Rayna Rose Exelbierd’s life goal is to teach kindness to others, which she does through her two nonprofits. She has also written two children’s books (below) and is working on a third. Photos provided
By Jan Engoren
Every month in this column we talk about the health part of Health and Harmony. This month, we’re focusing on the harmony — through the work of Boynton Beach resident Rayna Rose Exelbierd, 34, whose nonprofits, The Rose Grows and Teen Tribe, along with her children’s books are inspiring young people to believe that one person’s actions can make a meaningful difference.
The granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Exelbierd grew up in Memphis and moved to Florida for college. She graduated from FAU in 2015 with a degree in business. After several years of working in the nonprofit world mentoring students, she saw a growing need to teach leadership, self‑confidence, kindness, understanding and diversity to children.
Exelbierd’s work is part of a larger movement to teach kindness as a discipline.
In June, the Boca Raton Museum of Art and Kindness Matters offered a four-part series titled “Practicing Kindness: Deepening Brain Regulation,” designed to support emotional well-being, self-awareness and meaningful connection through practicing kindness.
More than 55 participants signed up, and a second series is planned for the fall.
David Matteson, director of learning and engagement at the museum, believes that teaching kindness and art go hand in hand.
“Art can help us build stronger, more empathetic relationships with ourselves and one another,” he says. “Many people are feeling overwhelmed or divided, and there is a real need for spaces like museums that encourage respite and reflection.”
He hopes participants leave feeling more connected to themselves and to the museum and learn practical tools such as pausing before reacting, listening more generously, or noticing opportunities to express gratitude in everyday life.
It’s the same philosophy that drives Exelbierd’s work — that one person’s act of kindness can have ripple effects on a child’s or other person’s life.
“I came across a poem I wrote five years ago about my dad, who died when I was 27,” she said. “That poem inspired me to write my first book, The Girl Who Said Hello to Everyone: Teaching Kids Kindness, Conversation and Resilience.”
The book is dedicated to Delray Beach probate attorney Pamela Higer-Polani and her husband, Mark, both mentors to Exelbierd.
“Rayna lives up to the meaning of her name — queen,” says Higer-Polani, who founded the nonprofit Brain Bowl in 2014. The organization raises funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. “She’s beyond brave and always wants to help others, especially to empower women.”
Since Exelbierd published her first book, children in more than 19 countries have read her stories — including her second title, The Girl Who Wore Two Different Shoes: Empowering Kids to Celebrate Standing Out Instead of Trying to Fit In. It teaches empathy and the importance of embracing individuality. Both books are illustrated by her childhood friend, Allyn Chapman Fraser.
This year, Exelbierd’s nonprofit The Rose Grows (“Where One Grows, We All Grow”) distributed 8,000 books to public elementary school students from underserved backgrounds. She estimates she has spoken to more than a quarter million youth around the world over the last decade about leadership and understanding differences.
Exelbierd is also helping 96‑year‑old Holocaust survivor Anya Baum write her memoir and is at work on her third children’s book, tentatively titled The Girl Who Said I Can’t Run.
Locally, she has provided copies of her books to the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, which distributes backpacks of school supplies to children. And she is partners with Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast.
Erica Eggerman, director of elementary programs for the local Junior Achievement, says, “Rayna’s partnership has been invaluable in helping us create experiences that are not only educational, but truly transformational.”
At StandWithUs, an international organization that combats antisemitism, Exelbierd met and mentored Miami native Danielle Yablonka, 25, who was immediately struck by her energy and presence.
“The minute I met Rayna and saw the way she sparkled in a room, I knew I had to meet her,” Yablonka says. “She was wearing a neon pink dress, basketball sneakers and a floppy hat — and her speech was so inspiring.
“Rayna gave me my first public speaking opportunity and encouraged me to tell my story,” adds Yablonka, who graduated from FAU in 2023 with a degree in communications and Jewish studies. “I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”
Exelbierd says she is inspired most by women who champion other women, such as Spanx creator Sara Blakely for being real, vulnerable, funny and hardworking, as well as by Blakely’s husband, Jesse Itzler, an author and entrepreneur. They motivated her to “chase my dreams.”
Exelbierd believes that when people bring their diverse talents and backgrounds together, they can support one another in reaching goals and overcoming challenges. She signs all her books, “You are just a hello away from new friends and adventures.”
Her personal motto — “Never dimmer your shimmer” — reflects the resilience she considers her greatest accomplishment. Not giving up, she says, is what allows her to keep helping children discover their self‑confidence and their voice.
“I’m so blessed if I can inspire even one child to think bigger in their own life,” she says.
Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com.
Follow Rayna Rose Exelbierd on Instagram or visit therosegrows.com or teen-tribe.com.
To learn about the Boca Raton Museum of Art, visit BocaMuseum.org.
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