B-Live is much more than a typical music festival—it's a shining example of what Community Justice can look like.
A local park in Brownsville, Brooklyn, was buzzing with live music and Brooklynites of all ages recently for the B-Live Music and Arts Festival. In partnership with BRIC, a Brooklyn-based arts and media nonprofit, the concert featured performances from iconic musicians like Dave East, Cassidy, and Jesse Royal.
But B-Live is much more than a typical festival—it’s a shining example of what Community Justice can look like in a place like Brownsville.
Led and organized by neighborhood youth, B-Live is the culmination of our Brownsville Community Justice Center’s summer programming for young people, where they explore music production, digital media, and creative career paths. It has become a beloved neighborhood tradition, attracting thousands of community members each summer with live performances from artists like Flipp Dinero and Elle Varner, fresh food from local vendors, and creative activities. Young people with the Brownsville Community Justice Center chose Dr. Green Playground—named after Dr. Richard Green, the city’s first Black chancellor of the Board of Education—as the festival’s venue, part of an effort to bring the park to life as a space for community engagement.
B-Live is also a chance to celebrate the resilience and talent overflowing in a neighborhood that has seen more than its fair share of challenges, from high rates of crime and incarceration to systemic neglect that has left it cut off from many crucial investments.
More than 10,000 people have attended the festival since its launch in 2017, fostering pride in the community and highlighting dozens of local businesses and entrepreneurs. This summer, as people gathered in front of the stage to dance, others made their way to pop-up tents to get haircuts, have their nails painted, make their own art, or learn about local service providers.
“B-Live is like a family reunion for Brownsville,” says Kwesi Johnson of the Brownsville Community Justice Center. “It brings us together to show love for the neighborhood and gives our young people a chance to shine. It’s more than just a festival—it’s a celebration of our strength, creativity, and everything that makes us proud to call this place home.”
Much like the Brownsville Community Justice Center itself, B-Live meets a crucial need for creative initiatives led by the community, for the community. It’s a reminder that Brownsville is much more than the challenges it faces, with the power to stimulate economic mobility, create new opportunities for young people, and pave the way for a stronger, safer future.
Thank you to our Justice Innovator Warner Music Group and Community Leaders The Cigna Group and Community Offshore Wind for sponsoring this event.