Newark, New Jersey, was the place to be on Saturday, as the most beautiful and brilliant women of color gathered for the 2015 Black Girls Rock event.

Founded by philanthropist and celebrity DJ Beverly Bond, the annual awards ceremony celebrates trailblazers in the fields of entertainment, politics, medicine and education. Cicely Tyson, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ava DuVernay, Erykah Badu, Nadia Lopez and Dr. Helene D. Gayle were this year’s honorees.

First lady Michelle Obama even made an appearance to empower young girls and stress the importance of education. She said, “I am so proud of you. My husband, your president, is so proud of you. We have so much hope and dreams for you.”

The positive image of phenomenal women was furthered by the jaw-dropping style of those present. Black and white was the biggest trend of the night with singers Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, Estelle and Ciara sporting the classic colors. But the Pinkett-Smith family ruled the red carpet sporting fashion-forward ensembles that accentuated their natural beauty.

“Black Girls Rock” will air on BET April 5 at 7 p.m. EST. In the meantime, check out all the standout red carpet moments in the slideshow below.