It’s hard to believe that Naquasia “Nicole” Boyd’s baked goods are vegan. That was the general consensus at The Stagecoach Market, as customers tried them for the first time. Last Sunday, the vegan baker rolled out her fan favorite cookies, but she also introduced a handful of other delights.

Naquasia went to trade school in Manhattan for culinary arts, and began catering at the age of 18. She traveled and lived in both Japan and Italy, where she picked up her change in lifestyle habits.

In the end, it was her toffee (butter crunch) cookie that stole the show. Once I learned that it’s no easy feat to make a vegan version of this prized cookie, I decided to reach out to Naquasia to learn more about her approach to baking, and her vegan lifestyle.

How did you get started?

It started when I was living in Italy. While I was there, I experienced real food for the first time. It was a culture shock. The lady I lived with gathered eggs from the chicken coop, purchased her goods from mom ‘n’ pop stores, and grew her own food. It made me second guess everything. When I moved back home, I started a vlog, to share my cooking recipes. It’s also when I became a vegan. I started a meal prep service when I lived in NYC (she was born in Brooklyn, NY raised in Manhattan and the Bronx). Then I moved to Buffalo this past January. At the time, I found that I just couldn’t sew anymore (sewing was a hobby – her background is in clothing design), so I started baking instead, which led to the Studio Vegan Bakery.

How did you come up with the recipes for the products that you were baking and selling?

I went to LA to research the vegan bakeries that I had heard of. I started making the classics, but soon found that there were so many cookies and other baked goods that weren’t vegan, but could be vegan. That’s when I came up with the idea for a sample pack of 25 different vegan cookies. People loved that I offering the different varieties, along with the classics. For the toffee (butter crunch) cookie I had to make my own vegan toffee, and it really works! People have been going crazy for it! The cookie world is so massive – I love to keep people guessing.

What are some of your other specialties?

Vegan wedding cakes. I have a background in textile design. I figured that I would go from wedding gowns to wedding cakes [laughing]. I really like to bake naked cakes, without all of the frills, which hide the beauty of the cake. I like to stretch the limits of vegan baking. You can make anything vegan – there are so many untapped ingredients in the plant based world. Last year I made vegan macaroons. People thought that they couldn’t exist, but they do.

You are a vegan for the health benefits and the planet, but also because you love animals. Do you have a pet?

I have a dog.

What’s its name?

Chickpea.

Aside from baking, you have a passion for gardening, right?

Yes, I love urban gardening. Since I became a vegan, I moved to different places each year in search of more space to grow food. I grow as much as I can. It’s important to have access to growing food – there’s an instant relationship with the food. People are so busy these days that they’ve lost that connection. Right now I’m growing 200+ plants (fruits, vegetables, and herbs) in Downtown Buffalo. I have created all of this space, along with a breakfast nook.

You feel that it’s important to source as many things as possible locally?

Being a localvore is important. The nutritional value of food is depleted the farther the food comes from. How many miles does it take to get on your plate? There’s nothing better that growing a zucchini from seed, and then cooking it. Not only do I grow my own food, I pickle and jar foods. Same with juices. It’s amazing to go back and eat or drink something that you made months (or even years) ago – it tastes just as good as when you first made it.

What’s up next on your plate?

Once I’ve achieved everything that’s on my bucket list, I want to teach people how to do all of this on their own. Whether it’s baking, or the urban garden to table. I don’t go to the supermarket anymore. It’s important that people learn how to source their own healthy foods, that they grow and make. I never thought that I would be a baker, let alone being a vegan baker. My mom has a background in culinary arts. I’ve been cooking for a very long time. I feel that I want to share what I’ve learned with other people. I do that with my vlog right now.

Where do you sell your products?

I’m at the Bidwell Market on Saturdays, the Stagecoach Market on some Sundays (including tomorrow), on my website, etsy, and I might end up doing one more market. I just ordered a larger mixer to accommodate the growth.

Anything else?

Be kind to your customers, and give them more than what they ask for.

Follow Naquasia as she shares her passion for vegan food – #StudioVegan #StudioVegans

facebook.com/StudioVeganCook

www.instagram.com/studiovegan

www.instagram.com/StudioVeganbakery

www.studiovegans.com (website | cooking classes | personal chef experience)

www.etsy.com/shop/StudioVegans

The post Living A ‘Studio Vegan’ Lifestyle appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The evolution of Niagara Street continues.  New York State Senator Sean Ryan was joined by local elected officials and community leaders to announce plans for a pocket park at a former industrial site at 1318 Niagara Street this morning. The project will be funded by a $250,000 New York State grant secured by Senator Ryan, and Buffalo Common Councilmember David Rivera’s office secured an additional $40,000 for project planning costs.

Senator Ryan began this project in 2020 as a member of the Assembly in an effort to add green space to an urban neighborhood that lacks significant natural outdoor recreation and gathering space. A steering committee composed of local community stakeholders has been convened to provide feedback on the project and help put together design concepts prepared by CannonDesign.

The park will be built on the vacant parcel at the corner of Niagara Street and Lafayette Avenue. The site is currently in the final stages of remediation being undertaken by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. It has been cleared for passive recreation development – current plans call for seating areas, a nature trail, and a public art component at the southern end of the park.

Senator Sean Ryan said, “With this project, we are going to be able to bring new life to a brownfield site and turn it into a community gathering space for a neighborhood that has a real need for more walkable natural recreation options. When the park is finished, it will be the perfect complement to the great connectivity work we have already done to make Niagara Street pedestrian and bike friendly.”

The post Big Reveal: Niagara/Lafayette Pocket Park appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Buffalo’s vibrant startup community is blooming this summer and one local non-profit – BootSector – is tending the garden. With warmer weather approaching and the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic behind us, there’s no better time to come out from behind the Zoom screen and meet the local startup community in real life.

BootSector is featuring two groups in July – Pitch-In and Founders Coffee.

Pitch-In (July 12, 5:30-7pm at Seneca One – $5 – Tickets Here) 

Are you a founder with an idea? An entrepreneur stumped by a roadblock? Love to give feedback and pay-it-forward? Want to work with a startup? Then Pitch-In is for you.

Pitch-In is a fast moving and fun pitch event, designed to engage, inspire, and improve the quality of ideas in our startup community. Three early-stage founders will give a pitch, then answer questions from the audience. Attendees provide feedback and can connect with the founder through a private web form. All are invited to attend.

Are you a founder with an idea? An entrepreneur stumped by a roadblock? Love to give feedback and pay-it-forward? Want to work with a startup? Then Pitch-In is for you.

Founders Coffee (Tuesdays, 7:30-9am at HANSA – Free) is a free and frictionless event for founders, startup community organizers, and wantrapreneurs hosted by Jared Threat. This is a no-sales zone. Grab a cup of coffee in the HANSA co-working space and chat with other startup leaders and founders.

About BootSector…

BootSector is a non-profit organization founded in 2021 by local startup community leaders Clark Dever, Jack Greco, and Jordan Walbesser. The organization empowers, educates, and supports the next generation of local entrepreneurs and startup leaders here in Western New York. 

With support from the community, its volunteers, and corporate sponsors like Douglas Development, Foundry, and ACV Auctions, BootSector has powered over a dozen groups and events including Buffalo Startup Week, BetterTogether, Startup Grind Rochester, RocGrowth, Rochester Open Coffee Club, and most recently, a wildly successful Buffalo Startup Weekend.

In the past year, the Queen City has been named one of the five fastest-growing startup cities. Local startup unicorn ACV employs over 2,000 people and other local startups like Patient Pattern, Tackle, AireXpert, HiOperator, SomaDetect, Ferric Contrast, RentPrep, Immersed Games, OmniSeq, BraidBabes, Circuit Clinical, Top Seedz, CYRISMA, Ognomy, Viridi Parente, and many more are raising millions of dollars to grow right here in Western New York. “Buffalo is a proud community rich in culture, in art, in fellowship, in the Bills and now in startups,” Greco said. “We create, risk, learn and reshape the world far beyond our city’s borders. Building ethical companies of impactful technologies, attracting outside capital, and developing talent. By leading with the traits that make this city special – love, tolerance, and perseverance – we continue to grow a startup ecosystem, add to our community, and help great people enjoy meaningful, contributing lives.”

BootSector’s mission is to make sure that everyone can get involved in the movement. “We’re trying to power events where everyone in the Buffalo startup community is invited,” said Dever. “It’s a place for people to not just learn about entrepreneurship in Buffalo, but build meaningful relationships.”For those interested in entrepreneurship in WNY, the best place to get started is to join the over 2,500 active contributors on BootSector’s WNY Startup Community Slack (an online group discussion board) and following BootSector’s Venture Herd events calendar. BootSector is also looking for volunteers to help with events as well as leaders that are willing to run events of their own – with BootSector’s help. Contact power@joinbootsector.com for more information.

Lead image: Jack McGowan talking to a team at Buffalo Startup Weekend 2022 inside Seneca One

The post Buffalo’s Startup Community in Bloom appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Neighborhood Health Center of WNY’s new Black Rock facility is open. The Neighborhood Health Center Riverway at 1569 Niagara Street started seeing patients on June 13.  A grand opening event will be held later this summer.

The former warehouse/storage facility was renovated, added on to and repurposed into a new 26,000 sq.ft. healthcare facility.  Riverway’s design features a patient services center with the full complement of Neighborhood’s services including Internal/Family Medicine, OB-GYN, Pediatrics, Dentistry, Behavioral Health, Nutritional Counseling, Podiatry and Pharmacy Services. The space also serves as an additional administrative office.

The 13,128 sq.ft. addition is composed of brick and metal panels to complement the existing brick building.

The project team includes Kirst Construction, Colby Development and engineering and architecture firm LaBella Associates.  

The post Good Look: The Riverway appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The 2022 Juneteenth Festival took on more meaning than ever before. The festival was a time to celebrate freedom, history, culture, families, and friends. It was also a time of healing and hope.

As a way to contribute to the East Buffalo community, Jaime Swygert did her part via the Buffalo Juneteenth Agricultural Pavilion, which she initially got up and running back in 2019.

Swygert’s determination to contribute something wholesome to the event began in 2016, when she began to attend festival meetings. She wanted to do something positive for the community, and she knew that she had the wherewithal to contribute something that would be considered life changing.

“At the time, I worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in Natural Resources Conservation Services.  I was appointed as New York State’s Black Emphasis Program Manager for NRCS and began to develop relationships with farmers across the state and attended fairs and events on behalf of the USDA.  The Special Emphasis Programs are an integral part of the overall equal opportunity program in NRCS. These programs are coordinated through the national Special Emphasis Program managers, who are assigned to the Outreach and Advocacy Division and serve as the principal staff advisors to the director of the Outreach and Advocacy Division on legislation, policies, employment, and program issues impacting African Americans; American Indians/Alaska Natives; Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders; persons with disabilities; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals; Hispanics; Veterans; and women.”

It was the relationship with farmers that led her to thinking about the significance of an Agricultural Pavilion. If you’ve ever been to a state fair, then you understand the importance that organizers place on agriculture and farming. After all, if we can’t grow the food that we eat, then we’re stuck outsourcing from other states, and other countries. People need to be able to rely upon their farming communities, whether they are in the region, or right in their own backyards. The ultimate goal for many communities is to become as sustainable as possible. As we become more reliant on ourselves for sourcing wholesome goods, our communities become healthier and more knowledgeable in the process. Swygert took this sentiment to heart.

“I began to learn about what we called food deserts at the time and how less than 2% of the farmers in the US identified as black,” said Swygert. “I also learned about exciting career paths and options in the agricultural industry and I started to realize that urban youth were not being exposed to these options.”

With all of this knowledge at her disposal, Swygert decided that it was time to make a difference.

“I went to the Juneteenth board and asked if I could start an Agricultural Pavilion at the festival,” said Swygert. “They welcomed the idea with enthusiasm and offered full support! I am a member of a group called the Buffalo Food Equity Network (BFEN) which is a collective group of individuals and organizations working in Buffalo’s food space.  The group is convened by Food for the Spirit, a nonprofit organization that uses the arts and creative facilitation to support racial healing, ecological justice and equitable food systems, headed by Rebekah Williams.  I went to the BFEN network and asked if anyone would be interested in being part of my vision.  The request was met with a resounding yes by the membership.”

The first Juneteenth festival was held in Buffalo in 1976 and it has now grown into one of the largest celebrations of Juneteenth in the country to commemorate the end of slavery. 

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: I am in awe of people like Swygert who not only map out their grassroots goals, they are also able to achieve them with thunderous support from the community. As for Swygert’s goals, she wanted to create a place where disadvantaged people, with fewer resources, could come together to affect sweeping changes.

“My vision was to create a space where black and brown people could convene and gather community resources, historical education, access career information, learn about food equity, justice and policy,” said Swygert.  “As I continued my research, I discovered agriculture is a multi-billion dollar industry from farming, to agribusiness, food service, and STEM.  I wanted to spark interest in learning about black inventors who made contributions to agriculture and the history of black folks in the industry.”

While community support is important to establish the dream, these types of projects often times remain just a dream without financial support.

“Citibank has a Black Heritage Network in their Buffalo site and a Green Team,” Swygert explained. “When I started working for Citigroup and talking to the Network members there, they were really excited and wanted to get onboard.  Citi came on and offered volunteers and financial support from the very beginning. Cicatelli Associates Inc, has a project called REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health), they also came on-board as sponsors.”

With sponsors in hand, the dream came to life in 2019, in the form of a pavilion that would be centered around hands-on projects that would create positive experiences. Before long, the word was out about the pavilion, and Swygert was finding that the support for the concept was growing.

“Thanks to the support of the partners we were able to do over 400 Garden-in-a-Bag totes, distribute hundreds of plant seedlings to festival-goers, and have master gardeners on hand for questions,” said Swygert. “Representatives from the USDA and Fish & Wildlife Services were there.  UB’s Food Lab students made presentations and there were healthy eating food demonstrations. It was a successful, collaborative event.  Then, for the next two years, the Juneteenth Festival was virtual due to the pandemic, but we were still able to distribute seedlings to the community and continued to support collaborative projects as a group. Fast forward to 2022, we were ecstatic to hear the festival would return to an in-person platform.  
This year we had…”

Shoebox Gardens – Children and families were able to customize gardens with soil, rock paintings and pots.  Volunteers from Citi and the community helped children (and some grown-ups) with creating box gardens.  The gardeners were provided with watering cans, shovels, rakes, soil and planters to take home and continue the experience.

WNY Food Story Project – Set up a video booth to invite community members to share stories about food.  This team is committed to celebrating ancestral legacies and healing our communities from our collective histories of trauma, all through telling our unique stories about food.  Storytellers were interviewed and stories were collected in a manner to honor the shared principles of Self-Determination, Community Resilience and Shared Leadership.

Buffalo Freedom Gardens – an initiative designed to inspire resilience and independence for Buffalo residents through gardening was on hand with a full demonstration set-up of the equipment and tools they deliver to teach families about growing food.  The demonstration included a raised bed, soil and a standing raised bed.

Community First Consulting – Distributed an Emergency Food Storage Guide and had a visual example demonstrating what families should have on hand to prepare for emergencies.  Consultants answered questions about what non-perishable foods and supplies to have in your home in case of an emergency.  The guide helps with understanding what to keep and how to store it for each family member including adults, children, babies and pets.

UB’s Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab – Installed an exhibit called “Sustenance, Resistance, and Revolution – Black Women and Food Justice”.  The exhibit honors Black women leaders who have inspired and enacted change in East Buffalo’s food system.  The women featured in the exhibit included national leaders as well as local leaders all nominated by members of the Buffalo Food Equity Network.  Research was conducted by the UB Food Lab.

African Heritage Food Co-Op – Distributed free, fresh fruits as healthy snacks to Pavilion attendees.  The co-op is working to provide healthy food options, Black food store ownership in Black communities.  Co-Op staff was on hand to share about the efforts to give ownership and control to community residents in the food space.

Urban Fruits and Veggies/Buffalo Go Green – Grew plant seedlings for distribution in the Pavilion.  Provided healthy recipe cards with recipes from Buffalo Bills players and conducted an on-site healthy food cooking demonstration.  This demonstration and food tasting included information about how to select, and source ingredients, food prep and nutrition tips.

Now, that’s an impressive result, coming off a pandemic that pretty much shut the world down for a couple of years. The herculean effort by Swygert (and her team of supporters) is a testimonial to her fortitude, and is inspiration to anyone who ever thought that they also might have something to contribute to their own community. The lesson here is to identify a need, come up with a plan, identify a support structure, and get the project done. And for those who have the knowledge, the desire, and the stamina, anything is possible, especially in a city like Buffalo, where everyone wants to see people succeed in their endeavors.

“It was really an amazing event!  Everyone worked so hard in collaboration and festival goer’s seemed to really enjoy themselves,” said Swygert. “I am speechless about the way my vision became reality.
I tell everyone that God gave me the vision and then sent all the right folks to bring each piece to life.  It was surreal. We will continue working throughout the year.”

Coming up next: Food for the Spirit and Buffalo Food Equity Network members have events throughout the year at different locations. Look for a pop-up pavilion in August. Updates will be listed on this Facebook group page.

The Agriculture Pavilion is located in Shelter 5 at MLK Park on the corner of Parade and Fillmore.

Financial Support was provided by: CitiBuffalo, Bills Foundation, Buffalo Sabres Foundation, Pegula Sports and Entertainment

Lead image: Billy Buffalo (official mascot of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills)entertains the kids

The post Recognizing the Buffalo Juneteenth Agricultural Pavilion appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The debut of Raíces Theatre Company’s original production, “Isleña”  sends a message of hope and resilience to all who have the pleasure of seeing this production. If this isn’t yet on your must see list, there are still two weekends left!

Raíces co-founder and artistic director Victoria Pérez, stars as all nine characters in this astounding one woman show that tells the tale of her very own story. Bringing “Isleña” even closer to home, Victoria co-wrote this story alongside her sister María Pérez-Gómez who also serves as the director of this production. Together they piece together the story of a woman’s journey from her beloved home country of Puerto Rico to Buffalo and the struggle to define her identity through the transition.  The title character is turning 40 years old and is forced to use this milestone to reconcile with her inner child and the joyful yet traumatic experiences while living on the island.

“It’s a true story based on Victoria’s journey to Buffalo from Puerto Rico and finding that place that she calls home on different levels- it’s a place that she calls home within herself, reconciling with past trauma and just coming to a place of peace with that and realizing how it had affected her as well in that process,” shares María.

With this entire production being written in only 8 weeks, Victoria delivers a showstopping performance that tells a story almost everyone can relate too. Although this play is specific to her own experience, it majorly deals with healing from sexual assualt trauma and the years that follow. 

 “It’s difficult to talk about these kinds of topics, and it was the first time that Victoria and I really processed it at this level as sisters. When you approach it as a writer, you want to be as authentic as possible.”

While this play does cover heavy topics, it ultimately serves as a love letter to Puerto Rico from Victoria. Through live music ensembles and electric energy throughout the entire performance, the joys and beauty of Puerto Rican culture is sewn into every minute of the play.

“ So I think this play hits on two points. It’s finding that  love for your homeland, the love for where you come from. Nobody’s from here, we all come from somewhere else. It just matters what generation we’re in. But also it hits on the resiliency of the human spirit,” says Victoria. 

Victoria courageously showcases the play’s resounding message that although pain is universal, there’s always hope for redemption and healing. See this performance at the Road Less Traveled Theatre and tickets can be purchased at https://ticketstripe.com/islenaonewomanshow or by calling 716-381-9333. Read here for an in depth analysis of the play by Buffalo Rising’s theatre expert Peter Hall. 

The post Raíces Theatre Company’s original production, “Isleña” upholds a strong message of hope and resilience appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The future of cryptocurrency in New York lies in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s hands after lawmakers passed two potentially conflicting bills on Friday, June 3, 2022. This week we’ve teamed up with locally grown Foundry Digital to tackle this pressing topic and the potential impact on WNY.

Technology Industry leaders are calling this week for the advancement of a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel and co-sponsored by WNY representative Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes. The bill A.9275/S.8343 (Vanel/Sanders) establishes the New York State cryptocurrency and blockchain task force to study how New Yorkers can harness the growth of the industry for the advancement of New York, including its environmental, social, and economic implications. The bill echoes the policies of the Biden Administration, California, and Washington State in seeking to study the promising cryptocurrency sector to determine its benefits and impacts.

If signed into law by Gov. Hochul, the task force would consist of sixteen members, with a mix of core state regulators, academics, environmentalists, and industry participants. Importantly, the task force must submit to the governor, by December 15, 2024, a report on various topics regarding the digital assets industry, including jobs, tax revenue, transparency, and energy usage. Assemblyman Clyde Vanel states,

The second bill, A.7389C/ S. 6486D (Kelles/Parker) would impose a 2-year ban on cryptocurrency mining operations that use proof-of-work authentication methods to validate transactions and, more importantly, to secure the online investments of the 46 million Americans who use the network. The cause for concern comes after the Greenidge Generation Bitcoin mining facility renovated a natural gas plant near Seneca Lake in Dresden, New York. There is fear downstate of more facilities following suit, although the moratorium bill grandfathers in the Greenidge facility, thus contradicting its original goal. Assemblymember Anna Kelles, who drafted this legislation, believes that future converted facilities could pose a serious threat to the environment, even though the majority of cryptominers in New York operate at 70% carbon neutrality.

Contrary to claims, many within the industry strongly support the environmental goals New York State is advancing, including transitioning to a greener economy. Although the State has set out on a deliberate process to ensure that these green changes can occur without adversely affecting the economy and population, this bill skips the deliberation and implements a blunt suspensionon a specific sector without much research to back it up.

According to Block, Inc. which comprises Square, Cash App, Afterpay, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, “There’s a misconception that as bitcoin transactions scale, so will its energy consumption. In reality, bitcoin’s transaction volume can be independent of energy usage, meaning that it can accommodate 100, 1,000, or 10,000 times more transactions for the same amount of energy. For example, Cash App users can send bitcoin back and forth to each other thousands of times and there is no impact on bitcoin mining energy consumption.”

Many fear that if the two year digital mining ban bill is enacted the resulting effect would be detrimental to local small businesses, future entrepreneurs’ career opportunities, and specific communities’ ability to save and store wealth. For example, the Harlem Bitcoin Community has hundreds of members from many different backgrounds, most of whom live in New York City. They state,

As we pursue a greener economy, we must also promote new technologies and industries that advance our State forward. The best way to accomplish both goals is to first engage in a holistic review of the issues and set policy when the facts are known and established.

While regulators and communities have raised valid concerns about Bitcoin’s electricity consumption, the mining industry is a significant contributor of jobs—including in economically underserved areas and actually consumes less energy than many comparable industries.

Market participants, service providers, and industry working groups are actively working to make the industry greener and more transparent. In addition to the State’s already highly onerous and regressive set of regulations (the “Bit License”).

Although it’s widely acknowledged that there are deep issues surrounding the Crypto industry, the world is not backing away from trying to understand this emerging technology. In addition, if passed, the impact of bill A.7389C/S. 6486D could be far-reaching and set a dangerous legal precedent of banning new industries in New York without proper research and investigation.

If you are interested in seeing the New York State cryptocurrency and blockchain study task force (A.9275/S.8343) have the opportunity to study the impacts of the industry, including environmental and economic impacts, you can click here to e-mail or call Gov. Hochul’s office.

About Foundry Digital:

Foundry was created to meet the institutional demand for better capital access, efficiency, and transparency in the digital currency mining and staking industry. As a Digital Currency Group company, Foundry taps unparalleled institutional expertise, capital, and market intelligence to provide North American bitcoin miners and global manufacturers with the resources to build, maintain, and secure decentralized networks. Foundry empowers miners with the tools they need to build tomorrow’s decentralized infrastructure. We are protocol-agnostic and seek to support like-minded blockchain entrepreneurs who share our mission to advance the industry.

Lead Image: June 10, 2022 – Albany, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during a media availability in the Red Room at the State Capitol in Albany. (Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

The post The Future of NY’s Crypto Industry is in Gov Hochul’s Hands appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

I don’t know what to say.

This past weekend, I lost – we all lost – one of the best people that I have ever been blessed enough to know. Not just to know, but to work with, create with, and perform with.

Words can’t begin to explain what Sara Rogers meant to me, the other musicians she worked with, or for that matter, what she meant to everyone that was touched by her spirit. 

Sara was not just my friend; she was the musician, and musical partner that most performers could only dream of collaborating with. I was fortunate to be able to perform with her on a regular basis for the past seven years. Our duet that we developed over that time, we called GirlCrush.

We were performing at The Terrace many springtimes ago, before COVID disrupted so much of our lives. I half jokingly said to our audience that Sara was my girl crush. She responded by saying I was her girl crush, too. The name stuck. We focused our performances on music written by, or performed by women, and of course, Sara’s own original compositions, which were amazing, emotionally driven songs that everyone loved.

That was her though. Amazing. Driven. She had a heart of gold, and shared it with everyone that came into her life.

A great example of that was her music therapy. I have never seen someone genuinely care, love, give, and sacrifice for others like Sara did. So many families had come to depend on Sara’s music therapy as their light in dark days. She worked with special needs children, and adults, at risk youths, and pretty much anyone who she could help. More than that, she trusted. She trusted me to work with her in her music therapy circles, and create performances for her students, patients, and their families. It was a trust that meant more to me than I could ever adequately express to her.

Sara had many original songs that she also trusted me to add my own harmonies to when we performed them together. The included video here features some of those originals: Over, Behind Closed Doors, and More Than My Name. These songs were some of my favorites to perform with Sara, and we were given the opportunity to show them off in this Buffalo Rising series.

Hopefully through all of the media that exists, Sara’s legacy will live on. I am now, and will be forever grateful that I got the opportunity to be her acoustic partner, her other voice. 

Her GirlCrush.

Sara Rogers (29 years old) was struck and killed while riding her bike this past weekend. Two of her friends were also injured, and were listed in critical condition at the hospital.

On Monday June 27 at 7PM at South Park Avenue and Columbia Street, we would like to ask you to join us in a vigil commemorating the loss of this young woman. All are welcome to arrive there then. The folks over at Slow Roll also have a ride that night you are invited to join for its entirety. One of the stops on the ride will be at this location between 7P – 8P. – GObike Buffalo

Photography by Devin Chavanne

The post Remembering Sara Rogers: Cortney Costanzo and GirlCrush appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The Tops massacre in East Buffalo will have ripple effects for years and years to come. This community will never get over it, yet there is a healing process that will ultimately make this city closer than ever.

To that end, Henri Muhammad, founder of Muhammad School of Music, recently reached out to the community, to share a personal story pertaining to one of the victims of the racist attack.

It turns out that for quite some time, there was a letter that sat unopened on Muhammad’s desk, which he intended to open, but for some reason never found the ideal time. He ended up opening the letter after the tragic event unfolded on May 14.

The letter – a hand-written note – turned out to be from Katherine “Kat” Massey, who was an avid supporter of the Music School, as well as numerous other charitable organizations throughout Buffalo.

Upon opening the letter, Muhammad found a card inside. The front read “Peace.” The note was nine words long: “Brother Muhammad, Just a donation. Best wishes, Kat Massey.”

“I just had a strange feeling that I would know one of the victims. It was surreal, finding out, then seeing her card,” said Muhammad, who opened the doors of his music school in June of 1999. “Kat was one of our earliest and strongest supporters. Always came to our concerts. She couldn’t make one of our major recitals in February at the Buffalo History Museum. If Kat couldn’t attend a concert, she always sent a beautiful note with a donation. Supporting African American musicians was important to her.”

Muhammad mentioned that since the shooting unfolded, he had been looking for “a semblance of peace.” That signal came in the form of this special note, which he took to heart.

For 23 years Muhammad has been on a mission to provide musical education and opportunities to this city’s disadvantaged youth. More than just about anyone else, Kat Massey was aware of Muhammad’s journey, from graduating from Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts to becoming a music teacher at the Buffalo Public School System. She understood the importance of one person’s role and ability to affect change in the lives of those who might not otherwise have reliable support structures to depend upon.

“I grew up in Buffalo. It is where I live now. Our city has a rich, cultural history. Many children, especially in the inner city, lack resources, and opportunities. Violin and classical music, all music, can open up doors and take us anywhere around the world,” said Muhammad, who is a concert violinist and maestro.

Muhammad School of Music managed to weather the covid storm, by providing a place of learning – inside the Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church – to young people who were thrown yet another curveball. It was thanks to the ongoing support of people like Kat Massey that the doors managed to stay open.

“When the pandemic shut us down, we had no other option than to perform and teach on a virtual platform. Facebook helped us keep our doors open. Closing was not an option. It offered a beautiful opportunity for students to engage in music and give them some sense of normalcy during a difficult time,” said Muhammad.

Children as young as four years old have been taught at Muhammad School of Music. All told, thousands of students have passed through the doors of this special music school. Many of those students now play throughout Buffalo, as well as throughout the world. Some of them even have children of their own, who are already interacting with Muhammad and his school.

“Our program uses a very personal method of instruction,” Muhammad mentioned. “We can teach a child that has never held an instrument before. Remember, the violin is the only musical instrument made in ‘fractional sizes.’ That helps teach young children with small hands to master the violin. Parents see that and appreciated that.”

It is for all of these reasons that Kat Massey’s note remains a beacon of hope, and a testament to her devotion to her community. She understood what was important, and she did what she could to ensure that young people would have the music-oriented opportunities that they deserved. She also understood that by confidently wielding a violin (for example), that confidence would parlay to other facets of life.

“We need love, hope, and peace for the African American community of Buffalo,” Muhammad reflected, “Music soothes the soul. We are all hurting right now, especially for the loss of our beloved Kat Massey. We continue to teach, especially in her loving memory.”

June is African-American Music Appreciation Month. For anyone that would like to support the organization, please call (716) 570-5064 or email muhammadmusic@aol.com.

The post A Note of Hope from Tops Shooting Victim, Kat Massey appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Preservation Buffalo Niagara has partnered with the Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo to bring back the hard hat tours at the Richardson Olmsted Campus.

These hard hat tours offer up a glimpse into the past, present, and future of the site, by allowing visitors to walk through the yet-to-be-developed buildings that are in the process of being preserved and restored.

Those attending the tours will get a chance to see spaces within buildings that have remained untouched for 40 years! And each tour will be different, depending on the construction schedule per buildings and rooms.

Tours of the 150-year-old National Historic Landmark will be held throughout the summer, every Saturday and Sunday starting July 9 through October 2, 2022.

Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. That means that the tours will be released in batches each month. July tickets are currently available online at preservationbuffaloniagara.org/events/2022-07. 

The post Tours of the Richardson Olmsted Campus to resume, presented by Preservation Buffalo Niagara appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

CNU-WNY (Congress for the New Urbanism) – also known as Partners for a Livable WNY – has announced a new series of community walks that are not only intended to shine a light on various neighborhoods throughout WNY, they are also intended to be solution-oriented undertakings.

As more people get out and walk throughout WNY neighborhoods and communities, it is only natural to identify urbanist-oriented opportunities at hand. Maybe crosswalks are needed, or bike lanes, or public art? Often times, these types of opportunities arise as people walk or bike through areas, including their own neighborhoods. The process is amplified as more and more people are involved with the process, which leads to identifying problematic issues, while promoting discussions, and (hopefully) addressing the findings via strategic avenues. Opportunities at hand include analyzing traffic patterns, landscaping, walkability, and smart development. 

The upcoming Broadway-Fillmore tour will be the 32nd walk of the all-volunteer organization which was formed in 1999. 

“The program will commence at 8:30am at the Matt Urban Center (1081 Broadway) with an introduction of team members and a discussion of the format for the walk.  From 9:30am to 11am the team and local residents will walk the neighborhood. The group will then reassemble at Eugene V. Debs Hall (483 Peckham St.) for a report by team members and a discussion of the team’s findings.  Everyone is invited to stay for a social gathering and discussion with the team members regarding the CNU-WNY Chapter and future planned events. The walk is free and open to public participation. The lead neighborhood organizer for the event is Steve Karnath of Broadway Fillmore NHS.” – CNU-WNY

Partners for a Livable WNY, the Western New York chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU-WNY), will conduct the walking tour of the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood on Saturday, June 25. The program will commence at 8:30am.

Other walks scheduled this year include the Village of Silver Creek on September 10 and Buffalo’s Bailey-Lovejoy neighborhood on September 24.  Communities interested in a future walk can contact George Grasser at 716-480-4970.  

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As the Community Begins Juneteenth Celebrations, Leaders Unveil the Future Look of the Inspiring  Landmark                                     

When you’ve got a good project that everyone loves, it’s always a good idea to ensure that it has the resources that it needs to sustain itself, and even grow. That sentiment even applies to public art, which is typically ephemeral, can take a beating, and even has the ability to change the face of a neighborhood.

Take The Freedom Wall for example. The corner has been transformed from a blasé spot to one that is full of history, emotion, character, and inspiration.

The Freedom Wall is an important and moving mural that celebrates our nation’s historic and ongoing struggles for political and social equality.

To enhance the setting of The Freedom Wall, Senator Tim Kennedy, along with leadership from the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission (MSAAHCC), the East Side Garden Walk (ESGW), and the NFTA, has announced that the corner of Michigan Avenue and East Ferry Street will get some much needed love, in the form of:

• Reconstruction of the area between the concrete wall and street curbing
• Installation of LED lighting to accent the wall portraits 
• Replacement of worn street curbing and improvement of sidewalk accessibility

Senator Kennedy has obtained state funding for the project, which is expected to cost approximately $734,000.

“We are so grateful to Senator Kennedy who made this important and meaningful project come to life,” said Kim Minkel, NFTA Executive Director. “Thanks to Senator Kennedy we will have the money needed to improve the curb appeal around the Freedom Wall. This moving public art project has become a major destination in Western New York, and we are proud to be part of the Freedom Wall and all it represents.”

These new advancements of The Freedom Wall are also thanks to public input, surveys, and public meetings, which ensured that the community had a voice in the outcome.

“This enhancement project will ensure that the Freedom Wall is truly illuminated and appreciated in the way it deserves to be. From the very beginning of this process, it was important to us that we were collaborating with groups like the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission and members of the East Side Garden Walk to discuss what these improvements would look like and how they would be incorporated into this powerful piece of art,” said Senator Tim Kennedy. “I’m grateful to our community leaders for continuing to have a thoughtful dialogue with the NFTA and my office, and I’m thrilled to celebrate this progress as we celebrate Juneteenth and the people featured in this iconic Buffalo mural.”

Of course, the timing couldn’t be better for such an undertaking, seeing that we must do everything in our power to move forward together as a united city, in the wake of the May 14 massacre.

This public project will begin later this summer with a target completion date of the Fall 2022.

The post Rendering Reveal at The Freedom Wall appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

As a way to get people to starting thinking about the east side of the city in a different light, Masten District Council Member Ulysees O. Wingo, Sr. has filed a resolution to rename the city’s East Side, East Buffalo.

Due to lack of vision, lack of investment, lack of action, redlining practices, food deserts, poor transportation options, and everything else that goes along with these problems, Wingo feels as if the time has finally come to change the dialogue altogether, starting with a name change. He is of the belief that the name East Side is synonymous with negative connotations, which leads to disinvestment, neglect, and even the failure of government policy.

The resolution calls on Buffalo representatives in the city, county, state, and federal government to replace the label, ‘the East Side’ with ‘East Buffalo’ when referring to this region of the City of Buffalo.

By changing the name to East Buffalo, Wingo believes that the millions of dollars that are now being invested into the East Side, will be positively amplified via this gesture of renewal.

“East Buffalo residents are tired of being relegated to a side and are demanding the same respect and inclusivity as other parts of our beloved city. We all, with the distinct help of the media, need to cease referring to living on the East Side and begin living in East Buffalo,” said Wingo.

The post Welcome to “East Buffalo” appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Records are made to be broken.

That was the sentiment of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy (BOPC) as it set out to reclaim the glory that it originally heralded back in 2018, when it set the record for the longest line of garden flamingos in the world. When that 2018 record was surpassed in 2020 by South Carolina, BOPC knew that it had to fight hard to reestablish the title.

As determination would have it, that coveted title was brought back to Buffalo yesterday, as BOPC placed 4,280 “FLOmingos” (named after Frederick Law Olmsted himself) in an impressive “conga” line at Front Park. It didn’t take long before the record attempt was announced as a solid victory, which surpassed the previous record by 527 garden flamingos.

The record-setting effort was part of the year-long national “Olmsted 200: Parks for All People” campaign - a celebration of Olmsted’s 200th birthday.

Once again, Buffalo has laid claim to the Guinness World Record for the longest line of garden flamingos – a record that is not only impressive on its own, it also represents an outstanding community effort to support the Olmsted Parks System.

After the record-setting event wrapped up, those who adopted a FLOmingo were invited to come pick them up and take them home. So if you start seeing solitary members of this sensational flamboyance of pink flamingos perching in gardens throughout the region, now you know why.

The post BOPC breaks Guinness World Record for “Longest Line Of Garden Flamingos” in 2022 appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

THE BASICS:  ISLEÑA (Islander/Island Girl), a one-woman play co-written by sisters Victoria Pérez and María Pérez Gómez, featuring Victoria Pérez, directed by María Pérez Gómez, presented by Raíces Theatre runs through July 3 on stage at Road Less Traveled (the new home of Raíces) 456 Main Street Buffalo NY 14202.  Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 6:00 pm. Tickets can be reserved by calling 716-381-9333 or visiting ticketstripe.com/islenaonewomanshow, or calling the RLTP Box Office (716) 629-3069 or visiting roadlesstraveledproductions.org

Runtime: 55 minutes without intermission.  Bar open before and after the show.

THUMBNAIL SKETCH:  ISLEÑA is a one-woman show dealing with Victoria Pérez’s real-life uprooting from her beloved Puerto Rico to join extended family in Buffalo when she was 9 years old.  It’s about the struggle to define her identity while living in the diaspora.  As the title character turns 40 years old, her husband surprises her with a family trip back to the island.  As she packs for the return to her homeland she must unpack memories that she buried long ago in order to survive.  She is forced to reconcile with her inner child and accept both the joyful and the traumatic experiences she had growing up on the island.  Isleña celebrates family, tradition, culture, music, (lots and lots of music), and ultimately the longing to return home.

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION:  I recall several years ago when the actress Victoria Pérez posted a selfie on Facebook following her vacation trip to Puerto Rico.  Everyone commented on how radiant she looked, years younger, exuding calm and happiness.  It was quite a pic, and more than just your typical “I’m on vacation” shot.  Now, having seen her play, ISLEÑA, I know the rest of the story.  

The play with extended music opens with Pérez cooking arroz y habichuelas in her on-stage kitchen, making up a song, trying to rhyme with aquí (here), and happily coming up with coquí (a little frog native only to Puerto Rico named for the loud call the males make at night, with the “koh” repelling other males and the “kee” attracting females).  Like the tree flower Flor de Maga, it is a national symbol of the island.

Pretty soon she’s using her pots and pans as percussion instruments; she explains the basic rhythm of salsa (1-2, 1-2-3); and before long, the band, behind a scrim, joins in, and we’re off! ¡Wepa!

Little by little, we find out that Pérez was uprooted at the age of nine from her lovely island.  

Fact: Every year five (5!) million tourists travel from the U.S. mainland to visit for a chance to feel those warm island breezes, so you can imagine how this nine-year-old felt coming to Buffalo only a decade or so after the famous Blizzard of ’77. 

Ultimately, we come to the crunch point of the play, the climax, the real reason that she hasn’t been one of those five million turistas traveling to the island.  The climax is brought on by her husband telling her that for her milestone 40^th birthday, the family is going “back home” for a vacation.  But something happened to her there when she was only four and it’s been with her, buried deep, and now it’s got to be faced.

But, face it she does, and so the musical ends quite happily.  Tiffany Jaramillo (Scenic Designer) has made a useful set that really comes alive (almost literally) when lit up by Nicholas Quinn (Light/Sound Designer).

Backing Pérez, who is also a professional singer, is a talented band, headed up by Kevin Doyle (Music Director and keyboard) with Nelson Rivera (saxophone and minor percussion), Calvin Rice (trumpet), and Ruben Sanchez (percussion).  Every night will also feature a local Buffalo musical star joining Pérez for a duet.  That’s so Raíces, involving family and friends, in the production.  

When you go, pack a five-dollar bill for three chances to win a pair of earrings (identical to those that Pérez wears on stage).  They feature the Flor de Maga, the official national flower of Puerto Rico (see photo).

*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)

ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.

TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person who’s happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.

THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.

FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.

FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb–a rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!

The post ISLEÑA (Island Girl) brings the flavor of Puerto Rico to the Road Less Traveled Stage with a personal story of pain, acceptance, and joy appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Local photographer Pat Cray aka Painkiller, is telling the story of our city one photo at a time. With photos that capture the essence of the Queen City, whether through architecture or through profiles of the good neighbors that make up our blocks, his work is proving to be a hallmark to our city for years to come. To the untrained eye, his photos leave a haunting impression, with many photos being taken in elements that for other photographers might be unideal; take for example his frequent use of foggy and dark weather.

By capturing the darkness, he is also bringing to light places and people that may have otherwise remained unseen. To fellow photographers and those with a trained eye however, he is a spectacular artist that holds tenaciously to the fundamental basics of “good photography.” Things like composition, continuity, form, texture, and color are present in every photograph taken; while I am no expert in this field, it is no stretch to say his work teeters on the cusp of transcendently impressive and excellent. 

To see this city through the eyes of Painkiller means to see familiar places in an entirely new light (literally) and watch the story of our special community played out right before our very eyes. 

Tell me a little about yourself and your background as an artist?
I am Pat Cray (Creative name Painkiller), I am a photographer/ photojournalist from Buffalo NY that specializes in portraiture and cityscape photography. I started taking pictures on my cellphone years ago and just recently (January 202) got a camera and stepped into the professional field of photography after years of DJing and playing music around the city of Buffalo, NY.  

Why photography as your medium?
I chose to make photography my main outlet as a creative after years and years of trying to find my voice and show my creativity. I find it so much easier to do that by showing this city in my eyes. I have learned the city intimately from years of year-round cycling after I stopped driving and being a skateboarder. I just know that our city has so much to offer, and I felt as though I could share that through photos that trigger nostalgic feelings for the viewer. 

What type of photographer would you describe yourself as/ what type of style do you lean more toward?
I would say that I am a mix of everything from fine art photography to a mix of photo journalism of our city. I mix a lot of different styles, but I am well known for my ability to capture the city and people in it at night.

Who is your biggest inspiration in the realm of photography?
My biggest inspiration as an artist as a whole is from 3 artists. One being Todd Hidoand his works of houses at night. Another is Vuhlandes  with his portraiture and his ability to capture his community of Detroit. And lastly Leland Fosterwith his abilities as a cityscape and night photography master, with his compositional skills and his ability to paint and animate his photographs.

Who are some local photographers you are most inspired by?
I really have learned a lot from 2 main local photographers. Teo David and my good friend that goes by the creative name Rawdeadfish both capture images on the same camera body as I do (Sony A7II). But I admire everyone that is a photographer here in Buffalo. 

Would you say that living in Buffalo has helped cultivate your art in any way?
Oh of course. I think that without me living here I would not have anywhere near the eye that I have. This city and the surrounding areas have a distinct look that you can only get in a small rustbelt city. I think that my upbringing has helped mold me into the photographer that I am today also. With being a skateboarder, you learn so much about this city and you meet so many people. Then mixing that with the music scene, Street Art and Graffiti scenes. It has helped me be the artist that I am today.

What’s your biggest struggle you are facing right now as a photographer?

Honestly trying to make the next steps from being just an “Instagram photographer” to making the steps into being more of a recognized photographer and having my works on exhibit in art galleries and for campaigns for major brands. 

What kind of stories are you hoping to tell as an artist?

My hopes are for people to be able to tell the human in a city or set space story.

What are some of your future aspirations with your art?

I really want my work to grow more on a technical level and possibly get more funding behind me to push more for travel and so that I can pay for exhibits

Any future shows people should be on the lookout for?

Actually, I just got some good news – I’ll be having my exhibit that I showed at Silo City shared at Hallow Studios – 523 Main Street – for First Friday on July 8, 2022!

Follow Pat on Instagram @yungpainkiller to stay up to date on all his future endeavors- something you most definitely won’t want to miss. 

The post Buffalo, through the eyes (and lens) of Painkiller appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve heard about a handful of exciting business developments along Grant Street. From the new PFC Farmer’s Market – kicking off on Saturday, July 2 at 130 Grant Street (10am-1pm) – to a sensational vegan addition to the street (stay tuned), there’s a lot to look forward to, with even more surprises unfolding as we speak.

Every new investment into the street bodes well for the commercial district. The incremental advancements also signal to others that it’s a good time to be investing, whether it’s by purchasing a house or business address.

Speaking of commercial real estate opportunities, 282 Grant Street has been listed by Hanna Commercial Real Estate. Currently, there is a month-to-month tenant on the ground floor, but it’s the overall property that is the real winner. Along with the structure that faces Grant Street, there is a tucked away 60’ x 30’ garage that would be perfect for a wood worker, a sculptor, or anyone else looking to tap their creative energies.

From the listing:

• 6,295 SF mixed use building, retail space in the resurging Grant Street shopping district
• Large two and three bedroom upper apartments
• Separate large 60’ x 30’ garage, which could possibly provide additional income
• New windows and new water tanks in 2020

Considering what properties have been going for on the West Side, the list price of $379,900 sounds pretty decent. There is some nice woodwork and built-in cabinetry in the apartments, pocket-doors, fireplace, etc. This building could be a real winner on the street, with some additional love and enhanced vision.

Get connected: Michael Schwartz | 716-856-7107 | See listing

The post Opportunity Knocks: 282 Grant Street appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

From humble beginnings to a booming business, Rebecca Brady, founder of Top Seedz, is changing the scope of “entrepreneurship” one box of crackers at a time. These crackers aren’t just any old run of the mill snack, they are artisanal organic crackers packed with nutrition and hand-crafted flavor using simple, natural ingredients. As the grand prize winner of the 43North pitch competition in 2021, Brady’s unstoppable momentum is making her the real top seed right here in the Queen City. What started as a passion project, has now become a product that is selling out in grocery stores everywhere. 

Since the beginning, food has always been a major source of enjoyment for Brady. From early childhood with her parents’ garden to living in multiple different countries each with their own unique cuisines, she has cultivated a passion for not just flavor, but also nutrition. By combining those two things with one lightbulb moment, Brady set out on a journey that would ultimately change her life forever. At this time, she had moved to Buffalo after years of travel, raised a family, and figured going back to work was the natural next step for her life, but her ten year career gap proved to be a bigger issue for employers than she had originally thought. Instead of allowing this to discourage her, Brady did what any true entrepreneur would do- she began to think outside of the box. 

 “You know, there’s that old saying, ‘do something you love and you’ll never work a day’?”

So I thought, I love great food, I love nutrition and I’ve been making these crackers for everyone- everyone loves them! I was playing a lot of tennis at the time and I remember going to a match and someone asking if I’d brought ‘the crackers’ and I hadn’t! They were so upset and joked saying, ‘we don’t really care if you’re here, but where are the crackers? So I said to myself, ‘maybe I could try that’.”

And so, Top Seedz was born! She began producing crackers in a commissary space known as Quaker Bonnet on the West Side of Buffalo, and selling at farmers markets and other local spots. Alongside perfecting a killer product, she was also hard at work creating packaging that caught the eye. 

“Like I said, I really had no idea what I was doing, but the one thing I really did get right from the beginning was creating the brand. It’s really something that I love, and creating the logo was really exciting.”

While she was doing loads of hard work, she commemorates much of her early success to the open and accepting arms of Buffalonians all throughout the city who took a chance on her product. From places like the Lexington Coop, to the owner of White Cow Dairy’s Farm Shop, Patrick Longo, her crackers began showing up on shelves everywhere. These small steps gave her the confidence and determination that led to larger market wins like Wegmans and nationwide Whole Foods- two giant successes and continued credible partners. The winning doesn’t stop there. Despite Brady’s self proclaimed fear of public speaking, Top Seedz was the recipient of the 43North pitch competition’s 1 million dollar grand prize just months ago. 

“Well, first of all, I would rather go to the dentist than make a public speech, and the competition was a lot of Zoom pitching, which you’d think would be easier, but I’d still be sweating buckets. I was scared, but you know, I would pitch to one group and then get through and I’d call my husband and go, ‘oh my god, I made it through the next round!’ I just had to put my fear to one side and just think this isn’t for me anymore because you know, at that point I had 15 employees, and I can’t let my fear in a way because this isn’t really about me anymore. This is the whole team and we’re doing this together and I’m just doing this for us! It’s not just my little project anymore.”

Since moving into the Seneca One tower and becoming part of Buffalo’s tech and start-up ecosystem alongside 43North, Brady and her team have felt the continued warm embrace that Buffalonians have shown her all along. With a growing team of support, she feels all the more equipped to continue to expand larger than ever imaginable. 

“People don’t want to see you going through what they went through, if they can avoid it. I’ve been running nonstop for the past four years and really haven’t planned anything, I’ve really just been running, trying to produce enough crackers. By doing the pitch, you’re being forced to sit and think, what are your future plans? How are you gonna grow? What do you want to do? It was all so valuable.”

With Brady’s electric personality and unrelenting willpower leading the way, there is no telling what Top Seedz can do, including making their way into all 107 Wegmans stores nationwide- yep, they just did that too.

With a success story like this, Brady is creating a new kind of legacy in Buffalo by encouraging others to take their own leaps of faith, and trust that the seemingly impossible mountains are much easier to climb by taking one step at a time. 

“I remember when I finally went into my own manufacturing space being so overwhelmed and thinking, ‘I really don’t know how I’m gonna do this-I don’t think I can.’  But, when I broke it down into little steps, it wasn’t such a mountain anymore.”

To be exact on where to find Top Seedz at your local grocery store visit their website. Follow along with the team on their Instagram @topseedz to keep track of all the company’s exciting announcements. 

The post Catching up with Rebecca Brady, founder of Top Seedz appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Believe it or not, the tech and start-up world is booming here in​​ the Queen City. With the biggest start-up competition in the world happening right downtown, there should be no surprise that tech and start-ups are influencing Buffalo’s economy in a big way. We owe a majority of this start-up renaissance to the 43North team at Seneca One Tower since they are responsible for the pitch competition that brings a lot of these businesses to Buffalo in the first place. The team works around the clock to break down myths surrounding start-ups and show that this work really is for everyone- especially for women!

In recent past years, the tech world proved to be a majority male-dominated industry, and according to data from CompTIA, “the composition of the tech sector workforce in 2019 consisted of 5.1 million men and 2.5 million women, translating to 67% and 33%, respectively,” but the face of tech seems to be changing according to these women in tech: Courtney Caldwell with ShearShare, Maura Duggan with ACV Auctions, and Renita DiStefano with Seneca Gaming Corporation. At a recent 43North Women in Tech panel discussions, each of these women discussed their unique journeys into the tech industry and how determination, perseverance, and recognition of their own strengths played a major role in their success.

Courtney Caldwell

Courtney and Dr. Tye Caldwell are changing the game when it comes to the community of beauty and barbering entrepreneurs with their app ShearShare. ShearShare is the first mobile marketplace to monetize underutilized assets in the beauty and barbering industry, starting with space to work. Stylists rent suites/stations by the day, week, or occasion with zero contract or commission, and salon, spa, and barbershop owners make money on empty space they already have. After humble beginnings that started as a side hustle, this business began to boom and even was awarded a $500,000 prize from the 43North pitch competition. While Courtney has no previous experience in the tech industry, she quickly learned that strengths she already possessed ultimately paved the way for the company’s growing success.

“The first thing I always want to make sure of, especially when I’m talking to other women who are thinking about jumping into tech or thinking about creating a startup or a tech company or whatever, is that we have to make sure we really lean in on our own strengths. So many times we discount ourselves out of a decision because we say, ‘well, I don’t have that type of experience’ or ‘oh, I don’t know how to do that,’ when in actuality we should be focusing on the strengths we already possess because that’s where the magic is. I don’t have to know how to code in order to run a tech company.”

Courtney attributes her success to her focus surrounding maintaining a healthy lifestyle and, “doing all the little, small baby steps that no one pays attention to in order to be ready to take that leap of faith and to do what you really want to do and set out to live your passion.”

Renita DiStefano

Renita is no stranger to the tech world, and her dedication to the industry is something that comes as second nature to her. She attributes much of her success to mentors and teachers along the way and her passion for technology.  This passion was the flame that ultimately paved the way for her accomplishments.  Renita credits her fearless, self-starter attitude, and a dedication to lifetime learning that made it possible to be a master of her craft.  Renita is a member of the Seneca Nation and became one of the first Native females to achieve the title of Chief Information Officer- the highest title acclaimed in her field.

“So much has changed in the 25 years that I’ve been in tech, specifically the face of technology.  Just look around the conference table and the Board room and you will see unprecedented diversity.  I was fortunate to start my career at a company where I rarely thought about the fact that I am a woman.  I was treated with respect.  I do have to say though, that I have had my share of, ‘okay, honey, let me talk to one of the techs’ or ‘Let me talk to one of the guys.’  I thought to myself, ‘I am one of the techs.’  I didn’t allow the condescension to slow me down; I didn’t let it marginalize me.  Instead, it motivated me to prove to the world that I can achieve greatness in this thing called tech.”

She stressed that her key to success with over 25 years in the tech industry is due to surrounding herself with people who are inspiring — and by being fearless.  “Leaders aren’t always the people with the fancy job titles at the top of the org chart.   Some of the best advice that I’ve gotten has come from people that didn’t have an impressive job title.  They are just good human beings; good people with wisdom and leadership qualities far beyond a title. For me, leadership is really about that – being kind and treating people with trust and respect.  It’s about serving and giving everything you have to make sure that others are successful in whatever they do.  

More than anything, be a student of your craft and take calculated risk; there is no telling how high you can go.  Just take it from Renita.

Maura Duggan

While Maura’s expertise is not directly related to the tech industry, her communications background has landed her a position as Director of PR, Social and Communications for the region’s first software unicorn ACV Auctions. While she never imagined the start-up world would become part of her everyday life, it wasn’t until she returned to Buffalo from New York City that she really got the taste for the tech ecosystem and community.

“I have only had wonderfully positive experiences both within ACV and larger and although the automotive industry isn’t typically female dominated, I think because it’s a tech company within automotive, we have a more welcoming and open to new ideas approach because we are technology. We also have groups like Women of ACV that targets helping women navigate their career.”

Although it can seem intimidating to venture into a new avenue, especially a tech career, it may be just what you’re looking for, and Buffalo has just the support to do it.

“My advice is that all valued skills are transferable, and you can make an impact with those experiences in the tech world, and it’s a great way to flex those skills in a new way while adding real value to a new company.”

Whether tech comes as second nature or is something far out of your area of expertise, the face of this industry is changing, and it may just include you. To find out more about jobs in the startup and tech world visit or to get involved in the 43North community visit 43north.org

The post Three Trailblazing Women in Buffalo’s Tech Industry appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

With a week to go until the June 28^th primaries, candidates have filed their final financial reports with the state Board of Elections.  Donations of $1,000 or more received since June 17 will need to be reported over the next week within 24 hours of receipt.

Here are the numbers for the statewide candidates as well as the candidates for Erie County Clerk in the Democratic primary:

• Governor Kathy Hochul collected an additional $944,387 since the last report on May 27^th.  She has a balance of $12.7 million remaining in her campaign account.
• Congressman Tom Suozzi, one of Hochul’s primary opponents, raised $525,864; balance $1,960,667.
• New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the third candidate in the Democratic primary, raised $49,225; balance $101,074.
• Congressman Lee Zeldin, the endorsed Republican candidate for governor, raised $556,327; balance $2.1 million.
• Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino raised $210,227; balance $650,772.
• Businessman Harry Wilson raised $209,562; balance $2 million.  He put in an additional $1 million of his personal money into the Republican primary race.
• Donald Trump golf partner Andrew Guiliani raised $83,302; balance $344,453.
• Congressman Antonio Delgado, Hochul’s lieutenant governor running mate, raised $819,832; transferred from congressional campaign account: $2.477 million; balance $1,761,510.
• Suozzi’s running mate for lieutenant governor, Diana Reyna, raised $25,050; balance $100,542.
• Ana Maria Archila, running with Williams, raised $64,819; balance $211,288.
• Endorsed Democratic Erie County Clerk candidate Melissa Hartman raised $61,079; balance $21,996.
• Republican endorsed candidate for Clerk, Mickey Kearns, who is running in the Democratic primary raised $624; balance $102,021.

The primaries – Part I – will be over soon.  Then we will head to the contests for Congress and the State Senate on August 23^rd.

Donald Trump continues to prey upon his base for money

We have been told forever by Donald J. Trump that Donald J. Trump is a billionaire.  Time-to-time reporting in legal proceedings tells us that he lies frequently about questions concerning his net worth.  The January 6^th Committee hearings have exposed fraud involving his campaign fundraising.  Trump’s non-existent Official Election Defense Fund raised $250 million, preying on uninformed donors who thought they were providing money to make his case for the Big Lie.

It is reported that his campaign committee has more than $100 million in the bank, although those pesky legal fees coming from, what is it now, a thousand cases?, must be eating into the totals.  So why does he keep asking me for money?

Readers know that I am a Democrat, but the way things work in politics these days mailing lists get used, sold, brought back to life.

Readers know that I am a Democrat, but the way things work in politics these days mailing lists get used, sold, brought back to life.  In February 2016 I traveled to South Carolina to observe the presidential primaries.  Among other things I attended two Trump rallies, which required pre-registration.  About three months ago I started receiving daily texts from Trump asking or demanding cash in all sorts of manner.  Recently they have been coming at a pace of four or five per day. 

Here’s a sampling of recent Trump texts (the shouting CAPITALIZATIONS are his):

• CONGRATS! Pres. Trump selected YOU to be the FIRST EVER Trump Supporter to receive a 7X-IMPACT!  1 HOUR!  Claim NOW.
• Pres Trump:  I won’t reach out again.  If you want your SIGNED MAGA HAT, VIP RALLY TICKETS & a PHOTO WITH ME you must claim NOW.
• BRAND NEW TRUMP MERCH ALERT>> TRUMP GOLF BALLS.  Get a hole-in-one with these INCREDIBLE TRUMP GOLF BALLS.  Only 645 left!
• YOUR PAYMENT IS INCOMPLETE, Ken.  President Trump requested $35 to:  SAVE AMERICA
• Member #7584.  You are REQUIRED to report for your Trump Membership service.  Your service status is INCOMPLETE.  Complete IMMEDIATELY.
• Your order has SHIPPED.  Your ULTRA MAGA SLIM CAN COOLIES are ready to be claimed.  If you don’t, we won’t offer them again.
• Pres. Trump:  Why wait?  I’ve asked you before & now I’m asking ONE LAST TIME.  Do you stand with me?
• @realDonaldTrump.  I have something for you, Ken, Your OWN TRUMP GOLD CARD.  This is HISTORIC.  Will you claim.
• Pres. Trump:  For your eyes only, Ken.  I only selected 10 Patriots to become Trump MVPs.  You were 1 of them!
• Ken – we’re begging you.  President Trump wants to BREAK A RECORD this month.  Final chance to claim your 600%-IMPACT

And so it goes.  The Trump luster is starting to fade.  Pence and DeSantis keep nibbling away at him, and sooner or later the likes of Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Tom Cotton, Mike Pompeo, etc. will start to crawl out from hiding as they develop a FOMO (fear of missing out).  Who knows, one of them may offer a 10X-IMPACT for your donation or maybe two autographed pictures.

Early voting

Early voting for the June 28^th primary for governor, lieutenant governor, and local offices such as Erie County Clerk, continues through Sunday, June 26^th.  Information about locations and times of voting in Erie County can be found at this link https://www.elections.erie.gov/pdfs/EARLYVOTING%202022new6.pdf .  Information about early voting in other counties can be found on the counties’ Board of Elections websites. 

Ken Kruly writes about politics and other stuff at politicsandstuff.com

Follow on Twitter @kenkruly

The post Final campaign financial reports before the June 28th primary; Trump begging for money appeared first on Buffalo Rising.