HONK! If You’re Part of the Resistance

HONK! bands are part of a global movement of activist community street bands. My dissertation (Marching toward Meaning: the Religious Worlds of Drum Corps and Community Bands, 2025) explored ways these bands can cultivate a powerful sense of meaning and purpose for members. I will share some conclusions of my research, such as how these musical communities offer alternative spaces for human flourishing. This presentation will also feature new ethnographic research that considers the relationship between music, social justice work, and spirituality, as I consider the possibility of situating HONK! protest bands within a broader history of resistance music and progressive religious activism in the United States.