When friends in Florida complain about the weather, I say, “Seriously? My loved ones and friends are freezing in New York. I’m so grateful to be here!”
I haven’t swum yet since I arrived, but I have enjoyed countless gatherings, including friends’ birthday parties, meeting Kenneth Cole and attending the Lady in Red Gala honoring the indomitable philanthropist Lois Pope, who will also be honored at our Dan’s Papers Palm Beach Power List on March 10.
For me, the highlight of the week was meeting the extraordinary businessman and philanthropist Kenneth Cole after watching the documentary premiere of “A Man With Sole: The Impact Of Kenneth Cole” about the evolution of his business and himself.
It was part of the Sun & Stars International Film Festival presented by MorseLife.
The other star of the night was the elegant, newly opened Glazer Hall, a performing arts center on the Florida Intracoastal Waterway in the elegant Royal Poinciana Plaza.
It was created with a $15 million donation from Avi and Jill Glazer, who lovingly oversaw and recreated a center that was first built in 1958, but had been closed since 2004. It is a star by itself!
And I was delighted to visit it and see the Kenneth Cole documentary and meet the man himself at Glazer Hall’s inaugural season.
Kenneth is a unique businessman. He creatively began his business in a trailer parked on a NYC Fashion District street and turned it into a showroom to launch his brand of shoes.
For me, what makes him unique is that as his brand grew, so did his social activism. His ad campaigns raised awareness of the scourge of HIV and AIDS, then LGBTQ and equality issues, then homelessness. Realizing how many homeless people have mental illness helped create the Mental Health Coalition, bringing groups across the country together to battle the devastating problem.
He is announcing “Safe Online Standards” (SOS) to help protect 13- to 19-year-olds’ mental health. It will be the first expert-created and user-informed standards and ratings initiative for technology companies. Stay tuned for more information!
Kenneth’s getting personally involved in his foundation proves his concept of fashion and purpose can exist side by side.
My life of fighting for people like my daughter Lara, who was brain-damaged from turning blue in the nursery hours after her birth, is a mission of mine, so I sat transfixed as I saw how Kenneth Cole made purpose his passion and is making an extraordinary impact.
What a blessing he is to our world. He is a role model for other business leaders who make a difference by their presence on Earth.
It was appropriate that Glazer Hall, a passion project of the successful Glazers, presented Kenneth Cole’s story in their venue.
What a week it was!
Super Bowl fun
The best moment of the Super Bowl was Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s last words: “As long as you believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
