Buffalo mayor appoints new city historian and poet laureate

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Mayor Byron Brown appointed Lindsey Lauren Visser as City of Buffalo historian and Aitina Fareed-Cooke as the city’s new poet laureate Monday.

Visser is a graduate of the University of Oxford and a historian specializing in the Western New York region. She serves as the executive director of the Niagara Aerospace Museum and has recently been featured on the American History Hit podcast with Don Wildman. Visser is the vice president of membership and outreach for the Niagara Frontier Council of Social Studies.

Fareed-Cooke is a creative arts strategist, national recording artist, and founder of media arts production company, Get Fokus’d Productions. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Buffalo State University and currently serves there as a foundation board member. Fareed-Cooke will create poetry for Women’s History Month and other such key moments in Buffalo’s timeline.

“We are honoring two women who are very important to the culture of our city,” said Mayor Brown. “Both women are exceptional in their commitment to our community, and we couldn’t have picked a better time than Women’s History Month to honor them. I have every confidence that they will serve our city well and with compassion and dedication.”

Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 is a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.