my home city was a top 5 most populated u.s. city in the 1950s, when my grandparents met. now it's not.

buffalo was built for trade. the erie canal made it a capital between the atlantic, the midwest, and canada. frederick law olmsted designed our delaware park. frank lloyd wright built the darwin martin house.

then, it hollowed out. factories were abandoned on the canal. wealth spun out to the suburbs. redlining fractured downtown neighborhoods, particularly the east side. food deserts and struggling schools followed.

but a comeback is brewing. low cost of living, strong universities, 43North, and strong programs at UB, show the trajectory.

in my research of other cities, i thought about how buffalo would leverage its own unique strengths on the comeback. we have cheerful humor, hard workers, and a little bit of culture - city of good neighbors.

buffalo's edge lies in its people - who champion its snowy winters.

at harvard i drew plans for an incubator platform. relocate Series B+ startups, hire sales and stem talent, move more young people to downtown buffalo.

in new york, i thought about the arts. buffalo has the goo goo dolls, a rap music scene, and the AKG Gallery - one of the oldest in the country.

and when i'm home in buffalo, it's everywhere. we have chicken wings. century-old architecture. a clock-shaped city grid. the things i took for granted as a kid are assets.

emphasize education, create young jobs, empower young artists, paint more murals.

if buffalo wins a stanley cup or super bowl, we'll really be in business.