Gail V. Wells 

Community Voice | Founder of Buffalo Freedom Gardens

Bitter sweet is the cumulonimbus cloud that hangs heavy while holding the storm’s tears

Underneath the troposphere is where our soil is drenched without protection 

Natures natural seeds of teaching are scattered and packed deep throughout

Unseen is the growth as time passes and experiences provide water for our roots

Emerging above is the freedom within this garden of life all in existence and shared on our porch

Jamil Crews

Community Voice | Owner and Lead Consultant of Crews Control Media

I sat in solace on my porch staring into the stars eyes

My father would whisper secrets into my soul

Secrets that when shared would free the minds of many

A vision invested in me while on the east side of my imagination

A vision which has expanded my expectations and carries me beyond this porch

-Written by Aitina Fareed-Cooke

Kelly Diane-Galloway

Community Voice | President & Founder of Project Mona’s House

Travel with me into the depths of triumph and bring your burdens

Sacrifice your pain to produce the power needed to extend your hands for those who are bond

Bond by fear, trauma, shame, guilt and any other shackles that may suffocate your purpose

Release yourselves and taste this liberty that is served on this platter

Digest safety and let us heal in unity and share stories of freedom on our porch

-Written by Aitina Fareed-Cooke

Stephen Forman Sr.

Community Voice | Pastor of Christ Crusaders Assembly  & Owner of Thyme & Honey 

Whatever these hands find to do, it will be done with all of my being

Birthed in me was a fire that burns for all who are in search for freedom

Follow these hands into the path of life

I will continue to guide with ferocity and an unwavering grip on the desire to give

Seasoned, brewed, and sautéd in this pot of love served right on this porch

JoAnna Rozier-Johnson 

Community Voice | Co-Director of The Crusaders Marching Unit of Buffalo NY

This porch stood in the middle of hope and hopelessness

This porch watched violent hearts snatch lives and left behind the remains of broken hearts

This porch witnessed sisterhood, motherhood, love, commitment and purity

This porch collected memories that engineered bricks that are used to build young minds

This porch is the threshold, the beginning point into your own journey

-Written by Aitina Fareed-Cooke

Alexander Wright

Community Voice | Advocate for Food Justice 

This porch is the gathering place of sanctitude, the shared space of hope

This is the porch where we share our stories of war, tears, and truth

The porch where we plant economic seeds of growth and wisdom

This is the porch where fruit is belted together and shared with those who hunger for freedom

This porch is the porch of ambition

-Written by Aitina Fareed-Cooke

"We all have our porches. Our platforms from which we share our stories. Our lives. From these porches we learn perspectives. We learn of the varying commonalities and complexities that exist, human to human.

As we exchange these tales, we share our hopes, fears, and dreams. Together we discover the beautiful weight of reality which is that we are all human. Different, yet the same." - Aitina Fareed-Cooke