Iman’s first career as a fashion model began in Africa when she was noticed by photographer Peter Beard and while she was a student at the University of Nairobi. Beard’s subsequent portraits of Iman became the genesis of Iman’s modeling career and the catalyst that brought her from Kenya to New York. Beginning in 1976 with a booking from Vogue, for nearly twenty years, as model and as muse, Iman maintained a key place among many of both the 20th century’s and today’s epochal fashion designers and portrait photographers.
In 1994, frustrated by the absence of adequate beauty products available for women with skin of color, Iman developed and founded IMAN Cosmetics. Having recently retired from modeling, Iman sought to address, fill and correct a glaring void in the beauty market. While IMAN Cosmetics was the first to offer products specifically formulated for skin of color’s distinct needs, one of the brand’s defining and distinguishing hallmark is its philosophy: Because women with skin of color represent many races, cultures and ethnicities, IMAN Cosmetics is designed for African American, Asian, Latina and multi-cultural women with myriad skin tones.
Iman’s first book, entitled I Am Iman (Universe, 2001), was an autobiographical sketchbook of her career and that questions “the unserious business of fashion and beauty and its serious effect on identity.” Her second book, The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color (Putnam Penguin 2005) examines and pays homage to all of the spectrum’s skin tones: Latina, Black, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Native American, as well as multiple ethnicities.
For years, Iman has worked to support the efforts of an array of humanitarian organizations, including Keep a Child Alive, Save the Children, the Children’s Defense Fund, CARE and is on the Advisory Board and Creative council at RED.
In addition, Iman has worked to help draw attention to war and famine in eastern Africa, appearing in a BBC documentary with regard and also addressing the United Nations.
Derek Fordjour is the recipient of the 2025 Gordon Parks Foundation Artist Fellowship, the 2023 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Spirit of the Dream Award, and previously served as the Alex Katz Chair at Cooper Union. He has received public commissions for the High Line, the NYC AIDS Memorial, MOCA Grand Avenue and the MTA’s Arts & Design program. Fordjour’s work has been reviewed in The New York Times,Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times. A monograph of his work will be published by Phaidon in 2027.
He is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta Georgia. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Art Education from Harvard University and an MFA in painting from Hunter College. His work is held in the private and public collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Guggenheim Museum, and The Royal Collection in London among others. He is the founder of Contemporary Arts Memphis.
Voices is our signature annual benefit—an inspiring evening that celebrates BroSis’s commitment to helping young people grow into critical thinkers and community leaders. Bringing together more than 500 supporters from across industries, the event is rooted in storytelling, artistry, joy, and intergenerational connection. It’s an opportunity to hear directly from the remarkable young people who inspire and empower our life-changing programming. More than a celebration, Voices is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when young people are supported, seen, and given the tools to lead.
Clara Markowicz
Paul E. Butler
Peter J. Davoren
President and CEO,
Turner Construction Company
Fuquan Collins
Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay
Ravi J. Mallik
Detavio Samuels
Danielle M. Brown
Ross Haime
Marti Meyerson
Latraviette D. Smith-Wilson
Tiffany R. Warren
Elizabeth Acevedo
Sheila R. Adams-James
Ernest Boyd
Andrew M. Chonoles
Heather Corbett
Adair Curtis
Cynthia Dames
B. Alan Echtenkamp
Sharon Foo
Matthew A. Gibbons
Stephen Graham
Farah Griffin
Damon Hewitt
Kippy Joseph
Marcus Littles
Diarra McKinney
Alondra Nelson
Pedro A. Noguera
Michelle Ores
Lida Orzeck
Alexandra Shapiro
Andrietta Sims
Lauren Starr
Holly A. Thomas
Miguel Vias
Douglas H. White
Lida Orzeck
Peter Mensch & Anita Bitton
Alondra Nelson & Garraud Etienne
Heather Corbett & William Amenta
Jon Grau & Cameron Lewis
Sheila R. Adams-James
Danielle M. Brown
Paul E. Butler
Dr. B. Alan Echtenkamp & Pamela Sandler
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Patricia and Mark Joseph, The Shelter Foundation
Letena & Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay
Margot & Ravi J. Mallik
Dele Oladapo
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Detavio Samuels
Vanessa Stanton & Peter Gourdine
Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies
Unity Electric
Rachel & Terence Winter
Have questions or interested in custom sponsorship opportunities? We’d love to connect. Please reach out to Vanessa Marquez at vm@brotherhood-sistersol.org to start the conversation.
