Cofounded by Grammy winner Nile Rodgers and his partner, Nancy Hunt, the We Are Family Foundation takes tragedies and turns them into opportunities for global justice.
On September 11, 2001, over two decades ago, the United States experienced attacks of terrorism that continue to weigh heavy on our hearts. It is not without sorrow and patriotism that we remember this morning—in both loss for the ones we loved and pride for how our nation came together.
Communities rallied to support each other in various ways, one being music. “Music has so much power because our first response to it is primal,” says iconic producer, guitarist, and Grammy-winning composer Nile Rodgers. “Music touches us in a way we like before we understand why we like it.” That is how the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) was born.
Cofounded in 2002 by Rodgers and his partner, Nancy Hunt, WAFF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a global family through programs that support and promote cultural diversity while encouraging and mentoring the vision, talents, and ideas of young people who are changing the world. However, before this organization became what it is today, it all started with a song.
After the 9/11 attacks, Hunt and Rodgers felt a call to action. Something needed to be done. Rodgers received countless phone calls from friends and family expressing the nation’s need for his song “We Are Family.” It is a song used globally to bring people together in every aspect, weddings and politics alike. Having written this song for Sister Sledge in 1979, Rodgers was doubtful of the impact an old song would have. But one must never doubt the capabilities of a good tune, no matter how old.
Ultimately, the track was re-recorded to include a number of celebrities and civilians like Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle, and the cast of The Sopranos as well as other actors, artists, firefighters, policemen, and everyday citizens. Over 200 people came together in solidarity and civic pride to sing “We Are Family” and spread a message of unity and healing.
“We had, like, the entire cast of The Sopranos and many of them cannot sing. But it wasn’t about that. It was about a community of people coming together,” says Hunt.
From this came the children’s version, with 100 different characters, puppets, and cartoon personalities. It was in this version that they were able to put a curriculum to the song about diversity and tolerance, which was shared with many schools throughout the country. At the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, a clip of their efforts with the re-recorded children’s version of “We Are Family” was shown. It was here that the idea of starting the foundation was born. “The idea was to bring different cultures together and to utilize the arts when we can in order to move those concepts forward,” says Hunt. Having touched both adults and children, it became clear that WAFF’s “sweet spot” was working with young adolescents in their teenage years.
At 16 years old, Rodgers was part of the Black Panther Party in New York, an organization that campaigned for African-American equality. As someone who was passionate about activism at a young age and experienced firsthand what it’s like to have something to say but no one to listen to you, it was clear that working with activist teenagers was the direction he wanted to take. Hunt and Rodgers worked to identify extraordinary youths doing extraordinary things in their community and beyond in order to help them amplify their work. And so, in 2008, a global family was created through the program Three Dot Dash—a reference to Morse code for the letter V, which resembles a peace sign.
“Ninety-nine point nine percent of our kids that we choose to have be part of this program, be part of this ecosystem, are living the problem they are trying to solve.”
co-founder, We Are Family Foundation, Nancy Hunt.
“Ninety-nine point nine percent of our kids that we choose to have be part of this program, be part of this ecosystem, are living the problem they are trying to solve,” says Hunt. Whether it be working to solve the issue of child marriage because they were almost married off as a youth or working on environmental action because a severe flood almost killed their family, each activist is extremely passionate about their cause; when you experience something firsthand, indifference is not an option.
As WAFF made great headway with their programs, the nation was rocked once again as news of George Floyd’s murder spread. While those on social media took to posting black squares in solidarity and businesses put forth millions of dollars in donations, WAFF decided to enstate a new program dedicated to finding young people in the BIPOC and BIPOC allyship community who are working in the spaces of social justice and equity. They would give them the funds and support they needed to start or continue their ideas. With these young adults on the front lines of change, Youth to the Front Fund (YTTFF) was launched in 2020 and is committed to fighting systemic racism, inequality, and injustice.
With over 1,000 applicants from over 70 countries, WAFF plans to unveil their newest front liners for YTTFF this November. This particular call focused on “artivists,” who are utilizing the arts to enact change.
Also in 2020, WAFF created Youth to the Table (YTTT) to make sure young people have a voice among decision-makers across all sectors. “These young people do have ideas. They do have great concern for their future, and their voices need to be heard,” says Hunt. And that is exactly what WAFF is helping to amplify. YTTT is sending selected WAFF Youth Delegates to participate in major global conventions like the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP), and the World Economic Forum.
“We’re trying to push them and their ideas and their work forward so that they are at least heard. They might not be listened to yet, but they are at least heard in these decision-making spaces.”
Nancy Hunt
“We really want to now take these young people who are in our community and we want to put them in spaces in which decision-making is happening so that they can then voice their opinions, or at least start chipping away at the systemic spaces out of which these decisions are being made, to get their voices heard,” says Hunt. “We’re trying to push them and their ideas and their work forward so that they are at least heard. They might not be listened to yet, but they are at least heard in these decision-making spaces.”
As these youths take to center stage to challenge the status quo and implement lasting change, a behind-the-scenes study is investigating the best ways to create a more effective cross-generational collaboration in order to solve our global issues. Naturally coined The Study, WAFF hopes to discover how society processes the voices of our youth and compile recommendations for young individuals and established organizations that will help make the future of decision-making an area open to all ages. Their findings will be presented at the World Economic Forum in January.
What started as an organization addressing hatred and intolerance issues has flourished into a global family of changemakers and peacemakers who plan to continue spearheading positive progress initiatives. Music has the ability to inspire action. But nine times out of 10, music itself is inspired by powerful emotions and actions. “I’m constantly inspired by the youth we work with. And music is the medium by which I express myself best,” says Rodgers. “I’ve penned dozens of songs about the deeds of our WAFF community since starting the organization.”
For over two decades, Hunt and Rodgers have supported hundreds of incredible adolescents, and while they chose early on to not have children of their own, their family grows exponentially every year. “Our kids are these kids,” says Hunt.
Rodgers’ job as a musician allows him the opportunity to see many of their kids located all over the world as he tours, proving the We Are Family Foundation truly is a family. And as the family continues to expand, those that came before have the pleasure of mentoring those now navigating the waters of global impact in a heartwarming full-circle moment.
It is WAFF’s hope that the young people they are supporting become our leaders of tomorrow and continue being citizens that change the world. “In every generation, you rise to the occasion of what you are confronted with. You don’t always succeed, but you do rise to the occasion,” says Hunt. “And I do think our young people are rising to that occasion.”
While the events of 9/11, George Floyd’s murder, and the individual adversities of people everywhere are tragic and sorrowful, it is these experiences that shake people awake to make them see the injustices happening right in front of them, thus serving as catalysts for action and change. It is not without pain that we may know peace.
This interview first appeared in Mission’s Music Issue. All images courtesy of We Are Family Foundation/ Nancy Hunt.
