Valiant Cross Academy  students Nehemiah Austin, Carmello Hicks, Kentrell Anderson, Howard Works,  along with choir leaders Terrence Baldwin  &  Lewis Webb  have been invited  by Nicholas Ma to perform in a future American Revival city.  Show co-producer MAP360,  shared the news in a presentation at the Valiant Cross Academy Schoolhouse on November 10th.

"These young voices from Valiant Cross Academy aren't just performing. They're carrying forward a message of connection and community that started right here in Montgomery. American Revival showed us what's possible when we come together across differences, and now these scholars get to share that spirit of hope with future American Revival audiences. It's a beautiful example of how investing in our young people and the arts creates ripples that extend far beyond our city."  said MAP360 representative Joyce Vaughn,

"Congratulations on being selected to represent Montgomery! Valiant Cross will be the bridge to our next gathering; the living proof that hope can travel, that kindness can multiply, and that we can, in fact, belong to each other." wrote Nicholas Ma, creator of the American Revival. 

 The new traveling festival of hope created by filmmaker Nicholas Ma, arrived  in Montgomery the weekend of October 12-13, 2025 with offerings including  a free-to -the public live gathering  at Troy University's Davis Theatre.  The sold out show included  performances by world renowned cellist Yo-Yo MA, Valerie June,  Speech of Arrested Development, actress Alfre Woodard, and several Montgomery artists including the four students from Valiant Cross Academy.  The American Revival Tour is slated to continue with unique live gatherings  across the country through 2026. 

ABOUT AMERICAN REVIVAL 
American Revival is a national cultural movement curated and organized by Ernest Lyford. Each gathering brings together the inspiring and the unexpected, harnessing that energy to build bridges and forge lasting bonds across difference — all with the goal of strengthening the country’s faith in community.

ABOUT MAP360

MAP360 is a Montgomery-based nonprofit that creates arts programming to revitalize public spaces, bridge divides, and expand opportunities for artists and arts organizations. Since 2017, MAP360 has produced or supported more than 175 projects and events, worked with over 100 artists, and reached 1.6 million people — including bringing arts programming into schools for over 800 students.

For more information, visit map360.org or follow us on Instagram at @map360_.
 

ABOUT TROY UNIVERSITY

Troy University is a public, historic, international university with more than 14,000 students and more than 176,000 alumni. Students choose TROY for its quality academic programs, reasonable costs and availability of financial aid, outstanding faculty, and flexible in-class and online class offerings. Students on the Troy, Ala. campus enjoy a traditional college experience, while adult students are the centers of attention at campuses in Dothan and Montgomery, as well as at locations around the world and online. Learn more at troy.edu.