A Musical Message for All

The reaction to the celebrity "We Are Family" re-record was powerful and unprecedented – and the "we" began to resonate as an international message of hope. What else could be done to harness the powerful effects? Reaching out to our youngest family members...

In January 2002, under the supervision of Nile Rodgers and award-winning children's TV/music producer, Christopher Cerf, a children's "We Are Family" music video was recorded with the help of over 100 favorite children's characters, such as Arthur, Bear, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob Squarepants, Elmo, Big Bird, Barney, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and many more – all donated by 17 competing media companies. The value of this collaboration is incalculable, from the sheer financial worth to the power and impact of a unified message sent by organizations that are normally competitors.

In what seemed like a natural next step, the We Are Family Foundation – a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) – was formed by Nile Rodgers to promote the message of a global family by creating and supporting programs that foster respect, understanding and cultural diversity.