Category: PostEvents

A year ago, almost to the day, we posted a story by Barbara Tzetzo Gosch that recounted her family’s history, living and working at 452 Pearl Street. Now, the building that was at the heart of the story is for sale, listed by Hanna Commercial Real Estate.

According to leasing agent David Doerr, the two commercial spaces are occupied with tenants, while one of the two apartments is leased. Location-wise, the property sits directly across from Shea’s, and is bounded by Asbury Alley. Highlights include:

Mixed Use Building with two second floor apartments and two first floor restaurantsGreat Income currently with further upside potentialLocated directly across from Sheas Theatre’s Pearl Street entrance with 3,000 seatsDevelopment and Redevelopment happening all around this propertyHeart of Downtown Buffalo Entertainment and Theatre DistrictsBoth first floor restaurant spaces currently leasedSecond floor apartments (a 3 bed and a 1 bed) with numerous updates and each include a garage spaceAsk agent for Income/Expense and further tenant and rental informationAlley access to the back of the property (Asbury Alley)Surrounded by many parking optionsMost restaurant equipment included in the saleFull Address is 452 and 454 Pearl Street

The building is listed at $1,200,000.

Get connected: www.hannacre.com | David Doerr 716-856-7107

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There is no surprise that in recent years Buffalo has been enjoying something of a renaissance. With a reinvigorated waterfront, restored architectural treasures, and an epic food scene to sink your teeth into, there’s never been more to see and do in Buffalo than right now. That’s why the team at Visit Buffalo Niagara is doing everything in their power to showcase the incredible attractions of the Queen City to people across the nation. 

Visit Buffalo Niagara is an integral part of our city’s development as they play a key role in the economic growth of our community.  As the official and accredited marketing organization for Erie County, this team is responsible for promoting the destination for out of town visitation whether that be through leisure trips, meetings and conventions, or sporting groups. Visit Buffalo Niagara was incorporated on March 4, 1987 and is governed by a Board of Directors responsible for the administration and operation of the organization. This staff of talented tourism professionals is dedicated to promoting tourism and accomplishes this by soliciting national, state and regional meeting planners, motor coach tour operators, travel agents and independent consumers.  

 A major part of this comes from a program they call the “Bring it Home” campaign. President and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, Patrick Kaler shared, 

“This started in  2015, and it’s a program for us to utilize the leaders within our community to help identify meetings, conventions, sporting events, and other events that could come to Buffalo. A lot of our business leaders travel for meetings and conferences for the associations that they belong to or within their businesses, so this has been our way to engage the community because some of our best ambassadors are locals who have such a passion for our community and when they are at their meetings or sporting events, whatever it might be, we’re asking them to be a link and make an introduction.”

Listen to the full interview here:

While Buffalo may not be top of mind for people, Visit Buffalo Niagara is working hard to change that narrative. Since the campaign’s origins in 2015 through 2019, Visit Buffalo Niagara hosted 856 different events equating to over 360 million worth of economic impact on the community- so, it does show its worth. 

This program was on pause like everything else for nearly two years, but it’s now back and ready to continue its momentum. Visit Buffalo Niagara is equipped to effectively plan for any meeting, event, tournament, or convention that wants to come to Buffalo. From planning initial phone calls to booking hotels, this is the best team for the job! 

To learn more about Visit Buffalo Niagara and the Bring it Home campaign, visit their website at https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com  

Photography by Vincent Berbano. Edited by Vincent Berbano and Addison Schoonmaker.

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There’s a lot going on at Rooted Lounge 716, but somehow it all manages to work together. The ice cream and herbal blend business, located at 69 Allen Street, is owned and operated by Gizelle Stokes, along with her soon-to-be husband Chris Hinson. On top of everything else, they are tying the knot next week.

Gizelle, who also owns The Mindful Institute, has always been looking for ways to make people happier, by providing them with the holistic and nurturing resources that they require. So how did a person that is so involved with healing therapy and herbal medicine come to own an ice cream shop on Allen?

“Chris and I were eating at Café 59 across the street,” Gizelle told me. “Afterwards, we were looking to get an ice cream somewhere and realized that there was no place to get one. With so many restaurants in Allentown, we thought that there was an opportunity to start an ice cream business, while incorporating all the rest of my passions into the shop.”

And Gizelle has a lot of passions, all of which are based on teaching people how to live better lives. She’s passionate about plants, so there is a plant section in the shop. She’s also passionate about hemp, and all of its various applications. That means that there’s a hemp and CBD element (the shop is a licensed CBD retailer).

The business is aptly called Rooted Lounge 716, due to the plant aspect, but also the roots that Gizelle and Chris are planting in the community.

As for her selection of herbs, Gizelle is in the process of creating a full-blown station, where she will mix custom blends for teas, baths, incense, and even smokables. The herb bar will seamlessly complement the sweets station, which is being developed (including the ice cream).

And what goes best with ice cream? Cookies and pastries, of course. Gizelle and Chris have teamed up with a pastry outfit – Bee Sweets 716 – that is currently making drop-offs, while the back kitchen is being built out to accommodate the new baking element. At that time, there will be an in-house pastry chef who will be whipping up all sorts of sugary creations, to go along with the selections of Perry’s Ice Cream (including 4 dairy-free options).

“We asked the neighborhood what they wanted, and they said that they wanted some dairy-free ice cream, so we made sure to order some,” said Gizelle, as Chris scooped out an order of dairy-free apple strudel ice cream for me (in a cup, but they also have cones).”

Chris serves up a dairy-free apple strudel ice cream

“We also have gluten-free cookies,” said Chris, chiming in. “We have had lavender macaroons, rose strawberry shortcake, camomile cupcakes… we wanted to be different. These treats are all baked with the different herbs that we carry. It’s what makes us so different. In the summer, Gizelle makes a cold brew tea, and then when it gets cold out we will have hot teas, hot apple cider, and hot chocolate. She’s going to make a video that we will feature where she will discuss all of the holistic properties and the health benefits of the different herbs.”

Along with the room dedicated to ice cream and herbs, there is also a second room where private parties, block club meetings, pop-ups, and other community gatherings can be held.

“We have a teenager and triplets,” Chris told me. “It’s the perfect room to have a birthday party – between 15 and 30 people. It’s not like Chuck E. Cheese. We’re very creative people. This room is the perfect place for us to exercise that creativity. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished, and we have a lot more to do!”

Rooted Lounge 716 is already hosting a wide range of events, from bridal showers to poetry readings. A number of the events will be based on Gizelle’s holistic interests, which stem from her work via The Mindful Institute. The Institute is centered around workplace wellness training – teaching amployees how to regulate their emotions. It was when she began incorporating herbal remedies into her practice – something that her employers loved – that she knew that she had to find a way to reach more people. Thus begat the formations of Rooted Lounge 716.

“One of my goals is to educate folks on how to use plants as medicine,” Gizelle explained. “Generally, people aren’t familiar with this. I’m planning on hosting breath work classes, tea workshops… I want to host conversations, to remind people to rethink what’s important.

“We’re going to create an ice cream bar featuring Perry’s Ice Cream (located in WNY). We even have non-dairy ice cream for dogs – we’re calling them Pup Cups. Beasley was our first customer. I think the neighborhood dogs will love a cold cup of ice cream on a hot summer’s day. We also have a selfie wall, where customers can take their pictures. This is a great little community – the residents and the business owners. We’re happy to be a part of that community.”

Whether you’re in the mood for a lavender-infused white chocolate chip cookie, butterfly tea lemonade, or your pup’s mouth is watering for a lick of ice cream, Rooted Lounge 716 has got you covered with an ever-changing menu.

The business has been open for two weeks now, and every day brings fresh new additions to the eclectic-yet-curated mix of offerings.

Rooted Lounge 716
69 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14202

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Bittersweet Piano Lounge, WNY’s one-of-a-kind piano lounge located at 391 Washington Street in the Hotel at Lafayette, features a variety of talented musicians along with craft cocktails and artisan charcuterie boards.

Speaking of talented musicians, the Legends, Divas & Diamonds show features Vegas/cabaret style drag performance you don’t want to miss. This Wednesday (7/13) enjoy the performance of Laylah Love who will perform some of your favorite songs from a variety of golden-era divas, standards and Broadway hits.

Legends, Divas & Diamonds can be expected every Wednesday with new performances, and music spun by Dj Charles Masters featuring your favorite 80s, 90s and Y2K hits.

For any additional information and to stay posted on future performances visit their Facebook page!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Dj Charles Masters spinning your favorite 80/90/2k music.
Open 8:00 PM – Midnight
$5 cover
Located in Hotel at Lafayette

TODAY AT 9 PM | Legends, Divas & Diamonds w/ Laylah LoveWED, JUL 20 AT 9 PM | Bittersweet Presents: Legends, Divas & Diamonds w/ Chevon DavisWED, JUL 27 AT 9 PM | Bittersweet Presents: Legends, Divas & Diamonds w/ Aggy DuneFRI, JUL 29 AT 9 PM | Opera @ Bittersweet Piano Lounge

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It’s been a long time coming, the regeneration of LaSalle Park, and its exciting transformation into Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park. LaSalle is another of the long-neglected waterfront parks that is seeing new life, thanks to a major investments of funds and ongoing community resources. The Imagine LaSalle Initiative – a partnership between the City of Buffalo, the University at Buffalo Regional Institute (UBRI), and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation – addresses the following in its scope:

Celebrate the park’s culture of inclusivity/diversityEmbrace nature with inspiring landscapeSupport exciting and diverse active recreation opportunitiesStrengthen neighborhood connectionsDesign creative play areas for all agesSustain the park with creative financingConnect people with waterEnrich the park’s event spaceProvide a space for concessionsCreate quiet, peaceful places by separating disparate usesEnhance the park’s unique identity with public artEnable movement throughout the parkGet smart about parkingFix the basics

Later today, Wednesday, July 13, from 4 PM – 7 PM, a community groundbreaking will be held at the park, signaling that work is set to begin. The groundbreaking ceremony will second as a celebration that will include family-friendly activities, free ice cream, food from Niagara Café and West Side Bazaar, and a look into what the future of the park beholds.

“It’s going to be a celebration of all the great community contributions to the vision shaping the park’s future,” said Bart Roberts, AICP, Associate Director of Research and Faculty Engagement (University at Buffalo Regional Institute). “We’ll also be featuring augmented reality technology using a mobile-based tool called InCitu where residents can view where the new pedestrian bridge will be located and what it will look like using their phone’s camera function.”

It’s time to realize the Imagine LaSalle vision…

The post Today: Ralph Wilson Park Community Groundbreaking Celebration appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The Color Purple is an unforgettable and moving musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. With a book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, The Color Purple is a portrait of Black women in rural Georgia during the first half of the 20th century, fighting to survive and to thrive in the face of ever-present cruelties. This is a story of resilience and hope, a tale women around the world are relating to today as much as they were 40 years ago. 
 
The Color Purple marks the first collaboration between Second Generation Theatre, Ujima Theatre Company, and Shea’s 710 Theatre. Each company’s theatre professionals bring a variety of skills, qualifications, culture, and values that come together as one with the mission to create an inclusive and collaborative experience while telling this important story to our existing and new audiences.

(Left) Michael G. Murphy (Shea’s Performing Arts Center), Kristin Bentley (Second Generation Theatre Company),
Brian Brown and Maria Ta (Ujima Company)

Ujima Company brings a body of artistic experience rooted in the African American experience and Black theatre arts from Paul Lawrence Dunbar to Lynn Nottage. For 44 years Ujima has presented plays that you cannot see in any other WNY Theatre. In addition, they bring their connections to the beloved community they serve as the longest-running repertory theatre company in Buffalo. Founded in 1978 by Lorna C. Hill, Ujima operates on the tenet of “collective work and responsibility” with the primary purpose of providing work to Black artists and training aspiring artists through experience and the work itself. 

Brian Brown, Managing Director, Ujima Company

Second Generation Theatre, founded in 2013 by Kelly Copps, Kristin Bentley, and Arin Lee Dandes, creates quality theatrical experiences that appeal to an emerging generation of theatre goers. With a proven track record of high quality musical productions, immersive experiences, and portraying a “feeling that you are at something very special, as if each individual show is a singular gift” -Theatre Talk Buffalo. SGT creates an environment of collaboration and inclusivity for artists and patrons alike. Women led and founded, SGT strives to continue Buffalo’s legacy of great theatre for generations to come. 

Kristin Bentley, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Second Generation Theatre Company

The Shea’s 710 Theatre is a safe and nurturing space where theatre practitioners can come together to create meaningful work.  While Ujima Company, Second Generation Theatre Company, and Shea’s Performing Arts Center have three distinct organizational missions, we share a common goal of creating equitable and transformative theatre experiences at the highest level of excellence.  Collaboration between these companies in a partnership to produce The Color Purple is an important step in continuing the growth of Buffalo’s theatre community.  

Theatre transforms, sheds light on the struggles and successes of humanity, and with our deep commitment to high-quality, innovative theatre production, we’re proud to provide new opportunities for artists and audiences to gather, be curious, and build our community.

– Michael G. Murphy, President, Shea’s Performing Arts Center

Michael G. Murphy, President, Shea’s Performing Arts Center

Each theatre has bonded under a practice of equity, and we believe this will result in a remarkable, exciting and outstanding production for our audiences. Perhaps, Walker’s text is still teaching us about how we treat each other and how to honor ourselves”

– Sarah Norat-Phillips, Interim Artistic Director, Ujima Company

Maria Ta, Program Director, Ujima Company

Audition information will be announced by August 1, auditions will take place at the end of August 2022. 
For more information, please contact admin@ujimacoinc.org or secondgenerationtheatre@gmail.com

Photography by Vincent Berbano and Addison Schoonmaker

The post Three WNY theatres team up to produce ‘The Color Purple the Musical’ in 2023 appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

If retail were to make a downtown comeback, a good place to start would be in one of downtown’s former retail anchors.   The 13,392 sq.ft. of space at 478 Main Street, one of the largest available first floor commercial spaces on Main Street, is in the former Hens & Kelly Department Store. Ellicott Development recently completed a significant makeover of the property.

The six-story building was constructed from 1922-1925 and was designed by architects Bley and Lyman.  Form many years, the building was occupied by Erie County Social Services offices. 

Since the agency departed, Ellicott made significant façade changes including bringing windows back to the first two floors of the building, added the apartments on the sixth through eighth floors, and renovated the balance of the office space in the building. Carmina Wood Design was architect for the work that brought the building back to its original form. The Army Corps of Engineers and local Social Security Administration office are anchoring the office space.

The 15 apartments range in size from a one bedroom, one bath apartment with 667 sq.ft. to two large two-bedroom, two bath units with 1,681 sq.ft. A two-level, one bedroom unit is located on the seventh and eighth levels.

Besides the large retail space available at the Main and Mohawk corner, a smaller 1,119 sq.ft. space ideal for a café is for lease fronting Main Street ideal.  Also available is a 1,329 sq.ft. office suite on the second floor.

Get Connected: Ellicott Development, 716.854.0060

The post Retail Ready: 478 Main Street appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

A great deal of wasted time and energy was exercised in New York this year in the creation of new legislative districts following the federal census.  A constitutionally appointed Independent Redistricting Commission spent time and money drawing Democratic and Republican versions of maps for congressional and state legislative districts that were never used.  The doomed-to-fail effort led the State Legislature to draw their own lines, only to have them struck down by state courts.  The court that originally heard the case appointed a “Special Master” who spent more time and money drawing up congressional and state Senate districts.  The same scenario will likely play out again in time for new Assembly districts in 2024.  The special master’s congressional and Senate lines are now the subject of a convoluted set of primaries to be held on August 23rd throughout the state.

The Council’s version of the new map was essentially the same as the 2012 work.  The old map left a hodgepodge of lines that paid little attention to the distinct neighborhoods that give the city its character.

And now there is the case of the redistricting of Common Council districts in the City of Buffalo.  The Council has the responsibility to approve new districts to be used over the next ten years.  They took the easy way out, just tweaking current districts to balance out the populations of the districts.  The Council’s version of the new map was essentially the same as the 2012 work.  The old map left a hodgepodge of lines that paid little attention to the distinct neighborhoods that give the city its character.

A genuine citizen-based rebellion against the Council’s line rose from the ground up.  Investigative Post’s Geoff Kelly (Council lost, activists take redistricting rudder – Investigative Post) recently laid out the citizen action – an impressive exercise in small “d” democracy.

Led by the Our City Action Buffalo organization, rank-and-file citizenry brought a big crowd to a Council hearing on their redistricting plans.  The told members of the Council that they wanted the 2022 version of the districts to respect the city’s identifiable neighborhoods more closely.  They even presented their own version of a new city map that kept district populations relatively comparable but also respectful of the neighborhoods.  The Fillmore District, for example, would no longer twist and turn from near the city’s eastern border over to and including Allentown.

As a press conference called by Our City Action proceeded in front of City Hall on July 1, the Council abruptly canceled a meeting they had scheduled for that day to move forward with their plan. They then on Friday, July 8th filed a revised map and scheduled another approval meeting for July 12th for a plan that doesn’t look a whole lot different from their first one. Our City Action responded with another press conference on Sunday. Then late on July 11th the Council again postponed action. 

The Council appeared prepared to dismiss citizen participation and choose their own voters for the next ten years. They may be calculating that that will not hurt them politically. Perhaps they are remembering how many potential primaries against them in 2019 went nowhere. Or is an engaged citizenry suddenly making them nervous?

The Council is required to complete its redistricting by the end of July, and then Mayor Byron Brown is required to hold a public hearing of his own before acting on the new lines.  Legal action may follow the Council’s vote and the mayor’s approval. 

Democracy in this country is being challenged on many fronts.  It would be encouraging to see this small but meaningful victory come to fruition, but don’t hold your breath.

A quick look at political and other statistics for the new 23rd congressional district

Party registration leans Republican

In Erie County, which comprises more than 40 percent of the entire district, we do not yet have exact party registration numbers for the new congressional districts (the Town of West Seneca is only partly in the new district, but we can make a reasonable estimate of that town’s numbers); for the rest of the county that it is in the 23rd we have official registration numbers from February 2022.  The same is true for the other six counties in the congressional district.  Here is the breakdown (West Seneca numbers estimated):

Democrat  157,926Republican  193,714Minor parties and non-affiliated  184,945Total registration  536,585

Turnout in the district during the recent Republican gubernatorial primary appears to have run slightly ahead of the state as a whole

Published vote totals by municipality are not yet available in Erie County, which prevents calculations in the 23rd district portion of the County, but we are able to assess Republican turnout numbers in the other six counties in the southern tier for the recent party primaries for governor compared with statewide turnout; the calculation is based on nearly complete reporting by the state Board of Elections.  These are the numbers:

Republican turnout, statewide:  17 percentRepublican turnout in the six southern tier counties:  19 percentRepublican turnout in the entire Erie County, which includes both the new 23rd and 26th districts:  17 percent

For comparison

Democratic turnout, statewide:  15 percentDemocratic turnout in the six southern tier counties:  13 percentDemocratic turnout in the entire Erie County, which includes both the new 23rd and 26th districts:  18 percent

Trump carried the district in 2020 by 18 percent, 59 to 41 percent

District Voting-Age Demographics, per the Special Master Report

White  89.7 percentHispanic  3.1 percentBlack  2.3 percentAsian  1.1 percentAmerican Indian  0.8 percentOther/multi-race  3 percent

Ken Kruly writes about politics and other stuff at politicsandstuff.com

Follow on Twitter @kenkruly

The post Buffalo Common Council struggles with citizen input on redistricting; the politics of the new 23rd congressional district appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

You might expect to find a treehouse café in Bali, Malaysia, or Costa Rica, but surprisingly, there is a sublime Treehouse Café retreat right in our own backyard.

This past Thursday, The Blueberry Treehouse Farm and Buffalo Treehouse cut the ribbon on the farm’s Treehouse Café. Already the the talk of the town, the Treehouse Café is capturing the imaginations of people throughout the region, who are scrambling to get a glimpse of the treetop spectacle in West Falls, NY.

The nature-inspired work of art, situated high above the blueberry fields, was built by the Treehouse Farm’s sister company, Buffalo Treehouse. The Treehouse Café has become a destination unto itself, along with its host – the beloved farm (created by owners Jyl and Rico Rivera), which has also made a name for itself for its beautiful landscape and blueberry picking. A trip to this magical destination is unlike anything else in WNY, and adds another dimension why Buffalo is indeed an increasingly marvelous place to live.

“From the day we opened Buffalo Treehouse’s doors nearly fifteen years ago, it has always been our vision to create structures, places, and spaces that are awe-inspiring,” said Buffalo Treehouse owner and founder, Ricardo Rivera, who prides himself on being one of the top eco-builders in the country. “With our latest project, the Treehouse Café, we purposefully pushed ourselves to the limits with the aim of producing something truly special, and which Western New York—and perhaps the country—has never seen before. I think we succeeded in achieving those goals with this project.”  

This one-of-a-kind retreat, with a 3,000+ square foot outdoor bar and hosting area, puts Buffalo more solidly on the map for its truly unique eco-tourism destinations.  

Other notable items of interest include:

The unveiling of the Café coincided with the official opening of the Farm’s 2022 seasonFood vendors are on-site dailyA variety of local beer, wine, seltzer, and cider offerings are availableThe Farm features the Pine Island Children’s Play SpaceThere is also a performance stage on the farmOrganic u-pick blueberriesWedding grounds, hiking trails…The season’s inaugural “Blueberry Jams,” a weekly live music event that happens every Thursday throughout the summer

And adding to the excitement, and the year round aspect of the destination, a rentable, all-season treehouse will be opening in late 2022/early 2023.

More info can we found at www.blueberrytreehousefarm.com. 

Also, www.buffalotreehouse.com | Check out Cedar Silo and Nature’s Nest

Located at the Blueberry Treehouse Farm, 1897 Davis Rd., West Falls, NY

The post The Blueberry Treehouse Farm’s New Treehouse Café appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

When some of Buffalo’s best and brightest tech employers found that they were having a difficult time sourcing the best and brightest job candidates, they decided to team up with regional nonprofit TechBuffalo to launch a collaborative training program. With support from Data Analytics Bootcamp, the first class of 19 Western New York residents has successfully trained and graduated from the program, thus qualifying as solid candidates for the companies that backed the project: ACV Auctions, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, M&T Bank, Moog, and Rich Products.

The new Tech Academy Data Analytics Bootcamp (launched by M&T Bank in late 2020) is a 12-week immersive training program that readies participants for data analyst positions with regional tech employers.

100 percent retention is a rare achievement for an intensive, community-based bootcamp, especially the first time it’s offered. 

Aside from the resourceful ingenuity of the initiative, it must also be noted that every one of the participants that entered into the program graduated. That early on statistic is quite remarkable, according to General Assembly, the global skills training expert that facilitated the bootcamp and has administered similar programs in cities across the country. Not only did the participants successfully complete the course, they also received extensive job placement support – a strategy that has led to a number of graduates being placed in stable careers right here in WNY.

“In other cities, employers compete relentlessly for technology talent—but in Buffalo, business leaders are collaborating to develop solutions that address their collective talent needs and uplift our community,” said Kelly Martin, Head of the Tech Academy. “We’re grateful to the local employers who answered our call to join the coalition and support the Tech Academy Data Analytics Bootcamp, the first program of its kind in Buffalo. It was an important next step for our city’s tech and innovation ecosystem as we accelerate our work to build talent pipelines that help our community access tech careers. Congratulations and thank you to the students who invested so much time and energy to complete the 12-week program and are now ready for jobs in tech.”

Among the students already hired: 

JahJah Quarles, who was raised in Buffalo, will join M&T Bank. Quarles joined the Data Analytics Bootcamp following a seven-year career as a corrections officer in the state’s Department of Corrections, a role that helped prepare him to be a composed, critical thinker even in high-stress situations.

Namita Acharya, a resident of Williamsville, was hired by ACV. Acharya came into the program with no data experience but was quickly inspired by the collaborative atmosphere and opportunities available within the tech sector. She previously worked in higher education, serving in roles focused on recruiting and fostering belonging for international students. 

Souleymane Barry, a resident of Buffalo, is the latest tech hire for Moog. Barry jumpstarted his career by joining the bootcamp, as he continues to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from the University at Buffalo. Previously, Barry worked with the WNY Law Center and UB’s Educational Opportunity Program.

Waheedulah Faiz, a Buffalo resident, was hired by Evergreen Health, one of many local organizations interested in the aspiring data analysts trained through the bootcamp. Faiz arrived in Buffalo last year after leaving his home in Afghanistan, where he worked for the U.S. Embassy and the Afghanistan International Bank. He enrolled in the bootcamp because he saw it as a path toward greater stability and a rewarding career as his family gets settled in their new home.

One of the goals of the Tech Academy is “to serve traditionally underrepresented groups in technology, especially people of color and women.” Another goal was to create a free program that was financially supported by The Tech Academy, TechBuffalo, and their five employer partners. The students even received a cost of living stipend, to further enable them to fully dedicate 12 weeks to the tech bootcamp. Sweetening the pot, Douglas Development donated lunches, and covered parking costs for the participants.

Of the students participating, about 52 percent identified as a person of color and 63 percent indicated their household incomes are below Erie County’s median income.

More about The Tech Academy:

M&T Bank launched The Tech Academy in late 2020 to expand and strengthen the region’s tech workforceGeneral Assembly provided students with instruction in data collection, analysis and visualizationStudents learned how to transform data into compelling stories and actionable insights to help organizations make data-informed decisions—which is a skillset in high demand regionally and nationallyStudents were offered support from career coaches and social impact specialists to help them navigate any challenges and successfully complete the program

“Launched as a pilot program to inform future community-based training initiatives, this first Data Analytics Bootcamp has already attracted interest from additional companies that want to join the coalition of employers to expand local workforce training opportunities,” said TechBuffalo President & CEO Sarah Tanbakuchi. “While we’re proud of the collaboration among local employers, we’re even more proud of our students who came from so many different walks of life to participate in this program and become the newest members of Buffalo’s tech workforce. The early impacts generated by the Tech Academy through this bootcamp and its earlier initiatives demonstrate its capabilities to foster regional collaboration and develop homegrown technology talent.”

“In modern economic development, talent is the key differentiator that separates companies and entire regions from their competitors. What’s special about Buffalo is that local employers here know we’re stronger together—and this Tech Academy Bootcamp is the perfect example of how we’re collaborating to build a diverse, inclusive workforce and make Western New York a magnet for technology talent,” said M&T Bank Chief Information Officer Mike Wisler. “Investing in tech training programs that are accessible to all makes a difference in people’s lives, strengthens local businesses and helps unleash inclusive economic growth. With more technology talent, Buffalo will attract more and create more high-growth tech companies.”

“It’s an honor for ACV to have been a partner in supporting the inaugural Western New York Data Analytics Bootcamp and to collaborate with our region’s innovation leaders to help transform local, driven talent into skilled technologists,” said Bahman Koohestani, Chief Technology Officer at ACV. “All the hiring partners came together with a common goal of propelling the region forward as a tech and innovation hub, and I don’t think this will be the last time we collaborate in a similar fashion. I, along with the entire ACV family, am incredibly proud of all the students for completing this rigorous, immersive program—not an easy feat! Through the program, we are thrilled to welcome three new data analysts who will support many of ACV’s key business units and functional groups with data analysis and problem solving to enhance operations and innovation.”

Kevin Ruggiero, Chief Information Officer at Moog, said, “This pilot bootcamp has been a fantastic learning experience for the students and the participating companies. It has connected us with talented individuals from different backgrounds we otherwise would likely never have met. Deepening the local technical talent pool while bringing exciting new opportunities to this inaugural class of graduates is truly a win-win. We’re proud at Moog to have been a part of this.”

“We’re pleased to be helping create new pathways to tech careers, and proud of the individuals who are taking steps to expand their skills and contribute to the future success of our region,” said Dr. Michael Edbauer, President, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York. “Collectively we are addressing the need to grow our local technology talent by providing equitable opportunities for everyone in our community to engage in career development.”

“One of the most inspiring themes to come out of the Tech Academy Data Analytics Bootcamp is that it’s never too late to upskill and reimagine the future,” said Jon Zirnheld, Director, IT Business Operations at Rich Products. “Our inaugural cohort included a diverse and talented group of students who are sure to make an impact with their future employers, and we’re excited to see what’s next for both this innovative concept and the program’s graduates.”

“The rising demand for technical skills in Buffalo mirrors workforce dynamics in cities across the U.S. and globally – companies are eager to hire skilled talent but struggling to meet these staffing needs through traditional recruitment,” said Lisa Lewin, CEO of General Assembly. “The Tech Academy embodies the promise of what multi-sector collaboration can accomplish, from expanding education access to reaching more diverse candidates. We’re proud at General Assembly to work with such exceptional nonprofit and hiring partners, and play a role in forging new pathways for communities to reskill and pursue jobs with higher pay and greater stability.”

The bootcamp – hosted by M&T Bank – is held on the 23rd floor of the Tech Hub at Seneca One. 

For more information, visit its website, www.techbuffalo.org, and follow TechBuffalo on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

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