The conference began with a poetic and practical address from Lauren Jacobs, Executive Director at PowerSwitch Action. Jacobs emphasized the necessity for activists to envision the future we hope to see, asking, “What is the world we’re trying to birth and bring about?” Jacobs explained that we must take this visioning as seriously as any other part of our movement strategy, and that it requires us to set our pessimism aside. You must believe in “your agency, our agency, our power,” she reminded the audience.

Other speakers throughout the conference came from a mix of local partner groups—such as Open Buffalo, UB Center for Urban Studies, Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team, Clean Air Coalition of WNY, and Buffalo Center for Health Equity—and national groups—such as ALIGN, Good Jobs First, Bargaining for the Common Good, and Starbucks Workers United. Several elected officials also spoke at the conference, including NYS Senator Sean Ryan, Rochester City Council Member Kim Smith, NYS Assemblymember Jon Rivera, and NYS Senator Shelley Mayer.

Panel discussions covered topics such as taking control of public dollars through industrial development agency (IDA) reform, increasing worker ownership and decision-making in the workplace, prioritizing racial equity in economic and governance reform, reimagining public goods, reigning in public benefits for corporations, and strengthening democracy. Panelists spoke about their efforts to create a more just world through a mix of local examples—like the UB Center for Urban Studies’ large-scale neighborhood planning project—and national examples—like Dana McKnight’s imaginative, rejuvenating dream space in Austin, Texas.

Throughout the conference, we showcased powerful artists from Buffalo, including Emmy award winning spoken word artist Jillian Hanesworth, a musical performance by Curtis Lovell, youth poetry readings from Just Buffalo Literary Center students, and many more. Ujima Company members discussed their creation and performance of FREE FRED BROWN!, a devised theater piece about economic, racial, and climate justice in our community and the impact of collective action. Attendees also participated in an interactive cyanotype workshop with local artists Brendan Bannon and Brandon Watson, along with facilitators from CEPA Gallery. This initiative, titled “Blues: a 5/14 Memorial Project,” memorializes the Buffalonians who lost their lives in the 2022 Tops massacre. It’s also intended to foster discussions about the historical inequities faced by residents on Buffalo’s East Side.  

In the evening, attendees toured local changemaking initiatives throughout Buffalo. Trips included tours of Silo City, Massachusetts Avenue Project, a walking tour of Broadway-Fillmore, and a tour of the East Side Neighborhood Demonstration Project Area led by Dr. Henry Taylor.

As participants have shared with us, the Uniting on the High Road conference gave ground-level activists and organizers in Buffalo a strengthened sense of what’s currently changing in our community and what’s possible in the future. Organizers and advocates who joined us from other cities remarked on the strength of Buffalo’s advocacy networks, from public policy change campaigns to new wins by organized labor.

We left the conference strengthened in our resolve that everyday people can transform our communities by strengthening our voices in local government, shaping an economy that works for all, and reenvisioning public safety and public health. We can win a future where people have good jobs, safe and affordable housing, environmental justice, and a real voice in the decisions that affect our lives. Following the conference, together, participants are imagining and pursuing new collaborations to make sure this collective vision becomes reality.

Revisit the conference program and speakers here.

Watch the opening keynote panel, Transforming our Democracy to Build a People's Economy, here. This panel features Lauren Jacobs of PowerSwitch Action, Carlos Fernandez of Grassroots Collaborative, Dr. Henry Louis Taylor of UB Center for Urban Studies, and Franchelle Parker of Open Buffalo, moderated by Andrea O Suilleabhain of PPG.

Watch the closing panel, Local Movements for a More Equitable, Sustainable, Democratic Society, here. This panel features leaders from Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team, Black Love Resists in the Rust, Clean Air Coalition of WNY, and SEIU Local 26 (Minneapolis).

More videos from the conference are available at PPG's YouTube channel.

Photos by Unai Reglero