© 2026 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace St.
Buffalo, NY 14202

Toronto Address:
130 Queens Quay E.
Suite 903
Toronto, ON M5A 0P6


Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
BTPM NPR Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Differing shades of blue wavering throughout the image
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Remembering May 14th: Policy, Advocacy & Systemic Change

On the left: red background, WN logo, episode title and number in black and white text. On the right: black background with photos of each guest from the episode

This week, we are proud to bring you special programming on remembering the May 14th Tops Massacre. In today’s installment, we take a deep dive into policy, advocacy, and systemic change through two conversations. First, we welcome back India Walton, Senior Advisor with Roots Action, and former Buffalo Mayoral Candidate. She sits down with Jay Moran to emphasize the need for systemic changes, including good cause eviction, proactive rental inspections, and local minimum wage ordinances. Next, Naila Ansari Catilo is joined by Leighton Jones, the Communications Director at Our City Action Buffalo, and Dr. John Torrey, an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Africana Studies at Buffalo State University. The three break down how policy changes can address systemic racism and economic disparities.

What's Next? 2025
Latest Episodes
  • How can Buffalo communities build greater financial stability and create pathways to economic opportunity? On this episode of What’s Next?, Chandra Redfern, CEO of the Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers, discusses the growing financial pressures facing working families, the importance of accessible community services, and the center’s upcoming Building a Way Forward event featuring economic empowerment advocate John Hope Bryant. Bryant joins the conversation to discuss financial literacy, credit scores, homeownership, and strategies for building wealth and strengthening communities.
  • What does Buffalo need to help young people succeed at every stage? Kasey Gustaveson discusses the city’s childcare shortage and the need for early childhood education and family support. Then, Jennifer Matarese, Sam Capitano, and Carley Hill explore a new partnership giving Buffalo students hands-on training and pathways into skilled trades careers.
  • Therapist Wayne Brown of Willow Grove Counseling joins "What’s Next?" to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health care and why he believes human connection remains essential to therapy. We also talk about students, teachers, the impact of current events on mental health, and the importance of self-care for therapists.
  • State Senator April Baskin joins What’s Next? to discuss how decisions made in Albany are affecting communities across Western New York. She discusses funding for food access, health services, and Buffalo’s fiscal stability, as well as efforts to expand opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. Baskin also discusses auto insurance reform, India’s Law, and her legislative priorities for the next session.
  • A new report from Cornell University’s ILR Buffalo CoLab examines the workplace barriers facing Black women in Erie County, including wage disparities, discrimination, and the pressure to code-switch. On What’s Next?, Dr. Karen King, Sara Taylor, and Cathy Creighton discuss the report’s “concrete ceiling” and what employers and policymakers can do to create meaningful change.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, Christen Civiletto discusses the toxic history of Niagara Falls, the ongoing concerns surrounding Love Canal and other contaminated sites, and the potential impact on public health.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, The Belle Center's Executive Director Lucy Candelario discusses how the center has evolved alongside a changing neighborhood, the growing needs she sees in the community, and the partnerships helping the Belle Center connect residents with resources. We’ll also take a tour of the Belle Center to see the space and programs firsthand.
  • One year after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, changes to Medicaid and SNAP are creating new challenges for families, healthcare providers, and communities.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, Dr. Marcus Watson, Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Buffalo State University, discusses the history of Juneteenth, its significance in the American story, and why understanding this history remains important today.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, contributor Saladin Allah speaks with Charlynn Rivera of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center and Danessia Scott-Warren of the Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope about social justice, community engagement, advocacy, and civic participation.