Walking into this year’s Afropunk, I was skeptical. As I stood and watched the dashiki-clad crowd react to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” play from the speakers like it was the woke version of Chief Keef’s “Faneto,” the annual celebration of Black alternative culture seemed like an over-the-top competition to see who could deliver the strongest message and pick up a few Instagram likes along the way. But then I saw a man who changed my perspective. This man was shirtless, with a yellow bedazzled velvet durag long enough to double as a cape, and photos of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and Sandra Bland clipped to his jean shorts. Was it an absurd outfit? Yes. But it was amazingly absurd, a picture perfect combination of fashion and activism. This man earned his likes.

Everyone at Afropunk was battling for attention. There were the DJs hopping from Drake to Davido to Stevie Wonder and back to Drake. There was a section called Activism Row dedicated to educating people about ways they can make a difference. There was live art and painting. And there was a spot in the underbelly of the park specifically for the appreciation of Black punk and skater culture. Amid the sensory overload, there were dance circles bouncing to house music, offering a loose and relaxing respite. Also, the festival really wanted you to eat jerk chicken—whether in a dumpling or a burrito or just on the bone—and I wasn’t mad at it.

Once I got off my over-critical high horse I looked around at a congregation of people and felt relieved that, for a couple of days, they could come out of their shell and be as strange, nerdy, and Black as they wanted to be without judgment. I appreciated it.

Below is a photo gallery featuring shots of the weekend’s action onstage and off, along with a rundown of the fest’s most notable performances.