Buffalo Sunrise News

Posted by Barbara Ochterski

SPIRITED DRUMMING IS A FUN WAY TO END AND BEGIN A YEAR

Buffalo’s Bidwell Parkway in front of President Patti Johnson’s home was the scene of the Rotary Club of Buffalo Sunrise induction of a new Rotarian Valerie Juang (pictured below).
 
 
Recognition of Past President Denis Lefebrve was accompanied by the spirited drumming of President-Elect Kofi Fynn-Aikins. New officers included: Immediate Past President Denis (presiding), Incoming President Patricia Johnson, Treasurer Kevin Crosby, President-elect Kofi Fynn-Aikins and Secretary Susan McCartney (pictured right).
 

CELEBRATING DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH

In honor of Disability Pride Month, Emyle Watkins (the D7090 Scholarship recipient in 2017), Disability Activist, and Disabilities Desk & News Reporter at WBFO, spoke to Rotary Club of Buffalo Sunrise on Tuesday July 27, 2021.
Emyle thanked the club and district for the scholarship and described how the scholarship contributed immensely to her college journey, ultimately helping her to be where she is now. Emyle, a first generation college student, attended Canisius College in their Multimedia Journalism and Digital Media Departments. She worked multiple jobs to get through college, and she said without the scholarship, life would have been much more difficult. She used the scholarship money to purchase a laptop she used for her schoolwork, and helped address her disability.
 
While still in college, as part of Canisius’ Video Institute, Emyle co-produced and was the reporter for the documentary “Newborn: Maternal Resources in New York State,” which won a Telly Award in 2020. While on a fellowship at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, she won a Pennsylvania Golden Quill by co-writing “There are Black people in the future,” a series of artist profiles.
 
Currently in her new role as a Disabilities Desk & News Reporter at WBFO, Emyle wants to bring awareness to the challenges faced by people with disabilities, whether the disability is visible or invisible, by covering life experiences of those with disabilities in our community. She hopes she can bridge the gap between people with a disability and access to resources available for their welfare.
 
She can be reached at ewatkins@WBFO.org.