A Power Switch: ILR Buffalo Co-Lab and Partnership for the Public Good Host National Conference

Over the course of three days in late June 2024, the Uniting on the High Road Conference, hosted by Cornell University ILR Buffalo Co-Lab and the Partnership for the Public Good, brought together more than 270 activists and leaders working in local and national movements for racial and economic equality, climate justice, worker rights and power, and a strong democracy.

Conference participants and audiences were refreshingly diverse—in every sense of diversity—reflective of the whole community, reflective of people in the wide movement for change in Buffalo and around the country. The commonality between individual and collective well-being came through as obvious insight.

With recurring references to positive visions, the focus was on actions, not just words. People shared what they are actually doing, how groups are uniting to make the “power switch” necessary to create a more equitable democracy. Speakers from local and national organizations representing grassroots power included PowerSwitch Action, Good Jobs First, ALIGN, Demos, Bargaining for the Common Good, Grassroots Collaborative of Chicago, New Yorkers United for Child Care, Starbucks Workers United, Rochester City Councilmembers, SEIU1199, universities, and government; they challenged attendees to imagine the world, not as it is, but as it should be. Panelists included Senator Sean Ryan, Senator Shelley Mayer, NYS assemblymember Jon Rivera, Francelle Parker, Executive Director, Open Buffalo, Dr. Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., representatives from VOICE Buffalo, Clean Air Coalition, BILT, partners University at Buffalo and Buffalo State University (where it was held at the Burchfield Penney), and more.

Concrete references to the problems of colonialism, white supremacy, neoliberalism, racism, gender policing, and more, were articulated, not as ideology, but simply as shared experiential understanding of individuals and groups struggling for a better world. Discussions grappled with issues like IDA reform, reimagining public safety, promoting racial equity, reimagine public goods and gain public governance over unchecked private corporate and financial power, strengthening the voices of immigrants and New Americans and deepening democracy.

Compassion, art, solidarity, commitment, community, humanity, intelligence, health, and curiosity were all on display throughout the entire conference. A variety of opportunities showcased the wealth of artistic talents of Buffalo including poetry with Annette Daniels Taylor, award winning Theater Artist, Poet, and Artist-Filmmaker, musical performances by the band Son BoriKua, readings with Just Buffalo Writing Center youth, spoken word of Jillian Hanesworth, EMMY award winning artist and Poet Laureate Emeritus of Buffalo, Curtis Lovell artist, musician, actor, entrepreneur, and healer, discussion from company members of FREE FRED BROWN!, Ujima Company, Inc. Theatre, and interactive cyanotype workshop with local artists Brendan Bannon and Brandon Watson, along with CEPA Gallery and their team of facilitators, endeavoring memorialize the lives lost, and shed light on Buffalo’s East Side via the Blues: a 5/14 Memorial Project.

This conference felt like a “power switch” for Buffalo and gave the ground-level activists and organizers in Buffalo a strengthened sense of current and possible change in our community. It showed Buffalo’s best to the attendees who came from elsewhere to participate. It was educational, inspirational, fun, beautiful, true, authentic, expansive, hopeful! Through guided Buffalo field trips, participants saw and considered, first hand, high road policies and practices in action with experiences at Silo City, Massachusetts Avenue Project, a walking tour of the Broadway-Fillmore and stop at Eugene V. Debs Hall, and a tour of the East Side Neighborhood Demonstration Project Area-part of the "How We Change The Black East Side" initiative.

This conference was not just a one-time event, but evidence of the potential for accelerating progressive and equitable change in the Buffalo community and beyond. It presents an opportunity to imagine and pursue new collaborations to make sure that potential becomes reality.

Read the Conference Program for more details on Speakers and Panels: https://ppgbuffalo.org/files/documents/highroadconferenceprogram.pdf