City March 7, 2012 2:31 AM

Buffalo will rise again and I want to be there for it.

Buffalo will rise again and I want to be there for it.
Buffalo Rising
Buffalo Rising 16
Letter to the Editor:

My name is Vincent Alejandro. I was born and raised in the old First Ward in Buffalo, NY. I left for the Army in '93 and haven't lived back there since. I have missed Buffalo so much and am now planning within the next year to move back to my home city with my family. My parents, who were also born and raised in the ward are also talking about moving back to the area from Missouri. I check your website on a regular basis and love to read the stories of the old buildings and businesses being revitalized and reused. 

The Cobblestone District is amazing to see. My friends and I used to skateboard down those streets before the arena was there. My wife and I always talk about that old fire station on Chicago Street and how wonderful it would be to live there and restore it ourselves. Not just for the fact that the row house my parents were raised in is across the street, also for the nostalgia of breathing new life into something in my old neighborhood. 

[These days] I dare to dream. I am coming home to visit in May of this year and hope to see some of these new places in the area and enjoy home once again. I am a muralist/urban artist and I hope that when I come home for good I can contribute my artistic talents to the area. I have lived in Joplin, MO for the last year and it's been hard. The May 22nd EF5 tornado that leveled half of this town took a lot out of me. 

Vincent-Alejandro-Buffalo-Eagle-jpg

But through art I managed to keep my head up and at the same time use it to create something inspirational. After the tornado I painted murals for two families that received homes from Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Joplin.  Even recently I did a painting of the Concrete Central elevator that I remembered from my youth (lead photo).  As a 1992 graduate of Buffalo Arts Academy and best friends of the B.lo Skateboard company, my pride runs deep. Thank you for what you do and for keeping the spirit of Buffalo alive. Buffalo will rise again and I want to be there for it. Here is a link to the story of the wall that we created here in Joplin after the storm.

Vincent-Alejandro-Buffalo-NY.jpg

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16 Comments Leave a comment
rustbeltcity
March 7, 2012 7:27 AM
rustbeltcity

Oh Brother.

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grad94
March 7, 2012 7:55 AM
grad94

welcome back, mr. alejandro & family!

[ Reply ]
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MEG
March 7, 2012 8:20 AM
MEG

Welcome back, Vincent!

A group called Painting for Preservation plans to highlight the fire station on Chicago Street this summer. We would love to have you there! More information: http://paintingforpreservation.blogspot.com/.

Also, BR, how about some captions or credits for images, especially original artwork, like the lead-in here.

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Jesse
March 7, 2012 9:00 AM
Jesse

When does graffiti become "urban art"?

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Liberty10
March 7, 2012 9:39 AM
Liberty10

When does art become art?

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replied to Jesse
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davvid
March 7, 2012 8:13 PM
davvid

art becomes art when its approved by a business association duh

[ Reply ]
replied to Liberty10
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HutchTecher
March 7, 2012 9:39 AM
HutchTecher

Graffiti, when done in proper place is actually quite impressive to look at. You may be confusing graffiti with pure vandalism. Writing RESTORE as the leaves of a tree during the aftermath of a natural disaster isn't quite like writing, "WAshinGton ST Boyz FAH" across someones business or storefront. The better question to answer is, "When isn't graffiti urban art?" It has its place. I'm glad to see you're excited to come home Vincent. Hope you enjoy the trip.

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replied to Jesse
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NorthBuf
March 7, 2012 9:30 AM
NorthBuf

"Pray" and "Faith"? Eyeroll. I hope if Buffalo does allow this misguided city sanctioned graffiti we can keep secular and avoid forcing the views of an oppressive religion on all that go past

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geogmike
March 7, 2012 11:24 AM
geogmike

Whether or not anyone ascribes to a particular formal faith, or their own personal faith, try to remember that the laws, values and morals of our society have their roots in western christianity. And for that matter, fanaticism of all groups aside, any societies beliefs are throroughly rooted in its religion(s). Whether you call it "praying" or "hoping" or "wishing" for anything it's a type of faith in something. And when you've been through the hell Vincent and his community has been, or the loss of a loved one, or war, or even just worry everyday that your kid gets to and from school safely and doesn't get hurt or picked on - it's a type of faith. No one here is picking on the atheist or agnostic crowd, so let's not pick on a guy who's earned the right to pray to any god, saint or whatever he wants - and is someone who wants to move back home.

I suggest Vincent start his trek home by catching the old first ward parade on St Patty's day this year - that's old school, and I bet his faith will fit in well there.

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replied to NorthBuf
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Vinny
March 7, 2012 9:42 AM
Vinny

I call my art that just because the city is where i get my inspiration from. I grew up doing graf art but always got the cold shoulder from the average individual, teacher and other artists when i tried to push it as an artform of which it definatly is. Even though at the same time i did all of the other forms of art that people saw as "mainstream". Good question though, i catch myself from time to time selling my graf art as "urban art" just to smooth over the negativity people have attached to it and it feels like selling out.

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Jesse
March 7, 2012 10:50 AM
Jesse

I guess if you ask ahead of time and get permission to paint whatever on the side of a building, it's art. If not, it's graffiti.

Good luck and come on home, you won't regret it for a moment. I know I haven't!

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replied to Vinny
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buffloonitick
March 7, 2012 10:52 AM
buffloonitick

c'mon back Vinny.
this town will welcome your creativity and optimism.

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replied to Vinny
Score: 5 ( 7 votes ) Vote up Vote down Report this comment
Vinny
March 7, 2012 9:53 AM
Vinny

@ NorthBuf...this was painted in Joplin, MO, the "bible belt" as they call it. I know from growing up there that peoples views are different and even so are my own. But those words mean alot to the people here.

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buffknut
March 7, 2012 8:34 PM
buffknut

I am deeply cynical of someone who would move back to buffalo without any actual job in hand. frankly, we do not need urban artists, whatever that means. We need people with jobs or who can create wealth which enables jobs. If you come here and don't have a job, someone has to pay your health care, or for your food, etc. if you can pay your own way, welcome back. But if you are just coming back with hope and prayer, don't bother.

I wish I wasn't so cynical, but I am.

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BuffaloQPublic
March 8, 2012 11:43 PM
BuffaloQPublic

Vincent - we will keep the light on for you (in eager anticipation of your return). Buffalo needs you and your family!

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elmdog
March 9, 2012 3:52 PM
elmdog

we have a billion dollar incentive package, why cant we get this? 1 billion vs. 12 million?

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Apple Inc. is investing $304 million in a new campus and more than doubling its workforce in the Texas capital, boosted by a $21 million incentive from a state fund designed to attract high-tech companies, Gov. Rick Perry said Friday.

The investment from the Texas Enterprise Fund comes in exchange for a promise that Apple will add more than 3,600 employees at its new facility in Austin over the next decade, including customer support, sales and accounting staff, Perry said.

"Investments like this further Texas' potential to become the nation's next high-tech hub," the governor said in a statement.

Already the world's most valuable company, Apple's market capitalization topped $500 billion this month and remains above that mark — rarefied air that only a few firms, including rival Microsoft and Exxon Mobil Corp, have ever exceeded.

"Our operations in Austin have grown dramatically over the past decade, from less than 1,000 employees in 2004 to more than 3,500 today," said Steve Dowling, a spokesman for the Cupertino, Calif., company.

This week, Apple unveiled its new iPad, featuring a sharper screen and faster processing chip, though the added features mean the tablet computer is slightly thicker and heavier than its predecessor, iPad 2.

The enterprise fund is one of two designed to entice technology companies and top researchers to Texas. Perry said the payout to Apple is one of the largest and the company's job pledge one of the most ambitious since the fund was created in 2003. He said the fund has invested more than $443.4 million and signed contracts to generate 62,000 new jobs and more than $15.4 billion in capital investment.

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