Life is Good, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti, and IN-Q Spread Hope & Optimism to the Class of 2020 through Global Virtual Graduation Celebration

BOSTON, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Life is Good, the positive lifestyle brand, joined forces with like-minded friends and artists, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti, and IN-Q on Facebook Live Thursday, May 7, to host a first-of-its-kind virtual graduation commencement celebration honoring the Class of 2020.

Gathering students and their families from around the world to share hopeful and optimistic messages and music, Life is Good committed to donating $1 per viewer to The Life is Good Kids Foundation up to $20,000. With over 189,000 viewers, they reached their goal and will donate the full $20,000 to support frontline healthcare workers and education professionals helping children overcome the impact of trauma.

Celebrating the courage and positive attitude of the Class of 2020, the interactive commencement address was given by Life is Good Co-Founder & Chief Creative Optimist, John Jacobs, and hosted by Bert Jacobs, Life is Good Co-Founder & Chief Executive Optimist along with performances by The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti, and National Poetry Slam Champion, IN-Q.

Addressing the Jacobs' early struggles in launching Life is Good in 1994, John Jacobs said:
"Your first steps don't have to be pretty or well-planned. If you feel a bit lost right now – about job prospects, a career path, or how to chase some distant dream – so did we. We had no business degree, no business plan, and no idea what we were doing until we tried, stumbled, and adjusted. We had to figure out what we stood for. You may not know what you stand for yet. But keep asking yourself, because it's more important than what you are up against. And when you find it, a lot of other key decisions will start to fall into place." Jacobs continued, "It's not about being brilliant - it's about being open, and positive, and willing to try. When you try, you either succeed or you learn. Either way, you win."

Jacobs also discussed key messages that the Class of 2020 shared with Life is Good through an online survey of over 800 grads that highlighted their enduring gratitude and positive outlook for the future saying, "Some of you talked about gaining extra moments with loved ones before your next big step… Others pointed out that this whole thing will unite your class, more than it will divide you. That you'll come through it stronger and more adaptable."

Throughout the virtual commencement, Bert Jacobs encouraged the audience to shout out and honor a 2020 graduate in their life. The feed quickly filled up with thousands of well wishes for high school and college students, as well as general gratitude for Life is Good for providing this opportunity to celebrate with family and friends.

Joining from North Carolina, The Avett Brothers performed two songs "Tell the Truth" and "Ain't No Man". Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers said, "We're honored to work with our dear friends at Life is Good to lift these young people as they start an exciting new chapter in their lives. We have nothing but love for everyone involved."  Performing from Bali, Indonesia, Michael Franti played the title track off his new album, Work Hard and Be Nice (launching on June 19, 2020). IN-Q joined from Los Angeles, where he shared his message of optimism through an original poem representing Life is Good's signature "superpowers" – values like gratitude, compassion, humor, and love.

To continue their support, Life is Good also created a special-edition collection of t-shirts focused on celebrating the Class of 2020's unique shared experience.

In case you missed it, the 2020 virtual commencement celebration is streaming on Life is Good's Facebook and YouTube channels.

Partners and friends of Life is Good that helped support and promote the event included the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Team Impact, University Tees, Sea Bags, Coastal Pet, Mantra Bands, Oath Pizza, and NAACO.

About Life is Good
The Life is Good Company is the original positive lifestyle apparel brand dedicated to spreading the power of optimism through art and messaging. The company donates 10 percent of its net profits to help kids in need through the Life is Good Kids Foundation. The Foundation's signature Playmaker Program provides teachers, nurses, social workers, and other childcare professionals with training, support, and workshops that help them understand trauma and compassion-informed care. Over 14,500 childcare professionals are engaged in the Playmaker Program, which improves the quality of care for more than 1 million kids each year. Life is Good^® is a registered trademark of The Life is Good Company. Visit LifeisGood.com for more details, and follow Life is Good on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers made mainstream waves with their 2009 major-label debut, I and Love and You, landing at No. 16 on the Billboard Top 200 and garnering critical acclaim. 2012 saw The Carpenter hit No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 and was followed by Magpie and the Dandelion (2013) which debuted at No. 5 on Billboard's Top 200 and saw the band appear twice on Jimmy Kimmel Live! True Sadness (2016) achieved The Avett Brothers' highest career debut to date hitting No. 1 on Billboard's Top Albums Chart, No. 1 Top Rock Albums Chart, No. 1 Digital Albums Chart, No. 3 on Billboard Top 200, and scoring two GRAMMY ® nominations. In the same year, the band was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. In 2017, the band released their critically acclaimed documentary May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers, which was co-directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio. The film followed the band as they wrote their GRAMMY ® nominated album True Sadness. The film was released theatrically and on HBO to rave reviews and critical acclaim and is now available on DVD/Blu-ray/VOD. In November 2018, the band headlined the concert for Hurricane Florence Relief in Greenville, North Carolina, raising $325,000 to help those affected by Hurricane Florence. Last year, the band released their tenth studio album Closer Than Together featuring new single "High Steppin'" which reached #1 on the Americana Radio Chart. Coming soon: Swept Away - a new musical inspired by and featuring the music of The Avett Brothers.

About Michael Franti
Michael Franti is a globally recognized musician, humanitarian, activist, and award-winning filmmaker revered for his high-energy live shows, inspiring music, devotion to health and wellness, worldwide philanthropic efforts, and the power of optimism. Throughout his multi-decade career, Franti has earned Billboard No. 1's with triumphantly hopeful hits "Sound of Sunshine" and "Say Hey (I Love You)," five Top 30 Hot AC singles, eight Top 25 AAA Singles and three Billboard Top 5 Rock Albums. In January 2019, Franti released his self-directed documentary "Stay Human," which won an array of awards at film festivals worldwide and influenced his writing for his most recent album Stay Human Vol. II (Thirty Tigers), which debuted at No. 1 on both the Americana and Independent Album charts and received critical acclaim from USA Today, Billboard, Associated Press, and Paste.  Amidst touring, Michael Franti & Spearhead have been in recording studios in Nashville, Los Angeles, and San Francisco working with A-list writers and producers on their most diverse record yet, Work Hard And Be Nice, set for release June 19, 2020.

For more information, visit MichaelFranti.com or follow on Instagram and Twitter @MichaelFranti and Facebook.com/MichaelFranti.

About IN-Q
IN-Q is a National Poetry Slam champion, award-winning poet, and multi-platinum songwriter. His groundbreaking achievements include being named to Oprah's SuperSoul 100 list of the world's most influential thought leaders, being the first spoken word artist to perform with Cirque Du Soleil, and has been featured on A&E, ESPN, and HBO's Def Poetry Jam. He's inspired audiences around the world through his live performances and storytelling workshops. Many of his recent poetry videos have gone viral, with over 70 million views combined. Ultimately IN-Q writes to entertain, inspire, and challenge his audiences to look deeper into the human experience and ask questions about themselves, their environment, and the world at large.

SOURCE Life is Good