It’s about 8:00 pm and you’re walking in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York. You begin to hear rhythms in the distance. You walk a little farther, then go around a bend to see a circle of wooden benches with people of all different ages, genders, races, and religions sitting together, playing the drums, mingling and listening to the music together. This scenario isn’t a unique one in Brooklyn. There are so many opportunities to listen to or play music with the rest of the community. When I think about the effects of this phenomenon in Brooklyn, the first effect I think of is bringing the community together.

New York City is a place where everyone is always on top of each other, from packing into crowded trains, to narrow but full streets, even living in apartments where your neighbors are literally on top of you. Despite all these millions of people in such close proximity, it's uncommon for them to partake in large unplanned gatherings. Unplanned gatherings are usually signs of a tightly knit group; after all, a community where people trust and spend time with neighbors is certainly a strong one. That said, New York City does have one way to start these gatherings, and that’s music. Whether it's in the packed trains I mentioned earlier, or the city streets, or even just someone playing for their building and neighbors, music has the power to turn individuals on their phones into groups sharing an experience.

Music in my community is more than just a form of individual entertainment. It's a reason for so many diverse people to put their differences aside and come together. When we listen to music with fellow members of our community, we don’t think about how politics or economics (two prominent issues in New York) divide us; instead, it’s people being connected by something they have in common, at least for the moment. It's an excuse for people to share a moment that may never have happened without the lively and uniting influence of music. So the next time you hear a rhythm or melody around the corner, maybe you should take a minute and make a memory with your community.