Hearts of Gold

A Night of Honor… A Legacy Revealed

On an evening glowing under the lights at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the CFB Foundation Heart of Gold Awards brought together elegance, purpose, and legacy in its purest form. At the center of it all stood Ben Vereen, honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award—a tribute not only to his legendary career, but to the life he has lived beyond the spotlight… a life that gives the phrase “heart of gold” its truest meaning.

But while the world celebrated the man, we were given rare access to something even more meaningful— His legacy.

And not through awards or applause…
But through his daughter, Kabara Vereen.

And what unfolded was far more than an interview.

It was a revelation.

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Growing Up Vereen: A Complicated Father–Daughter Love Story

The conversation opened with a familiar question:

“What was it like growing up with your father?”

Kabara smiled—then laughed softly.

I could tell I had struck something deeper. There was a pause—not of hesitation, but of reflection. She was poised, composed, clearly someone who had answered this question before and could have easily given a polished response and moved on.

But this time… she didn’t.

For reasons that felt bigger than the moment, there was a connection. And she chose to lean in.

What came next was real.

A simple question, she explained… but not a simple answer.

From an adult perspective, she now understands the weight her father carried. His generation did not have the luxury of balance. Fame demanded sacrifice. Work required absence.

“He was gone a lot,” she acknowledged.

Yet somehow… she never felt without him.

His presence, she explained, wasn’t always physical—
But it was always felt.

And sometimes, that kind of presence leaves the deepest imprint.

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Closing the Gap: A Six-Month Miracle

Time has a way of restoring what distance once took. Kabara shared a deeply personal chapter—working alongside her father and Mary-Louise Parker on a production titled Grey House, filmed in Romania, produced by Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner.

Six months.

To some, that may seem brief.

But to Kabara… it was everything.

“Six months of having your father exclusively can fill voids from years.”

That wasn’t just a statement.

It was truth.

It wasn’t just work—it was healing.
It wasn’t just collaboration—it was reconnection.
It wasn’t just time—it was restoration.

Together, they worked creatively, even rewriting many of his scenes—centered around themes tied to the American Civil War, a project deeply rooted in both American and Black history.

This was more than a production.

This was redemption in real time.

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Family First: Sharing the Spotlight

One of the most powerful moments came when Kabara did something rare—

She shifted the spotlight away from herself.

And placed it on her sister, Karon Davis.

An accomplished sculptor, artist, and co-founder of the Underground Museum in Los Angeles, Karon’s work has earned deep respect across the art world.

Kabara spoke of her with pride.

No rivalry.
No competition.
Only love, admiration, and respect.

And in that moment, something became clear—

The same admiration Ben Vereen has always expressed for his daughters…
Was now being reflected back through them.

That symmetry?

That’s legacy.

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A Real Conversation: Leaving… or Staying

Then the conversation shifted.

And it got real.

Kabara revealed that she—and many of her peers, particularly those caring for aging parents in the baby boomer generation—have seriously considered leaving the United States.

Not for adventure.

But for dignity.

Seeking environments where aging is met with care, respect, and stability.

That truth is sobering.

But then came a turning point.

Because of organizations like the CFB Foundation—and their commitment to uplifting, supporting, and honoring seniors—that idea is now being reconsidered.

“It makes staying feel possible again.”

That statement carries weight far beyond this interview.

It speaks to something bigger:

When community shows up—
People stay.

When people feel valued—
They invest, they build, they believe.

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The Bigger Question: Is a Golden Heart Hereditary?

As the night unfolded, one question lingered:

Is a golden heart something you inherit?

Looking at Kabara—her grace, her awareness, her humility—it becomes difficult to ignore the answer.

Because what she carries isn’t just talent.

It’s values.
It’s compassion.
It’s understanding.
It’s legacy in motion.

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The True Measure of a Man

Awards matter.
Accolades matter.
History matters.

But legacy?

Legacy lives in people.

In this case, it lives in:

The unity of his children
Their respect for one another
Their commitment to something greater than themselves
Their ability to carry forward what was poured into them

There is an old saying:

“You will know them by their fruit.”

And in the case of Ben Vereen—

That fruit is undeniable.

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The Final Word

So… is a golden heart hereditary?

After witnessing the depth, the humility, and the generational impact of this family—

After hearing the truth behind the spotlight…
After seeing what was built beyond the stage…

The answer becomes clear.

Not just in theory—
But in living proof.

The answer is… yes.