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 Children are synonymous with Legos. In this episode of “Buffalo, What’s Next?”, we explore what is needed to support children through trauma with school social worker Veronica Golden and we visit with local artist Bianca McGraw who works through her own trauma by painting with coffee. She also tapped into the Lego building craze as a way to honor the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

Book banning discussions have hit WNY school boards, and are on the rise nationwide. WBFO's Tom Dinki takes a look. From Albany, Karen DeWitt looks at the advertisements and tone of the NYS campaign for Governor. Also state legislators have spent thousands fighting re-redistricting in the state. Also, the latest Siena poll shows slippage for incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, and clergy have filed suit to try and lift the ban on carrying firearms in church.

Today, because of the WNED PBS Henry Louis Gates Jr. special series “Making Black America: Through the Grapevine”, Thomas O’Neil-White speaks with historian Michelle Ragland, one of the curators of the Buffalo and Western New York African American History Group on Facebook. They explore the rich Black history in Buffalo and discuss why it’s important in modern days.Then the long battle over Buffalo’s re-drawn city council districts is heading to court. Attorney Adam Bojak from the Our City Action group talks about their just filed lawsuit putting the maps on hold - amid charges that it could dilute minority representation on Buffalo’s East side.

WBFO's Tom Dinki has more on the roots of book censorship efforts in WNY schools. Former Pres. Donald Trump's endorsement of Republican Lee Zeldin for Governor, sparks a flurry of campaign commercials and fresh charges about Zeldin's advice sent to the White House on Jan. 6. Buffalo Schools are filing a human rights complaint after the the forfieit of several football games becuase of imeligible players. And over $6.4 million disbursements are being made from the 5/14 Survivors Fund .

Today, Talia Rodriguez talks with Jay Moran about her role as associate director of the West Side Promise Neighborhood, a group that works to create a vibrant and healthy West Side, with particular emphasis on getting children to reach their potential “wrapped in the education, health and social support they need, from cradle to career.” She also shares stories of her own life as a Latina in Buffalo. Then Thomas O’Neil-White also takes up a conversation on health equity, with Jessica Bauer Walker, the founder of the Community Health Worker Network of Buffalo. The network strives to train health care workers in issues of health equity.

A report from the NYS Attorney General's office shows the expansive role that social media had in radicalizing the accused Tops shooter Payton Gendron, and recommends tougher enforcement against those platforms. Also, the latest polling on the NYS Governor's race.

For 30 years, Theater Talk has been appointment listening on WBFO, featuring the insights of theater critic and historian, Anthony Chase, who joins Peter Hall for a five-minute weekly broadcast at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on 88.7 WBFO with a podcast available on wbfo.org. As part of BTPM (Buffalo Toronto Public Media), their beat is primarily Buffalo theater, but Broadway, The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, are covered as other relevant art forms are touched on, including ballet and opera.

In our weekly “Producers’ Picks” episode we bring you highlights of recent important interviews with:- Cedric Holloway, The Omega Mentoring Program/Omega Psi Phi Fraternity - Phi Omega chapter on Buffalo’s gangs and at-risk youth - Prof. Orlando Dickson, Medaille College, The Partnership for the Public Good with a discussion on public land use - Actors Zhanna Reed and Marcus J. Paige, recently in Shea's "Once On This Island" on colorblind casting - Warren Galloway, co-chair, African American Veterans' Monument

Tops markets opens their Jefferson Ave. store at the scene of the May 14 shooting on Friday, but today we hear about a petition drive to stop it. Also, Carpenter Union jobs might not be available in Buffalo, but a regionalization could find work for the Buffalo-area people willing to travel. And a delayed vote on the city council’s redistriciting plan, means no action on an alternate map that activists have been pushing for to provide broader Black representation.

If it's Friday— It's Theater Talk, today with Anthony and Peter reviewing shows after recent trips to Stratford Ont, and NYC. Also, former University at Buffalo men’s basketball players have found a wayto honor the victims of the Jefferson Avenue Tops Market shooting during their play in The Basketball Tournament airing on ESPN. Also new laws and initiatives for paratransit users, a pushback against monkeypox dis-information, and how once again bail reform has become a big issue in the NY governor's race.