(Christopher Byrd, Michelle Johnson & Michael Miller-RIP)
Back in 2005, three people who only knew each other from the various projects they were involved within the neighborhood started a discussion about trying to promote and help the Broadway-Fillmore more. The genesis of Broadway Fillmore Alive (BFA) happened at a Christmas party that year. The idea behind it was to show the world outside of the neighborhood that good things were still happening here. We wanted to show the world that neighborhood was still ALIVE.
Eight years ago today and without much of bang, BFA posted this:
Slowly but surely the website is coming together… If by chance you found your way here, check back soon. We should have everything up and running anyday now.
None of us expected the great reception we would receive from the Buffalo community. But here is BFA eight years later and still doing what it does best. We like to show that the neighborhood is a sum of all of its parts. Sure the neighborhood has seen better days. Sure there are still a tone of issues. What remains from its halcyon days are the bones of great neighborhood…a neighborhood filled with great places like the Broadway Market, Saint Stan’s and the Central Terminal. These places were the foundation and core of Broadway-Fillmore’s past and can be the core for the future.
Michael Miller passed away in 2009. I miss him everyday. He would remind me all the time about how important doing what we did was by covering a neighborhood that needed an online voice.
Michele Johnson has moved on to other projects, but she was the glue of our early days…keeping us balanced.
Me…I am still here and motoring on and helping too many places to list here.
Thank you to you for also helping to keep the neighborhood ALIVE and for clicking in here daily.
I knew of Michael Miller’s passing but I hadn’t realized Michelle Johnson was no longer a part of the team. I figured she was just a behind the scenes girl and you where the voice. I stumbled on her, I believe, on Western New York Media? Didn’t she have an internet radio show she called ‘News from a Broad’? Come to think of it I think that’s is where I stumbled on you too. In Da Buff was affiliated? IDK, it was a long time ago. I think I knew you from Buffalo Rising too, before they ‘reformatted’ many years ago. I was Xmissanthropic / Xmissanthrope.
Yes she did…I used to have my own show “Late Night In Da Buff” on WNYmedia.net…was with them for a few years, but decided to leave. Michele went on to work with Buffalo ReUse.
Oh yeah, and congrats! We appreciate all your work and dedication
😀