A trailblazer in the world of dance, Misty Copeland is known for her iconic classical ballet roles including Odette/Odile in “Swan Lake”; Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet”; and Firebird, to name a few.
She is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including The Wind at My Back, Life in Motion, Ballerina Body and Black Ballerinas, and the picture books Bunheads and Firebird. Her production company, Life in Motion Productions, focuses on representative stories of artists—past, present and future—and normalizing the arts experience for everyone.
Copeland is also an avid philanthropist. In 2022, she launched The Misty Copeland Foundation with BE BOLD, a program to bring greater diversity, equity and inclusion to dance, especially ballet. She is an ambassador to and alum of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and an ambassador to MindLeaps, a Rwanda-based arts program that helps young people get off the streets and into an academic setting.
Copeland has been named one of the Time 100, and received both a Glamour Women of the Year Award and a Black Girls Rock! Award. In 2021, Copeland received the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, and in 2023 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from New York University.