What’s Next? uncovers and discusses the issues and topics pertinent to marginalized and underrepresented populations of Western New York and Southern Ontario.
Days after the racist shooting in Buffalo on May 14, 2022, the show tasked itself to be a champion for social equity and justice. "What’s Next?” amplifies voices from all parts of our shared community to celebrate our individuality as well as our commonalities.
Listen to the one-hour broadcast Mondays and Wednesdays at 11am on BTPM NPR, with rebroadcasts on Sundays at 6pm. It is also available on-demand through our website, the BTPM Listen app, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you get your podcasts.
We encourage our listeners to join the conversation by using the “Talk to Us” feature in the BTPM Listen app. By using this in-app feature, listeners can send audio recordings directly to the newsroom. You can also reach the production staff by emailing us at WhatsNext@btpm.org.
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On this episode, we highlight three standout conversations. First, we return to our tour of the Providence Farm Collective. Then, we continue Ekua Mends-Aidoo’s conversation with Charisma DuBois of the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology. And we close out the episode with Alicia Stark from Child and Family Services. -
The African American Cultural Center has completed phase one of its renovation, marking a major moment for this historic East Side institution. Interim dance and drum director Robin Hibbert, Board Chairwoman Thembi Duncan, and Executive Director Leah Angel Daniels join Jay Moran to discuss the challenges of rebuilding, the community’s response, and what lies ahead as the center prepares for new programs and its upcoming Kwanzaa celebration. -
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is partnering with Buffalo’s Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor to preserve local stories and family histories. In this episode, Dr. Doretha Williams shares an update on the community curation project and why documenting everyday lives matters. -
On this episode of What’s Next?, we explore two ways Western New York communities are responding to need and opportunity. We are joined by Jennifer Rizzo Choi, Executive Director of the International Institute of Buffalo, and Alicia Stark of Child and Family Services. -
Mayor elect Sean Ryan begins building his new administration, and co-chairs Dr. Marie Cannon and Trini Ross join us to discuss the work behind the transition. We explore the key issues shaping Buffalo’s future, including housing, public safety, and financial stability, and how Ryan’s vision aims to address long standing inequities with fresh, community driven solutions. -
This week on What’s Next? we highlight two organizations strengthening connection, access, and belonging across Western New York: Grassroots Gardens Western New York and Niagara Pride.
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Buffalo’s East Side is growing, creating, and healing in ways that deserve the spotlight. On this episode of What’s Next?, we explore two community-driven forces shaping that future. -
On this episode of What’s Next? we speak with Terry Abrams, curator at the Niagara History Center, about the often-overlooked consequences of the Erie Canal on the Haudenosaunee people. Through his exhibit and public talks, Abrams invites audiences to reconsider a familiar chapter in American history and confront the deeper, more complex legacy of the Erie Canal. -
On this episode of What’s Next? we speak with Dr. LaGarrett King following his “Black Boy Joy, Black Girl Magic” conference, which brought together nearly two hundred attendees to examine the history of Black childhoods and the creativity and resilience of Black youth. -
On this episode of What’s Next? we sit down with Tom Ulbrich, President and CEO of Goodwill of Western New York, and author Megan Gorman about her latest book, All the President’s Money.
