Playing for Change Foundation party
JIMMY AND ELIZABETH HUTCHESON of SPIN (at left)with (left to right) Hedy and Andrew Hutcheson and Felicia and Dennis Cunningham with auction item “Love Is My Religion” by Victoria White.
Playing for Change Foundation (PFCF) celebrated its 2025 Impact Awards in Miami March 15 with an array of prominent figures from Miami and beyond, including Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke, PFCF Executive Director Whitney Kroenke Silverstein, the Marley family, Los Angeles resident Panos A. Panay (president of the Recording Academy). There were music performances by Skip Marley and singer-songwriters Juanes of Columbia and Anitta of Brazil.
PFCF’s achievements include building a cultural art center for children in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement of Uganda. Its mission is to create positive change through music and arts education for marginalized youth primarily located in low and lower-middle income countries. PFCF has programs in 19 countries, with 100 locations in all.
The Kroenke family, owners of the Los Angeles Rams and SoFi stadium, do not have a program for PFCF in Los Angeles, which would make for a great new location.
The theme of the evening was Brazil, with talented youth from Brazil and other countries performing. Gale, a talented young Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, performed, and there was a special honorary award given to Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records and the godfather of reggae music. Juanes gave an intimate and inspiring performance and also has similar nonprofit goals.
Among the named sponsors were Jimmy Hutcheson, CEO of SPIN magazine, and his wife, Elizabeth, and Tiffany & Co., who created the honorary awards.
CHRIS BLACKWELL (left) accepting his Tiffany-created award from Cedella and Ronan Marley.
It was heartwarming to see the auction go wild with a guitar signed by all of the members of the Rolling Stones, trips both to Napa Valley and Jamaica, and one simply generous auction paddle was raised to donate $250,000 because, as Ziggy Marley said, “Love is my religion,” too.
The after-party continued the Brazilian theme with dancing and partying into the early morning in true Miami style.
By H. Hutcheson
Category: People
