We Are Family Foundation

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The We Are Family Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by songwriter, musician, and producer Nile Rodgers in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Its mission is to "celebrate...the vision of a global family by creating and supporting programs that inspire and educate people about mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation of cultural diversity."[1]

The seeds of the foundation were planted on September 22, 2001, when Rodgers and Tommy Boy Music president Tom Silverman brought 200 musicians, celebrities, and personalities together in New York City and Los Angeles to re-record Rodgers' hit song "We Are Family" (best known in its 1979 hit version performed by Sister Sledge) to start the healing process after the events of September 11. Director Spike Lee filmed the "We Are Family" music video, and director Danny Schechter filmed a documentary entitled The Making and Meaning of We Are Family, which depicts the recording session. The documentary was chosen as a Sundance Film Festival Special Selection in 2002.

In October 2001 a children's version of the song "We Are Family" was recorded, featuring more than 100 beloved children's television characters from shows such as Barney & Friends, Between the Lions, Sesame Street, Bear in the Big Blue House, Arthur, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Rugrats, Dragon Tales, The Magic School Bus, PB&J Otter, The Backyardigans, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Bob the Builder, The Book of Pooh, Stanley, Blue's Room, Blue's Clues, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Kim Possible, The Proud Family, LazyTown, Lilo & Stitch, Madeline, Little Bill, The Fairly OddParents, ZOOM, Higglytown Heroes, Dom Kids, Dom Show, Dom, Yogi Bear, Super Why, Word World, Wonder Pets!, Yo Gabba Gabba!, and The Muppets. This was an unprecedented collaboration among more than fifteen competitive media corporations.

A three-minute music video of the children's recording currently airs as a public service announcement on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Boomerang, Dom TV, and PBS channels. In 2007, the music video was paired with educational lesson plans to create the "We Are Family: A Musical Message for All" educational DVD program designed for early childhood educators. The DVD was distributed free to more than 58,000 public and private elementary schools in the United States and National Head Start programs with the intent of promoting tolerance and diversity to America's children.[2]

American teen band Creation recorded an album entitled World Without Windows in 2007. They announced that all gross proceeds from that work will be donated to the foundation.^{[citation needed]}