CROWN PROCLAMATION OF DISTINGUISHED HONOR
Official Invitation | 2026 Academy of the Diamond Awards
Dated Thursday, July 09, 2026
The Not Alone Foundation, Inc.
The Academy of the Diamond Awards
Crown Jewell Honoree: Dr. Sharon J. Willis, D.M.A.
Founder & Director
Americolor Opera Alliance
Former Department Chair of Music
Clark Atlanta University & Morris Brown College
Atlanta, Georgia
United States of America
THE CROWN JEWEL
PRESIDENTIAL DIAMOND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR MUSICAL
COMPOSITION, OPERATIC EXCELLENCE, PERFORMING ARTS LEADERSHIP, CULTURAL
PRESERVATION & HUMANITARIAN IMPACT
Honorary Designation
"Preserving History, Inspiring Humanity, and Transforming Generations Through Music,
Opera, Scholarship, and Artistic Excellence."
From the Desk of the Founder, Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Dear Dr. Willis:
On behalf of the Boards of Trustees, the International Advisory Council, the Executive Leadership Council, the Ceremonial Governance Council, and the Board of Sponsors of The Not Alone Foundation, Inc. and The Academy of the Diamond Awards, it is with profound admiration, distinguished respect, and heartfelt gratitude that we extend this official Crown Proclamation of Distinguished Honor as a 2026 Diamond Award Laureate and recipient of one of the Academy's highest distinctions recognizing extraordinary lifetime achievement in musical composition, operatic excellence, performing arts leadership, higher education, cultural preservation, and humanitarian service.
The award will be conferred during the 10th Anniversary Celebration of The Academy of the Diamond Awards and the 20th Anniversary Celebration of The Not Alone Foundation, Inc. Friday, July 17, 2026, InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta by IHG Venetian Ballroom, Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Willis, your distinguished career represents one of the most extraordinary artistic and academic legacies in American music. As an internationally respected composer, educator, playwright, lecturer, and visionary cultural leader, you have devoted your life's work to preserving history, elevating the human experience, and advancing the performing arts through original compositions that educate, inspire, challenge, and transform audiences across generations. Your remarkable body of work reflects an unwavering commitment to artistic excellence while affirming the enduring power of music to illuminate truth, preserve culture, and strengthen humanity.
The Academy proudly recognizes your visionary leadership as Founder and Director of the Americolor Opera Alliance, an institution established to expand the landscape of American opera by presenting original works centered upon African American history, social justice, public health, biblical narratives, and the lived experiences of historically underrepresented communities. Through your extraordinary vision, Americolor Opera Alliance has become an important cultural institution dedicated to preserving heritage while creating new opportunities for artistic expression through the operatic stage.
The Academy further celebrates your historic achievements as one of America's pioneering operatic composers and recognizes your extraordinary distinction as the only woman in the United States to have founded an opera company while composing and premiering an unprecedented collection of original operatic stage works. Through productions including The Opera Singer, The Herndons, LaRoche, Pink Lady, Madam C. J., The Seduction of King Solomon, The Bridge, Three-Dream Portrait, and numerous additional operatic works, you have elevated untold stories that celebrate African American history while addressing significant social, humanitarian, biblical, and public health issues through the universal language of music.
Your extraordinary artistic vision has consistently demonstrated that opera possesses the remarkable ability to educate as well as entertain. Through works addressing breast cancer, homelessness, Alzheimer's disease, autism, HIV/AIDS awareness, racial history, biblical narratives, and the remarkable lives of influential historical figures, your compositions have broadened public understanding while affirming the transformative role of the performing arts in advancing compassion, healing, education, and social awareness.
Essential & Front-Line Leadership Citation
"In a defining era when the arts have served as a powerful instrument for preserving history, strengthening culture, advancing education, and illuminating the human experience, visionary composers and educators emerged whose creative genius transformed the performing arts while enriching the cultural legacy of our nation.
Through your distinguished leadership as a composer, educator, librettist, playwright, scholar, and cultural preservationist, you have elevated voices often absent from the operatic stage while creating original works that celebrate history, inspire hope, confront social challenges, and affirm the enduring dignity of humanity.
Your unwavering commitment to artistic excellence, educational leadership, cultural preservation, and humanitarian expression through music reflects the highest ideals of creative scholarship and continues to inspire future generations of composers, educators, performers, and audiences throughout our nation.
It is within this distinguished spirit that we proudly recognize you as an essential and front-line leader whose extraordinary lifetime of artistic achievement has strengthened American music, enriched the performing arts, preserved African American history, and advanced humanity through the universal language of composition."
The Academy also applauds your remarkable record of national distinction as a composer whose works have received commissions from respected organizations including the American Guild of Organists, the Georgia Music Teachers Association, and numerous distinguished performers and arts organizations throughout the United States. Your published compositions, nationally distributed recordings, and performances before audiences across the country reflect the extraordinary artistic respect your work has earned while establishing your place among America's distinguished contemporary composers.
Equally commendable is your unwavering commitment to preserving African American history through music, drama, historical interpretation, and educational presentations. Through lectures, historical portrayals, dramatic productions, and original compositions honoring Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Paul Robeson, Madam C. J. Walker, and numerous other significant historical figures, you have ensured that their stories continue educating, inspiring, and empowering future generations. Your work stands as an enduring contribution to our nation's cultural memory and artistic heritage.
Your distinguished career has been recognized through numerous honors celebrating your extraordinary contributions to music, education, scholarship, and artistic excellence. From being named Composer of the Year by the National League of American Pen Women to your induction into prestigious academic honor societies, national commissions, and recognition by the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, each distinction reflects the extraordinary influence your work has had upon American music, higher education, and the performing arts. Collectively, these honors affirm a lifetime devoted to excellence, innovation, scholarship, and faithful service through artistic expression.
Dr. Willis, your extraordinary life's work stands as a remarkable testament to the transformative power of music guided by purpose, scholarship, faith, and compassion. Through your visionary compositions, distinguished educational leadership, unwavering commitment to cultural preservation, and extraordinary artistic achievements, you have enriched the cultural fabric of our nation while inspiring generations to recognize the enduring power of music to educate, heal, unite, and transform humanity. The heavens rejoice in celebration of an extraordinary composer, educator, and visionary whose lifelong dedication to artistic excellence has preserved history, elevated culture, strengthened education, and inspired countless lives through the timeless gift of music.
The thunder resounds in recognition of a distinguished American composer whose extraordinary legacy of operatic excellence, cultural preservation, scholarly achievement, and humanitarian expression has forever enriched the performing arts while advancing the highest traditions of artistic leadership and service to humanity.
Your legacy reflects the highest ideals of musical composition, artistic scholarship, educational leadership, cultural preservation, humanitarian service, and transformational excellence. Such a legacy embodies the very highest ideals of The Academy of the Diamond Awards.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF THE DIAMOND AWARDS
The Academy of the Diamond Awards is an internationally recognized annual celebration honoring individuals whose leadership, innovation, scholarship, philanthropy, humanitarian service, artistic achievement, and professional excellence have created an extraordinary and lasting impact upon communities throughout the United States and around the world.
Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the Academy recognizes leaders whose vision, integrity, creativity, and unwavering commitment to service have strengthened institutions, advanced artistic and academic excellence, preserved cultural heritage, and inspired transformational change. Widely regarded as the "Oscars of Community Service," the Academy honors distinguished individuals whose lives exemplify excellence, servant leadership, innovation, and an enduring commitment to improving the human condition.
From music, higher education, medicine, science, government, business, law, faith, philanthropy, and humanitarian service, the Academy celebrates individuals whose achievements continue to inspire future generations while advancing a more just, compassionate, culturally enriched, and prosperous society.
Our Diamond Award Laureates are selected not solely for their professional accomplishments, but for the enduring legacy of leadership, scholarship, creativity, integrity, and service they leave to future generations.