NEWS FROM NEWS FROM JUST BUFFALO JUST BUFFALO LITERARY CENTER LITERARY CENTER JB40 Campaign Full Success: Ushering in a New Era
SPRING 2018
Toni Morrison’s Historic Appearance Caps Off THE CIVIL WRITES PROJECT
This million dollar campaign was the biggest fundraising effort ever in Just Buffalo’s history. Essential leadership was provided by Anne Y. Taylor, Missy Baumgart and Lucas Baumgart Just Buffalo board member Anne Y. Taylor who served as chair of the campaign, joined by honorary co-chairs Melissa (Missy) Garman Baumgart and her son, Lucas Allan Baumgart. Every board member made a personal contribution. Thanks to you, students now have the new Just Buffalo Writing Center (JBWC) providing year-round access to free afterschool creative writing workshops, literary events and one-on-one assistance with individual writing projects. Education Director Noah Falck reflects, “Seeing the Writing Center come into being has been a dream come true. This amazing center, coordinated by Robin Jordan, has created space for experimentation and play in a world where young people aren’t offered such experiences within the over-structured school day. There is no question that these young people will be the literary voices of the future.” Thanks to you, many more people can learn about Just Buffalo and how to get involved through 40 Stories interviews, a new website with historical timeline, significantly expanded outreach and feature stories appearing in local, regional and national publications. We have also developed LIT CITY, uniting marketing and programming through literary public art—and securing official designation of the new Literary Corridor in downtown Buffalo with banners honoring 15 of the most significant writers to ever call Buffalo home, from William Wells Brown to F. Scott Fitzgerald, from Mark Twain to Lucille Clifton and Joyce Carol Oates. Artistic Director Barbara Cole explains, “As much as we want everyone to come to a Just Buffalo program, we also want to offer inspiration every single day to people of all ages in neighborhoods all over the city. As LIT CITY continues to grow and evolve, our hope is that each LIT CITY public art project element will provide lasting inspiration amidst the fast-paced demands of 21st century life.” Just Buffalo also has become financially stronger through establishing a small strategic reserve. The JB40 campaign could not have been a success without the support of people like you. Thank you for ushering in a new era!
Photograph courtesy (c) Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
With a giant “thank you” to all, we are pleased to announce Just Buffalo Literary Center’s 40th Anniversary “JB40” Campaign successfully concluded in December 2017!
When you look back at Just Buffalo’s history, it’s quite astonishing to see that what started as a poetry series has grown into one of the top literary centers in the country. One of the most exciting outcomes of the JB40 Campaign was the increased capacity to present some of the most ambitious programs in the organization’s history. Just Buffalo’s THE CIVIL WRITES PROJECT dared to confront the history of segregation to imagine a better future through a series of 15 interconnected programs culminating in the rare appearance of one of America’s few living literary legends: Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison appeared at Just Buffalo Literary Center’s BABEL series on November 9, 2017 at Kleinhans Music Hall—50 years to the day from when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. appeared on the exact same stage. This once-in-a-lifetime historic event sold out, with an at-capacity audience of 2,400. Artistic Director Barbara Cole framed the project through Dr. King’s legacy, explaining, “THE CIVIL WRITES PROJECT was envisioned and launched as a way to use literature to bring people together to address racial segregation and inequality. It is about confronting the present moment while honoring the past and looking to the future: Where do we want to be 50 years from now? What do we want to achieve right now? These are the questions that drove this project.” Numerous community partners collaborated on the project including: the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System, Buffalo Public Schools, The Historic Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo, Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, Open Buffalo, Paul Robeson Theatre, Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center, and Ujima Theatre Company. Support was provided by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, The Marks Family Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Field of Interest Fund, as well as from a variety of individuals. Students actively participated at the Just Buffalo Writing Center, and at schools throughout the community. In total 7,185 people were reached directly and an additional 93,500 reached through a Challenger cover story and Buffalo News feature. 1