On Thursday, Nov. 4, among a plethora of photos and memorabilia, a panel of friends gathered together in Binghamton University’s Art Museum to talk punk. The panelists ranged in age and experience, such as Joe Schultze from Democratic Identity to Raven Celtys of Dirtybandaid, according to Jennifer Lynn Stoever, associate professor of English, co-host of the event and active member of the punk scene. All shared a similar love for Binghamton’s “hardcore” scene, being involved through band membership, radio show hosting, music studio ownership and general support for the music and social scene.

The exhibition, “Now Form a Band: A Punk Exhibition in 3 Chords,” opened in the BU Art Museum on Sept. 10, featuring photographs by Sheila Rock and memorabilia collected by Andrew Krivine. There are also a few classic punk clothing ensembles on display, such as graphic tees, painted leather and all. The exhibition revolved around the punk scene in London, catalyzed by the infamous punk stores Acme Attractions and BOY London, founded in 1977. Last Thursday’s event was an attestation to the expansiveness of the punk movement, and an effort to highlight the tight-knit community that punk created in Binghamton.

“Punk is about doing it yourself, so how did Binghamton do it?” Stoever said.

Outside of the museum space, there was free T-shirt screen printing and button making, and there were punk books and memorabilia for sale on a table inside. Upstairs, a station was set up to scan punk memorabilia that guests were encouraged to bring for the creation of an online punk archive, which will soon be available on the BU Art Museum website.

Many of the guests were friends of panelists or involved in the punk scene themselves, sharing in the storytelling and private jokes about memorable punk parties, old bands and concert spots that no longer existed during the panel. When the panel discussion began at 7 p.m., I was happy as an outsider to Binghamton’s punk world to sit back and experience a glimpse into the niche and endlessly creative Binghamton punk community.

Erin Renae Alexander, a former member of bands Brother Spew and Bangin Junk and more! and an involved member of Femme Fest/Lady Fest, said she still frequently hangs out with most of the people on the panel.

“The punk scene is very small,” Alexander said. “It is a little microcosm of the community at large — we all come across each other’s paths all the time.”

Most of the panelists had similar introduction stories to punk — as kids they were considered “weirdos” or loners, bullied or just looking for an outlet, and they came across the one person or attended the one concert that pulled them in.

“I got into the punk scene because of insomnia,” Alexander said. “I showed up and met people who were weird like me.”

Through these concerts and parties, panelists talked about how tight-knit communities were formed. Many told stories about meeting their best friends through punk, going to shows to make new friends and joining artistic talent with people from the scene.

A few ideas were reemphasized by panelists throughout the night. Those ideas included DIY as both an adaptive and artistic strategy in punk, but also a general attitude to carry throughout life. Panelists said businesses or venues are often hesitant to host punk bands, so many punk shows are held in basements, old buildings, on DIY stages and sometimes with limited musical equipment. Celtys, the 21-year-old lead singer of the local punk band Dirtybandaid, said punk shows usually welcome all ages — high schoolers, college students and anyone above.

“We throw [punk concerts] in basements, and if a pizza place lets us, we’ll do them there,” Celtys said.

Because of limited resources and the collective creativity that drives punk, the sharing of venues, instruments and ideas is important to the community.

“Punk isn’t just about doing it yourself, but also building a collective that shares with each other, takes care of each other and looks out for each other,” Stoever said.

In its loud, alternative music and unique fashion, punk is often stereotyped as a rebellious, even aggressive movement. However, it is not a movement devoid of purpose.

“Punk for us was very aggressive, political and antiracist, and on its best days, [it] felt like we were trying to bring a new world into being, our way,” Stoever said.

Panelist Taína Asíli, who shared a song at the end of the night, is a practicing musician whose style takes influence from Afro-Caribbean music, flamenco, opera and punk. For her, music is a form of activism, an expression of her passion for climate justice, food justice and prisoner justice. Although not all panelists noted as much of a direct political influence in their music, many echoed the idea of the essence of punk as honest expression and opposition to musical, aesthetic and societal norms.

Stephanie Malmberg, an adjunct lecturer of human development at BU and assistant dean at SUNY Broome Community College who co-hosted the event, is involved in the punk scene and commented on the authenticity of self enjoyed through the expressive outlet punk offers.

“Punk showed me so much about life, music, camaraderie and rejecting societal norms and standards in order to embrace a more true, authentic self that is malleable and evolving,” Malmberg said.

Alexander shared similar sentiments about the local punk scene.

“I am just comfortable being who I am, and I just happen to like fast, loud music and good people in the area,” Alexander said. “For me, punk is just being myself.”

At the closing of the panel discussion, Celtys asked the considerably older rest of the panel whether they are still involved in the punk scene. All of them are, some more directly than others. Few still perform on occasion, and many still go to shows, including Alexander.

“I don’t actively make music but I’ll get out my bass,” Alexander said. “Mostly I go to shows and hang out with the other punks.”

Others like James Hofecker, a former member of Abalienation, and Chris Lawrence, a former member of Anti-Product, said they always carry the punk spirit of DIY and creativity with them. John Lee, co-host of the event, Glenn G. Bartle Library stacks maintenance coordinator and WHRW DJ and host of “Dwarf Invasion Radio Show” said the spirit of punk carries through “from making ethical choices in the grocery store to figuring out how to fix the garbage disposal.”

Others said they carry lessons from the punk movement into their careers and relationships.

“No part of my life has been untouched by the punk community, and my experiences with not only local punk music but punk music from all over has influenced how I understand and experience the world,” Malmberg said. “It has informed how I parent, how I teach and how I navigate the world.”

Stoever said an important lesson from punk is to question authority and think independently.

“It’s also about questioning authority and honoring multiple forms of knowledge,” Stoever said. “That’s the atmosphere I try to create in my classroom and the way I want to be in life.”

If you are interested in getting involved in the Binghamton punk scene, Celtys has some suggestions for you.

“You should listen to the Droogs, Serial Milk, Jigsaw Youth, Stay off the Fence, Rude World and all that sweet stuff,” Celtys said. “If you hear about a punk show you should go and be as considerably reckless as possible.”

Look out for the digital archive of Binghamton punk gathered from the event’s recorded oral histories and scanned flyers, available through BU’s Art Museum website soon.