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Buffalo, What's Next?: Indigenous Film, Neighborhood Fear and Health Care Delivery

What are the experiences of Indigenous filmmakers in an industry characterized by exclusion? The Haudenosaunee Micro-Short film Program (HMSFP) now in its second year, develops a new model for supporting underrepresented artists through direct collaboration and compensation. Jay Moran talks with Lukia Costello from Spark Filmmaker’s Collaborative and program coordinator Terry Jones.

Then, Dave Debo talks about fear of being inside the Tops Market, with Malane White, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with Spectrum Health Services. And Dr. Willie Underwood MD from the Buffalo Health Equity Center broadens our discussions on health disparities by looking beyond the social factors that determine health to discuss health care delivery systems and outcome monitoring.

Latest Episodes
  • Tucked away in the suburbs of Depew, NY is the 292-acre ecological gem that is the Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve. On this episode of What’s Next?, Lorenzo Rodriguez takes a tour of the preserve with Marcus Rosten - an Environmental Educator with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Marcus describes the many sights there are to see at Reinstein Woods as well as throughout the Western New York area. They also discuss the Black Birders movement that has helped to highlight and inspire a whole new group of avid avian admirers.
  • On this week’s Producers Picks, we revisit some stand out conversations from the last few episodes from our show’s prior iteration - Buffalo, What’s Next? We hear conversations from Todd Vaarwerk, the Chief Policy Officer for Western New York Independent Living, Ben Hilligas, the Executive Director for Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center, and Christine Carr-Barmasse, Executive director of Mission: Ignite.
  • The Buffalo fashion scene takes center stage later this month on September 30th at the inaugural fig Fashion Show. On this episode of What’s Next?, we put artist and leather craftsman, Dame Powell, on display. Born and raised in Buffalo, we discuss his inspirations, how he discovered his passion, and his hopes for the City of Good Neighbors to someday become a city of high fashion.
  • On today’s episode of What’s Next?, we tackle one of the leading causes of death in this country – tobacco use. Lorenzo Rodriguez speaks with the Director of The New York State Smokers’ Quitline, Dr. Andrew Hyland, as well as one of the program’s participants, Herman. They discuss the unique ways the Quitline is aiding tobacco users in kicking the habit and how it successfully helped Herman. They also discuss the tactics employed by tobacco companies to target black communities.
  • Dr. Keith Burich, history professor emeritus at Canisius College and author of “We Remain: Race, Racism and the Story of the American Indian”, joins Jay Moran to discuss the many indigenous groups of the United States and their collective history. Dr. Burich shares his extensive knowledge about their struggle to attain equality and the unjust set of rules that Native Americans have been made to follow in this country.
  • On this first episode of the newly-named What’s Next? we bring you a story that has been a part of the regional news landscape for months. A discussion that has been ongoing in this country for decades: what to do with our immigrant population? Producer Lorenzo Rodriguez had the opportunity to speak to one of the immigrants who were bussed to Western New York from New York City back in June of this year. This is the story of “Alberto”, a Nicaraguan national who immigrated to the United States with his wife. They left their home and daughters behind in order to flee persecution from the Sandinista National Liberation Front and the oppressive government of Daniel Ortega.
  • Jay Moran talks to artist and entrepreneur Aitina Fareed-Cooke from February 22 of this year. The two have an in-depth conversation on her upbringing and her media arts company Get Fokus’d Production. Then we continue with Brigid Jaipaul Valenza speaking with Ekuaa Mends-Aidoo from August 26 of last year. The two discuss DEI, tokenism, equity and ensuring everyone has a seat at the table. And we finish the show with Jay Moran speaking with Buffalo-based artist Julia Bottoms from January 25 of this year.
  • Jay Moran speaks with the director of Buffalo City Ballet Marvin Askew from November 28 of last year. Then we continue with Jay Moran as he speaks with Clinical Assistant Professor in the department of Indigenous Studies at UB Dr. Jason Corwin from November 30 of last year. The two talk about various issues including the launch of a full Indigenous Studies department at the University.
  • Jay Moran speaks with the director of the Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers’ Hope program Daysi Ball. The two discuss her work with seniors from November 10 of last year. Then we continue with Jay Moran as he speaks to the founder of the East Side ministry Tesha Parker from October 25 of last year. They discuss the ministry outreach to the homeless and others in need.
  • Thomas O’Neil-White speaks with one of the curators of the Buffalo and Western New York African American History Group on Facebook, historian Michelle Ragland from October 19 of last year. Then from November 15 of last year, Jay Moran talks to Tiffany Lewis of the Confident Girl Mentoring Program. The two talk about the scarcity of mentoring programs for young women.