Written by Charlie Sun, Mei Lu, and Sammy Wu
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Adriana DiBenedetto
After unprecedented flash floods brought heartbreak and devastation to Texas over the July 4th holiday weekend, Tzu Chi USA’s Atlanta Branch began preparing a benefit concert to help communities heal in the aftermath. Featuring folk, orchestral, and vocal performances by young artists from Atlanta, this charity concert aimed to raise both funds and awareness, with all proceeds going toward strengthening Tzu Chi’s relief efforts in Texas. The concert, held on August 23, 2025, welcomed over 100 guests, each of whom wished to make a difference.
Love Conveyed Through Music
In the predawn hours on the Fourth of July, while many Americans slept, a thunderstorm complex was slowly making its way across the Texas Hill Country, dropping a month’s worth of rain in a single night. The torrent of water was forced into creeks and river systems, causing their levels to rise rapidly.
By the time alerts escalated, the catastrophic surge had already inundated low water crossings, and escape routes were closing. By mid-July, the statewide death toll had climbed past 130, with the vast majority of lives lost in Kerr County. Further breaking the nation’s heart, more than 35 of those who perished in that county were children, many of whom were staying at riverfront summer camps along the Guadalupe.
“Though our capacity is limited, we decided to organize this kind of concert for the first time,” said Atlanta Branch Director Charlie Sun. “Other than fundraising, we also hoped to convey great love through music and appeal to community members to join in making this concert a success. We aim to send the funds raised to Texas to assist survivors in overcoming their hardships as quickly as possible.”
Volunteer Meiching Chueh, the event’s chief organizer, also shared her experience planning the event, saying, “The idea for this concert came to me just two days after the disaster struck. The idea of a concert fundraiser was brainstormed last year, but we didn’t do it due to insufficient preparation. Disasters happen, and there has to be a first time for something. Despite our inexperience, we have our office facility at our disposal, saving us the effort to look for a venue.” Chueh also explained why Tzu Chi Atlanta Branch chose not to charge admission: “We hope to make it easy for guests to come. The focus was simply on spreading the message and gathering compassion. And the goal was purely to set an example and make good use of the Branch’s space. Disaster relief actions couldn’t wait. Plus, back-to-school is approaching, and so is the Labor Day holiday. If we miss this window, it will be difficult to organize. So, despite the short preparation time, we decided to act immediately.”
To facilitate a streamlined and straightforward donation process, the Atlanta Branch requested that a QR code be displayed on the event flyer when they asked Tzu Chi USA’s Culture and Communications Department for help in its creation. This QR code would allow people to easily make donations during the concert and provide a way for those who couldn’t attend to contribute. The Culture and Communications Department also designed seven posters to raise awareness about the Texas floods and relief efforts by Tzu Chi’s Southern Region and Austin Service Center. Tzu Chi Atlanta Branch volunteers set up the posters on both sides of the venue to offer more information. Another booth was also arranged to introduce guests to the world of Tzu Chi and its missions.
The Profound Symbolism of Butterflies
The entire performance and stage design centered on a butterfly theme, symbolizing hope, transformation, and rebirth. The metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly represents a miraculous and significant transformation. The fundraising concert, too, hoped to embody the resilient spirit of one breaking free from a cocoon to embark on a new journey.
Creative volunteer Chunhao Chen personally folded two hundred exquisite paper butterflies of varying sizes for the event. From the venue and stage design to the gifts for performers, the butterfly theme permeated every detail. He shared that folding the smallest butterfly took about six to seven minutes, while one featured on the stage backdrop took roughly 15 minutes. There are five intricate decorative pieces for the concert, and the butterfly section of each piece took about 45 minutes to an hour, with more time for assembly. For example, Chen spent hours attaching 35 butterflies to driftwood, while souvenirs took even more time. Chen produced approximately 150 souvenirs in various sizes, in addition to the 40 souvenirs prepared for performers.
Time Is of the Essence
Preparations for the concert spanned a mere six weeks, as Meiching Chueh first proposed the idea of a charity concert on July 8. Despite lacking experience in fundraising events of this scale, volunteers Meiching Chueh, Charlie Sun, and Chunhao Chen upheld the teachings of Tzu Chi’s founder, Master Cheng Yen, who said, “dedication is professionalism,” and were fully committed to the cause.
For first-time concert organizers, planning the program and securing performers proved to be the most challenging tasks. The concert needed to be concise while incorporating a diverse range of pieces. To that effect, singing, dancing, and orchestral music were arranged to offer something special for everyone. The volunteers leveraged their courage and the office space, not only uniting the team through the event and collectively accomplishing a meaningful endeavor, but also demonstrating Tzu Chi’s dedication to the community.
This was a journey of overcoming obstacles. There had been late nights when the planning team discussed program details, which underwent several revisions, and were finalized only three days before the concert due to the packed extracurricular schedules of the participating high school senior students. The team purchased new mixing equipment to address the background noise issues with the sound system identified during rehearsals, and acquired in-ear monitors to help vocalists hear the music and their own voices more clearly. Behind the exquisite butterfly-themed playbill are the late-night efforts of volunteers Chunhao Chen, Meiching Chueh, and Charlie Sun. Furthermore, when the network system malfunctioned unexpectedly on the eve of the concert, Charlie Sun, Tzuyun Chen, and Huiwen Liang stayed with the network technician until nearly 9 PM to ensure the event could proceed without any issues.
A Spiritual Feast
As the concert appealed to the compassionate power of youths, Fiona Qi and Hongyi Jiang, two members of the Tzu Chi Youth Association, were invited to serve as bilingual hosts. Fiona Qi has hosted numerous large-scale events in both Chinese and English, won multiple awards in speech competitions in the Atlanta area and the state of Georgia, and served as an instructor for three years in the Atlanta “Tzu Chi Youth Community Service Courses – Public Speaking Program.” Hongyi Jiang has won numerous awards in national, state, and regional debate competitions and also served as an instructor for the Atlanta “Tzu Chi Youth Community Service Courses – Public Speaking Program.”
Following the hosts’ opening remarks, Charlie Sun, Tzu Chi Atlanta Branch Director, emphasized in his welcome speech that Tzu Chi’s disaster relief distributions aimed to provide survivors not only with cash cards and supplies but, just as importantly, comfort and encouragement. Ming Zhou, a volunteer and a Tzu Chi Honorary Director, acted as the fundraising spokesperson. Another Tzu Chi Honorary Director, Kevin Ying, served as the Fundraising Ambassador. Both made heartfelt appeals during the concert, encouraging attending guests to support Tzu Chi’s disaster relief efforts in Texas.
The Atlanta Branch’s Sign Language Team opened the concert with the piece, “Let Love Spread.” Many Tzu Chi sign language performances carry educational significance, inspiring people toward benevolent thoughts. What’s more, Tzu Chi’s sign language arrangements are not merely a performance; they convey the great love, truth, goodness, and beauty of humanity, as well as positive life values such as gratitude, respect, equality, and dedication. Tzu Chi sign language is an artistic expression and a means of uplifting the soul, awakening inner kindness, and fostering a more compassionate society.
The concert featured a rich and diverse program with 15 performances, including sign language performances, a flute and violin duet, clarinet duet, classical dance, contemporary duet and solo dance (MorningStar Dance Academy), cello and trumpet duet, female solo vocal, Chinese-style dance, Guzheng solo, interactive sing-along, violin solo (William Pu Music Academy), and harmonica performance. From Tzu Chi’s signature sign language piece, to various instrumental solos and duets, graceful solo and duet dances, powerful group performances, moving vocal solos, and interactive sing-alongs led by music teachers, the entire show flowed seamlessly with natural transitions between programs, fully showcasing both artistic talent and dedication.
Two pieces of a violin and flute duet (Studio Ghibli Medley and This World Has So Many People) were beautifully performed by Vicki Lu (flute) and Joyce Yun (violin), which earned enthusiastic applause from the audience. Lu is also the Guzheng instructor at Tzu Chi Academy in Atlanta, while Yun was a longtime student at the Academy, studying Chinese language and character education. Both Lu and Yun are music educators specializing in different fields: traditional Chinese instruments like Guzheng, and violin and string ensembles. They have performed with multiple orchestras, including the University of Georgia Chinese Orchestra and the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra.
Hongyi Jiang, a sophomore at Northview High School in Georgia, performed a clarinet duet of “Amazing Grace” with his sister, Yauyau Jiang. Through this piece, the siblings shared a prayer to bring comfort and strength to those suffering, urging everyone to hold onto hope no matter how difficult the current moment may appear.
Kathy Chen, who graduated from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in 2019 and currently works at one of the major four accounting firms in Atlanta, is passionate about dance and has formed a dance group with like-minded female friends. They gather every Sunday morning to practice various styles, including hip-hop, K-pop, and jazz, and frequently share performance videos on social media. Chen joined forces with Rena Hu, Laura Liu, and Emma Li to present the Chinese-style group dance, “Mooring at Qinhuai River by Night.” Against a stage backdrop of deep blue hues, the group of four presented a graceful dance, immersing the audience in a soulful and captivating atmosphere.
Annette Carpenter Wawerna, a beloved music teacher and singer, was also invited to perform at the concert. Wawerna has performed in a new production of Jesus Christ Superstar with the Indigo Girls and released her solo album, Here On In. Wawerna is passionate about helping people discover their inner musical talent. She firmly believes that choral singing deepens connections and brings joy. At the concert, she led the audience in an interactive performance of “Open the Window” and “Let the Dove Fly In,” filling the space with courage and positivity.
She furthermore shared her experience participating in Emory University’s Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) program, noting how Tzu Chi’s charity concert embodied the practice of compassion.
It's been really exciting to learn a new thing and a new part. I've been in Atlanta my whole life, and I never knew about this place. So, it's really lovely; lovely to be part of it.
The closing performer of the day was Justin Ko, the first-place winner of the 2012 Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival Soloist Newcomer Division and the Taiwan National Student Music Competition Harmonica Solo Division. Ko was also invited to perform at the National Day of the Republic of China celebration at the City Chambers in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2022.
Performing “Descendants of the Dragon Variations” with three harmonicas in different keys, Ko demonstrated exceptional technique and expressive depth. As the melody unfolded, he became fully immersed. His performance, seemingly simple melodies gained distinct layers, particularly through his delicate vibrato technique, which infused the piece with profound emotion. The audience burst into thunderous applause the second the final note faded.
Ling Li, a renowned culinary expert in Atlanta and instructor for the Atlanta Branch’s catering volunteer training program, expressed great joy at participating in the charity event. She praised the day’s performances as highly successful and hoped that such fundraisers could be launched again to aid in future relief work.
This concert was made possible through the combined efforts of Tzu Chi Youth Association members, young musical talent from the Atlanta area, and Tzu Chi volunteers. The Atlanta Branch also invited Hsuehtung Wang, who has had two decades of experience producing the Chinese-American Business Association of Atlanta Spring Festival Gala, to serve as stage director. Musical theater producer Yin Ban handled backstage coordination, while professional photographer Hongyu Chou documented the entire event.
Credit also goes to the many heroes behind the scenes who contributed to the event’s success. Meiching Chueh led overall planning and coordination, while Mei Lu handled execution and performer recruitment. Kun Chen, a parent of a Tzu Chi Youth Association member, assisted with recruitment; Chunhao Chen managed venue setup and lighting; and Justin Ko and Juntung Chu took on audio control. Tzu Chi Youth Association members, Fiona Qi and Hongyi Jiang, hosted in English and Chinese.
Through the concerted efforts of all participants, this profoundly meaningful fundraiser drew to a successful conclusion. The charity concert was also a lasting lesson in compassion and spiritual inspiration. The beautiful voices and melodies on stage conveyed warmth, sending solace to distant communities while deeply moving everyone present, and inspiring more people to join the charitable cause.
A Surprising Gift
Creative Director Chunhao Chen shared that backstage crew volunteers remained active in their respective functions during the concert. Volunteer Tunghsun Wu and his son, Ian Northson, a member of the Tzu Chi Youth Association, were busy printing group photos of performers and volunteers, then placing them into butterfly gift boxes. Their dedication made this concert even more meaningful.
The heartwarming moments after the performance were especially memorable. Tzu Chi prepared exquisitely hand-folded butterfly gift boxes for each performer, each containing a group photo featuring all performers. Though small, the gift carried profound gratitude from the volunteers, and the performers’ smiles were the best reward. Everyone was astonished at how quickly the volunteers completed the production. The group photo, which was taken at 1:30 PM, was printed in 40 copies and meticulously boxed with forty handmade butterfly origami pieces by 4:00 PM, when the performance ended.
A Vow in Action
Tzu Chi’s founder, Master Cheng Yen, has shared that, “Being vegetarian is not a catchphrase, but an act of compassion.” Taking this message deeply to heart, Tzu Chi has given the vegetarian diet a new, contemporary significance by merging environmental protection, wellness, and the principles of simplicity and gratitude. Thus, all meals at Tzu Chi events, large or small, are vegetarian. This allows participants to experience the beauty and diversity of vegetarian cuisine, shattering the common misconception that vegetarian food lacks depth of flavor.
Catering volunteers prepared delicious vegetarian sushi, and volunteer Fan Wang provided fried sesame balls, fried mini rolls, crispy cookies, spring rolls, coffee mousse cake, mango mousse cake, assorted fruit platters, konjac snacks, and iced beverages. After the concert, attendees left the second-floor Gratitude Hall for the first-floor’s multipurpose space to enjoy refreshments, during which guests and performers unanimously gave positive feedback about the concert.
As Tzu Chi Southern Region’s first charitable concert, this event, organized mainly by youths, successfully served as a platform for them to showcase their talents and give back to society. It was not only a high-level artistic performance but also embodied the hands-on practice of responsibility and mission. The event’s resounding success was made possible by the support and participation of every performer, volunteer, and the compassion of our audience.
Atlanta volunteers will draw upon this invaluable experience to further expand the event’s impact and engage more youth in charitable endeavors. May love resonate with music, and let youth walk with charity.
