Providence Monthly January 2022 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Providence Monthly January 2022

WHO TO WATCH 2022 10 names you need to know right now with big plans for Providence

FINANCE GUIDE Simple strategies for taking stock and setting goals

14 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: Coal tar oil leaks into Seekonk River from Tidewater site

16 A Providence organization at the center of Afghan refugee resettlement

FOOD & DRINK

18 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Hyper local news and contact listings

25 Juicing into the New Year with healthy bevvie kyosk

22 RHODY GEM: Permanent jewelry storefront perfect for special occasions

26 EXPERIENCE: New gastropub menu of casual cool cuisine

Photo courtesy of Dorcas International Institute of RI

30 IN THE KITCHEN: The chef-owner behind longstanding Indian restaurant 32 FOOD NEWS: Cocktails on Federal Hill, Providence Restaurant Weeks & a brewery’s new move

65 HOME: A PVD family ditches the house for a tiny home on wheels 74 SHOP: A sampling of goods from RI’s own online directory 76 RHODY READS: Tomes with local ties to start your 2022 book list

Photo courtesy of Liz Welch

11 Scholarship opportunity champions equity and engagement

LIFE & STYLE

ART & CULTURE 79 New ceramics studio in South Elmwood offers community and inspo

Photo courtesy of Spike Stone

Photo courtesy of Fully Rooted

NEWS & CITY LIFE

82 Pandemic informs latest effort by Providence vocalist-songwriter 84 Two non-profits team up for a performance on social justice 86 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s 88 PIC OF PVD

On The Cover: Who to Watch 2022 at the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge. Top (L to R): Lois Harada, Amber Jackson, Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor, Adrienne Gagnon, Ray Nuñez, Liza Burkin; Bottom (L to R): Travis Escobar, Dwayne Keys, Julio Berroa (Haus of Codec), Jennifer McClendon. Photography by Nicholas DelGiudice

These elegant 1-4 bedroom/1-2 bath lofts have it all—style, location, comfort and convenience—everything you want, rolled into a chic, animal-friendly apartment community you’ll love coming home to! Residents also enjoy access to an assortment of tastefully appointed on-site amenities including fitness center, theatre room, indoor putting green & basketball court, pet washing station, game room, rooftop deck and outdoor patio. Convenient on-site storage and garage parking are also available! Contact us for your personal tour TODAY! 401.204.1603 | usrubberlofts.com | 12 Eagle Street, Providence, RI

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ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

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ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

MONTHLY

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

General Manager & Creative Director Nick DelGiudice

Editor in Chief Elyse Major

Managing Editor Abbie Lahmers

Editor Karen Greco Digital Media Manager Sascha Martin Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas

Happy New Year FROM ALL OF US AT SPITZ WEISS

Senior Editorial Designer Abigail Brown

Senior Designer Taylor Gilbert

Shelley Cavoli

Thank You For A Great Year! Look Forward to Serving You In 2022!

Louann DiMuccio-Darwich Ann Gallagher Kristine Mangan Olf Elizabeth Riel Interested in advertising? Email Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com Contributing Photographers Kayla Mandeville

Rebecca Zilenziger

Amy Mendillo

From the East Side of Providence, Providence, Pawtucket, Cranston, Rumford, Barrington, West Greenwich, Lincoln & Westerly

Contributing Writers Ken Abrams

Rose Kenyon

Katarina Dulude

Hugh Minor

Adam Hogue

Ann O’Neill

Interested in writing? Email Abbie@ProvidenceOnline.com

Looking for an internship? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com

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ALEEN WEISS

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785 HOPE STREET PROVIDENCE • 401-272-6161 • SPITZWEISS.COM ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

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NEWS & CITY LIFE E n v i r o n m e n t | R e f u g e e R e l i e f | N e i g h b o r h o o d N ew s | R h o d y G e m

A Platform for Change Papitto Opportunity Connection launches scholarship for high school students combining funding with meaningful engagement How would you spend $1,000,000 to create change for Black, Indigeneous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities in Rhode Island? That’s the essential, and only, question asked in the application for the Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC) Transform Rhode Island Scholarship, an opportunity targeting high school students residing in the state. “We’re looking for a million dollar idea, and with that idea a seat at the table to explore how to make that dream a reality,” explains POC board member Marcy Reyes. Not only does the scholarship provide funds for students to pursue their education but also the chance to develop a strategy to implement their award-winning answer. Photo courtesy of Papitto Opportunity Center ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Scho l ar shi p | By Hugh Minor

“This scholarship provides an amazing opportunity for young adults,” Reyes says. “At this level of support, these students can really feel free to explore their ideas to implement change in their community.” For students of color enrolling in higher education, obstacles beyond academics, like paying for housing and health care, can often create barriers in their path to success. Recognizing this challenge after listening to many voices, POC launched the Transform RI Scholarship to begin to close the gap between need and aid. “We developed this program after speaking with community members about what type of assistance would have the greatest impact,” says Reyes. Ultimately, the scholarship

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

provides a support system, both financially and socially. In addition to receiving funding, awardees will be connected to networks of successful Rhode Islanders who can provide guidance and mentorship. Reyes offers, “So many people we spoke to want to help. They want to step up to a role that exposes young people to social capital in a way they wouldn’t have experienced otherwise.” The scholarship does not require financial need – just a good idea. Students can get creative about how they answer the question, too, in the form of a 1,000-word essay, video, or multimedia presentation. Three scholarships will be awarded, in the amounts of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000, to

be used for broadly defined educational expenses, including tuition, housing, and health care. If their million dollar idea is accepted, winners will also be brought into the implementation process so they can experience firsthand how their solution impacts their community. The Papitto Opportunity Connection was founded to help BIPOC communities overcome systemic barriers, and this scholarship is just one effort to that end. “We’ve already invested in a considerable number of local organizations that are doing great work in communities throughout the state,” says Reyes. “With this scholarship, we can focus on giving individuals a platform to make a difference. We’re excited to see what happens next.” Learn more at POCFoundation.com/TransformRI.

Photo courtesy of Papitto Opportunity Connection

Through the Transform Rhode Island Scholarship, the Papitto Opportunity Connection seeks to engage students in equity initiatives

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A Sincere 'Thank You' from Nelson, Robert, Ben K., Will, Katie, Karen, Ben G., and Robin

With 2021 behind us and a bright and hopeful 2022 on the horizon, we at THE BLACKSTONE TEAM would like to thank you - our community, clients, and friends - for letting us be a part of your lives this past year. We had the honor of representing over 160 individuals and families moving up, moving on, moving in, and building wealth. Thank you for allowing us to guide you in your real estate decisions. Cheers to the new year!

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ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Env i r o nme nt | Sofie Rudin

In partnership with The Public’s Radio • ThePublicsRadio.org

Coal Tar Oil Leaks into Seekonk River from Tidewater Site Coal byproducts leaked into the Seekonk River at the Tidewater Landing construction site. That’s the spot where a new professional soccer stadium is planned in Pawtucket. Two boats motored back in forth on the Seekonk River Thursday morning [December 2], towing white, absorbent booms in their wake. The smell of gas hung in the air. “We also see crews walking along the shoreline to the south of the site, with different absorbent materials,” pointed out Mike Jarbeau, Baykeeper for the environmental nonprofit Save The Bay, from a picnic table across the river. The crews were working to contain and clean up coal byproducts leaching from the soil of the nearby Tidewater site. For the second time in four weeks, oil got past the system of floating booms meant to keep it from contaminating the river. This is the spot where Fortuitous Partners plans to build a professional soccer stadium, accompanied by apartment buildings and retail space. But before the stands can be built and

turf laid down, the site’s industrial history needs to be dealt with. The Pawtucket Gas Company built a gas manufacturing plant here in 1881 that converted coal, oil and tar into gas for lighting and electricity, according to National Grid. Over the next 90 years, byproducts of the manufacturing process, in coal tar and other toxins, soaked into the soil. National Grid now owns the property. The company began remediation work earlier this year, which will involve removing contaminated soil and capping the site. In the process, they removed a temporary cap, allowing gas byproducts to leach into the river. According to National Grid, booms had been set up in the water to capture contaminants during the cleanup work, but a portion of the oil breached the booms yesterday. “That breach has resulted in a sheen that can now be seen on the water,” National Grid

spokesperson Ted Kresse said in a statement. Kresse said a current likely pushed the oil beneath the surface, below the reach of the absorbent boom at the surface. The curtain hanging below the boom, he said, is designed to catch silt, not oil. “This is not how regulatory bodies or communities should ever, ever have to find out about oil spills–particularly when those spills are hazardous to human, animal, and ecological health. Entities involved in remediation have the obligation to communicate clearly and promptly about this and any related issue,” she wrote. Kresse said National Grid immediately notified the state Department of Environmental Management and the National Response Center. “And we are taking additional actions to limit any further impacts, including deploying more soft and hard booms and additional matting for absorption,” he said.

Photo by Sofie Rudin, courtesy of The Public’s Radio

An absorbent boom downstream of the Tidewater site.

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

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This is the second time that DEM received reports of contaminants leaching from the site. An earlier report on November 12th followed a period of rough weather that “compromised the boom,” said DEM spokesperson Mike Healey. Healey described the gas products as “non-recoverable,” meaning that once the material escapes the boom, it’s nearly impossible to remove from the river. On Friday, a DEM marine biologist visited the site to inspect fish that had washed up on the banks of the river. “She found only one species of dead fish: menhaden, a baitfish that is among the most abundant fish species on the East Coast,” Healey said in an email. If multiple fish and bird species had been found dead, he said it would “likely indicate a wider-scale contamination or poisoning due to the release of liquid coal byproducts on Wednesday. The menhaden most likely died, however, due to cold shock, which they’re susceptible to.” The Seekonk River is a relatively undeveloped stretch of water that connects the heavily industrialized Blackstone River to the Providence River, which then flows into Narragansett Bay. “You can get striped bass, bluefish at the right time of year. Lots of birds, lots of other small baitfish. So it’s a recovering ecosystem,” said Mike Jarbeau of Save The Bay. “I would say the Seekonk historically has had quite a few issues. A very industrial past. But it’s an up-and-coming area that people are really rediscovering along the river.” Of the slick, he added, “I just hope it’s being dealt with appropriately and it’s not gonna harm the ecosystem in the long run.” Note: This story was updated Friday afternoon [Dec. 3, 2021], after a DEM biologist visited the site to assess the cause of fish deaths on the river. Reporter Sofie Rudin can be reached a SRudin@ThePublicsRadio.org

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

Re fuge e Re l i e f | By Katarina Dulude

Resettling Efforts Welcome Afghan Families Providence-based nonprofit Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island channels efforts into resettling Afghan evacuees with the help of community donations

In the middle of August last year, Americans were confronted with chaotic and heartbreaking images of Afghan civilians desperately trying to escape the country as Kabul fell to the Taliban mere days before America officially withdrew from Afghanistan. Many refugees were evacuated to America and other countries, but many more Afghans in need were left behind. Rhode Island welcomed its first family of Afghan refugees in November 2021. Leading resettlement efforts is Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island. From its campuses on Elmwood Avenue, in the coming months they will resettle a total of approximately 250 evacuees: approximately 150 refugees on their own and an additional 100 in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. Through a variety of programs, Dorcas International Institute, a nonprofit, “serves and

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

helps the underserved and anyone who seeks to call Rhode Island home,” explains their public relations director Julie Cofone. “In a nutshell, we aren’t only serving immigrants and refugees, but we’re also serving those here in Rhode Island, wherever they’re coming from, whether they’re native born or not.” Dorcas International offers a holistic approach, providing all means of aid, including immigration services like legal assistance, language services, work training, mental health counseling, cultural lessons, and necessities like food, housing, clothing, furniture, hygiene products, and more, all under one organization. “Say you even just take one client – father, mother, children – each individual in the family will need different help,” shares Cofone. “Not just housing. Not just resettlement and legal help to get on the path towards citizenship and

staying in America and building your American life, but everything else that goes with it from clothing supplies to the furnishing of the apartment to health care and navigating some of these systems in Rhode Island, navigating public school, navigating after-school child care, anything that they need to help them catch up.” The 150 Afghan refugees Dorcas International is resettling are in addition to the 150 they take annually from countries like Guatemala, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Iraq, totalling 300 refugees in 2021. The immediate response to the withdrawal from Afghanistan in Rhode Island was incredible, according to Cofone. “Ever since the news broke and started sort of turning up in everyone’s living room, our email and phones started ringing with people wanting to help, knowing, thinking in their minds, ‘Will we have

Photos courtesy of Dorcas International Institute of RI

Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island provides a holistic approach to aiding refugee families

Looking to Make a Move in 2022? CALL

Gerri Schiffman (401) 474-3733

them coming here? Are people coming to Rhode Island? We want to help.’” Cofone shares three main ways Rhode Islanders can help. The first is monetary donations. “We know 250 people are coming, but that’s give or take. We don’t know the family sizes – are they families, are they individuals, how old are the kids, what are the kids’ needs, what is the health of the family or individuals?” Because there’s a lot of information about the resettled refugees they won’t know until about a week before arrival, Cofone explains, “The monetary donations are very helpful. It allows resettlement efforts to be spent on goods, housing, medical – anything that’s needed for the people coming.” The second way to help is by donating household goods, from used clothing and furniture to hygiene products, cleaning

products, and baby items like diapers. Third, Dorcas needs volunteers, both for pre-arrival needs like moving assistance and apartment set up and post-arrival efforts such as mentoring families and helping them acclimate to tasks like grocery shopping and paying bills. For those who have the space, this can also include volunteering your home or an apartment for refugees in need of temporary housing. Meanwhile, Dorcas International reached a milestone in 2021: 100 years of supporting immigrants in Rhode Island. They’ll be celebrating their centennial on June 23 this summer at WaterFire Arts Center, along with hosting several smaller events leading up to it. For more information about how to help Afghan refugees resettling in Rhode Island, visit AfghanReliefRI.org.

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@schiffmansells ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

N e i ghbo r ho o d News | Curated by Abbie Lahmers

Neighborhood News A space made available to Providence’s neighborhood associations free of charge.

HOT TOPICS An overview of what’s happening around the city right now

Brown disregards pleas, moves forward with demo for new dorms As many Fox Point residents know, The Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) joined a coalition of neighborhood leaders last spring and summer to send letters of concern to Brown University President Christina Paxson regarding the university’s plans to build two large dormitories on Brook Street – and in doing so, demolish three historic homes and displace several local businesses. The coalition also circulated a petition that was signed by over 1,100 neighbors. The result? The university will proceed with the project largely as planned. While the coalition acknowledged early on that Brown would likely move ahead with construction, the group had hoped for concessions in order to reduce the scale of the designs, save the homes, and retain the businesses. While Paxson and other university leaders listened to neighbors at an in-person meeting last September and made minor adjustments to the designs of the dorms, by and large they did not compromise. The university has since broken ground on the project. Coalition leaders responded with a flurry of public missives. Nick Cicchitelli of FPNA, Brent Runyon of the Providence Preservation Society, and City Councilor John Goncalves have all published opinions admonishing Brown’s handling of the matter. Neighbor Liz Mauran expresses, “It is disheartening to see how Brown University treats our diverse neighborhood as though it doesn’t matter.” Vincent Buonanno, a lifelong College Hill resident, Brown alumnus, and trustee emeritus, describes Brown’s behavior as “arrogance.” While the coalition’s pleas with Brown did not end how neighbors had hoped, leaders at FPNA say they are pleased with the visibility of the public statements. And they plan to continue this advocacy in the months to come, particularly regarding the related topics of historic protections and zoning.

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Here’s to a Bright New Photo by Amy Mendillo

Year Ahead!

Brown proceeds with dorm construction plans largely unchanged despite Fox Point neighbors’ requests to scale down

PPS continues efforts toward preserving Prince Hall Masonic Temple December 25, 2021 marked the one-year anniversary of the tragic fire that burned South Providence’s Prince Hall Masonic Temple, and the cause of said fire remains under investigation. Originally built in 1898 as the Eddy Street School and later renamed after Revolutionary War veteran Prince Hall, the building acquired much of its current significance through its association with Providence’s Black community. The temple served as a central meeting place for the local neighborhood, as many held birthday and wedding celebrations there, while also being the base for the Masons’ charitable work, which included voter registration and toy drives. Until recently the temple was also the home of Providence’s chapter of the NAACP, as well as hosting the Acacia Club in its basement, which featured local jazz musicians. The role of the freemasons and civil rights are embedded in the building itself.

The Providence Preservation Society added the Prince Hall Masonic Temple to their 2021 list of Most Endangered Properties to call attention to the destruction caused by the fire, the rich history of the building, and to bring awareness to fundraising efforts towards rebuilding. This work is ongoing today; PPS participates in twice monthly meetings with the rebuilding team and experts to support their work and has secured a small grant. As research into the building’s history continues and rebuilding proposals are being evaluated, PPS maintains its work with development consultants to identify additional sources of much needed funding. PPS is hopeful that grant funding will help to ensure an outcome that includes preservation and reuse of the historic structure, to the benefit of the community and the important civic and cultural institution it represents.

Call Joe Roch

401-440-7483 Happily helping buyers and sellers in Providence and throughout Rhode Island

Improvements coming to Locust Grove Cemetery in Elmwood On November 17, the Providence Parks Department hosted a Zoom meeting about proposed improvements to Locust Grove Cemetery, which was attended by Elmwood Neighborhood Association members. As per the proposal, the main entryway on Elmwood Avenue will include new posts with placards containing historical information, a metal archway with the name of the cemetery, and lighting. The gateways on both Elmwood Avenue and Melrose Street will differentiate vehicular and pedestrian ac-

cess, and the walkway through the cemetery will be improved, with luminaires replaced or repaired. Chain-link fencing along Potters Avenue will be replaced, overgrown trees trimmed back, and more trees planted. Construction is due to begin in late spring or early summer. Locust Grove is the City’s second-largest cemetery after North Burial Ground on North Main Street. A welcoming gateway at Locust Grove would match the gateway already installed at North Burial Ground.

JoeRoch.com jroch@residentialproperties.com ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

N e i ghbo r ho o d N ews

Providence Neighborhood Associations Blackstone Parks Conservancy Jane Peterson P.O. Box 603141 Providence, RI 02906 401-270-3014 BlackstoneParks@gmail.com BlackstoneParksConservancy.org College Hill Neighborhood Association Rick Champagne P.O. Box 2442 Providence, RI 02906 CHNA@chnaprovidence.org CHNAProvidence.org Downtown Neighborhood Association DNAPVD@gmail.com DNAPVD.com Facebook: Providence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA Elmwood Neighborhood Association Karen Hlynsky ENA-PVD.org Facebook: Elmwood Neighborhood Association PVD Fox Point Neighborhood Association Meeting Date: January 10 Amy Mendillo P.O. Box 2315, Providence, RI 02906 FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com FPNA.net

PPS continues efforts to preserve Prince Hall Masonic Temple in South Providence

Mount Hope Community Center 401-521-8830 MHNAInc@gmail.com Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc. Olneyville Neighborhood Association Eduardo Sandoval 122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI 02909 ONAProvidence@gmail.com Facebook: Olneyville Library Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations Info@provcna.org, ProvCNA.org Providence Preservation Society 24 Meeting Street info@ppsri.org PPSRI.org

Jewelry District Association Sharon Steele Sharon@sharonsteele.com JewelryDistrict.org Facebook: Jewelry District Association Providence, RI

Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association David Talan 25 Santiago Street. Providence, RI 02907 401-941-3662 DaveTalan@aol.com

Mile of History Association Wendy Marcus c/o Providence Preservation Society 24 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02903 MileOfHistory@gmail.com MileOfHistory.org

Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative Wole Akinbi 400 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1 AAkinbi@half-full.com Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

South Providence Neighborhood Association c/o Dwayne Keys P.O. Box 5653, Providence, RI 02903 401-369-1334 SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association Summit Neighborhood Association Meeting Date: January 17 P.O. Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940 401-400-0986 SNAProv@gmail.com SummitNeighbors.org Washington Park Neighborhood Association 237 Washington Avenue Providence, RI 02905 BettyLinda@aol.com Facebook: Washington Park Association Wayland Square Neighborhood Association Katherine Touafek Facebook: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.com West Broadway Neighborhood Association 1560 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909 401-831-9344 WBNA@wbna.org WBNA.org

Photo courtesy of Providence Preservation Society

NEWS & CITY LIFE

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

by Ab b ie La hme rs

Brave Daughters Handmade Jewelry Shop We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it! What it is: A new fine jewelry store featuring bespoke collections Forever Jewelry – claspless pieces welded on site to perfectly fit your body – and Whenever Jewelry for those less inclined to commitment, plus fun gifts from small brands.

What makes it a Rhody Gem? “Think friendship bracelets for the grown and sexy,” says Erin Myles, who, along with M Semrau, make up the Brave Daughters duo. Commemorate friendships with 14k gold permanent bracelets you’ll never have to worry about losing, or have a unique ring forged just for you with custom-cut gemstones. “The mood is choose your own adventure and all are welcome here!” says Myles. “Brave Daughters provides a space to celebrate special and important moments of your journey. Whether you choose Forever or Whenever Jewelry, it’s a perfect way to celebrate a milestone, achievement, bond, or just a long overdue day out with your buds.” In-studio appointments and private parties are welcome for a truly customized experience.

Brave Daughters 261 Knight Street BraveDaughtersPVD.com @bravedaughterspvd

Photo courtesy of Brave Daughters

Where to find it: Their just-opened Knight Street brickand-mortar is conveniently close to West End brunch spots, so groups looking to “get welded” can make a morning of it.

To submit your Rhody Gem, please email Abbie@ProvidenceOnline.com

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FOOD & DRINK Experience | In The Kitchen | Food News

Juicing Goodness RI-based food business distributes healthy bevvies with self-serve kiosks Bottles of bright green, red, or orange juices have become farmers market staples over the years, and now Fully Rooted Juice makes their health bevvies even easier to stock up on with their first ever self-serve kiosk in Wildflour Vegan Bakery in Pawtucket. With a lot of demand in cafes and markets to keep up with the juicing craze, this is a big step for Fully Rooted, which is also available via pop-ups and delivery across the state. “Cold-pressed juice cannot legally be wholesaled because it’s unpasteurized,” says co-owner Amanda Repose. “Our self-serve kiosks allow us the ability to continuously maintain control over our juices and allow us the ability to grow beyond deliveries and farmers markets.” For newbies to the trend, these benefit-packed drinks are different from your typical glass of OJ. Repose explains, “Juicing allows you to easily obtain more nutrients than you would normally be able to consume in one sitting. We use a cold-pressed method which means we do not heat the juice when we press produce or anytime after we bottle.” So all the healthy bits like living enzymes and phytonutrients aren’t cooked out of the brew. To bulk up your immune system this winter, Repose recommends Echinacea Sunrise, a Vitamin C-rich juice with pineapple, beets, and other fresh produce. “From the Earth is also a favorite as we use locally grown carrots from Four Town Farm, green apples, lemon, turmeric, and a touch of cayenne pepper. This juice is earthy, smooth, and filling,” she says. Watch for their house-made Fire Cider for a little kick this winter, too. Visit online for markets, delivery, and kiosks at FullyRooted.com. | By Abbie Lahmers Photo courtesy of Fully Rooted Juice ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

FOOD & DRINK

Expe r i e nce | By Rose Kenyon

Chill Times at the GPub A Providence gastropub reopens with elevated selections and the same inviting atmosphere

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

topped with spinach, parmesan, and roasted garlic – yet another dish I couldn’t stop eating. By the time we were thinking of dessert, around 6:30pm, the pub was just beginning to come alive with friend groups gathering for a game of pool or foosball, grabbing a beer

to watch the game, or cozying up for a threecourse meal like us. We rounded out the evening with another recommendation from Ashley: Honey Crème Brulée. As soon as we sampled the crisp layer of honey with the sweet and cool cream, we regretted sharing.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Photos by Abigail Brown

Part of the GPub initiation is finding the entrance. If you’re a newbie, there’s a good chance you enter the five-story Providence G building from Dorrance Street, are swept through the revolving door and up the elevator, and accidentally find yourself underdressed for light bites and skyline views at Rooftop (happy accident?). If you know the ropes, you head straight to the Orange Street entrance, down a set of stairs, and into the hidden basement gem we call GPub – fitting for an underground gastropub with the tagline “Speak Easy. Eat Well.” Our first time back since their recent reopening, my friend and I were excited to explore the new menu they’ve curated since closing their doors during the pandemic. The vibe includes an expansive bar, rows of family-style tables down the center, and an arcade and pool area. TVs take the place of windows, completing what I like to refer to as the “elevated sports bar aesthetic.” Though their craft cocktail menu was full of seasonal cravings – maple, apple, salted caramel, pumpkin, cranberry – we both went for Proclamation Tendrils, just one of many local options on their extensive craft beer and wine list. When our server, Ashley, suggested we kick off the meal with the Spinach Artichoke Dip, we agreed wholeheartedly. She returned with a hot castiron skillet. “Hot stuff, ladies – and I’m talking about the spinach artichoke dip,” she teased. Seeing the generous portion, we feared we may need more friends to finish it, but after one bite it was hard to stop. The epicly creamy and cheesy dip pairs perfectly with their crunchy (and addicting) house kettle chips. Going for a surf ‘n’ turf vibe, my friend built a meal out of an app and a side – the Korean Sticky Ribs and the Lobster Mashed Potatoes. The ribs, which were coated in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, were sprinkled with kimchi, toasted sesame, and scallions. Perfectly tender, the meat fell right off the bone. Again served in a cast-iron skillet, the velvety, buttery mashed potatoes complemented the generous serving of lobster surprisingly well. My entree, the Wild Mushroom Fettuccine, featured caramelized mushrooms served in a creamy, almost soup-like mascarpone sauce,

Wild Mushroom Fettuccine

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Must-Try Items Spinach and Artichoke Dip ($16) Creamy spinach dip, mozzarella, parmesan, house kettle chips

Wild Mushroom Fettuccine ($21) Caramelized mushrooms, roasted garlic, thyme, mascarpone cream sauce, parmesan, spinach

Once you visit GPub, you realize quickly it’s not a once-in-while type of place, but a spot where you want to become a regular. I would happily reorder every one of the dishes we enjoyed that evening but look forward to exploring more of GPub’s seasonal comfort selections next time.

P rovi d e nce GP ub 61 Orange Street • @provgpub GPubRestaurants.com

jdriver@residentialproperties.com ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

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FOOD & DRINK

I n T he Ki t c he n | By Ann O’Neill

Kabobs and Many Curries

Before Sanjiv Dhar was the restaurateur behind Providence’s longest-running Indian restaurant, Kabob and Curry, his earliest culinary influence may have been serving as sous chef to his grandfather in Calcutta, India, where he grew up. Dhar left home to study Culinary and Hotel Management at the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management in Salzburg, Austria, where he found time to learn German and French. He met his wife and partner Vandana, who studied hotel and catering management in Mumbai, while they both worked at the 5-star Le Méridien New Delhi. Eventually, Dhar made his way to Johnson & Wales for master’s level study and after graduation did a stint at Marriott Marquis in Times Square. While at the Marriott, Dhar was offered a working partnership at what was then a flagging Kabob and Curry. “Since I had always wanted to own my own business, I took up the challenge,” Dhar recounts.

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

In the early days, Dhar and his team stuck to a few key principles: serve meals on time, remember everyone’s name, and make them feel at home. The menu has evolved to feature popular street foods, but Dhar remembers that “Thayer Street turned out to be a fantastic location because the students and faculty from so many nearby colleges were always willing to try something different.” In turn, Kabob and Curry has always supported everything that helps Thayer Street build its brand, like the Thayer Street Arts Festival. “Any business has to support its surrounding community because you cannot grow unless the entire community prospers.” Despite so much variety already offered by Dhar’s restaurants – which now also include Rasoi in Pawtucket, Rasa in East Greenwich, and most recently, Chaska in Cranston – he assures diners there are still new dishes to explore. “I enjoy cooking Kashmiri cuisine because

I grew up eating that at home. It’s totally different from what everyone is used to.” Known for being more meat centric than the cuisines of other regions of India, Kashmiri dishes are rich in flavor but milder in spice. Dry spices serve as the building blocks of sauces, rather than onion or coconut, and a unique warmth is achieved by using an abundance of “hot” spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger. Even those who have frequented Dhar’s restaurants for many years can look forward to ever evolving menus. “I hope I can one day introduce Rhode Islanders to this region of India.” When asked what he loves most about the food of his home, Dhar is very clear. “The beauty of Indian cuisine is in its diverse spices,” he says. “The tempering of a dish is very scientific, and every region is passionate about its style. A simple curry dish may change because someone decided to add one less or one extra spice, but the results are still

Photos courtesy of Sanjiv Dhar

Chef and restaurateur Sanjiv Dhar dishes on his journey to bring Indian flavors to Providence

Chef and restaurateur Sanjiv Dhar

delicious. So why not expand the palate?” It’s not only Rhode Islanders’ palates that are expanding but also Dhar’s experiences. He’s conducted cooking demos on YouTube and The Rhode Show, held teaching sessions at both Brown and Harvard, and spoke at TED Talks in Providence. When asked his favorite food memory from his time in Rhode Island, Dhar had no trouble choosing one. “One day one of my chefs said, ‘Sir, when you’re tense it shows up on your face and we all get worried and nervous. On the other hand, if you are smiling, we feel great.’ Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to put a smile on as soon as I enter the restaurant. Ultimately, it’s my job to coach them with a smile and give them a place where they, too, can smile and be happy. Everyone should be happy in our restaurants – employees and guests alike!”

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ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Fo o d N e w s | By Karen Greco

Pop-up cocktail bar on Federal Hill

Providence Restaurant Weeks Returns

North Prov brewery finds new home at Farm Fresh

Night Owl Cocktail Bar, a new popup bar concept from the owner of Federal Hill mainstay Capri Seafood on DePasquale Square, features late-night bites, inspired cocktails, and smooth sounds by guest music artists ranging from jazz to hip-hop to R&B. “I wanted to create a place with good energy where people can go and hang out,” explains owner Sotheavong Meas. “So many people were doing pop-up food; I thought a pop-up bar would be great.” The menu features elevated bar snacks like steak tacos, cheese bites, and wings. Meas created the inspired cocktails (with fun names like Pear Pressure and Bounty Hunter) through “lots of trial and error. We got drunk a lot!” Meas plans to keep Night Owl open through the spring while he looks for a permanent home. NightOwlPVD.com

Providence Restaurant Weeks makes a comeback January 9-22. As always, it’s the perfect way to catch up with a beloved old establishment or try out that new spot around the corner. The popular dining event was not immune to a pandemic pivot, which was so successful last summer they’re keeping it in place. Before, restaurants were required to do a three-course prix fixe menu to be eligible, but with COVID causing havoc with menus, staffing, and indoor dining, Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau changed their requirements. “Restaurants now can put together their own specials,” says Christine Phillips, director of partnership development. “We even do breakfast! As long as you have a special, you can participate.” At press time, restaurants were still coming on board, but a full list of dining options is available at their website. GoProvidence.com

The beer gods were smiling on Providence Brewing Company’s Efren Hidalgo. When they outgrew their space in North Providence, he found a new location at Farm Fresh RI “by happenstance.” It was just two blocks away from the original 19th century brewery, whose name was nearly lost to history until he revived it. With 2,000 square feet for customer seating, Hidalgo is looking forward to stretching out; some ideas include shuffle board and live music. But mostly, he’s “chomping at the bit” to get back to brewing, having shut down for a year to focus on the build out. And he’s looking forward to “being next to solid businesses [like Tallulah’s Tacos, ISCO, and Revival Brewing Co.] in a setting that has an ‘Austin-weird’ vibe,” Hidalgo says. “It’s a destination where we can feed off each other.” PVD.beer

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Photos courtesy of Night Owl PVD

FOOD & DRINK

PROVIDENCE MONTHLY PRESEN TS

WHO TO WATCH

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Watch Travis Escobar

Show Millennials How It’s Done

President, Millennial Rhode Island | @millennialri

rovidence, with its world-class education system from elite Ivies to stellar public colleges, is not immune to “brain drain,” where the graduates from our universities head out of state to put their education to use. Travis Escobar is fighting that tide. Born and bred in Rhode Island, Escobar describes himself as “a kid from South Providence.” He graduated from Rhode Island College and is committed to living, working, and staying in-state and wants others to do the same. This led him to co-found Millennial Rhode Island, a professional networking nonprofit run by volunteers where he serves as president. The organization is open to residents born from 1979-2000 who want to be connected to others who #ChooseRI. By day, Escobar uses his connector skills as community relations manager at Fidelity Investments. Previously, he worked at the United Way of RI, leading lobbying efforts around education and notably helping to secure the Affordable Housing Bond Campaign for $65 million in 2021. He currently co-chairs the policy committee on the Providence Public Schools board, and is part owner of Papi’s Coquito, a startup liquor brand preparing to launch. “The ongoing pandemic has certainly shaped my goals for the next year,” Escobar says. “We have seen all of society’s inequities magnified during this time. For my city, I just want to contribute to activities and efforts that help uplift and educate people. I believe everything I’m involved in meets that mission.” Looking ahead, Escobar’s agenda is filling up. He is excited about rebuilding the state’s collective young professional networks with more in-person events through Millennial Rhode Island, where he’ll also focus his attention on fundraising efforts for the Lt. Governor’s Entrepreneurship Challenge. The first statewide business pitch competition for Rhode Island high school students, grades 9-12, the initiative is aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting business ownership in the Ocean State. “That program will become more of a focus in our fundraising efforts next year to give back to our younger generation,” says Escobar, adding, “We awarded $14,000 in 2020 and are looking to get back in the swing of things in 2022.” “There’s a lot to be hopeful for with the next generation,” says Escobar. “I think we’re going to see this combination between the two generations in our city come together and do some wonderful things.” “Seeing my millennial peers develop and grow into amazing leadership opportunities has been great to witness over the past few years,” he continues, noting that there’s a lot to be hopeful for with the next generation. “Millennials in a lot of ways are becoming a bridge generation, a connector of Gen Z to older generations. We both have our whole lives ahead of us, yet at times, things can seem so dim. Because of that, I think those who are optimistic and have the energy within the younger generations to see a better version of Providence will stick it out to help improve our city.”

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Watch Adrienne Gagnon Executive Director, DownCity Design | DownCityDesign.org

Inspire Innovation in Civic Spaces

drienne Gagnon co-founded nonprofit DownCity Design in 2009 to give community members a voice in conceiving of the spaces they use every day. The design studio and workshop is a hub of creative ideas and activity as youth and adults engage in architectural, graphic, and industrial design to rethink our shared environments. “We wanted to involve residents in making public places more welcoming, more functional, more playful,” says Gagnon. “And most importantly, we wanted people to recognize that they have the power to make positive change happen. We wanted to help people become change makers.” Since opening, 3,000 participants have constructed more than 87 permanent amenities all over Providence (from Elmwood to Smith Hill, Federal Hill to downtown), and now, Gagnon and the industrious DownCity Design team are using their design prowess to build out a new spacious home on Cranston Street. “Our future home will enable us to double our impact and dramatically expand the reach of our free community design programs for youth and adults,” Gagnon says of the 3,700-square-foot Community Design Center, which will encompass their offices, a classroom, maker workshop, technology lab, and an urban oasis in the courtyard for community events. Within walking distance from six schools, it’s ideal for students attending after-school programs. The center approaches projects with a unique model of participatory public design, meaning decisions about civic spaces (especially in low-income and vulnerable parts of the city) are made by the people who dwell in those neighborhoods, who use the parks and gather outside in the community. So when Providence Public Library wanted to host public programs on their outdoor roof deck last summer, DownCity Design enlisted a team of 55 local teens to construct garden beds for immigrants to grow vegetables native to their homelands. “In just six weeks, our students designed, built, and installed a series of garden planters integrated with seating and storage,” Gagnon explains. “The design features beds of multiple heights, so gardeners of all ages can enjoy it.” And in the process, students come away with valuable job skills, both practical and problem-solving. Says Gagnon, “Participants learn to in(L to R) Yasmine Hassan, ternalize the design process as a way to better understand chalAdrienne Gagnon, lenges, brainstorm possible solutions, incorporate feedback, and Lexie Whipple and work through setbacks as they strive to change the status quo and imagine new possibilities for themselves and the world around them.” Gagnon brings a background of working in RISD’s Architecture Department, Providence CityArts for Youth, and earning a 2013 RI Innovation Fellowship (for expanding design education in the state), though not unlike the nonprofit’s mission, she owes DownCity Design’s success to the collaborative efforts of many talented staff and educators – and dedicated students. “I’m always inspired by the earnest energy that the teens we work with at DCD bring to the work of change making,” she says. “But this past year, I’ve also been inspired to see people of all ages adapt and evolve as they respond to new challenges and learn new ways of connecting and collaborating.”

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Watch Lois Harada

Go Big with Pressing Art Projects

Artist and Printmaker | @loisharada

printmaker by trade with DWRI Letterpress, it’s not surprising that text is a prominent feature of Lois Harada’s work. Bold lettering and refreshingly blunt messaging riff off of propaganda-style posters that have taken Providence store windows and high foot-traffic spaces by storm these past couple of turbulent years. Many will remember the “STOP ASIAN HATE” posters that circulated in response to the fatal shootings targeting Asian women in Georgia in March 2021. A series of “BLACK LIVES MATTER” posters were also churned out at the letterpress and distributed to marchers following the killing of George Floyd in June 2020. Harada is behind these ubiquitous pieces and others. In 2022, she has plans to go bigger, and to continue ongoing projects that serve the dual purposes of aesthetic and protest. This includes a project she started in 2019 in an effort to rename Victory Day, the August holiday related to Victory in Japan Day (though this day is technically September 9) that Rhode Island is the only state to recognize. “As someone of Japanese American descent, the day has never sat well with me and was a confusing thing when I moved here,” Harada explains of the shift she’s noticed in its theme, from remembrance to enjoying a day at the beach. She began with posters suggesting name changes and culminated with a banner-towing plane displaying the message #RENAMEVICTORYDAY. “It was a great opportunity to scale up my work and experiment with different forms of engagement.” Funded by an Interlace Grant, a Providence-based organization supporting visual artists, Harada looks forward to a new project, WISH YOU WERE HERE, paying homage to those – like her paternal grandmother – imprisoned in Japanese internment camps during WWII. A series of WPA-style travel posters depicting sites of incarceration will be accompanied by the interactive element of a penny press machine. Also on the horizon is a new medium for Harada: a basketball court. Working with My HomeCourt at Davis Park, Harada is excited for the chance to create an installation that Smith Hill neighbors and Nathaniel Bishop Middle School students will interact with in their daily lives. The nationally and internationally showing artist is also preparing for a five-week residency in Colorado this spring, though Providence is cemented as her home base. She served on the New Urban Arts board for seven years, with her last two years as board chair, and this year looks forward to her second term as city commissioner with the Art in City Life Commission. “I’m learning a lot about public art in the city and have really enjoyed working with other artists and the fabulous staff of the Arts, Culture, Tourism Department,” says Harada. “Providence has many opportunities for support in the arts and I’m glad to be a part of the commission.”

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Watch Haus of Codec

Make Space for Marginalized Youth

Transition-Aged Youth Shelter | HausOfCodec.org

onthly LGBTQQIA+ Art Marketplaces started popping up this past June in Dexter Park, and more recently at indoor locations like WaterFire Arts Center, with the aim of creating a safe and accessible (vendor fees are on a sliding scale of zero to $50) space for queer and BIPOC artists to sell their work. But these inclusive markets are just scratching the surface of Haus of Codec’s mission. In December, the five-person volunteer board opened Rhode Island’s first homeless shelter for transition-aged youth. Julio E. Berroa, GEM, Haley Johnson, Alexander Ruiz, and Charlotte Gagnon, who make up House of Codec, each put their wide-ranging talents and community partnerships together to make six emergency shelter beds available in Providence. More than just supplying temporary shelter, Haus of Codec is committed to addressing the underlying factors facing youth residents experiencing homelessness. “While traditional shelter models are focused only on the immediate needs of their patrons,” says founder Berroa, “we are determined to break the cycle of homelessness for our residents. We are explicitly offering shelter to age-specific youth as this demographic sees a greater risk of violence and abuse in larger, less accommodating shelter spaces our state has historically provided.” Haus of Codec defines transition-aged as 18-24, often encompassing (L to R) Haley Johnson, youth who have gone through the juvenile justice system, aged out of Julio E. Berroa, foster or state care, were forced out of their homes after revealing and Charlotte Gagnon their sexual identity to their family, or a number of other reasons. “Our hope is that through our network of community care providers, Haus of Codec’s residents will be able to not only survive these difficult moments in their life but also thrive as contributing members of society,” says Berroa. In addition to meeting basic needs in a safe, affirming environment, residents will be connected to resources via AS220, House of Hope CDC, ONE Neighborhood Builders, Project Weber/RENEW, Sojourner House, Youth Pride Inc., and others. The intersection between art and empowerment is palpable in Haus of Codec’s model for uplifting their residents and the community. Along with raising funds to open the shelter, the ongoing markets (and a flagship event happening downtown this June with PVDFest) offer a space for residents to sell their wares and foster a sense of creativity and independence in making art. The volunteers behind Haus of Codec are optimistic about the good they can do in 2022 while fully aware of the challenges they’ll face to increase capacity, not least of all funding and eventually being able to pay staff for their time, energy, and expertise. But on the horizon, they look forward to their next property acquisition slated for late 2022, which will add 24 emergency beds and 16 supportive transitional apartments – no small step in their mission of uplifting vulnerable youth in our city.

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Watch Amber Jackson

Steep Change Through Tea and Conversation

Founder, Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop | @theblackleaftea

ou may have heard of The Great Resignation, that ripple effect of the pandemic whereby people re-examine livelihoods and leave full-time jobs to pursue a passion. Weeks ago in December, Amber Jackson did just that as she left the position at Brown University that lured her to Providence from Chicago, to focus on building her company Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop. “By the time this article comes out, I’ll be a full-time entrepreneur,” she says with a palpable glee. “The business is expanding very quickly and I’m ready to dive into the next stage of growth.” Jackson launched the BLT&CS in 2019 at Hope & Main, the culinary incubator in Warren. Along with items for tea enthusiasts like carved spoons from Kenya, currently over a dozen teas are for sale, all designed and formulated by Jackson herself. Blends, or tisanes, include GLOW, touted as an herbal powerhouse; Haze, a sapphire blue floral-fruity mix; and Chai-Town, a homage to Jackson’s hometown where 20 percent of each sale goes to My Block, My Hood, My City, a non-profit organization that works to provide educational experiences to underprivileged youth in Chicago. Jackson is working on plans to expand the “& Culture Shop” part of her business as a platform to create spaces and curate conversations for people that, as she explains, “look like me, that don’t have a space here in Rhode Island.” One channel is via monthly Young Black Professionals Mixers with the conversation series called Tea Talks that she hosts at rotating locations. “Tea has been used for centuries as a communal focal point. And I continue that tradition through The Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop,” she says. “Where will you be when the dust settles? Will your voices still be as loud? Will you still be hashtaging #SupportBlackBusiness?” Jackson posed these questions on her website after she suddenly found herself on many “Black-Owned Business’’ lists last summer. Both locally and globally, Jackson hopes the answer to that question will be a resounding yes. “I want to become more consistent with the cultural and community part of my business and showcase the many aspects of Black culture – music, art, literature, voices. I’m looking forward to doing more partnerships because I know I can’t continue to grow while doing everything by myself.” In the year ahead, Jackson is excited about devoting all of her time to blending tea, hosting mixers, and more, all buoyed by a sense of optimism. “[I’m] trusting and surrendering the alignment of my life,” she says. “There will always be rough patches, some bad days, low sale days. But it doesn’t last forever. No matter what happens, I know how hard I work, and I try to be a good person. I know that whatever happens, I will be okay. I love that Providence is so collaborative. Anything you want to do, people are generally pretty supportive and want to see each other succeed.”

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Watch Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor

W Help Incubate BIPOC-Owned Food Businesses

Assistant Manager, Bintimani | @bintimanipvd

hen Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor got the call from his dad that their family business, Bintimani, was under threat of eviction from its Boston home, ideas of community development, social impact, and the power structures in place allowing some businesses to succeed and others not to were already simmering. Nearing completion of his MBA from MIT and with a background in nonprofit work, Josiah-Faeduwor is not only looking at reopening the West African restaurant here in Providence this year but also paving the way for other BIPOC-owned businesses to do the same. “Getting engaged with my family’s situation is really what kind of started to point me in the direction of thinking about how to do this long term, and how to think bigger picture,” says Josiah-Faeduwor. He began asking questions like “How do I help my family?” but also, “How can businesses help each other?” Along with inviting guest chefs and pop-up vendors to use Bintimani’s kitchen and sell their food from the space, Josiah-Faeduwor’s nonprofit, dismantl, will be a holistic program that begins with helping businesses get the certifications and licenses they need and put together a business model, as well as providing access to resources and capital to establish themselves. “Our goal is not to be the space that they’re dependent on throughout their journey, but really as a launching point,” Josiah-Faeduwor explains. “We want to help them get from essentially ground zero to an established place that allows them to move on from Bintimani.” Through the nonprofit, which will launch this year, Josiah-Faeduwor isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel or overlap the numerous existing services – organizations like commerce associations, RI Black Business Association, and RI Small Business Development Center, just to name a few – but rather bring them all together. Dismantl will be the place to start the process. In the future, he hopes to see the nonprofit grow and be sustainable separate from Bintimani, too. Josiah-Faeduwor’s mission stems from his community development work with the late Michael Van Leesten shortly after graduating from Brown. Through the OIC of Rhode Island, Josiah-Faeduwor saw how Van Leesten channelled the power of community to prop up BIPOC-owned businesses and workers. “He is very much the reason why I’m on the journey that I’m on,” says Josiah-Faeduwor. Backdropping his vision for dismantl is also a wealth of knowledge surrounding pre-capitalist and pre-colonial Indigenous systems, including a West African community banking practice known as Osusu, that promote more collective approaches to economic development. Josiah-Faeduwor explores these ecosystems in the thesis he’ll be defending this winter. As all of these pieces come together, Josiah-Faeduwor notes that the trajectory of his career, in a way, feels destined. He can’t ignore the culmination of life experiences and perspectives that brought him to this point, and he’s grateful to community partners that have helped make it happen, from Buff Chase and Cornish Associates for offering the space to small businesses like PVDonuts, Frog & Toad, ISCO, and others for support along the way.

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Watch Dwayne Keys

Tackle Inequalities in South PVD and Beyond

Chairperson, South Providence Neighborhood Association | Facebook: @FriendsDKeys

nickname Dwayne Keys once earned from a peer is “Rebel with a Cause” – though arguably, those causes are many. In both his vocation with nonprofit Compass Working Capital (where he helps families in subsidized housing build financial assets) and his volunteering efforts as chairperson of South Providence Neighborhood Association, all of Keys’ causes orbit around two issues: poverty and displacement in Providence. Unlocking the Power of Preservation, an initiative devised by SPNA and Providence Preservation Society, is one way Keys will be addressing displacement and housing disparities this year. Reviving a conversation that began in 2017, both organizations recently returned to the work of identifying the benefits and harms of preservation, which tend to be experienced disproportionately across neighborhoods. The goal is to create a restorative justice model, reforming policies to balance the scales of who benefits from preservation. “Right now, we’re still in this development phase of really setting up how we’re going to start by collecting oral stories, learning more about the impacts,” Keys explains. “We’re also asking those residents who have been historically excluded from preservation, what does it mean to them? What do they want when they hear preservation? What do they see as something that needs to be preserved?” Whether advocating for bus riders in the ongoing plight of Kennedy Plaza or exposing environmental hazards of Port of Providence, you’ll find Keys at the center of some of the most contentious issues facing the City this year, and leading with the conversations many of us are uncomfortable having. Poverty, substance abuse, systemic racism, income equality – Keys indicates these factors as essential talking points when discussing the fate of the bus hub in Kennedy Plaza, as well as prioritizing the people who use the bus now before expanding to invite people in from outside. And with any urban planning and zoning process, Keys and SPNA will continue to champion three tenets: robust community engagement, impact assessments, and democratic decision-making. In his leadership with SPNA, Keys actively resists the topdown approach to decision-making neighbors are used to and doesn’t want to position himself as the voice of South Providence, but rather a catalyst for open processes. “I am uplifting the voices of our neighbors who have been excluded, who have been shut down from being able to speak, who themselves have been targets of retaliation, and thus are afraid to speak up on their own,” he explains. Keys is also a supporter of Participatory Budgeting, a process that allows residents to vote on how public funds are used, and hopes to eventually test out a PB system for Providence in Ward 11. The natural next step for Keys is to run for City Council, an opportunity he relishes for the chance to be in a position to make decisions, but he shares, “I support my City Councilor Mary Kate Harris Ward 11 all the way, so the question’s just going to be when.”

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Watch Jennifer McClendon

W Set the Stage for Change in Theater

Producing Director at Trinity Rep | TrinityRep.com

n 2020, a racial reckoning swept through our nation’s prestigious regional theaters and Trinity Rep was not immune. It’s hard for institutions to acknowledge, never mind address, structural inequities, but Trinity committed to changing their culture. After a nation-wide search, they asked Jennifer McClendon to lead the charge. “A lot of what drew me to Trinity Rep was the commitment to anti-racism and the company being transparent about the work they are doing,” says McClendon, whose theater career began in her native Chicago as the Multicultural Fellow at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. “The We See You White American Theater document inspired me to look at my own practices in a different light. How am I upholding or dismantling racism in my day to day? Does a policy or a historical practice that I enforce actually do more harm than good? These questions lead me to make a shift in how I see my purpose.” Since taking the role at Trinity Rep over the summer, McClendon is at the helm of all production departments, including production management, stage management, costumes, props, scenery, electrics, and sound. However, her purpose is to make theater more accessible, equitable, and anti-racist. “I chose to lead with people first, in hopes that I can create environments that allow other artists to bring their best selves forward through their work,” she says. “Back in Chicago, I realized one day that I don’t know any production managers that look like me,” she continues. “I want to see more people that look like me in production management and direction. I want to create opportunities for more BIPOC young adults to seek careers in arts management. I want to lead by example to inspire those folx to see this work as a viable and fulfilling career.” This summer, McClendon will complete her first full season at the famed theater, which came with the added challenge of getting back on stage with live audiences during the ongoing pandemic. “I hope to have successfully opened and closed every show and can then say we produced a season while navigating new COVID protocols and new rehearsal schedules, all while approaching the work from an anti-racist lens. That is a monumental undertaking.” McClendon is up front about the challenges of producing during the lingering pandemic but has great optimism and energy for the future. “I am excited to continue that work every day, excited to expand my network of theater makers, create some meaningful art, and keep everyone safe while doing so.” Looking around the historic building she calls her work home she says, “It’s something about live art that excites me and fills me with emotion, so I have to do my part to bring it back and be better at nurturing the artists that do the work.”

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Watch Ray Nuñez

Reshape the Marketing Industry With Anti-Racist Messaging

Founder, Nuñez, The People’s Agency | TheNunez.co

or the past 20+ months, Ray Nuñez has been busy. Even early in his career – working the rewarding yet stressful nonprofit grind at Leadership RI after graduating from Johnson & Wales University, and then spinning wheels trying to push for equitable practices within a commercial architecture magazine – Nuñez has had an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. “In February of 2020, my wife [Taryn] and I quit our full-time jobs, left our health insurance, left all security,” Nuñez recounts. Opening creative marketing company, Nuñez, The People’s Agency, in March 2020 saw them immediately working in the trenches. This often meant breaking out of their design niche to help businesses – mostly BIPOC-owned and nonprofits – navigate digital migration or going to the root of the problem: the systemic issues that barred these businesses from accessing essential resources. Then, seven weeks before the November 2, 2020 election – which included the amendment to remove “Providence Plantations” from the state name on the ballot – Nuñez got a phone call. The consulting group helping with the referendum wanted his agency to launch a full-scale marketing campaign, Nuñez explains, “to get this message out there as fast as possible to a million people to get them to change their minds to vote yes on this thing.” The original ask was just to bring up the 22 percent in favor when it was voted on 10 years ago, but Nuñez was all in. The team got to work on unique video messaging for each zip code in the state, meeting voters where they were in the process of acknowledging Rhode Island’s institutions that have benefited from racist systems. Even Nuñez’s clients at the time rallied around the cause to help get the word out. The rest, of course, is history: “Providence Plantations” is no more. Now, the agency has grown into a mission of deliberately anti-racist messaging, offering the only service of its kind in Rhode Island, but also showing that it can be done – and that it can scale up. This coming year, Nuñez is working on becoming a Certified B Corp, a designation by B Lab, a non-profit that measures a for-profit company’s social and environmental performance, to communicate their status as a social enterprise to the world. They’ll also be hosting a slew of networking events across the state, bringing together diverse voices and ideas in a space that’s unpretentious and collaborative – with multicultural food made by local businesses. What does anti-racist messaging look like? Part of the agency’s goal is helping clients unpack this by engaging in often difficult conversations that begin with reckoning, a process of owning past wrongs to move forward with inclusive messaging and representation to create marketing that’s authentic and not predatory on BIPOC audiences. Says Nuñez, “As the most influential industry – because we are, everything you see, everything you read is marketing, it’s design, it’s communication – we knew that we had this huge responsibility to do good with that.”

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LIFE & STYLE Home | Shop | Rhody Reads

All Aboard Providence’s Spike and Liz Stone on family life in a converted school bus home While the proverb “a rolling stone gathers no moss” traces its roots to the Roman Empire, it could have been penned for the Stone family. Spike and Liz Stone reside on “Green Bean the Bus” with their two young daughters, Pepper and Violet. This is no experience-vacation on rented wheels: the family lives on a 48-passenger school bus they converted into their own tiny-home sweet home. “Prior to building and moving our family onto the bus we lived in a traditional house in Providence’s south side,” says Spike, aka Chief Bus Officer. Photos courtesy of Spike Stone ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

LIFE & STYLE

H o me | by Elyse Major

Natural textures and patterned accents infuse warmth to the bus interior

Photos courtesy of Spike Stone

If the notion of converting a school bus is new to you, you’re not alone, but neither are the Stones. Known as a “skoolie,” these are retired school buses gutted and refitted as living spaces. “It all happened so fast,” Spike recalls. “We had been talking about doing something like it for a year or two but it didn’t feel like the time was right and we weren’t quite sure how to make it work. But when COVID cancelled the kids’ school, work went completely remote, and the landlords decided to sell the house we were living in for twice the appraisal, we decided to go for it.” The couple bought the bus on June 1, 2020, and two months later took to the open road. “I remember clutching the enormous steering wheel and I couldn’t stop smiling for a couple hours as we rumbled northwest into upstate New York,” Spike fondly recalls. Inside, the bus is a master class of efficiency and ingenuity. “We wanted it to kind of evoke a beach house feel, keeping everything light. We also took inspiration from Swedish design so everything folds and nests and stores. Keeping it recognizable as a bus was also important. I think the coolest part is that it’s a school bus,” says Liz, responsible for accents

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LIFE & STYLE

H o me | by Elyse Major

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like vinyl stickers standing in as washable wallpaper to add warmth and graphic interest. Spike, a general contractor, built things like a sliding pocket table for the stairs, which the girls use as a desk, and a deck extension. Another clever hack was using climbing holds over a ladder for the bunk beds. “That idea came to me in a dream!” laughs Spike. “I just couldn’t figure out how to design a ladder into the bunk beds that I liked, and Pepper was climbing everything anyway.” Together, the family has driven and parked around the country. They’ve hiked through the mountains of Santa Fe, soaked in a secluded hot spring in Taos, made bus friends at the Grand Canyon, strolled the redwood forest, skinny dipped in a snowmelt river in Montana, and smelled a thousand different roses in Portland. “Some of the most fun we had was also in completely random places like coincidentally parking at a cherry farm with another bus family and eating as many cherries as we possibly could.” At press time, the Stones were excitedly awaiting the birth of a new little passenger. “We’re gonna need a bigger bus,” jokes Spike of baby number three. “It’s an incredible adventure and amazing experience for us and the kids but I don’t think it would be realistic to continue traveling at that pace for more than a

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Photos courtesy of Spike Stone

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LIFE & STYLE

H o me | by Elyse Major

few years,” he says, noting that longterm plans will always include travel, even if not full time. “There are some absolutely wild and amazing experiences you can have if you are willing to be a little uncomfortable.”

GET RHODY STYLE Spike and Liz Stone share favorite things about the Ocean State: FAMILY MATTERS “After our most recent adventure travelling around the whole country in our bus, we got homesick. Rhode Island really is a unique place with so much culture, great food, beautiful sites, central location, and access to the ocean. There truly is nowhere else like it,” says Spike. “We’re beach people!”

PVD LOVE “One of the spicy dishes at India put Liz into labor with Pepper,” says Spike of the Hope Street restaurant. “We love grabbing coffee (or hot cocoa for the kids) at The Coffee Exchange. We love getting up early on Sunday morning and wandering around downtown Providence when it is empty and still.” Other special stops include Paper Nautilus, Symposium Books, Tiny Bar, AS220, Wildflour, Sakura, Seven Stars, Providence Bagels, and The Grange.

Climbing into bed has literal meaning when holds are used in place of a ladder

Want your home featured in Providence Monthly? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more

Photos courtesy of Spike Stone

GREENHOUSE EFFECT “One of my favorite traditions is going to the Roger Williams Botanical Garden,” says Liz. “We get the season pass for the winter so we can stop by often. It’s amazing what an hour or two in the warm and balmy greenhouses will do to the wintertime blues.”

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LIFE & STYLE

Sho p | by Elys e Ma j or

Cyber Local These days being a maker also means being a marketer, but not everyone has the bandwidth to promote a brand, establish an online platform, or even set up a table at a farmers market. This is where Shop Local Rhode Island comes in. The pandemicborn idea of Lori Giuttari’s marketing agency Visual Thrive is an online directory and marketplace of all things Ocean State.

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

The site is searchable by neighborhood, zip code, and keywords. “More and more businesses are registering every day,” says Giuttari with glee. In addition to goods, find services categorized in a very Rhody way: by distance! “Our goal is to let RI businesses grow, and our hope is that you find everything you need – right here in Little Rhody.” Visit ShopLocalRhodeIsland.com

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LIFE & STYLE

Rho dy Re a ds | By Hugh Minor

Rhody Reads Six books to kick off your 2022 reading list New year, new reading lists and a slew of great new books from local writers have hit the shelves. You may know some of these folks – maybe even personally (I mean, it is Rhode Island) – while others are just breaking out and worth discovering. Enjoy these selections and be sure to think of your favorite local bookseller to get your copies. Rhode Island poet laureate Tina Cane has brought us Alma Presses Play, a gorgeous novel-in-verse about a young woman coming into her own in 1980s New York. For those who grew up during this time, there is nostalgia aplenty, particularly in the music Alma listens to on her Walkman as she tries to make sense of the world. And for anyone who survived the trials and tribulations of adolescence, Cane’s work will strike a chord and touch your heart. There are endless stories to tell in the smallest state and Michael Fine delivers some of his finest in the new collection Rhode Island Stories. The author presents a rich tapestry of life that reflects the diversity and wonder that many of us are fortunate to experience every day. In the end, we appreciate that, although our lives may seem radically different on the surface, we are all more alike than we realize – and there is always more goodness in human nature than we expect. Laird Hunt’s latest work, Zorrie, was recently nominated for the National Book Award in fiction. The slender novel captures the trials and tribulations of Zorrie Underwood as she faces the obstacles of rural life during the Depression. A literary arts professor at Brown, Hunt draws on the histories of the many women – including

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

his own grandmother – who faced tremendous challenges throughout this era yet endured in the end. In Madder: A Memoir in Weeds, horticulturist Marco Wilkinson reaches back to his childhood in Rhode Island to explore the roots of his family both literally and figuratively. In an interesting take on autobiography, Wilkinson weaves stories of his own upbringing with his awareness of plant life, particularly uncommon, lesser-known weeds. With a unique poetic style, he navigates his own personal history, from his Uruguayan heritage to his identity as a gay man. For the little readers in your house, there’s a fun new book to get them ready for bed each night. Combining clever rhymes and adorable illustrations, Janelle Steuer’s The Bedtime Dance entertains kids while encouraging a routine that will have them burning end-of-the-day energy so they’re ready for a good night’s rest. The Bedtime Dance is a great way to help your kids develop healthy sleeping patterns for life. Anticipation is building for the release of Correctional: A Memoir by Providence-based author Ravi Shankar. Through his own experiences with institutional racism, Shankar shines a light on some of the major issues impacting America today, including class, justice, and privilege. In making himself vulnerable by sharing his powerful story, he provides an opportunity for all of us to think about how we can play a role in making our world a safer, more equitable place for everyone to live and thrive.

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Send your Rhody book recommendations to Hugh at RhodyReads@gmail.com

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ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

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ART & CULTURE The Music Scene | Performance | Calendar

Full Circle Ceramicist Liz Welch creates a community studio based in creativity, community, and growth Among pottery wheels and tools, shelves of finished ceramics, and a bucket for reclaimed clay, a print hangs in Liz Welch’s ceramics studio – a drawing of fingers crossed tightly – that reads: “things will work out.” This is a fitting phrase for the leap of faith Welch took in opening the studio this past September. Like many artists, Welch’s journey has been a circuitous one. A few years after earning a BA in Gender and Sexuality Studies from UMass Amherst, she began a master’s program in interior architecture at New England School of Art and Design in Boston. A couple years in, she took her first furniture design class, fell in love with it, and pivoted to a collaborative furniture design program. Around the same time, she stumbled into yet another great love: ceramics. As Welch puts it, “I started spending all of my free time making pottery and took to the medium in a way that felt incredibly fateful.” While she pursued woodworking for about eight years following the program, she says eventually she returned to clay “and never looked back.” Photo courtesy of Liz Welch ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

A r t i st P r o fi l e | By Rose Kenyon

And thank goodness she didn’t. Anyhow Studio, located on Spooner Street in Providence, offers classes, open studio time, and kiln access – all while serving as a supportive and inclusive space for members to learn, experiment, and grow in the medium. The studio’s name and ethos derives from artist Lisa Congdon’s phrase “Begin Anyhow,” a sweet invitation to simply start, despite how challenging it can be. Welch’s core values for the studio (and her personal life) include education, community, allyship, financial accessibility, and commitment to the environment. “My time at UMass in the Gender and Sexuality Studies department was incredibly formative in developing these values, and in that way, I feel like my professional trajectory has come full circle,” she says. “I knew that I couldn’t start a business without being true to who I am, and this is my way of doing just that.” Welch makes a point to credit the support she’s received along her journey: a family member who gave her seed money for her first wheel and kiln and DESIGNxRI’s Providence Design Catalyst program which awarded her a grant that helped her launch the studio. “In addition to their financial support, I took workshops alongside a cohort of nine other businesses. I was also assigned a mentor, Asher Rodriquez-Dunn, who was so knowledgeable and helpful, and really guided me through the process,” she says. “I developed my entire framework for how I run my business with the help of DESIGNxRI.” Alongside Welch, studio resident and artist Mary Drake also works as an instructor, as well as Elisheva Goldberg, a ceramic artist who joined Welch as an intern. “To be surrounded by super talented and hardworking women is a dream,” Welch says. Since opening, the community response has been more than Welch could have hoped. With two classes under their belt, four ongoing, and a waitlist, Welch says she can’t list the classes fast enough. And her favorite part? Watching her students walk into the studio and feel immediately at home. “I worked so hard to create this space, so it’s really meaningful to see that positive reaction. I always love taking my students’ work out of the kiln and seeing the final product. I am so proud of them every time!” Learn more at AnyhowStudioProvidence.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Liz Welch at the wheel

Photo courtesy of Liz Welch

ART & CULTURE

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ART & CULTURE

T he M usi c Sce ne | By Adam Hogue

Something to Celebrate Muggs Fogarty’s new five-track EP plays like a pandemic diary Muggs Fogarty on Eventual Party, a concise collection of five songs on Providence musician Roz Raskin’s SELF LUV label. “The ‘eventual party’ is both a location and an aspiration in this project,” says Fogarty. “As much as I love chaotic playlists, I equally love when albums tell one story from start to finish and feel whole. I was lonesome, like everyone, during 2020-2021, and so many people around me, in an effort to be optimistic, kept talking about how we would eventually Muggs Fogarty

Fluorescent limited edition green cassette tape includes unlimited streaming of Eventual Party via the free Bandcamp app, plus highquality download in MP3, FLAC, and more.

all be together again.” Fogarty continues to explain that this latest effort isn’t necessarily a linear personal narrative, but a kind of timeline through the emotional processing of the shift our lives have taken since the start of the pandemic. “Of being lonely and missing the social parts of life, of taking time to process the less glamorous, more anxiety-producing aspects, reckoning with the things that need to change, finding hopefulness.” A lo-fi backtrack of mantra-like beats, blips, and synths produced by Shayboy (Dan Shay) buoy and undercurrent Fogarty’s vocal explorations. At times feeling refreshingly improvised, Fogarty carries a spectrum of emotive expressions ranging from spoken word to Stevie Nicks-esque held notes crescendoing in guttural vocal flare. Take the track “Light of Day” with the call-and-response “thinking about us” repeating itself, each time with a new vocal iteration. “When I started playing around with vocal pedals, it was so fun to adjust my performance to complement the different effect settings, and I found it pretty cathartic to explore the

LINER NOTES: Lyrics and vocal performance by Muggs Fogarty Produced by Shayboy Mixed by Zach Bloomstein Mastered by Katie Tavini Self Luv Records 2021 Providence MuggsFogarty.bandcamp.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Photo by Rebecca Zilenziger (@rz_portraits), courtesy of Muggs Fogarty

Sometimes a narrative takes time to unfold. Like a good television series versus a movie, an album can work to uncover the nuances around a subject that might go unexplored over the course of a single song. Indulging the multifaceted tendrils that emanate from a single emotional or physical source over the course of a series of songs allows both the artist and listener to leave no stone unturned and no side unexplored. This is the approach taken by electronic-pop songwriter and vocalist

Experience The Art Of

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TOP TRAX: “11th Hour”

Electronic, minimalist drums and a distorted, busy bass line usher in this track that continues the journey of the “Eventual Party.” With modulated vocals and the mantra “Such is my love in the 11th hour” on repeat, this track captures an after-hours mood, playing in the background after the party has died: it’s the deep conversation that comes up with morning sun.

“Light of Day”

Expansive and explorative, this track has the joy that only comes from an artist experimenting within the medium, improvising and capturing what comes out. With perhaps one of the few major-chord driven verses in the EP, this song closes out the set with a feeling of abandon, celebration, and a dreamy feeling of hazy satisfaction.

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different aspects of my voice – it’s always been a way to communicate and explore for me, especially around gender fluidity,” they say. “‘Light of Day’ is a fun track because I got to go in with my looper like I normally would at a live show, so the layers happened in one take, rather than layering each piece take by take,” explains Fogarty. “Since you can’t go back and edit in my looper, or separate the lines once they’re recorded, there’s always an element of improv, and often, happy accidents in the mix.” From the way it was created – from the subject matter to the process of artists collaborating at a distance — Eventual Party is very much a pandemic time capsule. Deeply introspective musically and lyrically, the EP meanders in the stream-of-consciousness within the parameters set by pre-recorded arrangements. It is the kind of scene we witness from a distance, like a conversation between two other people in a supermarket.

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ART & CULTURE

P e r fo r mance | By Ken Abrams

Telling Performance A collaboration between FirstWorks and WaterFire brings an original Daniel Bernard Roumain social justice piece to Providence

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Daniel Bernard Roumain

family’s story, my history, and the story of my people, the Haitian people. But I’ve also been very curious about American stories and the telling of those stories over time,” he explains. One of Roumain’s goals is to unite communities through the arts. He describes the performance as a response to societal trauma. “We’ve seen two very clear pandemics: one involving our physical and mental health, the other

focused on many conflicts in terms of social justice, climate change, and our judicial system. There are really several pandemics, several fights and struggles that are overlapping and colliding. Composers are uniquely qualified to tell stories,” says Roumain. “My work in particular is very collaborative so it’s never just about my stories – it’s really about our stories and the telling of them.” Learn more at First-Works.org

Photo courtesy of FirstWorks

“This unique convergence of local-global creative forces promises to move our hearts and minds forward,” says Kathleen Pletcher, executive artistic director of FirstWorks, the Rhode Island non-profit committed to strengthening the community through the arts. She’s discussing The Telling, by renowned composer, violinist, and activist Daniel Bernard Roumain, and the first presentation in a new creative partnership between FirstWorks and WaterFire. In the performance, artists from varied disciplines will reflect upon and respond to the forces of crisis and communion in our lives – with stories of anger, anguish, and enduring hope. The production features original compositions with instrumental solos, dance, and chamber music, all exploring the question: how can we, the living, honor the lost? Pletcher explains how the award-winning Haitian-born artist Roumain, or DBR, was tapped to bring The Telling to the Ocean State. “For the last two years, Daniel has been the FirstWorks Artistic Ambassador. He works all over the country and has been a thought leader for classical music and racial justice – he’s an amazing musician and mind. There are a dozen different collaborators, both national and local,” adds Pletcher. “It feels like a convergence which is happening around this performance.” Held in the main hall of the WaterFire Arts Center, The Telling is planned as an immersive experience. “We’re really looking at the space in a non-traditional way,” explains Pletcher. In terms of local collaborators, Shura Baryshnikov is doing some of the choreography and MusicWorks Collective will perform the central piece at the concert. Adds Pletcher, “We’re also fortunate to have Melvin Chen who is Deputy Director of Music at the Yale School of Music on piano. The list of collaborators is amazing and reflects Daniel’s imagination.” For his part, Roumain explains that the performance is his response to what has happened in America over the past several years. “The title stems from this notion of telling stories. For me, as a Black person, I’ve always been curious about which stories are being told and why. I’ve been curious about my own story, my

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Local news for Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

ART & CULTURE

Ca l e nda r | By Karen Greco

The Must List 10 essential events this month January 15: It’s the comfiest crawl of the year! Suit up and grab your BFFs for the fifth annual Onesie Bar Crawl, which includes two complimentary drinks and a costume contest. CrawlWith.us

January 18: Celebrate Providence Monthly’s Who to Watch Party sponsored by Johnson & Wales University, hosted by Narragansett Brewery, featuring WRIK entertainment, photo booths, complimentary appetizers, and a chance to reconnect with Providence! ProvidenceOnline.com

January 19: Join Rhode Island’s literati at Askew for a Heroes and Villains themed event featuring true, first-person narratives read by their authors, hosted by Stranger Stories. StrangerStoriesPVD.com

January 20:

January 1:

ide statew For a f events o listing online! s visit u m ody.co h R y He

January 13-February 13:

January 22:

Roger Wheeler State Beach hosts the Penguin Plunge, one of the OG New Year’s Day dips in the state. Each bone-piercing plunge into the Atlantic benefits Special Olympics RI. Narragansett, SpecialOlympicsRI.org

Tiny Beautiful Things, based on Cheryl Strayed’s book about her time as advice columnist “Dear Sugar” and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) comes to Trinity Rep. TrinityRep.com

RI Philharmonic Orchestra’s Beethoven 5 features Brahms Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 in a side-by-side concert with students from the RI Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School. TheVetsRI.com

January 8:

January 14-16:

January 25-30:

Bring your mat to the zoo for Stretch Then Sloths Yoga for all fitness levels, followed by exclusive access to the Rainforest building, tea from Spill the Tea, and all-day zoo admission. RWPZoo.org

Don’t miss the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Rent, the cultural touchstone about a group of struggling young artists in NYC, during its 25th anniversary farewell tour. PPAC.org

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s blockbuster musical Jesus Christ Superstar comes stateside for its 50th anniversary in a new production that won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. PPACRI.org

ProvidenceOnline.com • January 2022

Photography by Nick DelGiudice

Rhode Island College President Dr. Frank D. Sánchez, Who to Watch 2020 Honoree Dr. Jeannine Dingus-Eason and husband Majied Eason, at the Who to Watch 2020 party held at Skyline in Providence

Grammy nominated comic Tig Notaro, star of Army of the Dead, Star Trek: Discovery, and One Mississippi, takes the Columbus Theatre stage during her Hello Again tour. ColumbusTheatre.com

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Lila Delman Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. *Sales ranking based on info from RI Statewide MLS for period 1/1/10-12/1/21.

WISHING YOU A HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. From all of us at RPL, we’d like to thank you for making us your #1 choice for real estate over the past four decades. May the new year bring you joy, happiness, and prosperity.

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Providence Monthly January 2022

Articles inside

EXPERIENCE: New

Two non-profits team up for a performance on social justice

Scholarship opportunity champions equity and engagement

RHODY GEM

HOME: A PVD family ditches the house for a tiny home on wheels

CALENDAR: This

IN THE KITCHEN: The