WRFA hosted a Community Conversation on Poverty in Chautauqua County on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

JAMESTOWN, NY – On May 25, WRFA continued its series of Community Conversations, this time focusing on poverty in Chautauqua County. The discussion involved challenges and barriers for those living in poverty or near poverty in Chautauqua County.

Our panel included:

• United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, Executive Director Amy Rohler
• Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., Deputy Director of Housing & Community Development Amanda Straight
• Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Loan Officer Elia Sostre

It was moderated by WRFA Public Affairs Director Julia Ciesla-Hanley.

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on the WRFA Youtube Channel.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

(left to right) Amy Rohler, Amanda Straight, Elia Sostre, and Julia Ciesla-Hanley

WATCH VIDEO

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on Facebook and Youtube.

The discussion is part of our ongoing series on marginalized and underserved groups from the Jamestown and Chautauqua region. In the Fall of 2021, WRFA presented a three-part series of Community Conversations, connecting the broader Jamestown community with five its marginalized/under-served groups to increase public awareness of their challenges and also identify workable solutions to overcome these challenges. Those groups included: the local African-American Community, the Hispanic Community, LGBTQ+ Community, those affected by Chemical Dependency, as well as Generational Poverty. A follow up conversation focusing on the Disability Community was held in March 2022.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

WATCH

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on both WRFA’s Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.

A virtual Q&A was also available for audience members.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

WATCH

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on both WRFA’s Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.

A virtual Q&A was also available for audience members.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

WATCH

The discussion featured a panel of representatives from the Disability Community – Dodi McIntyre, Jamestown Human Rights Commission; Paul Ribaudo, The Resource Center (TRC); Pamela Robbins, TRC; and Marie Carrubba, Southwestern Center for Independent Living – and will be moderated by WRFA Public Affairs Director Julia Ciesla-Hanley.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

Funding for Community Conversation: Marginalized and Underserved Groups in Jamestown is made possible through a Humanities NY Action Grant, along with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The event is also supported, in part, by Reg Lenna Center for the Arts and The Labyrinth Press Co.

Funding for Community Conversation: Marginalized and Underserved Groups in Jamestown is made possible through a Humanities NY Action Grant, along with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The event is also supported, in part, by Reg Lenna Center for the Arts and The Labyrinth Press Co.

Funding for Community Conversation: Marginalized and Underserved Groups in Jamestown is made possible through a Humanities NY Action Grant, along with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The event is also supported, in part, by Reg Lenna Center for the Arts and The Labyrinth Press Co.

Community Conversation: Marginalized and Underserved Groups in Jamestown is intended to raise public awareness of specific groups in Jamestown and the challenges they face, both past and present. It will also work to identify solutions to overcome these challenges in order to bring more inclusiveness, diversity, equity, and accessibility in the community. Each panel discussion will feature representatives from five community groups, including the local African-American Community, the Hispanic Community, LGBTQ+ Community, those affected by Chemical Dependency, and those impacted by Generational Poverty.

WEEK 1 of the panel discussion took place on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. and focused on the past history of the groups, with a goal of educating the community on how long these groups have been in the community and some of the challenges they’ve faced in the past.

WEEK 1 – FULL VIDEO

All three panel conversations were broadcast live on WRFA LP 107.9 FM and also streamed on WRFA’s Facebook page and Youtube Channel.

The Community Conversation was co-moderated by Julia Ciesla-Hanley, WRFA Public Affairs Director, and Amit Taneja, Senior VP & Chief IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility) Officer at Chautauqua Institution. Over a dozen community members also appeared during the three-week program, including representatives from the Chautauqua County Hispanic Community Council, Chautauqua Opportunities, Evergreen Health, Jamestown Justice Coalition, Jamestown Pride, Mental Health Association of Chautauqua County, and The Resource Center.

“We hope this program will serve as an opportunity for the broader community to learn more about these groups and any barriers or obstacles they’ve faced in the past, as well as those they may still currently face,” explained WRFA station manager Jason Sample. “We also hope community leaders will take note of these challenges and work to address them, in order to provide more inclusiveness and accessibility for the individuals who are part of these community groups.”

Sample also noted that this program will serve as a springboard for additional conversations next year.

“Our project team identified nearly a dozen different groups that could be represented in the panel discussion. But due to time constraints, we felt it best to focus on five groups at this time. However, we plan to continue the panel discussions next year and focus on other groups that were not included in this program, including the physically disabled, the mentally disabled, and the homeless community, among others,” Sample said.

Funding for Community Conversation: Marginalized and Underserved Groups in Jamestown is made possible through a Humanities NY Action Grant, along with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The event is also supported, in part, by Reg Lenna Center for the Arts and The Labyrinth Press Co.

PANEL SCHEDULE

 WEEK 1 – SEPTEMBER 23 – Past History of Groups and Challenges/Barriers faced

• Justin Hubbard (Jamestown Justice Coalition – African American Community)
• Gregory Rabb (JCC/Former City Council President/BPU Chair – LGBTQ+ Community)
• Max Martin (Chautauqua County Hispanic Community Council – Hispanic Community)
• Steve Cobb (Chautauqua County Mental Health Association – Chemical Dependency)
• Josiah Lamp (Chautauqua Opportunities – Generational Poverty)

WEEK 2 – SEPTEMBER 30 – Present State of Groups and current existing Challenges/Barriers, including any connected to COVID

• Rev. Chloe Smith (Community Activist – African American Community)
• Mickale Gilliam (JCC Student – LGBTQ+ Community)
• Milie Torres – Ruiz, (Jamestown Resident/Parent/Teacher – Hispanic Community)
• Sean Jones, (Chautauqua County Mental Health Association – Chemical Dependency)
• Terri Johnson (The Resource Center Generational Poverty)

WEEK 3 – OCTOBER 7 – Looking Toward Future and Discussing/Identifying Changes that Need to Take Place to remove Challenges/Barriers

• Tamu Graham Reinhardt (Jamestown City Council – African American Community)
• Emily Van Wey (Jamestown Pride/Prevention Works – LGTBQ+ Community)
• Solimar Vazquez (Jamestown Resident/Confidential Secretary to County Executive – Hispanic Community)
• Emma Fabian (Evergreen Health Services) (tentative)
• Josiah Lamp (Chautauqua Opportunities – Generational Poverty)

ABOUT: WRFA is a noncommercial, listener supported, low power FM radio station licensed to the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.  As a radio station licensed to a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, all financial donations/contributions made to WRFA are 100% tax deductible. Businesses and organizations can also provide corporate underwriting for WRFA by making a tax-deductible contribution of $100 or more.