Uncrowned Community Builders

Buffalo native April Baskin is passionate about community development for social change. As a former college drop-out April is conscious of the systemic challenges many women, people of color, and impoverished communities experience in terms of the education credentials needed for economic development. She is especially committed to serving under-serviced populations. April had difficulties adjusting to traditional pedagogy styles throughout grade school and high school, and often received failing grades. When she found her strengths lied in the arts, she quickly discovered unique ways to improve her study skills. From 2005-2014 April developed arts in academic curricula for public schools throughout the Bronx and Brooklyn N.Y.

In 2015 April developed The College Simulation Experience which uses arts based experiential learning to increase college retention rates in low-income populations in Western New York . She is dedicated to using creative learning methods as a platform for equipping youth who are lacking in resources with the tools needed to fully take advantage of the advancing educational opportunities afforded to them.

April holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from SUNY Empire State College, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs at Buffalo State College. Recognizing that children and teens are the future leaders of our communities, she advocates for imaginative expression in youth as a means of enhancing their social-emotional behaviors, communicative and public speaking aptitude, and community-building skills. April has facilitated workshops, directed stage productions, and instructed advanced-level public school courses in theatre, dance, creative writing, and fine arts.

April is a member of the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, and was honored with their Community Engagement Award in May 2017. April was also honored with a 2017 Woman Touching The World Award by Unlimited Possibilities Overcoming Poverty Inc. She serves on The Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative's Buffalo Taskforce. April is a member of the NAACP Buffalo Chapter, Leadership Niagara class of '17 and a graduate of the Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs (MWEE) program sponsored by the University of Buffalo.

In November 2017 April was elected to represent district 2 of the Erie County Legislature in the state of New York. She currently serves as the Body's Majority Leader, and Chairwoman of the Public Safety and Minority and Women Enterprise committees. Most recently April was a 2018 finalist for the international ATHENA Award in the Buffalo-Niagara region, and appointed to serve on the Erie County Industrial Development Agency Policy Committee, Erie County Central Police Services Board of Trustees, Erie County MWBE Utilization Advisory Board and The UB Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Board.