This Friday, the Partnership for the Public Good and representatives from its 155 partner organizations will gather at the Frank E. Merriweather Library to unveil the 2014 Community Agenda – the annual blueprint for policy development and advocacy efforts by grassroots organizations, community activists, and citizens working to build a better Buffalo.
In December, representatives from PPG’s partner organizations brought some of the most critical local policy issues to the table for discussion and voted on the top 10 policy changes that they will advocate for in the coming year. Last year’s Community Agenda process led to progress in winning high road economic development on the waterfront and reinstating recess in the Buffalo Public Schools. This year’s agenda includes a diverse array of initiatives that could lead to even greater change.
Listed below are the planks being announced at the roll out event, with the leaders who will be presenting them:
- Community Benefits from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus – presented by Duanne Diggs of VOICE-Buffalo/Open Buffalo
- Restorative Justice in Schools, Courts and Holding Center – presented by Beverly Newkirk of Citizen Action/Open Buffalo
- Improve Conditions at the Erie County Holding Center and Correctional Facility – presented by Karima Amin of Prisoners Are People Too
- Language Access in Buffalo and Erie County – presented by Ali Khadum of Buffalo Immigrant and Refugee Empowerment Coalition (BIREC)
- Ensure the Health and Safety of Students in Buffalo Public Schools – presented by Jessica Bauer Walker of Community Health Worker Network
- Put Erie Community College’s proposed STEM building on its accessible, transit-rich City Campus – presented by Jason Kulaszewski of Young Citizens for ECC
- Raise the Age – presented by Jeff Conrad of the Center for Employment Opportunities
- Pass and Implement Foreclosure Bond Legislation – presented by members of PUSH Buffalo
- Give Parents and Students a Voice in Buffalo Schools – presented by Sam Radford of the District Parent Coordinating Council
- Pass the Just and Open Business Subsidies (JOBS) Act to get our money’s worth from public investment – presented by Jenn Diagostino of the Coalition for Economic Justice
This week’s episode of the Public Good, PPG’s weekly radio show on WUFO 1080AM, featured Joy McDuffie of the Western New York Law Center and Jennifer Mecozzi Rivera of PUSH Buffalo discussing issues related to the eighth agenda plank – passing and implementing foreclosure bond legislation. Learn more about their organizations’ efforts in the following video:
The Public Good Radio Show with PUSH Buffalo & WNY Law Center
The Community Agenda Roll Out will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 31 at the Frank E. Merriweather Library, located at 1324 Jefferson Avenue. Press, elected officials, and members of the general public are invited to attend this free event. To RSVP, visit the Facebook event page or contact Sarah Maurer at sarah@ppgbuffalo.org or (716) 852-4191 ext. 115.
To learn more about the Community Agenda, visit www.ppgbuffalo.org/citizen-power/community-agenda.