Concert-4-KindnessÔ Presented by Marilyn & Jay Weinberg
Featured 125+ Performers, Presenters, and Storytellers to Inspire a Kinder World
Boca Raton, FL – To amplify kindness in South Florida and beyond, award-winning singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and mega social influencer Montana Tucker, along with an inclusive and affirming roster of international and local talent, delivered a resonating “We are the World”-style, multi-generational community moment this Sunday at the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium at Florida Atlantic University.
Tucker was joined on stage by more than 125 concert collaborators — hailing from diverse backgrounds, life experiences and arts disciplines — for the engaging, interactive multi-arts, intergenerational Concert-4-KindnessÔ presented by Marilyn & Jay Weinberg. The concert was hosted by FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, and conceived, organized, and produced by longtime FAU supporters and Concert-4-Kindness Co-Chairs and Vision Sponsor Bonnie and Jon Kaye of Kaye Communications PR & Marketing (KCOM-PR).
Headliner and emcee Montana Tucker — who has opened for icons like Jennifer Lopez, Flo Rida, Ciara, and Pitbull — and all Concert-4-Kindness performers, storytellers, presenters, and KCOM-PR donated their time, talent, insights, and community outreach to inspire collective empathy, compassion, acceptance, kindness, unity, and light. Intermingled with performances were Kindness Cameo videos from Montana’s friends in the entertainment industry, including “So Help Me Todd” and “Pitch Perfect” star Skylar Astin, former NFL linebacker and Fox Sports 1 Analyst Emanuel Acho, “90 SPACE BUT NO HYPHEN Day Fiancé” celebrity Loren Brovarnik, the “Dancing Weatherman” Nick Kosir, and serial entrepreneur, strategic investor, and philanthropist Ari Ackerman.
Those who ‘stepped up and out’ on the stage for the entertaining, interactive, and meaningful experience included:
- Headliner Tucker, along with her professional dancers, lighting up the stage with a riveting performance of her popular, high-energy original song“Be Myself,” that was written by Tucker for her music video to inspire young people to respect their own and others’ inclusion and diversity.
- Eight-year-old pianist Robert Zhang Jr. from Calusa Elementary School in Boca Raton, mesmerizing the audience with “Love Will See Us Through.”
- Boca Dance Studio, under the direction of studio choreographer Carly Sargent, opening the concert with more than 30 elementary, middle and high school dance students performing to Tucker’s “I’m Not Alone” music video (known as “the song that saves lives”).
- FAU Assistant Professor of Trumpet and Artistic Director of Jazz and Chamber Ensembles Courtney Jones, Ph.D. with members of the FAU Jazz Orchestra performing “Prayer for Peace” by Kenny Burrell in a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Jones is a Bach International performing, recording artist and educator and Gateways Brass Collective performer and arranger.
- BriGuel, the internationally renowned bilingual artistic duo from Spain and New York, who is on a mission to “harmonize humanity” one note, one film at a time, engaging the audience with their own brand of socially impactful music, and clips from their award-winning films and videos as powerful backdrops, included their original music “Life is a Lesson.” Joined by their collaborator Andres Gonzalez of the Holistic Life Foundation, as a trio they performed “The Difference.”
- College of Arts and Letters’ Italian Studies Group from the Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, performing “Stand by Me” in Italian featuring Italian artist, singer, and songwriter Mattia Colore.
- Florida Singing Sons and Chorale Soleil (a new ensemble) joining forces vocally under the direction of Musical Director Dan Bates, as arts-aware youth inspired to become leaders of tomorrow to perform three crowd pleasers: “Over the Rainbow/What a Beautiful World” medley; “We are the World,” and “Music Can Change the World.”
- Students from UBK/Palmview Elementary School of the Arts and their mentors nurtured by Nat King Cole Generation Hope performing instrumentals and vocals of “Lean on Me.”
- Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services/Weissman Delray Community Center singer/pianists duo Violet Darling and Wally Childs performing “You’ve Got a Friend.”
- Temple Beth El Parkinson’s Choir under the direction of Judith Simon singing
“Rainbow Connection” on video. - Enlightening original poetry written and shared by:
- Dean of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Safiya George, Ph.D.
- Barbara Schmidt Fellowship students Isabella Grande and Carisse Joseph
Presenters included:
- Tucker talking about recently retracing her family roots in Poland to explore and share her maternal grandparents’ experience during the Holocaust. Captured on-site for her 14 million social media followers in a recently released “How to: Never Forget” Holocaust education docuseries for the TikTok Generation, it was produced to educate and enlighten her vast social media audience.
- ADL Florida Deputy Director Lonny Wilk sharing insights and a transformational video “IMAGINE.”
- AJC Board Member Brianne Berkson imparting the international education efforts underway at the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation in Poland to educate military and police from around the world using the lessons learned from the Holocaust.
Winners were announced for the “Expressions of Kindness” Student Showcase initiative presented by the College of Arts and Letters’ Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education. They hailed from Country Isles Elementary Kindness Club (Weston), Calusa Elementary School (Boca Raton), Flanagan High School (Pembroke Pines), and FAU (Boca Raton).
“Concert-4-Kindness brilliantly demonstrated that ‘teamwork makes the dream work’,” shared Co-Chair Bonnie S. Kaye. “Our inspiration started with Montana herself and her authentic Kindness DNA in all she does personally and professionally, and grew with the time, talent and treasure donated by an impassioned collective of multi-arts performers, storytellers, and presenters; the generosity of sponsors; dedication of community partners and engagement of a host committee.”
Sponsors and donors underwriting the concert included: Presenting Sponsor Marilyn & Jay Weinberg, Vision Sponsor & Community ConnecteursÔ Bonnie & Jon Kaye/Kaye Communications PR & Marketing; “Back Stage” Green Room Sponsor Margie & Maurice D. Plough; Inspiration Champion Sklar Furnishings; Official Concert Hotel Waterstone Resort & Marina; Gift for Kindness Sponsors Allegiance Home Health, Deborah L. Kull, The Barry and Silvana Halperin Foundation, Inc.
Kindness Circle Sponsors included Howard Kaye Insurance Agency, LLC, Doug & Marcia Mithun, Eda and Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation, Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, LLC Attorneys at Law; Melanie Cabot and Irwin Kudman, Beth Schwartz, FAU Interim President Stacy Volnick, Ph.D., The Wechsler Foundation/Gale Wechsler. Make a Difference Fund Gifts: Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, Cohen Laser & Vision Center and the Nate & Fran Nachlas Foundation.
On board to join Montana & Friends to amplify kindness this new year were community partners: ADL Florida, Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center, American Association of Caregiving Youth, Best Foot Forward, Boca Dance Studio, Boca Raton Chamber, BriGuel, Chorale Soleil, Faulk Center for Counseling, Florida Singing Sons, Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward, Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach, Jewish Student Union/ Southern NCSY, Kaye Communications PR & Marketing, Kindness Matters 365, Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, Spirit of Giving, Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, YMCA of South Palm Beach County.
All concert proceeds are directed into the “Make a Difference Fund” at FAU to support scholarships and programs at the future Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies building at FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. Serving as the hub for Holocaust and Jewish Studies on campus, the Wallach building will bring together under one roof all multi-disciplinary education that focuses on human rights including conflict de-escalation, ethics and diplomacy, leadership training and peacemaking. The building also will house FAU’s Peace, Justice and Human Rights Center, a university-wide effort that unites scholars, students, practitioners, and community leaders engaged in the themes of social justice, human rights, and peace and nonviolence.
“Today reminds us that expressions of kindness are a ‘creative force’ when coupled with action to win out over hate, indifference, and intolerance, and that education is our best hope against hatred in building a better world for all,” said Michael F. Horswell, Ph.D., dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. “We at Florida Atlantic University are doing this work through education, based on research, scholarship, creativity, and the pursuit of truth.”
For more information about the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies building at FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letter, programs, and donor opportunities, contact the College’s Senior Director of Development and Outreach Laurie Carney at FAU at 561-297-3606 or lcarney@fau.edu.
