© 2025 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
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
Give Now
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
grey background. On the left in white text: Stronger together. Better together. In the middle: black and white stock image of people with their backs to the camera putting their arms around each other and standing in a line. BTPM NPR logo on the right.
What’s Next?

Buffalo, What's Next? | Compassionate Community Legal Counsel

Published May 31, 2023 at 2:47 PM EDT
Ways To Subscribe

Navigating the legal system and understanding the complexities of litigation can be an overwhelming task. It’s made even more daunting when you lack the resources to get legal representation. Today on Buffalo, What’s Next? we speak with Gretchen Gonzalez and Maria Valeri from the Volunteer Lawyers Project. For 40 years, the group of pro bono attorneys has been helping members of our Western New York community by providing free civil law services to low income people and small not-for-profit groups. Lorenzo Rodriguez speaks with Gretchen and Maria to get a better idea of the legal issues that are troubling our marginalized groups in our community.

2023
Stay Connected
Latest Episodes
  • 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, "VOICES AND ACTION: #294" in white text over the red and "REFUGEES, COMMUNITY AND LOCAL CHANGE IN BUFFALO" in white text over the black, then photos of the guests placed throughout the image.
    Voices and Action: Refugees, Community, and Local Change in Buffalo
    On today’s episode of What’s Next? we hear from Jennifer Rizzo-Choi, Executive Director of the International Institute of Buffalo, about how the Presidential Determination is shaping refugee resettlement and the impact on local agencies. Later, host Naila Ansari Catilo sits down with Leighton Jones from Our Action City Buffalo and Jon Torrey, professor at Buffalo State University, to talk about the effects of a recent bill on local communities.
  • 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, "HARVESTING HOPE: #294" in black text over the red and "WHERE COMMUNITY AND PASSION GROW" in white text over the black
    Harvesting Hope: Where Community and Compassion Grow
    Today, we return to the fields with Providence Farm Collective to see how they’re moving forward and staying strong after recent funding cuts. Then, we speak with Andrew Delmonte from Cooperation Buffalo and Terra Dumas, co-founder of Farmer Pirates Composte. And later, Carolyn Kirkwood of Kirkwood Therapy joins us.
  • 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, "REMEMBERING, HEALING, AND PREVENTING:" in white text and "THE LEGACY OF THE TRIBUTE GARDEN #293" in black text over the red, then photos of the guests placed throughout the image.
    Remembering, Healing, and Preventing: The Legacy of the Tribute Garden
    On today’s show, we reflect on the 10th anniversary of the Tribute Garden at Isle View Park, a space created to honor victims of intimate partner violence and to bring awareness to the issue across our community.
  • 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, "FROM GREEN SPACES TO LEADERSHIP:" in white text and "VOICES OF CHANGE IN WNY #292" in black text over the red, then photos of the guests placed throughout the image.
    From Green Spaces to Leadership: Voices of Change in WNY
    On this episode of What’s Next? We hear from Dr. Jennifer Roberts, a Buffalo native and University of Maryland professor, then team visits Providence Farm Collective for a tour of their site. And we close with Duncan Kirkwood, Director of the Center for Resiliency.
  • 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, IT IS UP TO US" in white text and "THE POWER OF TRUTH IN UNDERSTANDING OUR PAST #291" in black text over the red, then the cover of "It Is Up To Us" documentary on the right over the black background
    It Is Up to Us: The Power of Truth in Understanding Our Past
    Today we sit down with filmmaker Stephen Rosenthal and actor Stephen McKinley Henderson to discuss their new documentary, It Is Up to Us. The film explores the impact of racism on society and why a deep understanding of history is essential for our future.
  • 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, "VOICES OF VISION:" in white text and "STORIES OF CULTURE & COMMUNITY #290" in black text over the red, then a photos of the guests sloppily placed throughout the image.
    Voices of Vision: Stories of Culture and Community
    On today’s show we speak with Maria Ta, the new Executive Director of Ujima Theater, Della Moore and her work with the African American Center for Cultural Development, and we speak with Latino filmmaker Rocco Anastasio.
  • 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, "HONORING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH" in white text and "TALIA RODRIGUEZ ON EDUCATION AND EQUITY #289" in black text over the red, then a photo of Talia on the right over the black background
    Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month: Talia Rodriguez on Education and Equity
    This Hispanic Heritage Month, What’s Next? spotlights leaders shaping the future of Buffalo. Today we sit down with Buffalo School Board candidate Talia Rodriguez. She shares her vision for educational equity, with a focus on multilingual learners and students with neurological differences.
  • 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, "TEN YEARS OF ADVOCACY & #288" in black text over the red, then white text over the black reading "HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH KICKOFF"
    Ten Years of Advocacy and a Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff
    On today’s What’s Next? we mark a major milestone with People Against Human Trafficking of Western New York. Executive Director Julie Palmer joins Jay Moran to reflect on ten years of fighting exploitation and to share details about their upcoming Gala on September 25. Then we kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with a visit to El Batey.
  • 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, "WHAT'S NEXT?: NEW DAYS... #287" in black text over the red, then white text over the black reading "SAME CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER"
    What’s Next: New Days, Same Conversations That Matter
    On this episode, we’re switching things up! Jay Moran sits down with Executive Producer Charles Gilbert to talk about what’s new on What’s Next?
  • 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, "ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL IN WNY #286" in white text over the red, then white text over the black reading "HISTORIC PROSPERITY OR HARDSHIP?"
    Historic Prosperity or Hardship? The Big Beautiful Bill in WNY
    On today’s show, we return from our summertime hiatus with a breakdown on the One Big Beautiful Bill. A sweeping new law that supporters call historic prosperity, but critics say will deepen hardship for working families.