Colombian Senator Wears White Elephant to New York Gala

Luis Carlos Rúa walked into the 2026 TIME100 Next Gala in a full white elephant costume on Thursday, Oct. 29.

The Colombian senator later removed the suit and wore an all-black outfit instead. He kept a stuffed white elephant in his hand as a mascot for the incomplete public infrastructure projects in his home country. Rúa won a Senate seat this year after running an anti-corruption campaign.

The event took place in Manhattan and gathered rising leaders from health, climate, business, sports, and entertainment. Attendees used the evening to connect and exchange ideas across these fields. Actor Himesh Patel from the series Odyssey spoke with Wawira Njiru, the founder of Food4Education. Musician Sombr met actress Joey King, while NBA player Tyrese Maxey dined with comedian Druski. Director Curry Barker, known for the horror film Obsession, chatted with actor Paapa Essiedu between meal courses.

Grammy-nominated singer Raye performed for the crowd. She sang a cover of Julie London’s “Cry Me a River” and “Happier Times Ahead” from her album This Music May Contain Hope. Her set introduced the theme of hope during the evening toasts. Raye described hope as a cheesy but necessary emotion.

Rolex, Toyota, American Airlines, Danantara, the Project Management Institute, and Target presented the gala. The gathering served as a networking hub for individuals identified as influential rising stars in their respective industries.