FLINT, MI - Gina Luster and her two daughters were some of the last Flint residents to leave the Whiting Auditorium.

Luster's voice was hoarse. Her 13-year-old daughter Eeshyia King was still in awe. And seven-year-old Kennedy Luster enjoyed the time of her life among a sellout crowd of at least 2,000 people.

On Sunday night, the family recognized that they witnessed a key moment in the city's history.

A-list celebrities, Hollywood stars and Grammy Award-winning musicians skipped the Oscars to bless the stage for a special #JUSTICEFORFLINT event presented by Blackout for Human Rights.

Revolt TV also streamed the event live to raise awareness during the city's water crisis.

"This is definitely going to go down in the record books. The Whiting is going to be talked about," said Gina Luster, a 1992 Flint Central grad. "This is going to bring other acts to Flint and the artists will know that it's OK to come to Flint.

"You don't get robbed. We know how to behave," she added. "This is just so good for Flint. We needed this. It was just a breath of fresh air."

Motown legend Stevie Wonder stole the show in the end with a special appearance alongside popular songstress Janelle Monae. After she finished her set, Steve Wonder surprised the fans from backstage.

He was greeted by loud cheers and applauds before he played "Love's in need of today" and "Higher ground." They ended by calling Flint residents to the front of the stage and chanted "Flint lives matter," "Flint water matters," and "Fix the pipes right now."

"I came here tonight not as an artist but as Janelle Monae the human being," she shouted. "I came from a small town just like you."

"Creed" movie director Ryan Coogler was one of the driving forces behind bringing the event to Flint. The 29-year-old Oakland, Calif. native also compared Flint to his hometown, without the cold weather. He said he couldn't imagine having to adapt to life without a basic necessity such as water.

"It feels like coming home away from home," Coogler said. "Just to talk to the people and meet the people your heart breaks but at the same time it's filled with hope."

Coogler said he's never visited a place outside of Oakland and New York that represent their area as much as Flint. He arrived a couple of days in advance to personally interact with the community. Dealing with the tough financial and economic conditions is why he feels like the people here are so talented.

"They cope through other methods and you get the resilience, strength and pride," Coogler said. "You see people wearing Flint on their clothes and their shirts and owning the people who made it out. It feels very familiar to where I grew up."

Music stars Musiq Soulchild, Jazmine Sullivan, Vic Mensa, Jussie Smollett, Estelle, Royce da 5'9", Dej Loaf, Mysonne and Dr. Dre's Aftermath artist Jon Connor all put on brilliant performances in addition to entertainers.

Actors Hill Harper and Jesse Williams, comedian Hannibal Buress, Ebony senior editor Jamilah Lemieux, and Gwen Madiba of the Nelson Mandela Legacy in Canada were other notable faces.

Prior to the show, Jon Connor arrived early and chilled in the dressing room with former WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell and Michigan State basketball legend Mateen Cleaves. The first song that Jon Connor performed on stage was his newly-released track titled "Fresh Water for Flint."

"We're all about memories, moments and history so this is going to be a historic night that the city will never forget," said Jon Connor, a native of Flint.

Smollett is best known for his role as Jamal Lyon on Fox's hit show Empire. He previously visited Flint on Saturday, Jan. 30 where he made a $10,000 donation to relief efforts.

Smollett said he was shocked like the rest of the nation when he first learned that people were dealing with lead-filled water. He teamed with Estelle to inspire the audience with their powerful song "Conqueror" from the Season 1 Empire soundtrack.

"My schedule was so crazy that at the very last minute I was able to move stuff around and come," Smollett said. "Then I FaceTime'd Estelle and said, 'Come to Flint' and she jumped on the plane.

"She and I got it together and it was just perfect," he explained. "It was exactly what we wanted to be doing today on this Justice for Flint Sunday."

Flint residents first began to complain about discolored and bad tasting water as early as April 2014. Elevated lead levels began to emerge once local homes began to be tested then a public health emergency was declared in Genesee County on Oct. 1, 2015.

Three months later in January, President Barack Obama declared an emergency declaration after city and state leaders took action on the water crisis. The long-term plans to resolve the city's battle is still being discussed but funds collected from the star-studded event will go toward a relief effort.

"This is what we needed," said Flint Mayor Karen Weaver. "People kept saying, 'Is this concert for real?' and I kept saying, 'Yes, it is.' We're just really excited about this and it's a night to remember."

For one special evening, Kennedy Luster didn't have to worry the red bumps that have emerged on her face from using the toxic water. Her weekly checkups at the dermatologist were the last thing on her mind.

The superstar guests gave her one night to remember for the rest of her life.

"It was super fun," Kennedy Luster smiled. "The funnest part was to go on stage in the end with Stevie Wonder."