Debadrita Sur

Multimedia Journalist and Content Creator

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Articles I write:

Buffalo News •

25-mile walk Saturday from Niagara Square to Niagara Falls aims to draw attention to Gaza, cease-fire efforts

Hasan Abuolba was 14 when he escaped Gaza and sought asylum in Rochester. He left behind his mother, his five sisters and several other relatives but brought with him severe PTSD and memories of the 2014 war.

A decade later, with almost 150 family members dead, Abuolba is back on the same prescribed PTSD medication as he seeks to rescue what is left of his family in the Middle East.

“This war is just a lot different than any war we’ve seen,” he said of the Hamas invasion of Israel on Oct. 7 an
Buffalo News •

Safety advocates say to keep pedestrians safe, redesign streets

“It’s been designed over the past 80 years to just be automobile dominated,” said Jones, a planner for GObike Buffalo who was once a licensed civil engineer for the Town of Tonawanda. “People outside of a vehicle have been marginalized physically and literally to the edges and funding mechanisms have not been in place or have been at the lowest priority to provide walkability and the ability to bike.”

The issue has taken on a renewed sense of urgency in recent months. Since November, at least 1
Buffalo News •

'This is a crisis': Pedestrian fatalities on the rise nationally and in Western New York

Since November, at least 11 pedestrians in Western New York have died after being hit by a motor vehicle. The fatalities have often happened on busy thoroughfares, but not always. They have involved cars, trucks and motorcycles.

A new analysis from 2023 showed a slight drop in the rates with around 3,373 pedestrian fatalities in the United States in the first half of 2023. Despite the “modest 4% decrease,” pedestrian deaths have risen at a steady 14% rate since 2019.

Local communities have bee
Buffalo News •

For recent arrivals to Buffalo, the Bills started as a curiosity. But the passion found them

As difficult as this may be for members of Bills Mafia and even casual football fans to understand, I am far from the only person living in Western New York who not only didn’t know how to complete the sentence “The Bills make me wanna ... “ but could watch an entire Bills game and have no clue what is happening.

I, like thousands of recent immigrants to the United States who call Buffalo home, am not from here. I spent the first 22 years of my life in my hometown of Kolkata, India, population
Buffalo News •

Erie County's homeless need to travel to downtown Buffalo to keep housing. Do they have the means?

The distance between these hotels and the DSS office has proved to be a “transportation nightmare” for residents due to the lack of adequate public transportation, she said. Some have to walk for more than 40 minutes to get to a bus stop, and many of the suburban hotels are on busy roads with no or sporadic sidewalks.

“It is generally not an issue that local government has the capacity to address,” Silverman added. Local governments usually apply for funding at the federal and state levels to p
Buffalo News •

'Take a stand': Parents, teachers frustrated at Sweet Home's response to antisemitic acts

“I am still devastated that my children had to leave the school district that we reside in,” Shoshana Milich, who has pulled two of her children from Sweet Home schools, told The Buffalo News in a series of text messages. “It seems like no one cares. My children have questioned their self-worth. I, myself, have struggled with big decisions and weighing priorities regarding their safety, emotional health and education. It has been a very trying time.”
Buffalo News •

Momentum Choir fosters friendship and belonging as members raise their voices

Momentum Choir, previously known as Momentum Western New York, was established in 2016, modeled after the Canadian group Momentum Niagara. The group is made up of 13 members, ranging in age from 22 to 69, all of whom have disabilities. Founded by Dr. Joni Milgram-Luterman, the group initially started off with 10 members. While Milgram-Luterman wanted to grow the choir exponentially, the pandemic changed that plan. But it had one positive outcome: It let people who were otherwise unable to be a p
Buffalo News •

'It's changed me in a good way': Pastor reflects on 25 years of spending Thanksgiving week with homeless

The face of homelessness has changed over the years. When he first started, Johns remembered seeing more single, middle-aged men on the streets. Over the years, the number of unhoused women and children has increased. While the population went down before the pandemic, there are nearly 1,594 homeless people in Western New York, according to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York’s January Point In Time data.

Johns’ team had a hard time finding a place to sleep. Their usual go-to spot, the Ex
Buffalo News •

'It really breaks my heart': Palestinian Americans in Buffalo worry about the Israel-Hamas war impact here, abroad

The New York chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, CAIR-NY, reported receiving more requests for help in the first four weeks after the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 than in the previous four months. As of Nov. 4, the national organization received 1,283 complaints nationwide since the war began, claiming an “unprecedented” rise in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias-related incidents.

“It hurt me to do that, but I did it for the safety of my family,” said the man, who recalled ve
Buffalo News •

'Violence perpetuates violence': Israeli-Hamas war vigils become more common in WNY

"What I believe is wrong is the innocent lives that have been impacted,” she said, including women and children. “Fifty percent of the population is under the age of 18, and they really are feeling the impact of violence, when they don't even have a choice in the matter."

"To be clear: our coalition stands firmly against antisemitism in all forms," the group said in a statement. "We do not support violence against innocent Israeli civilians and we do not support Hamas’ attacks on civilians on O
Buffalo News •

'It gives us a sense of belonging': Buffalo considers allowing mosques to broadcast prayer calls without red tape

“It was just a thing that you grew up with,” said Tazwar, who moved to Buffalo eight years ago. “It wasn’t any different then, but when you come here, you realize (what it means) because you don’t hear it anymore.”

Minneapolis became the first city in the United States in spring 2022 to allow the public broadcast of the Adhan – a short prayer that peals out at a decibel level similar to church bells – without seeking a special permit each time.

“With this, we’ll be able to foster a city that r
Buffalo News •

Hochul announces resources to address hate amid rising Middle East tensions, including on college campuses

The state announced $3 million to help law enforcement agencies expand the state Red Flag law for hate crimes and bias-motivated threats, adding vigilance to keep guns out of the hands of those who could harm others. State Police will bolster its Social Media Analysis Unit at the New York State Intelligence Center to monitor publicly available social media activity for credible threats by white supremacists and Nazi organizations. And an additional $50 million will be allocated to agencies acros
Buffalo News •

Hamburg, Williamsville, Aurora join the ranks of state climate smart communities

All three were the latest Western New York municipalities deemed climate smart by New York State earlier this month, opening doors for new funding streams unavailable to communities who have yet to start thinking green.

All three newly certified communities are now gearing up for a silver certification as they work closely with the University at Buffalo Regional Institute to provide detailed paperwork to score 300 points and take six priority actions.

New initiatives in Aurora will include com
Buffalo News •

'We will never forget his service and sacrifice': Tonawanda World War II veteran awarded highest French military honor

“John Gojmerac served our nation with honor and distinction and we are in awe of his courage, warrior ethos and true grit displayed on the battlefield,” Norrie said. “John is a Dogface Soldier and I’m proud to call myself one, too. His duty to his country serves as an example of people doing extraordinary things when answering the Nation’s call and we will never forget his service and sacrifice.”

He saved his fellow soldiers from walking into the jaws of German machine gun fire by asking them t
Buffalo News •

'Heartbreaking': Shelters across Western New York dealing with too many animals, not enough adoptions

"We desperately need people to come adopt," said Cait Daly, president and CEO of SPCA serving Erie County. "Adoptions are slowing down as more people are buying animals than they are adopting, especially dogs. So now is the time to donate and to adopt."

The problem got plenty of attention last week when Cheektowaga police posted on Facebook that the town's animal shelter was so full that dogs not adopted would have to be euthanized.

“The Town of Cheektowaga does not run an animal kill shelter,
Buffalo News •

Buffalo women were headed to Israel for trip of lifetime. Now, they now wait, wonder and worry

The excursion was sponsored by the Buffalo Jewish Federation, in collaboration with the group "Momentum" – formerly "Jewish Women's Renaissance Project" – which describes itself as "a global movement focused on the greatest influencer – the Jewish mother." The trip is meant to help Jewish women get in touch with their roots and culture.

For Brecher, a former reporter for WIVB-TV who is now a marketing coordinator for Excelsior Orthopaedics, the trip was supposed to be a "second chance" to not o
Buffalo News •

Literacy Buffalo Niagara seeks to keep changing lives, one at a time

A lot has changed since that February day in 2021 in Tri’Q Nails in Alden. And the story of how Trang transformed from a person who was so insecure about her ability to converse in English that she barely spoke into one who became adept enough in her second language that she was able to become a U.S. citizen is all about her determination and the organization Schafer leads: Literacy Buffalo Niagara.

Literacy Buffalo Niagara has more than 200 students representing nearly 34 countries and speakin
Buffalo News •

'Beyond belief': Anguish and anger as scenes from Israel horrify Buffalo's Jewish community

"Jewish people, both individuals, and communities are shaken to the core," Abramovich said Tuesday. "We are devastated by the cruelties and horrors inflicted on children, the elderly, on our brothers and sisters. We are devastated and shocked by the magnitude of what has happened: the mass killing of the greatest number of Jews since the Holocaust. The Jewish world is so very small, and we all know someone, or many, who are being impacted: who have died, lost loved ones, who are being called to
uPolitics •

After Judge Admonishes Trump For His 'Inflammatory' Comments, Ex President Continues To Defy Order

On Friday, District Judge Tanya Chutkan warned former President Donald Trump and his lawyer against his “inflammatory” public statements that could lead her to take drastic action against him by opting for a speedier trial on criminal charges regarding his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The hearing was held to help Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team of prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers reach a common ground regarding the disputes in the case, following Smith’s appeal for a protectiv
uPolitics •

Trump's Twitter Direct Messages Handed Over To Special Counsel Jack Smith

According to new court documents, Special Counsel Jack Smith obtained a search warrant earlier this year to investigate former President Donald Trump’s official Twitter account.

It has now been revealed that the information turned over included his private Direct Messages (DMs).

Twitter, now X, initially refused to comply with the January 17 warrant, which led a federal court to hold them in contempt and levy a hefty $350,000 fine. The warrant also had a “nondisclosure order,” which prevented
uPolitics •

Trump & 18 Allies Charged With Fraudulently Attempting To Overturn 2020 Election In Georgia

Former President Donald Trump was indicted in Georgia on Monday along with 18 other allies for attempting to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss in the state.

After an incriminating 2021 phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was released, Fulton Country DA Fani Willis began investigating the former president.

Trump was charged by prosecutors under the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) law which is usually used against mobsters
uPolitics •

Trump Supporters Mock DeSantis At Iowa State, Leading To Bar Brawl

As the 2024 presidential candidate race gains momentum, the Iowa State Fair featured conflicts between supporters of Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. The two groups engaged in heated fights and sparring to assert dominance, including an actual fight at a dive bar in Des Moines.

Trump is facing a host of legal charges due to his involvement in the attempt to overturn the 2020 elections. However, his fans seem to be steadfast in their support for him and made it difficult for DeSantis to express hi

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Photos I take:

Labor Day Parade. © Debadrita Sur

Coney Island. © Debadrita Sur

Lake Ontario. © Debadrita Sur

National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2022. © Debadrita Sur

New York City subway. © Debadrita Sur

Encampment Sweep at Chinatown. © Debadrita Sur

Fenced in, Kolkata. © Debadrita Sur

Labor Day Parade. © Debadrita Sur

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Audio vox pops I make:

"The imagination, like certain wild animals, will not breed in captivity."

George Orwell