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
READ|SEED|WRITE Nourishes Through Poetry & Healthy Food
SPOTLIGHT on Just Buffalo Writing Center: Carson’s Story When we opened the doors to the Just Buffalo Writing Center in April 2014, the anticipation was palpable; in truth, we didn’t know what to expect. On that exciting first day, Carson Feero was the first student to come through those doors—the first and only student! While many teenagers might have been intimidated to sit down one-on-one with a professional writer, Carson bravely took a seat at the table and talked seriously with Gary Earl Ross.
Just Buffalo Literary Center was honored to be one of the first organizations in the country to be awarded a Creativity Connects grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to present READ|SEED|WRITE. Together with Grassroots Gardens of Western New York (GGWNY), this project brought writers and book artists to neighborhood gardens to inspire gardeners and passersby through the written word, while also raising awareness about the importance of sustainable gardening and the need for urban access to healthy food. In many ways, it unfolded like any garden’s growing season. We met throughout the cold winter months, planning with each of the four participating gardens, sowing seeds of inspiration, waiting to see what might take root, continuing to nurture possibilities through the spring. Then as summer unfolded, gardens served as gathering spaces for a series of writer-led workshops and activities.
It wasn’t long before the number of students who came to the JBWC grew. Word-of-mouth spread and, each day, more students arrived. Through your support, the dream of a thriving Writing Center dedicated to young writers has become a reality. Carson—now 18 years old and preparing to graduate from high school—shares some of his reflections: “I’ve been coming to the JBWC regularly for over three years. In that time, I’ve had the opportunity to meet great and well-respected writers—the kind of people who inspire you and change how you think. I’ve also met people my age about which those same things will be said in 20 or 30 years. I think the Writing Center has made a huge, and positive, difference in my life. As I prepare to move on to college, it is so exciting to see new students join JBWC’s amazing community.”
Participants of all ages made their own garden journals with book artist Joel Brenden; learned how to make handmade seed paper with textile artist Janna Willoughby-Lohr; and wrote poems, remembrances, recipes and dreams inspired by the gardens with teaching artists Robin Jordan, Mary Richert, Gary Earl Ross and Nina Vega-Westhoff. “We wrote really beautiful poems together…and also had heart-warming conversations,” said Robin Jordan, Just Buffalo Writing Center Coordinator and a teaching artist on this project. The project culminated in a Harvest Celebration at Kleinhans Music Hall where more than 100 gathered for a delicious feast and readings by some of the contributors to the READ|SEED|WRITE Community Cookbook. Many stayed to attend the BABEL reading by nationally celebrated writer and conservationist Terry Tempest Williams—the first time most had experienced a literary event of this kind. You can watch a short video about READ|SEED|WRITE on our website justbuffalo.org. During the READ|SEED|WRITE project, teaching artists Robin Jordan and Mary Richert led workshop participants at the Black Rock Heritage Garden in an activity inspired by the act of pruning. Using the garden as metaphor, we offer the following writing prompts for you to respond to: • What has value in your community/society that others might not see? • Did you ever cut something from your life that you regret? • What must we prune from our lives/community to make it stronger?
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Carson at the Wordplay Release Celebration
Carson’s mother, Stacy Hubbard, also shares how the JBWC has impacted her son: “My son has been attending the twice-weekly workshops at the JBWC since it began and it has given him a place to grow as a thinker, a writer and a citizen. By bringing together distinguished authors with our city’s young people to share their wisdom and inspiration, the Center inspires our kids to believe that their creative energies can change the world. The JBWC is a jewel of Buffalo’s art scene—my friends in other cities envy us this resource. It is growing the next generation of Buffalo writers—the inheritors of such celebrated figures as Bob Creeley, Ishmael Reed, and Lucille Clifton. We’ve seen in recent years that Buffalo is growing because people want to live in a community that values art, architecture, music, and culture. JBWC is a vital part of that.” Carson adds: “As someone directly affected by the Just Buffalo Writing Center, I am so grateful for the community’s support of this special place. I hope everyone who has helped get this started will continue to support it, as having a space like this is more important now than ever.”
Thank you to all who so generously supported Just Buffalo’s 40th Anniversary Campaign. You have made the new Just Buffalo Writing Center and so much more possible! Michael C. Angelucci Venezia Appleby Joanna Angie and Kerry Mitchell Arjang A. Assad Thomas G. Aurelio James and Pamela Bachwitz The Baird Foundation Balbach Family Foundation Paul A. Battaglia Melissa (Missy) and Allan Baumgart Thomas Beecher Dianne Bennett and William Graebner Anne and George Bergantz Shirley G. Berglund Sandra Block, M.D. and Patrick Long Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Lynne A. Burgess Christine Burke The Cameron & Jane Baird Foundation Mark Chason and Mariana Botero Chason Children’s Foundation of Erie Co. Wilma Cipolla CLICK Photography Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation Michael J. Collins and Kathleen A. O’Leary Anne E. Conable Sandra P. Cookson Jim and Mary Fran Derby Adele and George DeTitta Jean Doerr and Dr. Robert Kaplan JoAnn Doerr Miriam and Peter Dow Gayle L. Eagan Shelagh Emmott Mary E. Farallo Robert J. & Martha B. Fierle Foundation First Niagara Foundation Karen Stanley Fleming Ruth and Robert Fleming Dr. Thomas and Patricia Foels Thomas Fontana Friends of Just Buffalo Robert J. Genco Mary Georger Howard and Lillian Gondree
Regina Grol Geri Grossman The Carlos & Elizabeth Heath Foundation Peter Hall and Emmie O’Leary Katka Hammond and Max Wickert Edwin P. Hart Donna and Ian Hatton Mary P. Hennessy Carolyn C. Henrich Thomas and Sharon Hewner Jeffrey and Shelley Hirshberg Hodgson Russ LLP Paul and Barbara Hogan Maryann Jumper and William Burke Barbara Jurasek Olga Karman Lynda Kaszubski Janet Kaye and Dan Kushel Jane and John Kearns Loren Keller Lucy Kogler Jon and Veronica Kraus William and Mary Ann Kraus Andrea and Michael Kuettel Jim Lenker George R. Levine Andree and Joel Lippes Richard and Rita Lipsitz Susan A. Mann Dolce The M&T Charitable Foundation The Marks Family Foundation Patrick Martin Kris and Bill Marusza Irving Massey Brendan McCafferty Gillian M. McCain James F. Mendola Evie and Robert Miller Michael Morgulis and Trudy Stern The Mulroy Family Foundation New York State Women, Inc. Victoria and James Newman Kevin and Janet O’Leary Donald and Jane Ogilvie The John R. Oishei Foundation Julian R. and Varue W. Oishei Foundation Caroline Parrinello Mary Beth Parrinello
Elizabeth Pascal Richard and Karen Penfold Kristen M. Pope Jennifer Read Corinne and Victor Rice Kate Roach and Kevin Hogan Bryan Roland Ronald McDonald House Carl Rosan Rylee Fund Richard Schroeder riverrun Jo A. Schweitzer Maria Scrivani and John Lipsitz Simple Gifts Fund Susan Solomon Norine M. Spurling Cynthia and William Stachowski Joann Steinmetz Gerald Sufrin Gary R. Sutton Suzanne Taub Laurie Dean Torrell and Ms. Marvin Henchbarger Anne and Dave Taylor Susan Bring Tobe and Richard Tobe Verneice Turner Francine Valvo Chrysanthe Vergos Vogt Family Foundation Timothy Vukelic and Shelby Deck Anne and William Wadsworth James and Michel Wadsworth The Western New York Foundation Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund Janet and Wayne Wisbaum Susan Woods
SPECIAL THANKS to Kristen Pope, Development Director
&
Neil Melbrod,
Development Consultant
2017–18 PROGRAM FACTS:
204,805 Community members reached through Just Buffalo programs and activities
176,200
Served through literary articles, information and news
21,400
Reached through website, e-newsletter and social media
4,415
Adults attended literary events including BABEL
1,185
Students attended free writing workshops, open mics, meetthe-author events and in-school programs
115
Writers and artists presented literary programs and events
90
Workshops helped writers develop their work
19
Feature stories in local, regional and national publications helped tell the JB Story
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ANNUAL REPORT
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2017 UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT AND REVENUE Support Earned Revenue Total support and revenue
$ 675,993 177,921 853,914
EXPENSES Program Services General and Administrative Fundraising Total Expenses
$ 612,760 91,690 74,510 778,960
Net increase (decrease) in net assets Net assets at beginning of year Net assets at end of year
74,954 487,325 $ 562,279
JUST BUFFALO LITERARY CENTER 468 Washington Street, 2nd Floor Buffalo, NY 14203 (716) 832.5400 www.justbuffalo.org
STAFF Laurie Dean Torrell Executive Director Barbara Cole, Ph.D. Artistic Director Noah Falck Education Director Lynda Kaszubski Executive Assistant Robin Jordan Writing Center Coordinator
TOTAL EXPENSES – $778,960
General and Administrative $91,690 – 12%
Fundraising $74,510 – 9%
Foundations $179,600 – 21%
Federal, State and Local Gov’t Grants $274,148 – 32%
BOARD OF DIRECTORS JB Writing Center & Education Programs $224,311 – 29%
Literary Programs $388,449 – 50%
(includes in-kind)
JB40 CAMPAIGN DEC. 2014 – DEC. 2017 Individuals Family Foundations Grants/Foudations
GOAL $ 275,000 50,000 675,000
RAISED $ 308,840 103,450 589,400
Total
1,000,000
1,001,690
BY PURPOSE JB Writing Center Marketing & Community Outreach Strategic Reserve & Unrestricted JB40
GOAL $ 475,000 125,000 400,000
RAISED $ 467,976 121,950 9,450 402,314
1,000,000
1,001,690
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Linda Fischer Accountant Kathleen Kearnan Grantwriter
Earned Income $177,921 – 21%
Individual and Corporate Donations $222,245 – 26%
Kevin Thurston Communications Coordinator
James R. Bachwitz, President Elizabeth Pascal, Vice President Michael C. Angelucci, Treasurer Janet Kaye, Secretary Venezia M. Appleby Paul A. Battaglia Melissa (Missy) G. Baumgart Sandra Block, M.D. Mary E. Farallo Karen Stanley Fleming Geri Grossman Olga Karman Lucy Kogler C. George Pulinthitta Anne Y. Taylor Just Buffalo Literary Center is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization. Thank you for your past support. Please consider making a taxdeductible gift to Just Buffalo using the enclosed envelope, by calling (716) 832.5400 or through our secure website: www.justbuffalo.org.
Just Buffalo’s ambitious programs are made possible through the generosity of a diverse array of committed donors and funders. Special appreciation is expressed for long-term ongoing support to:
with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature
Erie County Cultural Funding