Art In This Present Moment
Brass Solidarity: Bringing Music to George Floyd Square
Trumpet player Butchy Austin and his band, Brass Solidarity, use their sound for good every Monday in George Floyd Square.
For Butchy Austin, activism is in his blood.
His father, a former member of the Black Panthers of Illinois, was an active member of his community and taught Butchy and his siblings the importance of serving others along with standing up for what you believe in. His father also bonded with him over music, introducing him to the trumpet at a young age.
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, Butchy began gathering with fellow musicians and fostering healing through sound. The activist brass band called Brass Solidarity was formed in April 2021.
“Music has a way to do all the things – it can bring healing, it can bring joy, it can bring love, it can bring a message of hope, it can bring a message of justice, it can bring a message of frustration and anger. It can help allow people to connect with each other and unify with each other and build community.” – Butchy Austin
Ever since, the group has been playing consistently on Mondays in George Floyd Square at Chicago Ave. and 38th St., Minneapolis, as well as showing up in community to serve and inspire positive change.
“[Music] can help allow people to connect with each other and unify with each other and build community.”
Butchy Austin
About the Organization
Brass Solidarity is a band founded in 2021 in response to the murder of George Floyd and the ongoing fight in the movement for Black lives. The members of Brass Solidarity come from a variety of musical backgrounds and are united in their dedication to using their talents to promote social justice and bring people together.
Butchy Austin and Brass Solidarity were nominated for Art In This Present Moment by One Voice Mixed Chorus, one of Minnesota’s largest and most vibrant LGBTQIA+ and straight ally choruses.
Art In This Present Moment
This project is part of Art in This Present Moment, an initiative of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. We provided grants to three Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations to fund work by BIPOC artists who are changing and challenging dominant narratives through their craft.
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