Our City Buffalo, a non-profit founded in 2017, will host an important fundraiser Saturday to help the organization continue its mission of working to bring opportunity, justice and equity to all people of Buffalo. The evening of music, art and community also aims to highlight the important contributions artists bring to our city and how their role can be threatened by proposals such as the recently proposed and ultimately ill-fated entertainment fee.
Tickets for the “Art Auction & Live Music Extravaganza” are $15-$25 and can be purchased HERE or at the door. Proceeds from the event — which runs from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Healing Grounds Café at 220 Grant St. — will help OCB host a workshop geared toward people interested in starting their own business, particularly immigrants settling in Buffalo.
“Everybody gets paid to take the course and Our City Buffalo provides transportation, childcare and makes sure everyone has what they need to attend and learn the skillset. That’s one of the many things that Our City Buffalo does,” said Erica Wolfling, the event’s main organizer.
Our City Buffalo is comprised of city residents from all walks of life including teachers, grocers, restaurant workers, community organizers, nurses, retirees and the like. The group was born from its anti-gentrification organizing work, which aims to protect communities of color as well as the poor and working class. OCB also works in conjunction with Our City Action Buffalo, “a broad coalition of Buffalo residents who have come together to disrupt the political status quo,” according to its website.
“Organizers got together and built this policy platform based on people’s lived experience, which includes affordable housing, transportation, education, policing, immigration, all the issues that have remained challenges for the City of Buffalo,” explained Harper Bishop, Our City Buffalo director.
Pointing to the “entertainment fee” on ticket sales the city recently sought to impose on entertainment venue owners — many of whom would have been forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars to provide live entertainment — Bishop said Saturday’s event will feature artists and musicians who are in danger of bearing the budgetary gap in the city’s finances.
While the entertainment-fee proposal was quickly squashed after outcry from music venues and city residents, Bishop compared the idea to other practices such as writing more parking tickets to close the city’s budget gap.
Saturday’s event — which will include live musical performances by My Rap Name is Alex, Erica the Ice Dragon, Leafytrees and Spud, as well as spoken word performances by Legendary, Miggie Jean and Beef — is a direct reply to the idea that arts and entertainments can be taxed or remain unseen, Bishop said.
“This is a way we can both showcase the talent and talk about what is at stake in the next year. We really need artists and musicians and these community spaces, and third spaces, in order for people to meet and talk about their experiences and life as a Buffalonian.”
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