BUFFALO, N.Y. — After Payton S. Gendron was sentenced in Erie County Court on Wednesday, Judge Susan Eagan acknowledged disparities she said many people in East Buffalo have faced for years.
"Our history is repeated with both individual and systemic discriminatory practices. Many of them are still in place today," Judge Eagan said.
Its historical events — including the Route 33 corridor, separating neighborhoods, redlining housing and other resources, and even food insecurity — impacts the community.
To create change, NAACP president Reverend Mark Blue says it starts with our children.
"We are all a part of this change, and we can no longer sit back and say somebody else is going to do it," Blue said.
People are not waiting. They're on the streets addressing the issues and asking elected officials for help.
Reverend Blue says most financial help is thrown away.
"We shouldn't just throw money because we need to make sure the organization has the capacity to use that money in the right way," Blue said.
He says money should revitalize storefronts, bring more transportation to the area, or even combat food insecurity.
Some say East Buffalo is in a negative light, so how do we bring life back to the area?
"Businesses can come back to Jefferson. We need businesses. We need the investment," Blue says.
Money doesn't make the world go around, but change does. Without it, we will live in a constant cycle.
"The past has happened. That's called history. Let's see what we can do to rewrite a better history for Buffalo," Blue said.