By Fahizah Alim | Special to The OBSERVER
Robert Luke got the inspiration to bring innovative jazz musician Braxton Cook to the Mondavi Center at UC Davis while attending a concert featuring another young musical genius, Samara Joy, at the Mondavi Center a few years ago.
“I’m a big fan of Braxton, having seen him perform numerous times over the years,” says Luke, a UC graduate and successful businessman.
“I thought that the Mondavi Center and we could collaborate to promote a fundraising event that could be a game changer in this region. It would be an event that will benefit the Mondavi Center, jazz goers as well as aspiring students who cannot afford college tuition.”
Luke, a Sacramento native, is no novice to promoting and advertising events, having once been a partner in a San Francisco advertising agency that promoted events for clients including Tina Turner, Ella Fitzgerald, David Copperfield and James Brown in major cities across the country.
Here was a chance to promote an event that would serve the community and benefit an organization close to his heart.
As vice president and board vice chair of the Future Foundation of Sacramento, Luke has planned and promoted events for the organization since 2010 to raise money for scholarships for students who are the first in their family to attend college. Most of the fundraisers were golf tournaments. But he had a new idea.
“I wanted to see if UC Davis would partner and collaborate with the foundation where the profits from the proceeds would go to the Future Foundation’s scholarships,” he says.
In its effort to support first-in-family college students, the nonprofit has focused on the challenges faced by low-income students as they pursue their higher education dreams. These students not only bear the financial burden of college, but also lack the guidance and support of role models who have experienced the challenges of higher education.
The Future Foundation stays in touch with them throughout their college years and beyond.
To date, the Future Foundation has awarded more than $780,000 in five-year scholarships to Sacramento County students who are the first in their family to attend college.
After having the idea, Luke talked to Cook to see if he was on board. Then he contacted a UC Davis staffer who put him in touch with management at the Mondavi Center.
“I asked them if they were interested in a performance by an up-and-coming jazz musician that would raise money for scholarships for our kids,” Luke says.
He presented his proposal, which entailed Mondavi covering only its costs, taking no profit, and the proceeds going to scholarships from the Future Foundation.
Mondavi researched Cook and agreed to the collaboration.
“They have never done this before,” says Luke, who connected the dots and worked with UCD to sponsor a free pre-event reception.
“Braxton is bringing together younger people with his hybrid of traditional jazz and singing and generating buzz and excitement. I’ve never seen anything like this before. We offered four free tickets … on KDEE radio and the phone lines lit up.”
With Luke’s dedication and determination, the collaboration between UC Davis, the Mondavi Center, and the Future Foundation has come to fruition. The fundraiser featuring Cook promises not only to showcase exceptional talent, but also provide much-needed support for students striving to be the first in their families to attend college.
Through his vision and tireless efforts, Luke has exemplified the power of community collaboration and the impact it can have on shaping the futures of deserving individuals.
As the event approaches, the anticipation and excitement build, reflecting the hope, support, and inspiration that Luke and his partners have worked tirelessly to cultivate. It is in moments like these that the true spirit of community shines brightly, paving the way for brighter futures and endless possibilities.