First hour: Fossil fuels vs all-electric: discussing the future of building construction in New York State
Second hour: How a local mother who lost her son to gun violence is helping local students' voices be heard
The new New York State budget includes provisions to phase out the use of fossil fuels in buildings and to phase in requirements for electric building construction. It’s an issue that is currently the topic of debate among different stakeholders in the state. We discuss it with our guests:
- Assemblymember Marjorie Byrnes, District 133
- Ryan Puckett, general manager of Wise Home Energy
- Jessica Azulay, executive director for the Alliance for a Green Economy
Then in our second hour, Rochester students are expressing their concerns about gun violence through the written word. Activist Lentory Johnson has launched the third annual anti-gun violence essay contest through her nonprofit, Generational Engagement Matters. The contest invites students living in Rochester to write about the trauma they’ve experienced as a result of local gun violence. The subject hits close to home for Johnson; her son Johnny was killed in the drive-by shooting outside the Boys and Girls Club in 2015. He was 22 years old. This hour, we talk with Lentory Johnson, her GEM colleagues, and a local student about anti-gun violence efforts and how to support victims and families in Rochester. Our guests:
- Lentory Johnson, founder of Generational Engagement Matters (GEM), and mother of Johnny Johnson
- Ralph Carter, director of IT services for Generational Engagement Matters (GEM)
- Avalon Fox, sixth grader, and 2022 GEM essay contest winner
