Hi, my name is Alphonzo. I am a musician, 29 years old, living in Brooklyn, New York. I am beyond honored to be a part of the Occupy Wall Street movement and a member of the Occupy.com team.

Like so many others, I was apprehended by the spirit of the movement last September and felt as if I had no choice but to get involved. Truly, it was the people who captured me - all the sincere, selfless and dedicated people working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this powerful idea to life. It felt as if I was finally joining the great human family.

At the same time, I was also captivated by the sound – the powerful chorus of the General Assembly, the thunderous pulse of the drummers, the relentless dialogue humming along at all times. Devoid of any form of electric amplification, the park itself seemed to vibrate like giant speaker.

Over the past several months, I’ve come to see that employing creativity in the service of humanism is the highest calling for an artist – the only calling, it seems to me now. This, I venture, is the function of Occupy.com and this section. We serve by lifting up creativity in the hope of flooding this current of humanism into the hearts and minds of the people – all 100% of ‘em.

This is a grand experiment. There are many people so angry or so confused about Occupy that they want to either shut us down, pronounce us dead, or both. Thus, we need everyone’s contributions – be they creative, financial, critical, or better – to help transform this poison that separates us into the medicine that connects us.

Finally, I’d like to share a treasured passage that I feel accurately sums up the incredible opportunity before us:

“Sound the clarion of a new world, and with the banner of the construction of [a new civilization] waving proudly, let us brace ourselves firmly for [a new democracy], and courageously crush this evil. Having great hopes for the future and with arms linked together, let us develop a mammoth musical movement.

“For the sake of the general public, let us sow the seeds for a great new culture. It is my request that all of you, without uttering a word, will be able to move your listeners to deep emotion. Through your performance, I hope that you will move people to jubilation, and inspire them to attain their human revolution.

“In conclusion, I would like to say that your spirit should transcend vanity, as well as musical techniques and ability. The sound of [your music] should be the rhythm of faith. It must roar with the sound of passion, as if to crush the angry waves of the ocean. I urge that you advance with the confidence that your performances will penetrate the hearts of all people.

“With the rise of a great nation and a dynamic generation, people look forward to new talents and the highest standard of music. I sincerely hope that you will rise to these challenge and spread your music to all corners of the world.

-Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, Excerpt from Precepts for Brass Band

All day.

All week.

Thank you.