What’s Next? cover art

What’s Next?

What’s Next?

By: BTPM NPR
Listen for free

About this listen

 What’s Next?  uncovers and discusses the issues and topics pertinent to marginalized and underrepresented populations of Western New York and Southern Ontario.Days after the racist shooting in Buffalo on May 14, 2022, the show tasked itself to be a champion for social equity and justice. "What’s Next?” amplifies voices from all parts of our shared community to celebrate our individuality as well as our commonalities.Listen to the one-hour broadcast Mondays and Wednesdays at 11am on BTPM NPR, with rebroadcasts on Sundays at 6pm. It is also available on-demand through our website, the BTPM Listen app, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you get your podcasts.We encourage our listeners to join the conversation by using the “Talk to Us” feature in the BTPM Listen app. By using this in-app feature, listeners can send audio recordings directly to the newsroom. You can also reach the production staff by emailing us at WhatsNext@btpm.org.Ⓒ Western New York Public Broadcasting Association 2025 Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Building Buffalo’s Next Chapter

    Building Buffalo’s Next Chapter
    Dec 3 2025
    Mayor elect Sean Ryan begins building his new administration, and co-chairs Dr. Marie Cannon and Trini Ross join us to discuss the work behind the transition. With more than a thousand applications for leadership positions, they outline the team’s focus on inclusivity, transparency, and community engagement. We explore the key issues shaping Buffalo’s future, including housing, public safety, and financial stability, and how Ryan’s vision aims to address long standing inequities with fresh, community driven solutions.
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
  • Gardens, Pride, and the Power of Local Leadership

    Gardens, Pride, and the Power of Local Leadership
    Dec 1 2025
    This week on What’s Next? we highlight two organizations strengthening connection, access, and belonging across Western New York. First, Tim Chen of Grassroots Gardens Western New York returns to discuss the expansion of their school garden network, now reaching thirty-five schools with the support of the Buffalo Bills Foundation. He reflects on the educational and community benefits of gardening, the importance of local leadership, and the challenges created by federal funding cuts. Then, Niagara Pride leaders Ron Pia Chesney and Sherry Fossett return to share the organization’s evolution from a small meetup group to a nonprofit offering festival, youth and senior programs, scholarships, and legal support for the LGBTQ community. They speak about the growing demand for safe, affirming spaces and the obstacles that come with sustaining community-driven work. A conversation about resilience, visibility, and the power of grassroots leadership.
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
  • Entrepreneurs Rising and Communities Healing

    Entrepreneurs Rising and Communities Healing
    Nov 26 2025
    Buffalo’s East Side is growing, creating, and healing in ways that deserve the spotlight. On this episode of What’s Next?, we explore two community-driven forces shaping that future. First, we dive into REACH East, a marketing accelerator designed to elevate local entrepreneurs. Program founder Tamara Zantell and entrepreneur Zandra Cunningham share how the initiative invests directly in East Side businesses through hands-on mentorship, strategic marketing training, and funding that builds long-term visibility and resilience. Then, author, counselor, and animator Dorian Withrow Jr. joins us for a powerful conversation about mental health, creativity, and emotional truth. He reflects on the realities of grief and suicide in the community, the importance of connection, and how writing and animation can become pathways to healing and understanding. A conversation about growth, care, and the future of Buffalo’s East Side.
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.