Digital creator Montana Tucker is at odds with her fellow “influencers.”
“What drives me crazy are people who have influence but don’t use it for good. What do you mean?
“Big actors and big musicians came up to me and sent me messages saying, 'Thank you for all your hard work.' But they don't post or speak publicly.
That's why she wanted to share something with the social media crowd of 14 million people in the wake of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.
“What's the point of having influence if you don't use it for what you believe in?” she asked herself at the time.
But how?
get creative
She worried that her background in dance, music and acting didn't match the plight of the hostages. Then she got creative. She created a series of videos highlighting the plight of the hostages, gaining international attention in the process.
One video called on survivors of the Nova Music Festival attack to dance with her, highlighting their perseverance in the face of the horrific attack. The clip reportedly It generated over 10 million views.
“When we made the Nova video, it was a big influence,” she says. “Art is something that can actually express a message and reach different audiences.”
Tucker once wore a yellow ribbon-themed dress on the Grammy Awards red carpet in February to remind people of the hostages left behind. The presenter that night missed his cue and didn't bring up the topic on stage. The same was true for big stars who attended other award ceremonies such as the Emmys and Oscars.
That hasn't stopped Ms. Tucker, who has worked with movements to combat anti-Semitism, from using the power of social media for the cause.
“I'm a survivor”
Her latest CAM video, “I'm a Survivor,” features 35 members of Sol Dance Academy and three released hostages: Moran Stella Yanai, Raz Ben Ami, and Hila Rotem Shoshani . Participants danced inside the tunnels to represent the innocent people who are still being held hostage by terrorist organizations.
“I have developed very strong personal relationships with many of the freed hostages and their families,” Tucker told Align. “I feel like they are my family now.”
The clip also features the families of Ohad Ben Ami, Shlomo Manzoor, Yossi Shalabi and Eli Shalabi, some of the approximately 100 hostages remaining in Gaza. New reports suggest significant progress has been made towards a ceasefire and possible hostage release.
Some activists on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide use sharp elbows to make their points. That can fuel arguments and drive people further apart. Tucker is trying to bring people together on her social media channels.
“I have never criticized any group other than Hamas,” she says with a soft laugh.
Follower dropout
Her activities come at a cost. She lost hundreds of thousands of social media followers in the early days of her career.
“The fact that so many people had so much hatred in their hearts shows that anti-Semitism is very real,” she says.
She also lost a significant number of friends for speaking out, but insisted that her closest friends were by her side.
Some of her fellow dancers, even those she had worked with for years, told her they would no longer perform with her because of her support for Israel.
“It was hurtful and shocking,” she recalls.
No other brand had a similarly candid response. She noticed that some people stopped contacting her for professional contracts. While others balked, several others stepped up.
“We love what you do,” they told her.
Although some people in the entertainment field expressed support for her work, they did it quietly.
“Big actors and big musicians have come up to me and sent me messages saying, 'Thank you for all your hard work.' But they don't post or say anything publicly.” and even death threats, she notes.
President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Hamas to release the hostages before returning to the White House on January 20th. Mr. Tucker said he hopes and prays it will make a difference, but avoids overtly political messages.
anyone can help
Tucker, whose grandparents survived the Nazi Holocaust, is in a unique position to raise awareness in the digital age. She argues that others can also help with social media.
“Trust me, you don't have to dance or sing,” she says with a laugh. “You don't need to have millions of followers. …Everyone has the ability and power to make change.”
She points out that even though so many people feel nervous about bringing up the hostage situation, they routinely research other hot-button issues online.
“Especially at this time, we need each and every voice. Silence is not an option,” she says. “If you haven’t spoken out yet, it’s not too late.”
And if you can afford it, why not take a trip to Israel?
“It's incredibly beautiful. … Even in a time of war, there's so much resilience and pride,” she said, adding that the country's diversity may surprise visitors.
“In many hospitals, Arab children play with Jewish and Muslim children. … They coexist peacefully,” she says.
