Buffalo’s Vacant Lot Problem—Or Opportunity? | Buffalo in Transition

What if Buffalo’s vacant lots could become thriving spaces for housing, gardens, and community power?This week on The Public Good, we’re joined by Tim Chen from Grassroots Gardens of WNY, and Tendaji Ya’Ukuu and Star from Eastside Stewards for a conversation rooted in transformation. Inspired by the Buffalo in Transition series, this episode dives into how we can reimagine the city’s abundance of publicly-owned vacant land—through community-driven planning, a bold Clean and Green program, and policy changes that support neighborhood-led development.

Buffalo Public Schools suspend students for weeks or even months—at rates higher than any other district in New York State. For the second consecutive year, Community Agenda advocates are urging the Buffalo Board of Education to adopt state-recommended reforms on suspensions to reduce this harmful and disproportionate practice.This week on The Public Good, Quinn Martha of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Judith Gerber of the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, and Samantha White of the WNY Law Center join us to break down the systemic impact of school suspensions, students’ legal rights, and what real alternatives can look like. Visit the BPS Suspension Dashboard here.

Black women are approximately three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women—a stark disparity. In honor of Black Maternal Health awareness, local leaders, healthcare professionals, and advocates come together to shine a light on the urgent and often overlooked intersection between domestic violence and Black maternal health. This week on The Public Good, LuAnne Brown, CEO, Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network (BPPN), Catharine Miles-Kania, CEO, Family Justice Center, and Dr. J'Leise Sosa, OB-GYN join us to discuss improving outcomes through community-based support, domestic violence and Black maternal health and the clinical perspective on treatment and proper care.

While New York State implemented mental health, drug, and opioid courts to handle modern crises, the implementation of these options has remained patchy and ineffective. Members of the Treatment Not Jail (TNJ) Coalition detail the real experience of people suffering from addiction in our legal system. The system as is does not address the root causes of addiction nor consider the best approaches for rehabilitation from substance abuse. This results in years spent toiling through a system with pending charges and little hope.This week on The Public Good, Tom Culkin and Laura Robinson of the TNJ Coalition join us to provide updates and insight on the Treatment Court Expansion Act for New York State. Tune in to learn about the statewide advocacy to ensure humane, safe, and fair legal processes for people in New York. To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!

For decades, election cycles have come down to a two-party "lesser of two evils" dynamic of candidate options. The struggle to produce unifying or politically diverse candidates has many feeling unrepresented and ultimately disillusioned with the state of the current voting system. However, some states and municipalities have decided to implement a new form of voting, Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, which encourages productive political discourse, and requires candidates to win genuine policy support from voters. This week on The Public Good, Lori Robinson of the League of Women Voters, David Green of Unite NY, and Connor Whitney from the UB Civic Engagement Team join us on behalf of the WNY Ranked Choice Voting Coalition to discuss an alternative voting system. Tune into the discussion to learn more about implementing Ranked Choice Voting in Buffalo and Erie County.To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!

The current instability and rapid changes in the United States federal government have raised unprecedented threats and concerns for nonprofits and community groups in Buffalo Niagara. Policy shifts, funding instability, and legal uncertainty place immense strain on organizations and government agencies that serve people most in need of protection and benefits—workers, BIPOC folks, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and low-income communities. Hard-won progress toward racial equity and justice is now under attack, with decades of progress being rolled back. This April, Partnership for the Public Good is launching our 1st annual day-long summit, Advocacy in Action and a virtual workshop series Protecting Our People, Communities, and Organizations: Local Action in a Time of National Crisis. These opportunities offer local residents, aspiring community advocates and organizations a chance to take convene and learn how to fight back and protect necessary services and infrastructure for our communities.Listen to learn about advocacy and how YOU can get activated in your own community to protect democracy and public services.To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!

As of February 2024 around 42% of New Yorkers across the state are enrolled in a Medicaid or Essential Plan. While some funding is state tax dollars, impending threats of an $880 billion cut to federal Medicaid spending over 10 years by the current administration will create a significant hole in NYS resources to serve the community. With federal cuts and the risk of eliminating entire public health systems, Jasmine Westbrook of the Healthcare Education Project/1199 SEIU joins us to discuss their fight to save lives.Tune in to learn about the statewide federal advocacy led by the Healthcare Education Project to protect medicaid and public health in New York.Get Involved:Tell Congress to Fight for MedicaidShare your Healthcare StorySign Up for "Hands Off Medicaid" Lawn SignsThe New York Alliance for Healthcare Justice is fighting to end the Medicaid funding crisis in New York. Continuing to underfund Medicaid not only means severe cuts in mental health services while children and seniors on Medicaid experience difficulty accessing needed health care service.To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!

With unending sudden changes in federal mandates, immigration has been a central point of tension in our current political sphere. Recent changes include rescinding the "Sensitive Location Policy" which maintains certain spaces as safe spaces, such as schools and places of worship, from immigration enforcement. Due to a targeting of perceived "others," the community is left to fear for their safety. On this episode of The Public Good, Anna Porter with the New York Immigration Coalition joins us to educate on knowing your rights with immigration enforcement. There are many federal changes happening on a weekly basis creating unease and fear in communities. Tune into the discussion to learn about what you can do and how to keep each other safe. To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!

More and more children need help with developmental benchmarks between the ages of 0-5 years old, while doctors, therapists, and providers are unable to meet the current need and have waitlists from 6-months up to a year. White children are 5x more likely to receive early intervention screenings and services up to 24 months than Black and Brown children. Early childhood intervention providers rates of service were last adjusted and set by New York State in 1994, over 30 years ago. These statistics are the reason Liftoff WNY is fighting for more support from New York State for early childhood intervention systems to service our communities.On this episode of The Public Good, Megan Battista of Liftoff WNY joins us to discuss the current state of early childhood intervention systems in New York State. Tune into learn about the statewide advocacy to support our early childhood intervention system and create better outcomes for children in New York.To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!

What does it mean to be in a ever-present state of crisis? Many across the political spectrum denote this point in history as a confluence of crises points. On this episode of The Public Good, Dr. Rinaldo Walcott, Chair of the Department of Africana and American Studies at the University at Buffalo joins us to discuss the role of Black Studies and the history of Black people as a critical tool in confronting crisis and organizing for a better collective future.Dr. Walcott leads UB's Humanities Institute Annual Conference 2025: Black Studies and the Crises of Our Times, this week on March 12th-14th, free and open to the public. "Black Studies and the Crises of Our Times responds broadly to the impact of the field since its formal establishment over 50 years ago. This multi-day conference, organized by the Department of Africana and American Studies in conjunction with the Humanities Institute, will articulate why we need Black Studies more than ever for both its national critique and its global articulations of political community." Tune in to the podcast to hear a preview of discussions from the conference and register and join! To learn more about our work, visit our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppgbuffalo.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Be sure to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Share your ideas for improving our community by emailing us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. Whether it's highlighting community organizations you admire, shedding light on deserving initiatives, or providing feedback on our current episode, we welcome your thoughts. Let us know how you envision positive change in our community!