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Open Buffalo has declared the Summer of 2021 a Freedom Summer! This Freedom Summer pays homage to the ancestors, organizers, freedom fighters and organizations who created the first Freedom Summer in 1964. It is because of their passion, brilliance and resilience that we are able to do the work we are doing today. 

With your support we hope to empower residents in Western New York with knowledge of the history of the original Freedom Summer; register and engage with voters; and work on winning the "For the People Act" on a national level. We plan to change the relationship our community has with (the too often unrealized) impact, power and change that is held within each and every one of our votes.

Take a look below at the bio of local artist, Joita Patterson, founder of Art by Xojoita LLC, who created our Freedom Summer design:

Growing up, art has always been one of her first loves. During her high school years she was given the opportunity to learn about the different paints, pencil types, mediums and styles. 

Today she believes, her emotions are buried in each painting and drawing. From happiness, sadness, joy, pain, guilt, love, confusion, anger... inspired from day to day life and the current climate of the world we live in. Inspired by racism, sexism, poverty, lack of education, police brutality, global climate change, and other political and social movements. She uses broken pieces of glass, old brushes, newspaper, and random supplies found around the house in her paintings to create different textures and for added dimensions. The use of random supplies is a conscious effort to be mindful about wastes that are easily created and difficult to be rectified.

Email us at info@openbuffalo.org with your name and address if you'd like a (free) Freedom Summer sticker to be sent to you!

Learn more about this year's Freedom Summer here.