Focused on What Counts: “The People” MEET RENATO GRAHAM

When I thought of which Uncrowned King in our community I have not highlighted in this publication, I ironically received a text message about the free piano class offered in my Community! 

I have known Renato Graham as a community advocate for over 10 years. He has worked tirelessly for and in the community. He has received recognition from the Mayor’s Office, County Legislator’s Office, and Senator Tim Kennedy’s Office, amongst many others! He has also been recognized and awarded a “Father of The Year!”

Renato’s main efforts have been to help residents of low-income households residing in Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority apartments realize their full potential as residents and the power they have collectively.

He’s met much resistance from a lot of people throughout the years. Tenants that have misunderstood the realities of his limitations in his various leadership positions have brought issues to him. Without much hesitation, he empowers them to take the initiative to resolve the problems on their own within their rights as tenants within the framework of tenant councils formed at various complexes. When the complex didn’t have a functioning Tenant Council, he encouraged them to begin one! He had even encouraged me to run for the President of the Resident Council at A.D. Price – which I did, and I won and held the position for a little over a year. Renato had also worked with the Employment Opportunity Center, a job training & acquisition assistance program.

For a couple of years, he assisted people in public housing to acquire full-time jobs and/or in learning a trade so that they may eventually move out of public housing.

Unfortunately, that program somehow lost funding despite gaining traction and getting results. Your guess about why this happens to programming in Buffalo, NY is as good as ours.

For many years, I’ve helped Renato Graham in various campaigns for leadership positions in BMHA as a President of the Resident Council of Lakeview Homes, President of the Resident Advisory Board – which oversees all Resident Councils under BMHA – and most recently as a Tenant Representative Commissioner at BMHA. All these positions are tenant-driven elections with special elections held throughout BMHA with the assistance of the League of Women Voters Buffalo, NY. 

Since 2020 he’s helped with community food drives for many of the elderly and shut-in at the many BMHA high-rise apartments throughout the pandemic. 

In the past few months, he has worked diligently at reigniting Life at the Martha Mitchell Community Center with Food Drives & Food Distribution. As well as cultural programming and offerings, all for free. Monday nights, there are Community Piano Classes, and being added this month: Drumming and Percussion Classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays. My son is a participant in the piano classes, and I am looking forward to seeing their Recital in June!

Renato Graham is also the Owner and CEO of Ragtime Multimedia, a photography, video production & editing business. You can count on him to bring your family and community events to print and video for live viewing or future reflection. 

You can follow him on Facebook to stay connected to “Renato Graham” and all he does for the community. You can also follow the “BMHA Tenant Council/Resident Advisory Board” Facebook Page. You will witness that Renato Graham truly is “Focused on what Counts, The People!”