At 70, cellist Yo-Yo Ma models a way of being that resists cynicism and polarization. During a recent Denver visit for a Red Rocks performance with the Colorado Symphony, Ma consistently redirected conversations toward others, asking more questions than he answered. Former President Barack Obama noted, "For every question you ask him, he asks you two in return." Composer Angélica Negrón affirmed his authenticity: "You can't fake it." Ma treats immigration and education as ethical matters, not political ones, and sees humanity as an interconnected ecosystem. His organization Sound Postings integrates community engagement into tours, addressing gun violence in Chicago and hosting farm dinners in West Virginia. Historian Heather Cox Richardson observed, "If he's putting in that much work, how can we do anything less?"

Born in France to Chinese immigrants, Ma impressed Pablo Casals at age 7 and performed for President John F. Kennedy at a Leonard Bernstein-hosted concert. He later appeared with Elmo and Mr. Rogers, won multiple Grammy Awards, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama, who said, "Maybe the most amazing thing about Yo-Yo Ma is that everybody likes him." Casals once advised him to play baseball — "Live a full life." Ma's immigrant experience shaped his belief that "they are always trying to un..."