Buffalo, NY – Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera today was joined by the Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY, International Institute of Buffalo and Providence Farm Collective to unveil a vibrant new mural on Grant Street, celebrating the rich culture, resilience, and entrepreneurship of Buffalo’s Somali Bantu community on the West Side.

The total project cost of roughly $20,000 is a result of funding secured by Assemblymember Rivera as part of the 2023-24 state budget’s operational funding, channeled through Arts Services, Inc.

The design, conceptualized and completed by mural artist Edreys Wajed, features hues of radiant blue to represent the rivers of Somalia, while colors of green pay homage to the nation’s agricultural heritage. Elements of the Somali flag and its star also make up part of its powerful design.

Painted on the side of the former Royal Printing Co. building at 351 Grant Street, now home to the Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY, this mural marks a powerful tribute to the journey and achievements of Buffalo’s Somali Bantu refugees.

The mural, which features members of the Somali Bantu community, integrates symbols of Somali heritage, with particular focus on the significance of agriculture and the spirit of camaraderie that is deeply rooted in Somali culture. This is a public art project that stands as a testament to the Somali Bantu community’s contributions to Buffalo’s social and cultural landscape.

The old Royal Printing Co. building, a cornerstone of Buffalo’s West Side for over 70 years, now serves as a communal space for the Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY after they completed the move in early 2023. Its transformation is emblematic of Buffalo’s revival, driven in part by the arrival of refugees and New Americans who have helped revitalize the city’s neighborhoods.

2021 census data revealed that Buffalo’s population had grown for the first time since the 1950 census, with refugees and immigrants contributing in large part to that growth. Buffalo’s population has grown to 278,349 people – an increase of more than 17,000, or 6.5%.

Erie County has also seen growth in the last decade, increasing to 954,236 – an increase of more than 35,000, or 3.8%. The population growth among refugees and immigrants has helped to boost the regional economy and prepare Buffalo and Western New York for future growth as the nation continues to diversify.

More than 90% of refugees coming into New York settle in Upstate communities. Since 2002, more than 16,000 refugees have come to the City of Buffalo, with thousands more settling in places such as Utica, Syracuse, and Rochester. Refugees have helped to stem population losses in Upstate New York communities, and have contributed to economic growth by opening small businesses and employing local workers.

The Somali Bantu refugees, more than 600 of which now reside in Buffalo, arrived in the city in several waves, the first of which took place in the summer of 2003.

Recognizing the importance of community-building, a group of Somali Bantu leaders met in their homes to discuss the needs of their people. These discussions eventually led to the creation of the Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY in 2007, securing 501(c)(3) status and creating a pathway for continued advocacy and support. What began as small meetings has now grown into a thriving organization with its own office and extensive community programs, helping those within the community get help with navigating social services or immigration challenges.

However, relocation has been just one component of the Somali Bantu community’s story in Buffalo. They have gone to great lengths to ensure that their culture’s agrarian tradition and diet could be kept alive in their newfound home.

On a plot of land in Orchard Park, dozens of Bantu refugees travel from the West Side to plant African maize, amaranth, onions, tomatoes and spinach. The Somali Bantu Community Farm (SBCF) was originally launched in 2017 to address inequities in farmland and fresh food access. In 2019, Providence Farm Collective was founded with a mission of cultivating farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems to actualize the rights of under-resourced peoples and a vision of empowering equitable access to food and farmland.

The non-profit, volunteer-run farm has over its three-year run become both a critical food source and social hub for Buffalo’s growing Somali Bantu population.

Volunteers plow the fields and pick crops and in exchange, they take home bags of fresh vegetables every week during harvest season.

The mural unveiled today serves as a visual symbol of this community’s resilience, growth, and future aspirations. As Buffalo continues to be a home for refugees and New Americans, the Somali Bantu mural stands as a beacon of the city’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and cultural pride.

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “I’m extremely proud to have secured this funding to honor the resiliency and strength of the Somali Bantu community here in Buffalo. This mural not only honors the history and culture of the Somali Bantu people but also celebrates their contributions to the ongoing rebirth of our city. It’s a reminder of how welcoming refugees and supporting their entrepreneurship strengthens us as a community.”

Ibrahim Iftin, Executive Director of the Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY, said, “To have a space where those within the Somali Bantu community, where elders can meet and where kids can learn about our history, is a major triumph of our peoples’ ability to build from the ground up. The center here is a place for people to get help with navigating social services or immigration challenges, and it’s also a place where Somali Bantu culture can grow and thrive. This mural is a testament to New Americans everywhere.”

Jennifer Rizzo-Choi, Executive Director, International Institute of Buffalo, said, “Our area boasts well over 100 murals, each with its own unique message, beauty, and significance. We are so happy that this new Somali Bantu mural will join the list, proudly and visually proclaiming that Somali Bantus are an integral part of the vibrant tapestry that makes up the City of Good Neighbors.”

Kristin Heltman-Weiss, Executive Director of Providence Farm Collective, said, “It has been a privilege and honor for me to work alongside my friends and colleagues in the Somali Bantu community these past 10 years, as they have led important regional initiatives around after school programming and food and farmland access. Were it not for the success of the Somali Bantu Community Farm, Providence Farm Collective would not exist. I am grateful to the Somali Bantu community for all they have done to build vibrancy and equity in Western New York.”

Crystal Selk, Executive Director at West Side Community Services, said, “The Somali Bantu Community Organization has played a vital role in Buffalo for over a decade, providing resources and building a cultural community for our Somali Bantu neighbors. West Side Community Services is pleased to have worked with SBCO in many ways over the years, including housing their administrative office within our community center. We are thrilled that SBCO now has a building of their own. The building's beautiful new mural announces their ongoing commitment to the Somali Bantu and the whole west side community in a bright and vibrant way.”

Edreys Wajed, mural artist, said, “It's important to have visual representation of communities that are generally overlooked or underrepresented. As a visual artist, it is my pleasure to use public art as a tool to highlight and recognize those communities, families and individuals.”