The sounds of the drumlines, and the cheers, and the crowds brought out even more people to Restoration Plaza, along Bed Stuy’s Black Lives Matter mural on Fulton Street (Harriet Ross Tubman Avenue), Brooklyn. Councilmember Robert E. Cornegy, Jr. hosted the Battle of the Bands, HBCU Edition 2020 at Black Lives Matter mural in Bed-Stuy. Invited crews included:
Berean Community Marching Band, Brooklyn Alliance Drumline, Brooklyn United
Marching Band, Brownsville Excellence Marching Band and The Empire Marching Elite. HBCUs and HBCU alumni groups also had tables to inspire students.
One of the bands which thrilled the outside audience was the Brooklyn Alliance Drumline under the tutelage of Stephon Bridges, Brooklyn Alliance Drumline director, and Michael Mendoza and Vaughn Armour.
Cornegy, Jr. asked for the Divine 9 fraternities and sororities to come and show their strengths; and HBCU colleges to bring their resources and information. The Battle of the Bands event honored homecoming which so many students and new graduates missed out on.
In the days before the Battle of the Bands, Councilmember Cornegy said, “In just over four months, our Black Lives Matter mural has already been a part of so much in our shared Brooklyn community. Our mural has been a feature of protests for police accountability and police reform, we have shared the joy of a loving couple’s marriage, we have shared a production by the Billie Holiday Theatre of ‘Twelve Angry Men and Women,’ and we have honored victims of the pandemic with a moving floral tribute. Our mural has been part of yoga, health and wellness and a part of raising awareness about mental health, domestic violence, and Census 2020. Today we add Historically Black Colleges and Universities, bands, DJs, and step teams to that list of how we make this Black Lives Matter mural a part of our community. Our mural will not be static, this is a living, breathing part of our community that galvanizes our collective efforts to lift up the love, education, arts, and lives of our shared community. Thanks to all the community partners and sponsors making today’s Battle of the Bands possible.”
It was another great community event, with residents, families, people shopping and/or running errands stood and watched the show.
As well as the bands, dancers and the DJs, Cornegy thanked: Grambling State University, HBCUniversity, Johnson C. Smith University, Judge Bernard of Brooklyn Bank, Morehouse College, Natasha Cherry Perez and Uncommon School Get Out the Vote, Nicole Williams, Shaw University, Spelman College, The Empire Marching Elite, the HBCU Hub, the Legendary Christ Washington, Turner Construction, Wilberforce University and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Finessing the people the advertised DJ line up was: DJ Legendary Chris Washington, DJ Jon Quick, DJ P-Drama, DJ Play Dat.