From Alphonso O'Neil-White's eighth-floor downtown office on West Genesee Street, the view of the Buffalo outer harbor and the burgeoning downtown landscape is inspiring.

O'Neil-White, the president and CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and a member of the Cultures of Giving Legacy Initiative Council, shared his view of the city and his success story with 20 students from Buffalo schools Monday.

O'Neil-White spoke at the council's second "Success Looks Like Me" event about his journey and what it takes to be successful, and he answered students' questions about his job and how he made it to the top of BlueCross BlueShield.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, an actor and director and a Lackawanna native, spoke at the council's first event in May.

The council, made up of multicultural leaders from across the city, is a collaborative, philanthropic effort to make a difference in the lives of young people living in Buffalo's low-income communities.

"Students can read about success in newspapers or in books, but until they see it up close and personal - I think it has a much better impact on them," O'Neil-White said. "One of the things the council is trying to achieve is giving them access to a variety of experiences, people and situations. So they know that they have choices, and for them to get a fix on what choice they might make when the time comes."

The council works with the Boys and Girls Club of Buffalo, the Buffalo Urban League and the Belle Center to find students in a low-income and challenging environment who demonstrate leadership qualities. Recently the council established a partnership with the Buffalo Public Schools and hopes to broaden its reach in the community.

W. Charles Brady, director of social studies for Buffalo Public Schools, said the council is doing commendable work and is mak

ing a difference.

"It allows students to interact with people that had similar situations, and now those individuals are able to give back," Brady said. "They can show young people how to be successful."

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A front-row seat to success