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 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 consider the relationship between music, social justice work, and spirituality, situating three HONK! protest bands within a broader history of resistance music and progressive religious activism in the United States.