thelfshow

theLFShow Episode #269 Research & Reading List

Added 2019-10-31 20:39:38 +0000 UTC

Episode #269 Title: Special Report: Making Buffalo Our City

Related Articles and Resources:

•New York Can Win on Climate and Racial Justice

•Gentrification Can’t Be the Theme of Rust Belt City Recovery

•Push Buffalo : The mission of Push Buffalo is to mobilize residents to create strong neighborhoods with quality, affordable housing; to expand local hiring opportunities; and to advance economic and environmental justice in Buffalo.

•Our City Buffalo: OUR CITY is a broad coalition of people in Buffalo who have come together to create a policy platform that benefits people over profits. The platform is organized into nine main areas that include affordable housing, community policing, immigration, public education, transportation, frontline arts, food and health equity, energy democracy, and cooperative ownership and community control of resources.

Guests and Bio Highlights:

•LUZ VELEZ- Since 1987 Luz has been a community social worker and substance abuse counselor, starting such programs as Hispanics United of Buffalo’s Senior Services and some of the first HIV and AIDS services in Buffalo and WNY during the crisis in the 1980’s and 90’s. She got involved in PUSH because of health issues due to environmental racism. Her home made her sick because it was not properly insulated. She lived near the Peace Bridge when they didn’t have real emissions standards. She lost her voice for a whole year. PUSH was able to help her qualify for grants and help her heal. She uses her powerful voice in working with PUSH to slow down gentrification by calling out the city when it comes to frontline communities.

•INDIA WALTON- She is the executive director of the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust. In recent years, Walton has worked diligently with the Community First Alliance and a broad coalition of partners in Buffalo’s historic Fruit Belt neighborhood to establish the Fruit Belt community land trust and negotiate a community benefits agreement with the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

•VANESSA GLUSHEFSKI- In December of 2018, Vanessa was appointed Deputy Comptroller for Buffalo. When then-comptroller, Mark Schroeder, resigned to take a position in Albany, she stepped in as acting comptroller, and sought support of the Buffalo Common Council for the formal appointment to this position.

•KATHRYN FRANCO- With a decade of experience in Buffalo’s non-profit arena, working in the realm of HIV/AIDS, with youth, for LGBTQ+ communities of color, and policy and research, Kathryn is passionate about creating a Buffalo that is built and thrives for all of its residents.

•LARRY SCOTT- Larry is a member of the Buffalo Board of Education. He has been a parent activist in the district for the past 5 years. He lives in North Buffalo and was one of the founders of a parent group called the Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization (BPTO).

•RACHEL DOMINGUEZ Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization Executive Committee Member.

•WHITNEY CRISPELL- Community Activist & Larry Scott’s Campaign Manager.

•JENNIFER CONNOR Director/Co-Founder of Justice for Migrant Families Western NY.

Push Buffalo: John Washington, Harper Bishop, Asim Johnson, Rahwa Ghirmatizion, Luz Velez, Geovaira Hernandez