At 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 17, the opening note of a first line band sounded in the Blaine lobby. Within minutes, the sounds from brass instruments and drums of a first line band echoed through the halls in celebration of Mardi Gras. A first line refers to the brass band that leads a moving celebration and the community joins behind.
Rozalyn Torto, the event organizer, said that what began as a small idea inside the new teacher mentor program turned into a full Mardi Gras celebration — complete with a live, New Orleans-style band and a traditional first line winding through the building. She said the goal of the celebration was to create a moment where students and faculty could feel joy during a long stretch of the semester and to continue to foster community across Lab.
