude to @dasha @fridaescobedo and Vogue for joining me in this dream space, and every soul who has been part of this journey—especially @jaymc86 , @barriekoegel , our incredible Board of Directors, The City and State of New York, our funders, and every individual donor who has helped us reach nearly 70% of our goal. We are building something greater than ourselves. Let’s make history and cross the finish line together! join us at @natblacktheatre , be part of this legacy, and don’t forget to pick up the print issue or read the full story online via the link in bio! 📰: @voguemagazine 📸: Annie Leibovitz @annieleibovitz ✍🏾: Marley Marius Stylist: @tabithasimmons Hair/Makeup: @ted.does.stuff / @jaleesajaikaran

✨T H E N E W A M E R I C A N D R E A M✨ So this is a pinch me moment….I grew up understanding the world’s axis through the lens of the Goddess that is @oprah . So many of my mother’s friends were were made globally visible by Ms. O as she lifted them up as her friends, mentors, teachers and guests. As a young woman mapping what my North Star might be, her show was my compass that signaled “arrival”. Sadly her show ended as I began to understand & dive into my life’s work at #nationalblacktheatre and our paths have never crossed in a meaningful way. I lost my mom and sooo many of her sister friends who’s paths were paved by Oprah’s light. But light is a funny thing. It is inextinguishable when it is lit from within. Now as a woman, mother, CEO, advocate and activist my North Star revolves singularly around building & serving community. It is through this service to Black Artists and cultural production that I have arrived. 💜🙏🏾🤩 Thank you @oprah & @oprahdaily for including me & the work of @natblacktheatre @jaymc86 @gozeface in your list of 50 Black trailblazers moving our world forward! We sat down with the eternally eloquent @nikkiogun for @harpersbazaarus to talk all things #BlackTheater in the service of #Liberation, #Healing, #Resilience and most important as an instrument of #JOY! #FutureRising #LetsGo

🪷AND STILL WE RISE 🪷 ・・・ This day, these women, the extreme amount of care, felt like a blessing. Such an honor to be included in this group of extraordinary women who have changed / are changing the face of theater. Thank you @harpersbazaarus for calling us all in to the brilliance of each other’s light and gifts. After such a dizzying year I can’t tell you how much I needed to feel their warmth. This shoot felt like home.💜 Harper’s Bazaar’s Art Issue is on stands now Story by the 🐐: @imaniperri Photo: @johncedmonds Styling: @menamorado Hair: @lacyredway Makeup: @laurastiassni Manicures: @michinail And a very special thank you for all the ways you see us @samiranasr 💜 🔗in Bio

“Imagination without infrastructure disappears.” Sade Lythcott reminds us that creativity doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it requires investment, protection, and intentional support. Artists need space. Materials. Safety. And institutions must do the work of building what sustains them. Watch the full conversation at the link in our bio.

🤟🏾THIS IS 9!🤘🏽 Happy Birthday to the most beautiful soul I know! Love you to life @thelonioussakire 💜

On Monday, we gathered in a room full of people shaping what is possible. Artists. Producers. Patrons. Leaders. Family. And at the center, women carrying vision, and the courage to see it through. There was something powerful about gathering in this way during Women’s History Month. A moment that asks us not only to remember who made the way, but to recognize who is shaping it now. Our inaugural Spring Luncheon was never just about an event. It was about honoring the lineage that brought us here, and the future we are building together. To celebrate Whitney White @yesimwhitneywhite and Robyn Coles @coles_robyn felt deeply right. Two women expanding the field with rigor, imagination, and care. And to have Lynn Nottage @lynnnottage and LaChanze @mslachanze call them forward was a reminder of what it means to be witnessed by those who understand the work and the weight of it. There are far too many to name, and yet every person in that room helped shape what the afternoon became. A reflection of generosity. Of alignment. Of what happens when we gather with intention. My deepest thanks to our co chairs, host committee, board of directors, and indefatigable staff whose care and precision made this day possible. This is what National Black Theatre @natblacktheatre exists to hold. I felt my mother, Dr. #BarbaraAnnTeer so clearly. Her vision. Her insistence that we build spaces where our stories live on their own terms. This felt like an extension of that promise. This was only the beginning. The room will grow. The table will expand. We’ll see you next year.

✊🏾🚫🧊🚫✊🏾

✨THE ONLY KING I RECOGNIZE✨ In his last speech, Dr. King reminded us that the greatness of America is the right to protest for rights. His words are as relevant today as they were then. In the face of authoritarianism, we’ll always remain active, engaged, and relentless in our pursuit of justice. via: @repayannapressley

✨🧘🏾‍♀️D E E P B R E A T H S🧘🏾‍♀️✨ This week, sitting in deep listening with artists and fellows from the @blackgeniusfoundation , holding space for their questions, their fear, their becoming, I was reminded how close grief and genius live to one another. So many of the fellows I met are carrying loss alongside vision. Personal loss. Cultural loss. The ache of making work inside a world that feels unsteady and sometimes unrecognizable. And still, they show up. Tender. Brilliant. Refusing to disappear. What I keep learning is this: grief is not the thing that stops us. It is often the thing that keeps us honest. Reminds us of the strength that exists in the fragile moments of life. It remembers what mattered. It keeps us human when the world asks us to harden or move on far too quickly. If you are grieving right now, for someone, for a future, for the country you hoped for, I hope you know this pain is not a failure or an undoing. It is simply love still working on you. Stay. Listen. Let it teach you how to remain. Thank you @simoneeccleston for the privilege to serve as an advisor and for your genius that has seeded it all. 💜💜💜💜

In an era where culture Was commodified and creativity Was shaped by algorithms, Sade Lythcott, CEO of the National Black Theatre, Invited us to reclaim theater not as mere entertainment, but as sacred ritual. Moderated by creative executive and cultural strategist Stephanie Simon, That conversation Explored the irreplaceable power of live performance as a site of healing, presence and collective connection. Drawing from her work leading one of the nation’s most visionary cultural institutions, Lythcott reframes storytelling as a radical act of resistance and a vital path back to one another. Visit the link in our bio to watch the full session on YouTube. Interested in attending a Summit event? Apply at the link in our bio.

Toni Morrison reminds us that the ancestors are not behind us. They are the wisdom that guides us, if only we remember how to listen. This is the work. To reach our deepest knowing of what is right and what is true, and to commit ourselves to that clarity in whatever we build. Moments like this remind me that the work of NBT (@natblacktheatre ) has never been about a single play or even a building. It is a public commitment to remain human, to make space where memory, care, and possibility endure. In this season of giving, I hope Morrison’s words feel like a gift. I know for me, they always do. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Stay warm and stay human. 💜