The Big We Brings Collective Joy to Handy Park with Community Sing
A recap of The Big We + Historic Clayborn Temple leading Community Sing in Memphis’ Handy Park on 901Day 2025.
Memphis came together in harmony on 901 Day, the city’s annual celebration of local culture, pride, and unity. In the heart of Handy Park, just off iconic Beale Street, The Big We led a spirited Community Sing that brought at least 200 people together in one voice on September 1, turning a vibrant city holiday into a moment of connection, healing, and shared celebration.
901 Day is a free, citywide celebration hosted by the City of Memphis, honoring all that makes the city unforgettable — from its music and food to its people and creative soul. Festivities fill Beale Street and surrounding spaces with live performances, family-friendly activities, local vendors, and community gatherings throughout the day.
In the middle of the celebration, Community Sing invited Memphians of all ages and backgrounds to lift their voices together. Emmy-nominated vocal coach Markevius Faulkner led the group in uplifting songs that focus on unity, community care, and shared possibility. The beloved children’s performance group Kooler Kids, a youth ensemble known for their energy and performing arts enrichment, joined the sing alongside hundreds of residents.
The Big We + Clayborn Temple hosting their first Community Sing in early 2025.
Before voices rose in song, The Big We’s CEO Anasa Troutman welcomed the crowd. She spoke about the importance of community connection, reminding everyone why gathering together matters and how music has always been a way for people to feel seen, heard, and connected.
Participants learned and sang classics like “Take You There” by The Staple Singers, a song chosen for its message about imagining a united future for Memphis. This moment of collective singing transformed Handy Park into a living soundscape of hope, joy, and togetherness — an expression of Memphis spirit at its best.
Community Sing reflects The Big We’s ongoing work to nurture connection in Memphis through cultural programming that honors tradition and invites shared experience. As part of their larger mission to strengthen community bonds, this event demonstrated how creativity and collective celebration can elevate everyday moments into lasting memory.
Memphis continues to be a city where music and culture are central to community life. Events like Community Sing remind residents and visitors alike that when we raise our voices together, we celebrate what makes this place unforgettable.
Programs like Community Sing are made possible through community support. Your donation helps The Big We continue creating free, uplifting experiences that bring Memphians together through music, culture, and shared joy. By supporting our programming, you are investing in moments that strengthen connection, spark healing, and remind our city of the power we hold when we gather.
To help us bring more experiences like Community Sing to neighborhoods across Memphis, consider making a contribution today and be part of building a city rooted in care, creativity, and collective possibility.