“This event rests, as influence rests, at the intersection of accomplishment and renown,” TIME Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs said during her speech Tuesday at the TIME 100 Gala in New York, addressing the current and former honorees from the world’s 100 most influential people list.
The glitzy, high-profile annual event produced several memorable moments, including power-packed performances from Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj as well as moving speeches from Melissa McCarthy, Lewis Hamilton and Caitlyn Jenner, all honored on this year’s TIME 100.
“So many people in this room were told: ‘You can’t do that,'” McCarthy said. “In one way or another, everybody in this room simply forged ahead.”
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Write to Rishi Iyengar at rishi.iyengar@timeasia.com