Buffalo Rising Online

Oct 12th, 8:41am By Amanda Wawro

It is no secret that Buffalo has seen better days. Sometimes it seems like if we could just catch a break, we might be given the opportunity to force through whatever it is that is keeping us back. The B-Team, a group who believes that the city is turning a corner, is a loose network of individuals united under the single most powerful force Buffalo has at its disposal—resilient people. They are not looking to be given anything, they are looking to take back Buffalo by the horns and engage civilians in civic activity.

Matt Carlucci and Joe Malczewski, two of the group’s founders took time between jobs, football practice—both play on a semi-competitive flag football team—new families, volunteer projects and events to tell us a little about what the B-Team stands for.

Carlucci offers this analogy: “It’s the fourth quarter and we’re down by 6. The starting quarterback goes down with a terrible cramp. Who steps in? The backup quarterback, the captain of “the B-team”. I look at it like this: Our “A” team, our starters, are the politicians, seasoned community advocates and the big business owners in Buffalo. These are the people who are given the power from the people and have the first shot at making a change. The problem is, the A team is small. Sure, they have money and influence, but we have the strength in numbers and the drive to set a plan into action. We plan on working with them to make a difference.”

That’s a lot to try to offer, they understand—but change can happen slowly and by word of mouth, by creating a network where each individual can bring what they are best at to the table. The truth is, if you stop to pick up a piece of litter, are involved in a block club, or are active in the community, you are part of the B-Team.

Malczewski tips his hat to Marge Ryan of South Buffalo Alive, who is grateful the city cuts the grass at the smaller local parks in her area, but uses her weed-whacker to take care of the detailing. “It’s self-satisfying,” adds Ryan, “it really does make a difference if everyone just does a little.” The goal is to develop a social network of groups and individuals interested in building a better Buffalo through large and small measures—everyday. According to Joe Malczewski, “we’re starting a movement focused around civic engagement, a movement that we hope will change the city for good.”

But in a city of busy people, is civic engagement the answer to what Buffalo needs? Carlucci answers “Could it hurt? Civic disengagement isn’t working, so I guess we should try something new.” It’s true that Buffalo is full of very generous individuals and organizations who are working to make Buffalo better in their own way. The B-Team wants to assist in every event and project they can and not limit the people power by strangling it with restrictions; they want to supplement the good already happening.

Both Carlucci and Malcezewski have a ‘Go big, or go home attitude’ about everything they are involved with. “Buffalo has such a strong sports following. No matter how bad the Bills are, people keep filling the stadium, and parking lots before the game. We would like to have that type of excitement about the city too.” he adds, “I am sick of the ‘Buffalo Bashing’, it is our responsibility to maintain what we have and take an active role in the community.”

The B-Team also aims to take the negative stigma off of the notion of volunteering and hopes to make it more appealing, perhaps even finding a new word to replace it. They are a group looking to bridge the divide across the board between individuals, community and impact projects.

What about the people who throw up their hands at the idea of (gasp!) peppering the system with what they see as a move toward socialism? Carlucci offers “[i]t’s “isms” that made Buffalo the place it is now. Elitism, racism, absenteeism, defeatism, institutionalism, monetarism, and more. We don’t prescribe to any isms. We are all free to choose what we do and why.”

But what makes the B-Team different from other volunteer groups? “For starters, we’re all young leaders,” stated Malczewski. The single cause they stand for is Buffalo. They do not want to take focus away from established charitable groups in the area, they’re hope is to enhance them—to be as structured pool of individuals who can help at events and projects, and eventually advocate on behalf of the city. Members of the B-Team helped Re-Tree WNY, Carvings for a Cause, Buffalo Homecoming, National Chicken Wing Festival, and the Olmsted Party for the Parks since the group’s inception last spring and plan to start hosting their own events as well.

Not planning on slowing any time soon, Malczewski says the B-Team grew from an idea between a few friends about the lack of enthusiasm young people have for the city, to network of over 80 active members. “We work hard and play hard”, Malczewski states. After each event, participating members get together to kick back and enjoy the good feeling of a job well done, and take time to get to know one another a little better. Malczewski reminded, “we are the 20-somethings, 30-somethings and even 40-somethings in the area who like to have a good time; however, we understand that being engaged in the city doesn’t only mean drinking a Saturday night away on Chippewa. We want to bring back the friends who have been forced to leave, so ultimately, we can share the good times downtown together. In order to do that, we need to get involved on a different level”

If you’re looking to connect with the B-Team, look around, advocate on behalf of the city, and they’ll find you—bank tellers, construction workers, engineers, teachers, stay at home parents, hotel managers, they’re everywhere, just waiting to take in the right people. The B-Team is everyone in the city looking to make a positive change. Carlucci—“We can’t expect the city to maintain itself with it’s current infrastructure alone. If we want Buffalo to be a better place to live and work, WE need to do something about it.” Like that part at the end of the Neverending Story when you realize that you are just as much the protagonist as Bastian and Atreyu. It’s not just the words on the paper that drive the plot forward; you have to turn the page. It’s not too late to make the city into what we want. We need your help, Buffalo.

Before popular vote decided to name the group B-Team, the group met downtown for a casual mixer at Croc Bar, after another event everyone went to Cozumel—they work hard for Buffalo and play hard in Buffalo. “If we think community first, we cannot fail.” states Malczewski, “Buffalo has limitless potential—a great location on the water, resources and people”, adds Carlucci, “[p]eople will always have a choice. People will always decide what they do/do not care about. We can’t make anyone care. But…offered the choice and the opportunity to do something to make their city a better place to live, I don’t see any reason why we can’t make our goal realistically happen.”