BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Since 2017 the mission of Open Buffalo has been to achieve racial justice and equity in Buffalo and Western New York.
That mission only intensified following the racially motivated mass shooting at Tops on Jefferson Avenue only a block away from Open Buffalo's headquarters.
On Monday, Open Buffalo hosted a news conference on Jefferson Avenue to discuss the progress the racial justice nonprofit has made over the last two years, the present-day priorities, and an outlook for the future.
"We can never forget what happened, but we have to talk about the policies that need to change, how do we protect the most vulnerable in our community," said Franchelle Parker, Executive Director of Open Buffalo.
Parker says while she's frustrated with the lack of deep systemic change on Buffalo's East Side, she is seeing progress.
"I'm seeing a new level of resilience in everyday people stepping up, even if it's not happening at the organizational or institutional level of our community, people are saying that people are tired of the 'old Buffalo'," said Parker.
At the core of Open Buffalo's work is the organization's anti-racism training and assessment program called "Race, Power, and Privilege". More than 1500 Western New Yorkers spanning more than a dozen institutions have taken the training.
"It helps institutions and agencies see where they are on the needle of social justice and move it," said Dr. Kush K. Bhardwaj, Director of Racial Equity and Social Justice for Open Buffalo. "It's not just enough to change your Facebook status, or put a sign in your lawn. It's about doing the critical and important work to understand how racism, how privilege, operate,"
"We recognize that we have to come together as a community to ensure that a racist attack like what happened on the East Side never happens again," said Christina Orsi, President of the John R. Oishei Foundation. "Open Buffalo has brought so much shared learning to our board and to our staff to help us understand how collectively we can be supportive allies on moving together as one in the Buffalo community to ensure everyone prospers in the future."
It's a mission that Parker says is more critical than ever as Open Buffalo looks to the future of Buffalo's East Side.
"We are planting the seeds today," said Parker. "In two years we should absolutely see decreases in overall poverty and unemployment in East Side communities. We should see a decrease in out-of-school suspensions and an increase in graduation rates. So there are things we can measure our investment strategies against."
As Buffalo prepares to remember one of the darkest days in Queen City history, Parker remains optimistic that the work of Open Buffalo and community partners is working.
"I'm convinced there is a new awakening happening in our community that we won't go back, we won't go back," said Parker.
