There is no other better example of building together and creating community than a passionate community-focused, service training.
Open Buffalo reaffirms our commitment to teaching anti-racism, love, and justice.
The Emerging Leaders Program is changing the face of leadership and decision-making in our communities. It is distinguished by its unique focus on leadership for justice and social change, as well as our community of alumni and mentors.
Heart of The City Neighborhood Inc. (HOCN) and Open Buffalo seek a communications team to shape branding, public relations, and marketing for a community-based 2.5 year campaign focused on green mobility in Buffalo’s East Side.
The goal of the Credible Community Mentor position is to provide support and resources for youth returning from the juvenile justice system.
One month after the May 14 Tops terrorist attack, Open Buffalo provides an update on the ongoing recovery efforts and offers gratitude for widespread support.
Open Buffalo stands steadfast to our commitment to achieve racial equity in Buffalo.
On November 20, Youth Action held a youth-led Q&A with four panelists from the community and the City of Buffalo.
OB Youth Action teams up with Project Mona’s House to address crisis of missing children in Buffalo.
The Color Run, hosted by Open Buffalo’s Youth Action on Saturday, July 31, was an engaging, fun-filled event for the community.
June is the month to celebrate all the obstacles that were overcome by the LGBTQ+ community and for allies to show their support and acknowledge that our differences are what bring us closer together as people.
Let us teach the ignorant the truth and importance of this day, as we walk, shout and rejoice our Independence Day. Fist up!
Average citizens stopped by Jefferson and Utica to share their experiences and explain how their lives could be changed by the passage of bills like Clean Slate and the For the People Act.
The Open Buffalo Freedom Summer Fellowship is an intensive leadership development program designed 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 the national level.
Youth leaders call on public officials and community members to do better for missing persons and their families.
On Saturday, May 1, Open Buffalo hosted a “Know Your Rights” Cookout at Martin Luther King Jr. Park for the community to celebrate the passing of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) and learn what work still needs to be done!
Recently Enacted Marijuana Reforms Represent Significant Racial Equity Advancement for the People of New York State.
In the aftermath of this week's shooting rampage that took eight innocent lives in the Atlanta area -- yet another national tragedy authored by a hate-filled man with a gun -- Open Buffalo mourns and stands in solidarity with all those impacted directly or from afar.
On February 16th, 2021, Open Buffalo along with the Emerging Leaders class of 2020 launched the Community Restoration Project to push for equitable cannabis legalization, "clean slate" criminal justice legislation, and progressive tax reforms.
Buffalo, NY (January 6, 2021) – With New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo having just announced a proposal that would allow recreational cannabis use throughout the state, Open Buffalo once again demands that legalization of this plant be done with racial justice and community repair in mind.
Open Buffalo proudly joins coalition to defend crucial “50-A” public records reform across NY State.
By: Todd Geise
Open Buffalo demands transparent investigation and swift police policy reforms in the wake of violent encounter captured on video.
In the last days celebrating Hanukkah, we were saddened and heartbroken to learn of yet another hate crime in our country, this time at the New York City area home of a Rabbi while celebrating the seventh night of Hanukkah with dozens of guests.
There's a duality about Thanksgiving that's deeper than excess vs. hunger or being 'a part of' vs. 'apart from'. Knowing its history, should we celebrate Thanksgiving or should we commemorate it?
In early September, 100 individuals came together for Open Buffalo’s Justice Leadership Institute (JLI), the organization’s largest ever training event.
The 2019 Open Buffalo Training Team is ready to facilitate a powerful community workshop for 100 community members at the first Justice Leadership Institute!
Check out the video recap of our 2019 'Restoration & Reclamation' event in April.
Key elements of Open Buffalo's 2019 state legislative agenda succeed – community power in action
Mentoring is a special partnership between two people based on commitment to the mentoring process, common goals/expectations of the partnership and mutual trust and respect.
Spread economic opportunity & justice in Buffalo! Build community power & resilience! Help end cannabis prohibition!
Open Buffalo calls on state lawmakers to prioritize vulnerable communities, featured as presenters at the Caucus Weekend of the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators.
Organization continues to push for statewide marijuana policy to repair and invest in communities on the frontline of the war on drugs
Open Buffalo firmly opposes the Trump Administration's latest anti-immigrant policy proposal for "Public Charge" Rule as an explicit attack on low-income immigrant families and communities of color.
In solidarity with our partner, the New York Immigration Coalition, Open Buffalo opposes the unraveling of federal protections for the rights of migrant children.
The federal administration continues its attack on immigrant communities, but you can speak up against its policies!
Members of the Buffalo Police Advisory Board go on The Public Good to discuss residents’ top concerns about policing collected from community forums and next steps to improve policing in Buffalo.
OB's Lead Organizer India Walton discusses disparities within marijuana enforcement in Buffalo and the fight to make marijuana the lowest level enforcement priority (LLEP) for Buffalo police.
OB Justice & Opportunity partners advocated for creation of new entity, which will make recommendations on how community-police relationships can be improved.
Community groups applaud reform, reiterate longstanding call for
full-scale community policing program.
New Buffalo Report Shows Stark Marijuana Arrest Disparities.
Hill is a well-respected authority on culture, politics, and education, as well as the author of a New York Times Best Seller.
Hill is a well-respected authority on culture, politics, and education, as well as the author of a New York Times Best Seller.
The summit stressed the interconnectedness of several problems in Buffalo, including police violence, the school to prison pipeline, lack of community control over resources, and racism.
As part of Open Buffalo’s annual Justice & Opportunity Series, we are hosting a competition for Buffalo high school students who want to make a difference in their community!
We welcomed a warm and engaged crowd of poets, musicians, spoken word artists, and community-minded souls for an evening of expression, healing, celebration, and movement-building.
Throughout the two-day festival, we talked to community members about tangible paths to systemic reforms.
From the day that Prisoners Are People Too, Inc. was launched, it has provided a platform for formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones to tell their stories.
Concerned people of Buffalo demand and deserve a swift and painstakingly transparent inquiry into the death of a civilian after an encounter with the Buffalo Police Department.
Open Buffalo joins a host of community allies in rallying in support of our immigrant, Muslim, and refugee neighbors and loved ones.
Calls for Collaboration, Communication, and Community-Building
Franchelle Hart (Open Buffalo) and Steve Peraza (Partnership for the Public Good) discuss the content of the special-edition "No Boundaries" newspaper.
In collaboration with Open Buffalo, Rise Collaborative debuts the first issue of "No Boundaries" - a special-edition, free newspaper carrying stories from typically underreported areas of Buffalo.
Town Hall Meeting in Buffalo’s Masten District Served as an Open Forum for Local Residents and Law Enforcement
Between July 18 and 22, Open Buffalo held its first “Justice and Opportunity Week” — five days of free community discussions, performances, and workshops throughout the city of Buffalo.
Open Buffalo Partners Outline the Agenda for Week of Citizen Empowerment, Report on Results of Groundbreaking Community Policing Survey.
Conducting brief, in-person interviews, surveyors engaged a truly diverse cross-section of the city population – men and women of different races, ages, genders, and class statuses, who reside in neighborhoods that span over thirty zip codes.
Five days of community education and empowerment brought to you by the Open Buffalo movement. With featured guest D’Artagnan Scorza, Ph.D., the nationally renowned Founder and Executive Director of the Social Justice Learning Institute (Inglewood, CA).
During the week of July 18, we will be kicking off our first-ever “Justice & Opportunity Week” to educate, inspire, and mobilize Buffalo.
A longtime supporter and ally, Perez recently sat down with Open Buffalo to share a picture of the city, through his eyes.
On two hot and sunny June days, Open Buffalo staff and volunteers joined hundreds of others at Buffalo’s Juneteenth Festival in MLK Park on June 18 and 19.
Open Buffalo's Franchelle Hart and Shareef Ali II were recently interviewed on The Public Good Radio Show.
Survey kickoff gathering was packed with energized residents, ready to make changes in our city.
The Justice and Opportunity (J&O) table's Community Oriented Policing campaign continues to gain momentum in the new year.
PPG's "Community-Oriented Policing" focus area correlates with Open Buffalo's Community-Oriented Policing campaign.
Community-builders from all sides of Buffalo made up leadership development program’s inaugural class.
Community Talks will be a means of hearing about individuals’ experiences and interactions with police.
Canisius College student David Goodwin recently produced a short (12 minute) documentary film about recidivism, entitled "The Very Same House: Recidivism in Buffalo."
PPG Community Agenda is a blueprint to help realize their shared vision of a just, sustainable, and culturally vibrant Buffalo.
Recent news story titled "Advocates: Immediate Support Crucial For People Let Out of Federal Prison Early" featured Pastor James Giles and George BaBa Eng of Back to Basics Outreach Ministries
"Now we can gather at the Ray of Light Mural site and in the spaces of the Buffalo Arts Studio to provide Peace and Healing Circles to the community."
Our recently formed Justice & Opportunity Table has been convening since August.
Stacey Robinson is a Buffalo transplant, a powerful visual artist, and an Open Buffalo partner. In this interview, he discusses his journey, his work, and his vision for the Queen City.
Inspired by the memory of Ms. Jerald "Dee Dee" Goldsmith, the Ray of Light will serve as an artistic beacon of peace in the community surrounding Masten Park.
Participants learned how to build campaigns for positive social change from the ground up, using their heads, hearts, and hands.
We are pleased to spread the news that our partners at VOICE-Buffalo recently started a new chapter at a new office space in the Tri-Main Center.
Open Buffalo’s Emerging Leaders Program is a brand new leadership development training school which aims to build a stronger Buffalo by preparing new leaders in our city.
Allied grassroots activists converged on Massachusetts Avenue Park Tuesday morning for a press conference and community cookout.
Many in Buffalo are fed up with school board member Carl Paladino, and rallied to fight the systemic racism permeating our city and schools.
Karima Amin, Founder/Director of Prisoners Are People Too, Inc., reports Restorative Justice progress in the Alden correctional facility.
High Road Fellows Caro Achar and Lauren Lang speak about their backgrounds, their interests, and what drew them to spend a summer embedded in Buffalo's social justice movement.
Pastor James Giles of Back to Basics, Buffalo Peace Makers and Voice Buffalo discusses community policing in Buffalo with Sam Magavern on the Public Good.
Beautiful weather and jubilant crowds lining Genesee Street made for a memorable Juneteenth of Buffalo 2015 Parade last Saturday.
On May 14, Nicole Lee, world-renowned human rights lawyer, returned to her hometown to give a talk at Greater Works Christian Fellowship.
Dr. Leon Botstein, thinker, conductor, and Bard College president, didn't disappoint in Buffalo.
On Saturday, April 18, Open Buffalo presented an “Organizing for Change” workshop at One Region Forward’s Citizen Planning School.
New “Getting There" report gives up-to-date context to Buffalo’s attendance discussion and offers evidence-based proposals to turn this negative trend around.
Thanks to the folks who took a few moments to reflect with us at our Buffalo Dream Wall!
Topics will include “Poverty, Race and Community Policing;” “Understanding the Experiences of New Americans in Buffalo;” and “An Exploration into the Lives of Chronically Homeless Women.”
"Assemblage" and "Binary ConScience" kick off March 27 at Buffalo Arts Studio
The Open Places All-Site Convening met from February 18 through 20 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
New Innovation Lab reports and examine socially conscious arts groups in Erie County and look at best practices in marrying the arts and community justice work.
Trainers from Dismantling Racism Works empower Open Buffalo recruits with new tools of race analysis.
Partnership for the Public Good's 2015 community agenda includes research support for Open Buffalo campaigns.
Open Buffalo's rigorous Leading Change workshop weekend led social justice-minded crowd to breakthroughs and connections.
How does Buffalo talk about Buffalo, and what impact do our stories have on public policy?
Open Society Foundations announces Buffalo is one of three sites selected for funding in the Open Places Initiative.
Open Buffalo releases a new report, Alarming Disparities: The Disproportionate Number of African American and Hispanic People in Erie County Criminal Justice System
Open Buffalo has taken over the airwaves this summer on the Partnership for the Public Good’s weekly radio show, The Public Good, to talk about some of the most pressing issues facing our community.
At Asbury Hall Wednesday night, members of Young Invnicibles shared a bill with local performers to bring civic engagement tools to Buffalo.
Open Buffalo presents “Involved, Informed, Invincible!” an evening of music, dance, and activism, featuring leaders from the Young Invincibles and local performers.
Heather McGhee of Demos spoke to Buffalo residents in Asbury Hall on Tuesday, July 23rd. Daughters of Creative Sound, Dr. Anthony Neal, and Randle and the Late Night Scandals rounded out the evening.
Ras Jomo speaks about Open Buffalo on the Public Good. A half-hour talk radio show on WUFO AM 1080 the Public Good airs at 1pm on Tuesday afternoons.
Sam Radford of the District Parent Coordinating Council (DPCC) speaks about Open Buffalo on the Public Good. A half-hour talk radio show on WUFO AM 1080 the Public Good airs at 1pm on Tuesday afternoons.
Reverend James Giles of Back to Basics Ministries speaks about about Open Buffalo on the Public Good. A half-hour talk radio show on WUFO AM 1080 the Public Good airs at 1pm on Tuesday afternoons.
Four Buffalo nonprofits were awarded $100,000 from the Open Society Foundations to design a plan to increase low-income and minority communities’ influence and access to economic, civic, and political opportunities in the area.