{"id":559,"date":"2026-05-27T11:04:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T11:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=559"},"modified":"2026-05-27T11:04:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T11:04:30","slug":"ymu-raises-1-8m-at-havana-nights-gala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=559","title":{"rendered":"YMU raises $1.8M at \u2018Havana Nights\u2019 Gala"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Miami\u2019s music, arts and philanthropic communities came together on Saturday, Apr. 25, as Young Musicians Unite (YMU) hosted its 13th annual Gala at Mana Wynwood.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=557\">Mosaic Art Fund at Coral Gables Community Foundation Expands Mission and Grantmaking in Fourth Year<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Themed \u201cHavana Nights,\u201d the sold-out evening welcomed 900 guests for an immersive celebration inspired by the golden age of Havana, raising $1.8 million to expand access to free, high-quality in-school music education across Miami-Dade County.<\/p>\n<p>Since its founding in 2013, YMU has reached more than 37,000 students, providing free music education regardless of socioeconomic background. Funds raised from this year\u2019s gala will support programs serving over 16,000 students annually across more than 100 schools, continuing YMU\u2019s rapid expansion toward ensuring every child in Miami-Dade has access to music education.<\/p>\n<p>The evening featured performances by more than 150 YMU students, spanning jazz, rock, funk, disco, and Cuban-inspired rhythms. Ensembles included the YMPA Jazz Band, the YMU Jazz Collective, Avalanche and Miami Beach Rock Ensemble featuring Tito Puente Jr. on stage and a high-energy closing set by Undercover that brought the entire room to its feet.<br \/>\nThe night culminated in a packed dance floor and a powerful celebration of the students, educators, and community driving YMU\u2019s impact.<\/p>\n<p>The evening was marked by an unmistakable energy, with guests fully engaged from start to finish. A vibrant social atmosphere carried throughout the event, highlighted by a packed dance floor and a palpable sense of momentum that mirrored the passion and creativity of the students on stage.<\/p>\n<p>The event drew an esteemed and diverse audience of philanthropists, community leaders, artists, and industry executives. Notable attendees included Kaisa Levine, founder of FridaBaby; Councilmember Linda Julien; Homestead Vice Mayor Jenifer Bailey; Jesus Gonzalez, vice president at Broadcast Music Inc.; Julio Bague, vice president of Peermusic; Bob Pittman, chair and CEO of iHeartMedia; Richard J. Bressler, president and COO of iHeartMedia; Enrique Santos, COO and president of iHeartLatino; Rebecca Fishman Lipsey of The Miami Foundation; supermodel and former Victoria\u2019s Secret Angel Karoli\u0301na Kurkova\u0301, and Lisa Gersh, among others<\/p>\n<p>Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres, and Enrique Santos, COO and president of iHeartLatino, honored outstanding youth with graduation plaques at the gala.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis night is a reflection of what becomes possible when a community aligns around a shared responsibility to its youth. This is not just about music, it is about access, belonging, and the belief that every child deserves a chance to be seen, heard, and developed,\u201d said Sammy Gonzalez Zeira, CEO and founder of Young Musicians Unite. \u201cEvery dollar raised creates real opportunity and moves us closer to a Miami where music education is guaranteed for every child.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=555\">Jackson Health Foundation tops $1.9 million for third annual \u2018One Day for Jackson\u2019 campaign<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAttending the YMU Gala was truly a highlight for me. The Havana theme is so close to my heart. It brought back so much of the culture and spirit that shaped who I am as an artist. But what moved me most was seeing the youth of Miami up there, representing Cuba with such pride, talent, and joy,\u201d said Latin Crossover King and Grammy-winning Cuban superstar Jon Secada.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs an educator ambassador myself, I know how powerful it is when young people find their voice through music and culture \u2013 and these kids have it,\u201d Secada added.<\/p>\n<p>Proceeds from the evening will directly support YMU\u2019s in-school programs, including music production, jazz ensembles, drumlines, and more, delivered at no cost to students. This investment also will fuel YMU\u2019s next phase of growth, expanding to serve an additional 4,000 students across 30 new schools, including its first expansion into West Miami-Dade and communities like Hialeah.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>ABOUT US:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami\u2019s culture. Whether you\u2019re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https:\/\/communitynewspapers.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=554\">I work for you, and I\u2019m just getting started<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Miami\u2019s music, arts and philanthropic communities came together on Saturday, Apr. 25, as Young Musicians Unite (YMU) hosted its 13th annual Gala at Mana Wynwood. Themed \u201cHavana Nights,\u201d the sold-out evening welcomed 900 guests for an immersive celebration inspired by the golden age of Havana, raising $1.8 million to expand access to free, high-quality in-school<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[8],"class_list":["post-559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biscayne-bay-tribune","tag-biscayne-bay-tribune"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>YMU raises $1.8M at \u2018Havana Nights\u2019 Gala - Miami Movers Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=559\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"YMU raises $1.8M at \u2018Havana Nights\u2019 Gala - Miami Movers Hub\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Miami\u2019s music, arts and philanthropic communities came together on Saturday, Apr. 25, as Young Musicians Unite (YMU) hosted its 13th annual Gala at Mana Wynwood. 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