Hello, my name is Elia J. Callahan. 

I have been a resident of Buffalo all my life. I have gone to Westminster Community Charter School, Tapestry Charter School, and I graduated from Nardin Academy. During my time at Nardin, I along with my other friends founded clubs at school. One of these clubs was called Challenging Injustices in Society. Due to the changing world, my friends and I created a petition for Nardin’s handbook to include anti-racist policies. We created a petition and it got 10,000+ signatures. Many people reached out to me thanking me for pushing change. There, I learned important lessons, using my voice and community. 

Now, currently in 2026 I see another reason to create change. Parking at college campuses. College tuition is already expensive enough. I attend Buffalo State College, and the parking is terrible. I have heard from faculty, staff and students that commute that parking is an increasingly stressful problem. I also teach on UB South Campus and I hear from UB students how parking is terrible. On top of that, to pay to park at a school you already pay money towards seems like predatory practice. What is the need to require students to pay for parking? We attend the school, go to class, and why should we add another obstacle to our education. I am petitioning for free parking, not just at Buffalo State but at all college campuses across Western New York. 

Thank you,

Elia Callahan.