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What’s Next?

The Art of Becoming: BCAT Stories of Life & Learning

Published November 10, 2025 at 11:00 AM EST
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Background from left to right: red, then a vertical, thick white stripe in the middle, then black. from left to right: WN logo in the top corner, "THE ART OF BECOMING: #304" in black text over the red and "BCAT STORIES OF LIFE & LEARNING" in white text over the black.

On this episode of What’s Next?, we return to the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) for part two of our tour. Contributor Ekua Mends-Aidoo explores how BCAT continues to empower youth and adults through creativity, mentorship, and opportunity. We hear from high school senior Lillyan Goines, who shares how she discovered a new passion in digital media, and Teira Newell, a former student who’s now an instructor guiding the next generation. Giselle Akal, an adult learner in BCAT’s IT Pathway Program, reflects on balancing work, school, and family, while Senior Program Director Charisma DuBois offers insight into how BCAT fosters growth and career exploration through the arts and technology.

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