Yesterday afternoon Los Angeles based Emo Nite handed their social media over to Black Lives Matter advocates in an effort to promote the conversation about racism within the punk/alternative scene.

The discussion, which was hosted via Zoom and broadcast live on the brand’s website was monitored by photographer and To The Front co-founder Courtney Coles, and lasted nearly two hours featuring Jason Aalon (Fever 333, Letlive), Hanif Abdurraqib (writer), Sky Acord (Issues), Aaron Brown (Emo Nite), and Jordan Calhoun (Heart Like War)

After first opening the call with introductions from each panel member and checking in on everyone, Coles then dove into the topics of racism and discrimination within the punk and alternative music scene.

“What do you think makes this moment so much different than the uprisings we’ve had in the past six or so years?” Coles asked.

“The internet!” Aalon jumped in.

“I agree, the internet. And honestly, just the fact that white people care.” Acord added. “This isn’t new to us, I see the stuff on the news and it’s the same outrage I feel every time I see it… It’s not hard for me to relate to it.”

“I think it’s not emphasized as often as it could be that the people who have the power to change, like the real power to change, are the people who created the system in the first place. And I think that’s the difference.”

“This is not enough, it’s still not enough,” Aalon added. “When Sky discussed the people in power and systems in place, one thing that we must acknowledge right now is that Emo Nite has a platform that they created and they have a space they created, and in a lot of ways are taking a risk having us on here and allowing us to talk our shit.”

“We need to do more of this. If you have a platform and you really believe in change and you really believe that this is the holistic advantage that we can all benefit from if we all wanna come together, then you’ve gotta take more risks.”

“I want to piggy back off of the energy that Jason had with that- being black is the most punk rock thing you can do,” Brown chimed in, beaming. “Being black is the most punk thing ever, and no one can ever take that from you. So to anyone who has ever questioned that- as someone who has questioned that for a lot of his younger years- we are the most punk motherfuckers who have ever been on this planet.”

In addition to the standard concepts of racism within the scene, the panelists also discussed financial gain/loss as a result of racist systems, the history of american music and Black influence within modern punk music, and how they believe the scene can change following the current Black Lives Matter movement.

“The way that music is taught in America is flawed. The way that black people have to exist on these scenes in particular is in some way, they have to be kinda removed from the roots of their blackness in order to be acceptable,” Abdurraqib shared.

“Think about Sky’s bass playing for example. It’s rooted in funk, it’s rooted in jazz, it’s rooted in all of these art forms… but what you often see people talk about.. so much of the language around what is being presented to people, largely white audiences, is stripping people from the historical roots of the sounds.”

“I often think a lot of spaces in the scene want Black people in the room to say ‘well look there’s a couple black people at our shows, so you know we’re doing a thing’ but that doesn’t really mean anything when you consider what has to be stripped of that Black person to be accepted in the room.”

Hanif Abdurraqib – “Racism in the Punk/Alternative Scene” by Emo Nite

Coles also jumped into the conversation to share the female perspective on working her way into the industry after growing up as the only Black female in the photo pit and facing the stereotyping that comes with being a woman in an all male crowd.

“Being the only girl in the pit, oh my god,” Coles shook her head. “I felt out of place but I didn’t let that stop me from going to shows, because I found a home in punk-rock and in emo, and I wanted to give back to the community.”

When it came time for final words, Calhoun chimed in with a sentiment that all panelists agreed upon.

“Allies, it’s okay to see us as black. I am proud of being black, and like Jason said, I do feel like a super hero,” he shared. “I’m black and I’m punk. Just remember, it’s okay to see your friends in the scene as Black, because we are and we’re proud.”

You can listen to the full discussion via the video above, and follow Emo Nite on their social media pages for updates on future panels.