Montana Tucker

Tucker's family history deeply shapes her public work. She is Ashkenazi Jewish and the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors Lilly and Michael Schmidmayer, whose stories are preserved by the USC Shoah Foundation. Her grandmother, who has Alzheimer's, instilled in her a strong work ethic and a never-give-up mentality. In 2014, Tucker participated in Birthright Israel. In June 2022, she visited Auschwitz with her mother, documenting the trip in a TikTok series called How To: Never Forget, which garnered over seven million views and was later adapted into a documentary. She was invited to the White House in April 2023 for an interview with Doug Emhoff, and emceed the 75th Anniversary of Israel reception later that year.

Since the October 7 attacks in 2023, Tucker has become a vocal advocate for Israel and against antisemitism. She has spoken at the March for Israel in November 2023, addressing nearly 300,000 supporters. She produced The Children of October 7, a documentary featuring interviews with seven young victims, including a child who was abducted and released. The film premiered at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem in December 2024 and was later picked up by Paramount+. Tucker also made headlines at the 2024 Grammy Awards for wearing a dress with the words "Bring Them Home" embroidered in a yellow ribbon, a protest she refused to remove. Her advocacy has earned recognition from organizations like FIDF and special recognition from New York City Mayor Eric Adams.