Providence Monthly September 2022 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

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4 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 IN THIS ISSUE Providence Monthly September 2022 COME TO THE CITY 43 NEWS & CITY LIFE 9 A Pawtucket workers cooperative paves the way for new models of care and pay equity 12 Cuervo, LaFortune, and Smiley make their cases for being the city’s next mayor 18 Study up on City Council candidates’ stances ahead of the primary election 32 RHODY GEM: A frame shop and gallery in classic Washington Park Art Deco building 34 NEWS:NEIGHBORHOOD Hyper local news and contact listings Plans are in motion to attract spacesplay,downtownpeopletowork,andlivewithgreenatthecenter LIFE & STYLE 55 HOME: An elegant kitchen makeover in Cranston 60 INFLUENCER: A capturingsharesphotographertipsformoments 62 SHOP: A primer on looking like a local for arriving college students On The Cover: A view of the Bajnotti Fountain at Burnside Park. Photo courtesy of GoProvidence. FOOD & DRINK 65 Local vendors o er a taste of Latino food, art, and culture 66 EXPERIENCE: Modern Italian cuisine gets inventive with simple ingredients 68 IN THE KICTHEN: Two brothers cater an immersive dining experience 70 FOOD NEWS: A sweet side hustle, Smith Hill’s newest java joint & a West End watering hole ART & CULTURE 73 contemporaryMission-drivenart gallery opens on A Street 74 MUSIC: A review of PVD alt-rock band’s latest release 76 PROFILE: RI rock legend gives back with free workshopssongwriting 78 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s 80 PIC OF PVD 34 55 66 73 Rendering courtesy of Imagine Downtown PVD Lentini,GracebyPhotography DesignsLeeMichelleofcourtesy ofcourtesyPhoto OrtizRamosMariana MajorElysebyPhotoPhoto courtesy of Eastern Art & Frame

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Care Starts with Community A cooperative for disabled workers paves the way for peer-led programming and equitable pay

The community-oriented group provides a space for neurodivergent youth and adults to support, learn from, and celebrate one another through peer-led drop-in groups and other programming.

Gallagher notes that over 30 percent of people in the United States are neurodivergent, which encompasses – but is not limited to – ADHD, autism, anxiety, and PTSD. However, in their work as a mental health counselor, Gallagher noticed a lack of wellness services, especially peer groups, for neurodivergent individuals in Rhode Island.

Photo courtesy of LUNA Community Care

Opening this fall in Pawtucket’s Hope Artiste Village, LUNA Community Care takes a uniquely collaborative approach to mental health. “We want to be affordable and accessible to everybody in ways that therapy may not be,” says licensed mental health counselor Casey Gallagher, who co-founded the cooperative for disabled workers in 2020 with Tara Boulais, a peer recovery specialist and community health worker.

CITY LIFE

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 9 &NEWS Non-profit | Politics | Rhody Gem | Neighborhood News

LUNA plans to o er numerous peer counseling groups both in person and virtually, including a gender and neurodivergent group and a Jewish and neurodivergent group. There will also be several rotating clubs, such as a disability justice book club, art club, and foraging and outdoor mindfulness club. A gender-a rming virtual workshop that took place earlier this year run by worker-owner Sy Bedrick was featured in Allure Collaborating with other local organizations, LUNA will also o er events and training programs to businesses and professionals on creating more disability-inclusive environments and support for neurodivergent individuals.

As the ﬁrst cooperative for disabled workers in the country, LUNA is forging a path in developing a business model, seeking ways to ensure all employees – including recipients of disability income – are paid equitably. Restrictions imposed on supplemental security income (SSI) make this di cult, as recipients don’t qualify for beneﬁts if they possess more than $2,000 at any given time, e ectively making it impossible for SSI recipients to build savings.

Though Gallagher and Boulais originally envisioned the cooperative o ering both clinical and peer support, they ultimately decided to focus exclusively on the latter, welcoming both those with clinical and self diagnoses.

10 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

LUNA has been developing ways to get around these policies in order to pay cooperative member-owners for their work. With two member-owners on SSI and two not, Gallagher explains, the group has collaborated to ensure that needs of every member are met.

Non-profit | By Katarina DuludeNEWS & CITY LIFE CareCommunityLUNAofcourtesyPhotos A welcoming atmosphere greets LUNA visitors

This reality is what led Gallagher to conceive the idea for LUNA. “I really believe in lived experience and identity-based groups, so that was where I started,” Gallagher says, noting that existing peer groups are often led by people who don’t share the lived experiences of those attending the groups.

“We’re really pioneering this,” explains Gallagher. “We’re trying to develop it in a way that makes sure everything we’re doing is legal and that we’re ﬁling our taxes right. That’s what’s taking us a lot longer because there’s not a lot of people with expertise on this.” Not even beneﬁts counselors in the state, they add, have a lot of know-how on these practices because of how new the business model is.

To learn more about LUNA Care Community’s services, visit LUNACommunityCare.org, or ﬁnd their fundraiser for programming at GiveButter.com/LunaCommunityCare#

Though LUNA is in many ways the ﬁrst of its kind, its team hopes they can be a model for similar organizations and cooperatives in the future, both in peer-support for neurodivergent individuals and setting a precedence for paying disabled workers equitably.

“We’re trying to ﬁnd ways to work with individuals who are disabled and not on disability who need to make money in order to survive as well as people who are on disability who have a lot of barriers in order to survive in this world,” says Gallagher. “We want to make sure that they’re also receiving the same funds that everybody else does, but we’re not impacting the beneﬁts that they receive through the state. This means o ering stipends or paying into retirement accounts, which does not impact disability income. LUNA also wants to ensure every worker is paid $30 an hour regardless of how they’re collecting their income.

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A rundown

Cuervo started a small business on Broad Street before becoming a community orga nizer for groups such as Quisqueya in Action, DARE, and Greater Elmwood Neighborhood Services. His wife is the executive artistic di rector for Teatro ECAS, New England’s lead ing Latino theater. He was the ﬁrst candidate to declare to run for Mayor in 2021. A graduate with a BS in Human Services from Springﬁeld College, Cuervo and his wife have two grown children and live on Mount Pleasant Avenue.

CuervoGonzaloofcourtesyPhoto

12 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

GONZALO CUERVO Gonzalo Cuervo was born and raised here in Providence and became a community orga nizer on the Southside as a teenager. In 1999, he and his wife Francis Parra purchased and restored their ﬁrst home in Washington Park where they raised their family. Since Providence’s population is now repre sented by 70 percent people of color, Cuervo feels “we need a mayor who speaks from their own lived experience and understands that we can be a dynamic, safe, and clean city with a thriving middle class.” He feels his background as longtime community organizer and work experience as the communications director for David Cicilline, the Chief of Sta to Mayor Angel Taveras, and most recently as the Chief of Sta for Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea demonstrate he is a man who knows how to get things done.

The three Democratic candidates, Gonza lo Cuervo, Nirva LaFortune, and Brett Smiley are all ideological Progressives, with Smiley and Cuervo adding “pragmatic” to the label. They all have worked in government, with Smiley and Cuervo serving in previous ad ministrations as Chief of Sta while LaFor tune, a five-year Councilwoman, has had a front row seat on how the city really works. All three are competent, experienced, and seem totally committed to trying to make a change for their city. They also seem to be in agreement on the wide range of issues con fronting the city: public safety and the police who have had their hands tied; the delivery of basic city services like snow plowing, roads, and garbage; the American Rescue Plan Act money windfall that is drying up; the ever-pres ent structural deficit; the deplorable state of public education and the system’s future; the pressing need for a ordable housing; uncer tainty about the status of the pension bailout bond; for the city’s institutional non-profits to pay their fair share; and finally the need to re pair relations with the State House. In short, it’s quite a laundry list of challenges. Since their platforms and priorities are similar, there aren’t expected to be many real policy disputes, so the voters’ decision may come down to the fundamental ques tion: “Who will make the best leader?”

While the candidates all respectfully dance around rating Mayor Jorge Elorza’s leadership and the overall state of the city, their campaigns clearly suggest they each feel they could do much, much better if they were given the chance. Policy similarities notwithstanding, how ever, each of the candidates marches for ward confident their particular skill set and experience makes them the most capable of leading the city onto better days.

ON KEY ISSUES General Thoughts: Cuervo is cautiously opti mistic about improving relations between the Politics By Barry Fain and Steve Triedman the Final Round on where each of the three mayoral candidates stands ahead of September 13 election

The countdown has o cially begun for the September 13 Democratic Primary, and here in Providence the main event will be the mayoral race as the city tries to get back on its feet from the pandemic, which still isn’t over. Complicating matters, the new mayor will also have to manage a new City Council, almost half of whom are ﬁrst-timers.

NEWS & CITY LIFE Heading to

Economic Development: Commerce keeps giving the keys to large one-shot outside companies. The process needs to have more community engagement and be

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Public Safety: Cuervo wants to reallocate police resources. “With only 30 percent of the 430 o cers actually on the street, pub lic safety is being compromised. We need to build better relationships between de partment and civilian leadership and untie the hands of the police.” He hopes the suc cessor to the current police chief is promot ed from within rather than from the outside and feels we deﬁnitely need a ﬁre chief.

Great Streets: Cuervo likes parts of the ini tiative (which aims to recast streets with the guiding principles of safety and inclu sivity) but would like to see better planning, so people aren’t surprised by changes.

Port of Providence: Acknowledging it is locked in by Washington Park, Cuervo feels mixed usage is the way to go and sees op portunity for renewable energy projects or tie-ins with future remediation projects.

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 13 SUNDAYS 2PM • TICKETS $30 MUSIC AT THE FARM Fall Indoor Concerts 969 Jackson Schoolhouse Rd. Pascoag, RI • gracenotefarm.com401-567-0354 SEPTEMBER 11 YUNWEN CHEN, CELLO OCTOBER 9 EMMA ROBERTSON, SOPRANO NOVEMBER 13 DAVID BERNAT, VIOLIN DECEMBER 11 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION David Rivera Bozon, Tenor & Emma Robertson, Soprano City and the State Legislature since its mem bers are getting younger and becoming more ﬂexible in how things are getting done rath er than more of the same. Many are Brown graduates and understand how critical better and fairer relationships with Brown are. As a longtime advocate and lobbyist for the city, we need to do a better job of “selling” the importance of Providence to the legislature.

“I know how to get people on our side.”

Structural Finance Issues: Cuervo believes we have an opportunity with the cash the City has in hand to invest in new ways to broaden our tax base, suggesting a program in which the underserved can be helped to convert their “side businesses” into real businesses by providing money to help them expand. Key to change here is simple: 1) e cient city infrastructure and 2) e ec tive evaluation tools/performance reviews.

NIRVA LAFORTUNE

LaFortune’s family fled Haiti when she was three and moved to Providence, first to the Southside and then to Washington Park where her parents still live. After graduating Mount Pleasant High School, she began a tough patch in her life as a pregnant 19-year-old, temporarily homeless in Miami. She went on to Philadelphia where she graduated from Temple University, working at Drexel University as assistant director for the Centers for Public Policy & Science Technology & Society, before ultimately earning an MA in Urban Education Policy from Brown. “I can talk about and understand the plight of the downtrodden because I’ve been there my self. I know what it’s like to suddenly have your rent raised by $300 and not have the money; I know about gun violence first hand because I lost my partner when I was 16. It has defined the shape of my life’s work.”

Education: LaFortune notes she is the only Mayoral candidate who actually went to Provi dence Public Schools and has had (and still has) children in the school system. “So when I talk about the crumbling school buildings, I’ve seen them and been in there.” As a Mount Pleasant graduate, she wonders why the city can‘t part ner more with Rhode Island College’s Teaching Academy nearby. LaFortune suggests the need to make public education both academic and aspirational. She believes there may be some merit to Gary Sasse’s recent op-ed (Providence Journal) suggesting creating a governing coun cil to ease the upcoming transition from state to city control in two years but needs to learn more.

ProvidenceOnline.com

| By

Steve TriedmanNEWS & CITY LIFE

Politics Barry and

First Days in O ce: LaFortune hasn’t pro posed speciﬁc programs yet but is committed to studying the issues. Plans to soon release a plan of what her ﬁrst 100 days in o ce would bring. When she was elected to the council, she LaFortuneNirvaofcourtesyPhoto

LaFortune is now the assistant director of the Curricular Resource Center at Brown and served as City Councilwoman for Ward 3, ﬁght ing for more resources in classrooms, a ord able housing, an environmentally friendly city, and building community-police relationships. She is an avid runner and cyclist who joined us late for our interview for this article following a ﬂat tire on her bike ride to work. Greeting us with a delightful, disarming smile, she joked: “I guess before I become a mayor, I should learn how to change a bike tire faster.”

ON KEY ISSUES

Fain

Education: Massachusetts works with similar community investment since it picked a path 20 years ago and stays with it as opposed to RI, which changes sta ng and leadership ev ery few years. As a community activist, Cuer vo adds his reality component: “It’s tough for a family dependent on two to three jobs to sur vive to make time to pressure their kid’s school.”

• September 2022 decentralized. Cuervo believes in taxing more from institutional non-proﬁts on their non-mis sion businesses as well and that excess hospi tal holdings might be more useful to the city if converted into taxable a ordable housing.

Top Three Concerns: Gun violence (public safety), affordable housing, and education. More community policing is needed. Public Safety: LaFortune’s biggest policy dif ference from opponents is over crime and public safety, as she is refusing to okay the city budget because police didn’t present a plan.

City Finances: LaFortune voted in support of the bonds and feels we need to make significant investments to lower costs. Get rid of dormant city buildings; we can learn from Yale’s PILOT project model. She be lieves it’s time non-profits be taxed on all their non-mission-driven projects and that local businesses deserve more attention.

“They pay big dollars but don’t get the ser vices.”

Great Streets: LaFortune is a big supporter for safety reasons.

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Fain

ON KEY ISSUES Public Safety: Of the candidates, Smiley is the most supportive of the police. With regard to getting the ATVs o the road, he promises, “There will be an immediate man date to shut them down and let the cops do their job.” He promises more community po lice o cers and a ﬁre chief.

A ordable Housing: Smiley wants to work with both non-proﬁt and for-proﬁt develop ers to expand the options to create programs for the new a ordable housing.

Port of Providence: Concerned about cli mate justice, LaFortune worries about the high asthma rates around Allens Avenue, which can’t be ignored.

PILOT Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program:

Doing Business: Smiley cuts to the chase, “The answer should be easy and it’s not. There’s too much regulation and too many obstacles for new businesses. Period. And we’ll ﬁx it.”

Politics | By

SmileyBrettofcourtesyPhoto Barry and

City Finances: Smiley is convinced his expe rience and success working with the state and city budgets will allow him to produce a carefully managed budget that would al low the City to improve basic services like plowing, maintenance, and cleaning, while still providing police and fire support at levels that taxpayers have a right to expect.

Legislative Successes: She is excited about the new planning progress for North Main Street and would like to see more inviting mixed-use projects and collaboration with Pawtucket that could take advantage of pre vious studies and proposals (possibly row houses) that looked pretty good.

Education: Smiley feels a turnaround plan is still the way to go but any success will depend on the new governor. “Massachusetts developed a plan 20 years ago and stayed with it and showed success. We didn’t. We need to agree on the basics, develop a plan, set metrics and stick with it along with a consistent funding for mula. We’ve failed the kids and the city for too long and I know that we can do better.”

Steve TriedmanNEWS & CITY LIFE

Great Streets: He would like to see more transparency and direct input from res idents who are directly impacted and a “look back” to see what’s actually working.

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 immediately used Sam Zurier (Rhode Island State Senator, representing District 3) as a men tor. “I admit I don’t have all the answers, but I believe in consulting those who do and hiring high quality experts to help.”

Smiley emphasizes the importance of this program since non-proﬁts make up 40 per cent of the city’s taxable base. “The previ ous givebacks are o the table, and we will focus on taxing the ‘non-mission driven’ parts of these organizations, like non-aca demic property, medical o ce buildings, or land-banked property. Additionally, I would like to see a revenue split with the state as organizations in this program add new em ployees above established thresholds.“

VOTE: Find your polling place at Vote.SoS.RI.gov

BRETT SMILEY Brett Smiley argues that his extensive govern ment and management experience make him ready on day one to be mayor. His shortened run for mayor eight years ago and his leader ship roles in the city and at the State House during the pandemic under then-Governor Gina Raimondo gave him wide name recogni tion even before the race began. A policy wonk, he can rattle o an incredible array of statistics and metrics for almost every aspect of city gov ernment. He believes that “Providence can be the best-run city in the country by supporting quality schools, small business support, and saf er streets for every neighborhood.” Smiley grew up in a Chicago suburb and is a graduate of DePaul University, where he earned a ﬁnance degree and an MBA. He lives on the East Side with his husband Jim DeRen tis, a real estate broker and former communi ty banker. Both are avid runners and share a deep love of Providence. He has been involved with Planned Parenthood, providing strategic counsel and as a fundraiser. He has also been involved with Marriage Equality Rhode Island, Rhode Island Housing, Rhode Island Commu nities for Addiction Recovery E orts, and the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

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2. QUALITY OF LIFE: Our “Quality of Life” plan is a people-powered, living blueprint with a clear vision to improve the city for every one. It includes solutions for everything from improving our schools to increasing housing a ordability to targeting violent crime. To get the greatest quality of life for all, we need bold, proactive, responsive, and e ective leaders.

PUBLIC SAFETY: What needs to change?

Gearing up for election season, Providence Monthly reached out to the candidates vy ing for 15 seats on the City Council for their stances on five key issues facing the city. Along with their reasons for running, each candidate was asked to rank these issues by order of priority, with their first selec tion ranking highest. Read on to find their responses to these five questions:

2. EDUCATION: Providence must regain con trol of its schools. Our state has no track record of turning around failing districts, and now we have more politics and less input from students and parents whose voices should be at the cen ter. This is a long-term e ort that should be a high priority for our next mayor, and must in volve real, deep community engagement.

3. CITY FINANCES: We must tackle un derlying fiscal challenges, such as our un funded pension liability, while being re sponsible with our investments. Prudent management will allow us to give property tax relief and lower the commercial tax rate to spur greater growth. The city’s elected must also hold large tax-exempt institu tions accountable for their fair share.

Politics | Compiled by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

WARD 2 HELEN ANTHONY (i) Democrat, Age 62 Occupation: HelenAnthony.comLawyer I believe that if you have the opportunity, you should try to make the world better. For me, the best place to start was local govern ment. I served on Town and City Councils in Needham, MA and Columbia, MO, and the Zoning Board in Providence. I’ve learned a lot about policy and governance, and when the Ward 2 seat opened, I decided to run.

WARD 1 JOHN GONCALVES (i) Democrat, Age 31 Occupation: Educator and DEI Coordinator at the Wheeler School JohnForWard1.com I’m running for reelection because of my ability to be responsive, reliable, and e ec tive for our constituents. I have continued to lead, build necessary partnerships, and have been a relentless advocate for what is right to move the city forward. I am also home grown. I went to Providence Public Schools and grew up in the neighborhood I serve.

4. PUBLIC SAFETY: Providence must be a city where everyone feels safe and lives in safe environments regardless of race, gen der, class, zip code, or level of ability. One shooting, murder is one too many. The focus must be strengthening community/police relationships, building trust, and investing in youth. The police also need more resources to respond e ectively.

18 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

EDUCATION: Should the city take control or let the state fix it?

QUALITY OF LIFE: What needs to be fixed in your ward to improve quality of life?

CITY FINANCES: What cuts would you like to see?

NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Should there be more local say in issues like bike lanes, traffic calming, and zoning?

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided Wayland Square

1. EDUCATION: As a graduate of the Provi dence Public Schools and an educator, I un derstand the importance of local education on the future success and well-being of our residents. These difficult times have caused incredible uncertainty and innumerable challenges to the school systems, teachers, parents, and students alike. The city should take control.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: City gov ernment has many responsibilities, but man aging smart development projects with a focus on resiliency tops the list. Decisions about new development are now made be hind inaccessible and opaque discourse. A more transparent process improves account ability, and more say from our residents. I will reform these processes with a new approach.

3. PUBLIC SAFETY: Safety is a common, fun damental need in every neighborhood. Every one wants to feel safe. We need to keep a lid on crime while also insisting on accountability and transparency from public safety o cers and a commitment to personal privacy in matters like surveillance. I am pleased the General Assembly is making progress on sensible gun safety. City Council Who’s Who Candidates running for seats in Providence’s 15 wards weigh in on crucial issues

1. CITY FINANCES: The city’s financial position is my primary short- and long-term concern. Our pension fund is less than 30 percent fund ed, which puts us on a path toward bankrupt cy. Without a more stable financial position, our schools and quality of life are at risk. This is less about cuts and more about smart financial stewardship and greater transparency.

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 19 gerrischi residentialproperties.comman.comgerri@residentialproperties.com@schimansells OVER 1800 HOMES SOLD Experience. Integrity. Results. Trusted Advocate for Buyers & Sellers for 28 Years! Not sure which ward is yours? Council.ProvidenceRI.gov/Ward-Boundaries/Visit ELECTION DATES Read up on the candidates running to represent your ward and mark your calendar: September 13: Rhode Island Primary Elections October 9: RegistrationVoterDeadline October 18: Mail Ballot Application Deadline November 8: General Election 4. QUALITY OF LIFE: We face a major issue with the increase of student housing de velopments, which presses on a ordability for renters. This can also mean more trash and noise from dense buildings near fami lies. I’ve proposed changes to the Student Housing Ordinance to limit the number of undergraduates living in a single unit, and I hope we pass that this year.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: I have fought for more public input in planning from our comprehensive plan to speciﬁc zoning requests. We need to ensure ample time for the public to be aware of the implications of proposed projects and opportunities to par ticipate. The Ward 2 Letter has been a major channel to learn about proposed projects, and we’ll continue publishing.

20 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 WARD 3 SUE ANDERBOIS Democrat, Age 39 Occupation: Climate Policy Advocate SueAnderBois.com

*PUBLIC SAFETY: We need more respect for police as well as sympathy for the per son under arrest.

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: As for neighborhood issues, I believe the bumps are a pain and counterproductive – well-in tended, perhaps – but like the camera indict ments, rather insulting in a democracy that should assume personal responsibility, not just brute crude force to keep folks in line appropriately. Our Ward 3 is an ideal com munity of di ering kinds of persons who celebrate both their community and their privacy and personal responsibility.

MIKE FINK Independent I was invited, asked, to run for the Council as an independent. I hope to combine curios ity by listening to my friendly neighbors as I have since 1936 (I was aged 3 then) and to add whatever wisdom remains with me as a child of Depression, Duration (World War 2) and then REpression (the HUAC loyalty oaths that curbed the freedom of artists and exiled creative souls instead of welcoming them into the realm of our founder Roger Williams who supported “soul liberty” – freedom of beliefs, both of and from religion) and who endeavored to be at peace with the indige nous people as well as newcomers in Ward 3.

BracaMikebyPhoto Politics | Compiled by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

2. PUBLIC SAFETY: Increases in crime are linked with increases in poverty and econom ic and racial injustice. We need to focus on building more opportunities in our city – and also more programs for our youth to recreate safely and have access to the emotional and economic supports that they need.

3. CITY FINANCES: There are no speciﬁc cuts. The health of the city’s ﬁnances undergirds so much of what the city can accomplish through programs and services. The city’s budget is also a moral document; where we invest our funds shows where our priorities are. We consistently miss our goals for things like contracting with women- and minority-owned businesses.

1. EDUCATION: As I talk with teachers, parents, and others involved in the schools, I hear a con sistent message: the schools need the resourc es they’ve been asking for (such as counselors to provide support for students) and they need stability – time to actually implement the plans. When the schools are returned to Providence, we need a solid plan and implementation.

4. QUALITY OF LIFE: The thing I hear most frequently is improving the sidewalks. People love this ward. They enjoy their neighbors, the small businesses, and the parks. But they can’t access them if they have any mobility restrictions because of the uneven quality of our sidewalks. These are serious problems that a ect how people enjoy the city.

I am committed to Providence and know we can do great things as a city. I have a strong track record of e ective, ethical, and collabo rative policy advocacy and implementation. I want to leverage this for the residents of Ward 3 and get things done in this city.

*EDUCATION: State takeovers have never worked, and I don’t expect this one to work ei ther. We need to ensure the people who have the skin in the game – parents and students – have

*PUBLIC SAFETY: We need to provide our ﬁrst responders with resources like jobs, therapies, and supportive services to increase opportu nities. We need to ensure our Greater Streets plan includes plans for crime reduction through environmental development. Add lighting in dark areas around hot spots and trees as well. Lastly, fully fund our crisis response team.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Residents should be given ample opportunity to both com ment on overall city strategy and plans and also to advocate with their Councilors on how things a ect them. However, the city should be given leeway to implement plans that have undergone feedback processes. We need to actually build housing, bike lanes, etc. all across the city.

COREY JONES Democrat, Age 25 Occupation: Chief of Program Development at the RI Department of Labor and Training Facebook: Corey Jones For City Council After losing eight friends and family mem bers to gun violence, I decided enough is enough and it’s time to put an end to gun violence in our city. [This can be accom plished] using programs with restorative practices that get at the root causes of crime, like creating a better education sys tem, jobs, and supportive services for our citizens that need it most.

*CITY FINANCES: Being a professor throughout my long career at RISD, I believe in words rather than weapons, persuasion instead of insistence, and know too little perhaps about the ﬁnancial woes of Ward 3.

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided NeighborsBlackstoneenjoyingPark

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Absolute ly, and it should be the job of a City Coun cilor to create buy-in for these di erent proposals. I think community-centered de cision-making should be codiﬁed in law.

3. PUBLIC SAFETY: We need a greater emphasis on community policing and improving police/community relationships.

2. CITY FINANCES: I’m more interested in growing our tax base than making budget cuts, through workforce investments and exploring a sales tax revenue-sharing model with the state.

4. CITY FINANCES: [I would like to see] ﬁs cal responsibility.

*CITY FINANCES: I think we could make our local government more e cient, which could create some long-term savings. I would also be focused on ﬁnding programs that have some duplication at the local and state level and work with our state partners to save money by combining programs. I would use that savings to increase contri bution into the pension fund.

BRADLY J. VANDERSTAD Democrat, Age 27 Occupation: Assistant Editor VoteBradly.com Providence needs and deserves authentic community leadership.

1. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Every major local infrastructure decision should incorporate feedback from residents, and the city should invest appropriate resources into outreach to ensure residents are given ample opportunity to do so.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE: Accountability will cre ate respect and pride to our community. In clusiveness is a top priority.

WARD 4 JUSTIN ROIAS (Democrat) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

1. QUALITY OF LIFE: I plan on leading with

Call

4. EDUCATION: While the state is in control, the city needs to develop a vision and plan for how it will do better. Then it should resume control after an elected and empowered school board is at the helm.

jroch@residentialproperties.com power in the decision making. We need an education system that serves the students.

Joe buyers401-440-7483RochHappilyassistingandsellersinProvidenceandthroughoutRhodeIslandJoeRoch.com

As a former AmeriCorps member and a pub lic health researcher, I have witnessed ﬁrst hand what corrupt policy making can do to a community, both abroad and here in Provi dence. Our city deserves an accountable and transparent government that speaks directly to the people in order to solve problems.

JOE CASOLI Democrat, Age 70 Occupation: Special Assistant to the Governor JoeCasoli.com Because I feel that I have to contribute to the community on the ground level. Right now a major portion of my job is to work with peo ple across the state, particularly during the pandemic. I have been able to help so many and I look at the council position as a venue to help my community by helping to provide a hands-on approach to city services.

WARD 5 JACKIE GOLDMAN Democrat, Age 28 Occupation: Program JackieGoldmanRI.comManager

*QUALITY OF LIFE: Sidewalks in Ward 3 are in desperate need of repair. I’ve seen side walks that look like a ramp at the skatepark. It’s dangerous and harms our residents.

1. PUBLIC SAFETY: We must increase the number of police o cers to the number ap proved of in the city budget. We in govern ment must show support for our police o cers and stop the chatter which undermines their morale. More importantly we have to better train our police candidates and hire men and women who show empathy and un derstanding of the human condition.

5. EDUCATION: No comment provided.

5. QUALITY OF LIFE: Streets, sidewalks, and parks. We need to activate our public spaces, particularly crafting and executing a vision for the future of North Main Street.

2. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, ab solutely [there should be local say].

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 21 I’m Here To Help!

JOSEPH GIAMPIETRO Democrat, Age 57 Occupation: Maintenance To improve people’s lives with education, bet ter jobs, and literacy; address safety concerns; improve community identities; and bring back community involvement to allow people to feel they have equity in their community. My goal is to stop the division and hate by bringing people together with a common goal by making them feel they have equity in their area.

*QUALITY OF LIFE: Education, safety, and a sense of community are all aspects that need to be addressed.

*CITY FINANCES: I would have to really have to sit down and look at the books and hear justi ﬁcations for things we are paying for to make a knowledgeable determination.

22 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 fully transparent and open processes so that we can directly address problems like the lack of housing, crumbling infrastructure, and lack of timely city services. We need to fix how we finance the city so we have enough funds to fix the city and take the financial burden o the people of Providence.

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided A view of the city from Neutaconkanut Hill Park

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, we need genuine community engagement across all areas. Residents need to be en gaged in policy decisions. The Council voted to put several Charter Amendments before voters this fall to address community en gagement issues, including a hybrid school board change providing for both mayoral ap pointees and publicly elected members.

4. QUALITY OF LIFE: We need an administra tion to commit to delivering city services with alacrity. That also includes being diligent about monitoring vendors and enforcing contracts to ensure deliverables are furnished professional ly and timely. Trash pick-up and snow remov al need to happen like clockwork. Streets and sidewalks need to be maintained regularly.

*PUBLIC SAFETY: I feel trees need to be mani cured, there’s too many dark areas – street lights are covered with trees blocking any light.

JO-ANN RYAN (i) Democrat, Age 63 Vice President, Customers CouncilwomanJoannRyan.comBank

3. EDUCATION: The state takeover of our schools has failed to date. While we need to hold the state accountable, we must now plan for our schools to be returned to the district. We need to properly fund our schools and create a governance model that supports our teachers, engages our community, and focuses on student outcomes.

WARD 6 JORGE PORRAS (Republican) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

4. PUBLIC SAFETY: Every Providence resident deserves to feel safe. In order to achieve that, we need to focus on solutions that prevent crime – increasing a ordable housing to lower home lessness, as well as expanding mental healthcare. We need to improve community trust in public safety systems and create non-police response options for non-violent crime.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Absolutely! I believe that Providence needs to become a more walkable and bikeable place, in order to curb the dangers and cost of high tra c com muting (both ﬁnancial and environmental). The people in our communities know what they need and what structures will work best for them.

1. CITY FINANCES: The city’s ﬁnances are our greatest challenge. It is di cult to improve quality of life issues if the ﬁnances are not properly addressed. While we have come back from the dark days of struggling to make payroll or even having a rainy day fund, we are not out of the woods yet. Our unfunded pension liability and PILOTs (Pay ments in Lieu of Taxes) must be resolved.

*EDUCATION: The closer you are to the prob lem, the more you should know how to ﬁx the problem. I’m not sure about what the state can do di erently than the city, but to me it’s a peo ple problem that needs to be ﬁxed by the right commitments by teachers and parents.

3. CITY FINANCES: What we need to cut most are corrupt deals with luxury developers that take opportunities away from Providence res idents. These large corporate entities buy local land and then pay far less than their fair share in taxes. This is not the way to improve our city.

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: I feel not ev ery wish list can be accommodated; money and logistics play a big part in the outcome, but people’s ideas should always be heard. I myself have three areas in my ward that I’d like to see look more like a Federal Hill in some aspects. If you reﬂect the community, the community will take pride in that area.

Facebook: Miguel Sanchez for Providence City Council I decided to run because I have both lived and professional experience that will give me a unique perspective to advocate for my neighbor’s needs at the city level. I am prepared

MIGUEL SANCHEZ Democrat, Age 24 Occupation: Constituent Services Associate

HarmonBrandonbyPhoto

Representing the neighborhoods I grew up in has been an honor. I care very much about the greater good, which impacts all of us. While we’ve made progress, we continue to face serious issues from protecting our environ ment to addressing financial obligations. I’m qualified, experienced, and driven to continue finding solutions to improve our city.

2. EDUCATION: So far, the state takeover has been ine ective. There has been little oversight, which has resulted in scandal and continued poor performance. I want to create an elected school board that will work directly with the community to determine what students need most. The people of Providence should control their schools.

2. PUBLIC SAFETY: People need to feel safe in their homes and in their communities. We need to return in earnest to community policing that is adequately sta ed and appropriately funded. We need to focus on relevant training, diversion programs, and youth programming. O cers must reﬂect the neighborhoods they patrol.

Politics | Compiled by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

*PUBLIC SAFETY: We need to have ac tive community policing. This would mean police o cers on foot as well.

1. EDUCATION: A good public education is the foundation of any prosperous munici pality. I believe the city should take control of PPSD sooner rather than later, but we need to make sure the city has an e ective plan. Until then, we need to make sure there are accountability mechanisms in place.

WARD 7 DAVID MARSHALL Democrat, Age 64 Facebook: Dave Marshall for City Council Ward 7 In 2018, I ran for City Council but was defeat ed by Council President John iggliozzi. How ever, that did not stop me from continuing my love for the neighborhood and I contin ued to support the residents of Ward 7.

4. PUBLIC SAFETY: We need to start ad dressing poverty, which is the root of all crime. Anything else is a band-aid solution.

2. CITY FINANCES: I would like to see the big wealthy nonproﬁts pay their fair share in taxes so we are not pushing everyday folks out of our city. Almost 40 percent of our property is tax exempt; this is not sustainable for any city. With rising prop erty values, we need to drop our tax rate by a signiﬁcant amount that actually helps working and low-income families.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Real concrete community engagement should be at the center of any new development.

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3. QUALITY OF LIFE: More frequent street sweeping, elevated crosswalks where there is heavy foot tra c, hold Waste Management accountable when necessary, build sidewalks on streets that don’t have them, redesign some streets to deter folks from speeding, and make them more pedestrian friendly.

*EDUCATION: I believe the city can handle any education issues that arise. Let’s have the city control our schools by giving them

WARD GERARD9CATALA (Democrat), JUAN PICHARDO (Democrat), and JOSE PEREZ CORPORAN (Independent) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, Ward 9 residents deserve safety in all areas; we must make changes and implement calming by Abbie Lahmers

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, the community should have a say as to what takes place in their neighborhood. Some of these issues are creating problems in neigh borhoods and need to be discussed and planned out before approved.

1. EDUCATION: Control should return to the city.

WARD 8 JAMES TAYLOR (i) (Democrat) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

I’m skilled at connecting people to services and advocating for smart laws. As a social worker, teacher, and recovery coach, I’ve walked hun dreds of people along their journey from the streets, court, and hospitals back to school, home, and meaningful work. My public policy education equips me to legislate from the per spective of those most impacted.

APRIL BROWN Democrat, Age 56 Occupation: Non-proﬁt Director AprilForWard9.com The reason I want to run is because Ward 9 is my home and has been my home for 48 years. I feel that we need to strengthen our neighborhood connections. A few of the ways I plan to do this is by reactivating community meetings with the City Councilor, strengthen ing the ward through business investments, and making people proud of their homes.

5. CITY FINANCES: I would have to review the budget.

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided LawlorDavidbyPhoto City views from above

24 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 the support they need to give the best edu cation to our children. If this can’t be com pleted within a certain time frame, then let the state attempt to correct any issues.

DIEGO TOMÁS ARENE-MORLEY Independent, Age 28 Social Worker and High School Teacher DiegoForAllNeighbors.com

*CITY FINANCES: I would have to be able to review the ﬁnances of the city to make that judg ment and see who is awarded how much money.

*EDUCATION: The city should not relinquish its control of the public schools to the state nor should they abandon their duty to provide quality education to the children of Providence to ensure a sustainable future.

5. CITY FINANCES: Providence’s ﬁnances will be stronger when we grow city revenue and create new jobs. We must attract new indus tries like electric vehicles and psychedelic therapeutics. I will advocate for City Council to reassign funds to hire more social workers and teachers aides in schools. My goal is not to cut budgets but to reinvest funds in our kids.

4. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Of course. When neighbors directly participate in their government, the rules they design work better and are easier to follow. My independent com munity campaign is about putting people before politics. I will donate at least half my o cial sala ry to fund a platform for direct community deci sion making open only to Ward 9 residents.

2. QUALITY OF LIFE: Ward 9 neighbors want cleaner, safer streets and sidewalks. We need slower streets and ways of addressing noise pollution with community buy-in. A central part of my campaign is community clean-up events across all Ward 9 streets. This is the service mindset I will bring to our City Council.

ANA VARGAS Democrat, Age 49 Occupation: Former Customer Service Clerk for the School Dept. Facebook: Ana Vargas for Ward 7 I decided to run for City Council to fulﬁll the needs of my community; to be their voice to defend the rights of our neighborhood and im prove our quality of life. I want cleaner streets, paved roads, and a better educational system.

1. EDUCATION: I come to this issue as a par ent of a Providence Public School student. The city should take back control of the school system and establish a healthier dia logue between parents, students, teachers, and administrators. My job will be to foster that dialogue in good faith and work to fund the programs that our students need.

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Politics | Compiled

*QUALITY OF LIFE: Sidewalks, rodent issues, clean properties, and absentee landlords are issues that need to be addressed.

*PUBLIC SAFETY: We need to bring back real community policing to build on the relation ship between public safety and Ward 9.

4. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, [locals should have a say].

2. PUBLIC SAFETY: More community policing.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE: More job opportunities.

3. PUBLIC SAFETY: Police tell me they can’t solve cases of major crime because people in our neighborhood don’t trust them. Un til this changes, nothing changes. We must end the failed War on Drugs to focus police work on real public safety threats. This is a ﬁrst step towards rebuilding trust between our community and public safety o cers.

Nirva will advocate for strong public schools. will implement community policing in every neighborhood and work to expand the crisis response initiative for those experiencing mental and behavioral health challenges. will always be honest, ethical, and transparent.

Paid for by Friends of Nirva LaFortune, Treasurer Melissa Laundry Nirva LaFortune Democrat votenirva.com

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WARD 10 PEDRO ESPINAL (i) Democrat, Age 57 Occupation: Real Estate Investor ElectPedro.com I am running for Providence City Council to amplify the voices of so many neighbors who wanted trust restored in their local leaders. I have fought to put laws in place that pro tect the health of our children and families, support tenants and homeowners, as well as laws protecting our workers to ensure they are receiving fair wages.

Politics | Compiled by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided

26 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 measures, but this should be focused on the success and health of the neighborhood. These matters of neighborhood invigoration should start and end with all of those that live in Ward 9, making sure those most impacted are priority.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE: Pollution in our ward is one of the most pressing issues. We need to stop the dumping and invest in improving our quality of air through more green and sustainable projects.

AssociationNeighborhoodParkWashingtonofcourtesyPhoto Washington Park

1. EDUCATION: Our schools are in bad shape and we all have a responsibility to our chil dren. At this point, we have to give the state time, but their process should include the city and all of its stakeholders, including residents in this transformation. We should not wait un til the end of the takeover to pass the baton to the city as that will be too late.

*CITY FINANCES: Our neighbors who are continually placed in the margin need our support as they grapple with mental, physi cal, and ﬁnancial turmoil in our city. I would like to see more investments in resources that change the way residents are able to access and utilize housing, green jobs training, and public education for all of us.

1. PUBLIC SAFETY: We need to restore the trust in our local police, so I believe commu nity policing is the ﬁrst step in ﬁxing that re lationship. Additionally we need to create a system that holds o cers accountable when their actions violate their role in the commu nity and they abuse their power.

*PUBLIC SAFETY: We as a community need to ensure our neighborhoods are safe with cultur ally competent law enforcement o cers with a focus on local neighborhood needs.

*EDUCATION: The Providence school district is under state control. We should give the state an opportunity to improve the educational system with an agreed upon timeline. If stu dent achievement does not improve, return the district to Providence. Our children are our future; it’s time to make a real investment in

MIGUEL QUEZADA Occupation:Democrat

2. PUBLIC SAFETY: Let’s reimagine public safety to reﬂect the needs of the community. For example: add other professionals, i.e. men tal health, that can respond to calls that do not require police; more training in areas of implicit bias and deescalation; reintroduce community policing; and o er incentives/recruit more po lice members to live in our community.

*QUALITY OF LIFE: We need to focus on environmental justice, housing security, and job equity.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE: Our neighbors are tell ing me that we need true representation for our community. We want someone that un derstands and cares but can also e ectively negotiate, strategize, and advocate for us. We need a safe and clean environment, quality schools, and a ordable housing, among other concerns. I bring new leadership and a new vision for a better tomorrow.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Participa tion is important within all of the included issues. Neighborhood engagement is a top priority during my campaign and will be in my tenure on the council. I will ensure that I ﬁght for what is right for us all and demand equity in all decisions. Thus this ranking is a moot point as engagement will be included in all these issues.

4. CITY FINANCES: Before considering cuts, I’d like to see ways of increasing revenues. For example, let’s discuss and negotiate PI LOT agreements. We also need to reexamine TSAs to ensure projects are beneﬁcial to the community and not a “give away.”

2. EDUCATION: I believe our education sys tem needs to be put back into the hands of our city leaders.

4. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, be cause these are issues that impact every one’s daily lives.

5. CITY FINANCES: I believe that at the mo ment all the investments in our city are key to the everyday lives of our constituents. If we are going to make cuts, I believe it’s a decision that must be made after looking at the whole budget and attempting to consolidate before making permanent changes.

NATALIA ROSA SOSA Occupation:Democrat Education Facebook: Natalia Rosa Sosa I decided to run because of my passion to serve the community. Over the years I’ve been fortunate to serve the community in di erent capacities. As a mother, daughter, sister, and partner, I understand the struggles that our community faces. I earnestly believe that I represent what Ward 10 needs.

Sales Facebook: Friends of Miguel Quezada I love Providence for what it is and how much more it can be. I grew up here and want my daughter and all our children to grow up here, too, but we have our challenges, especially in Ward 9 on the Southside. We will ﬁght for what is right and demand equity in all deci sions. I bring a new vision and leadership to a ect change for a better tomorrow.

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I have been a part of this community for 42 years. I believe we need strong and compas sionate leadership at City Hall. I believe in people; I believe that, together, we can build a stronger community that is ready to face the challenges of the future. I will always commu nicate with my community and would be hon ored to be your voice in City Hall.

WARD 11 MARY KAY HARRIS (i) and GEORGE LINDSEY (both Democrat) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

*CITY FINANCES: In business, there are two ways to make ends meet: increase revenues or cut expenses. Our most recent census indicates a growth in population, so cut ting expenses through reduction of services becomes a bigger challenge. Simply put, I would like to see additional revenues and ef fective spending more than just cuts.

BELEN FLOREZ Democrat, Age 52 Occupation: O ce Manager and Non-proﬁt BelenFlorez.orgFounder

1. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Neighbor hood autonomy goes way beyond bike lanes, tra c calming, and zoning – but that’s a good start. The ward is our most basic dem ocratic unit and needs to be strengthened.

28 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 our children’s education.

KEOBOUTHANH (Independent) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

*QUALITY OF LIFE: As I walk and knock on doors today, our residents state that we need clean streets, new sidewalks, speed control, and plowed streets curb to curb. These simple things are immediate to those who live in our ward.

4. QUALITY OF LIFE: What cries out is street, sidewalk, and vacant lot litter, debris, weeds, dead leaves, and broken sidewalks.

5. CITY FINANCES: The city does a pretty good job with the constraints it is under. It is really more a problem of allocation of what money we have. If the constituents of each ward had a better handle on city expenses and the means to address it, that would help.

3. PUBLIC SAFETY: A cop on the beat. To have a walking patrol person who knows you and your family and your neighbors would be ideal. Unfortunately, there is a lot to wres tle with to get this to happen.

1. QUALITY OF LIFE: We need to increase ac cess to quality education, careers, and hous ing. I think we can do this by advocating for increased support in City Hall for the needs that aren’t being met in Ward 12.

3. PUBLIC SAFETY: I will work, together

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Absolute ly. A global view to community changes leaves people with angst because they are not includ ed in the change or heard in [discussions about] what is better for our neighborhoods.

*EDUCATION: I believe the city is capable of coming together and working on a strategic cur riculum that will [encompass] all the necessary factors in order for our children to succeed.

WARD SEANGSOUK12

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided KenyonRosebyPhoto Rhode Island’s iconic State House

*QUALITY OF LIFE: [There needs to be] job opportunities for all walks of life, free health care for all, better nutritional food options at a low market price, better systems of educa tion including cheaper college rates, and safer streets and family meetings.

CEDRIC MARTIN RUSSELL Independent, Age 33 I’ve been on dialysis for 18 years. I’ve watched how policy shapes the outcome of so many lives. Running for City Councilman would allow me to give people like me the opportunity to shape policy for our safety and protection.

2. EDUCATION: I strongly express my full support for returning control of our schools to the city of Providence. Once oversight has been returned to the city, I will advocate tirelessly, with my council colleagues, to en sure that our students and teachers have all necessary resources available to them to thrive and exceed regional standards.

Politics | Compiled by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

JOE CORNWALL Democrat, Age 73 Occupation: Architect, property manager CornWallForCouncil.com The opportunity presented itself. People feel disconnected. I want to address that. Only by getting my ideas about ward life out be tween now and September 13 will I know if my ideas have legs.

*NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: I believe [there should be more local say]. The locals live in the community as well. They also pay taxes, just like everybody else.

2. EDUCATION: Parents need to get in volved. Once parents have control, then the proper city or state involvement, whichever is more practical, can follow.

1. QUALITY OF LIFE: Stop the gentriﬁca tion. Rents are high; many cannot a ord to continue to live here. Lack of home security can a ect all aspects of their lives.

3. EDUCATION: The city needs to take con trol. Teach so students learn and compre hend not just to study for state tests.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes, my job as City Councilor is to represent the needs and wants of my community. As such, I will always remain accessible to de termine the will of my constituents.

FriendsOfMsAltheaGraves.comRetired

4. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Yes. It should be transparent and real, not a rub ber stamp meeting where a decision has already been made but you need to check the box that the community was involved.

ALTHEA A. GRAVES Democrat, Age 68

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 29 1290 Mineral Spring Avenue No. Providence • pp@paulypentasdeli.comPaulyPentasDeli.com722-3222 We Have All Your Needs Covered For Every Catered Event We’rePartyYourPeople APPETIZERS • PLATTERS • ENTRÉES • VEGETABLES & MORE with my council colleagues and the in coming administration, to make sure we continue to graduate new diverse police academies that better reﬂect the commu nities they represent.

4. CITY FINANCES: I would like to see cuts in licensing fees and other cumbersome, unnecessary bureaucratic regulations that hinder our small business community from starting their ventures. I will work to ensure that City Hall works for our small business community as well as all residents.

I am a lifelong resident of Ward 12; it is my home and I love it. I have a track record of ﬁghting for resources and programs for the community. I have served on numer ous boards and committees that help to improve, empower, and enhance my com munity and city. I can use that same dedi cation and the experience at a greater level as Councilwoman.

2. PUBLIC SAFETY: Several things from the urgent and life-or-death situations, such as getting these unlawful guns o the city streets, to the basics, such as improved light ing, maintenance of sidewalks, and over grown foliage (which cause people to be in the street with ongoing tra c) and other common sense and easy-to-remedy issues.

WARD 13 RACHEL MILLER (i) (Democrat) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

WARD PATRICK14T. GRIFFIN Democrat, Age 67 Occupation: Businessman Facebook: Patrick Gri n for Ward 14 With my years of service and experience with the City of Providence, I believe I am unique ly qualiﬁed to serve as the next Councilman from Ward 14. Constituent services was not only my career, but my passion. I am ready to carry on serving the city that has given my family and I more than I could ever repay.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE: We need a City Coun cilor that is responsive to constituent con cerns, and ensuring that taxpayers are re ceiving the city services that they’re taxed for. From ensuring catch basins are cleaned regularly to curb-to-curb snow plowing and regular street sweeping, Ward 14 is in most need of simple, routine services.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: 100 per cent. How do we expect our neighborhoods to be on board with changes that signifi cantly impact their day to day if we don’t have their input?

1. EDUCATION: I believe that the city should have control of our schools. However, I believe that we need to have a deﬁnitive plan in place prior to the transition. Additionally, we need to give the superintendent the autonomy to a ect the immediate impact and change we expect for our youth to thrive.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE: Ward 14 is a tale of two neighborhoods. Elmhurst’s main concerns fo cus on road and sidewalk repair and tra c safety while Wanskuck has deeper needs like access to quality a ordable housing and ba sic needs like landlords who tend to basic and essential quality of life issues on their proper ties, like having hot water, for instance.

Politics | Compiled by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

2. EDUCATION: The state has proven to be a poor steward of the Providence Public School Department. PPS should be brought back un der the jurisdiction of the City of Providence, and the transition must be led by educators, families, and members of the community.

SHELLEY T. PETERSON Democrat, Age 41 Occupation: ShelleyForWard14.comGrantwriter/Registrar

2. PUBLIC SAFETY: I think we need public safety o cials to move back to our neigh borhoods so that they truly understand the fabric of Providence. By understanding and supporting our communities, especially our youth, you’d see a di erence in the way people are treated and an opportunity to en gage with civility and justice at the forefront.

4. CITY FINANCES: As City Councilman, I in tend on thoroughly examining each and ev ery line item of each proposed annual budget alongside the city auditor, the Chair of the Finance Committee, and other city o cials to make the right choices for our community.

ANDREW POYANT Democrat, Age 35 Occupation: Environmental Scientist Facebook: Andrew Poyant for City Council As a father, a community organizer, and an environmental scientist, I have seen time and time again the people in power siding with corporations and the wealthy over the

KEY: (i) Incumbent candidate; * Ranking of issues not provided LahmersAbbiebyPhoto Locals BucktownvisitingontheWestSide

4. CITY FINANCES: I don’t know how to answer that without having a full audit of each city de partment. It would be important for every in coming City Councilor to really understand city services inside and out before taking a stance like that. A uniﬁed acknowledgment of the need by all City Councilors is a great starting point in my opinion to then continue forward.

1. PUBLIC SAFETY: The City Council must en sure that the Providence Police Department is adequately sta ed, that o cers are walking the neighborhood and getting to know the commu nities they serve on a more personal level, that more full-time social workers are hired by PPD to aid in deescalating non life-threatening emer gencies, and hiring a permanent ﬁre chief.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: Absolute ly. Residents of our neighborhoods know our streets best, and their input is vitally im portant to address these issues.

30 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

5. CITY FINANCES: This is a very important issue; however, I have given it the number 5 slot. This is because until I have sat down and looked over the books/budget, I cannot truly give a comprehensive answer.

I am running for City Council because as a constituent over the last 20 years, I’ve learned there are some deeper issues that need to be dealt with by leaders who are willing to have di cult conversations to a ect the change we’re looking for. As a Latina, mother, and ad vocate, I feel that I represent a large section of my ward and can do that.

1. EDUCATION: My experience on the Community Design Team, providing input to RIDE on the Turnaround Plan, allowed me to see the limitations of our state’s ability to ﬁx the PPSD. I want the city to take back control of our schools, increase transparency and public engagement, and have a fully elected school board that is accountable to voters.

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 31 890 Allens Street, PVD • 414-7799 • CasaAzulRI.com Our Casa is Your Casa Authentic Mexican flavors Delicious Recipes & Vegan OptionsEstate Planning (Wills & Trusts) Probate & Trust Administration Corporate Law & Business Planning Elder Law | Real Estate 4 Richmond Square, Suite 150 Providence | www.mswri.com401.272.6300 Women Run. Women Owned. Results Driven. ROW & RACE WITH NBC! REGISTER FOR ADULT & YOUTH FALL programs@rowNbc.orgwww.rowNBC.orgPROGRAMS FROM LEARN - TO - ROW TO COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS OPEN HOUSE FOR ALL AGES AUGUST 27 • 9am,10am or 11am majority of Providence residents. I want to bring a sense of urgency to the City Council to address issues that have been impacting Providence residents for years.

3. PUBLIC SAFETY: We must address the root causes of crime in our city by build ing a ordable housing, investing in our public schools, funding after-school and summer programs and creating hundreds of good paying green union jobs for Prov idence residents. I will also support gun buyback programs to help reduce the number of guns in Providence.

5. NEIGHBORHOOD AUTONOMY: I sup port creating community-driven plan ning of our streets to assure safe roads for everyone that are designed with the community in mind. My neighborhood is being bought up by a few corporations, leading to increased rents and making it harder for people to buy a house; ad dressing this is important for my neigh borhood and our city as a whole. WARD 15 OSCAR VARGAS (i) and SANTOS JAVIER (both Democrat) did not respond to Providence Monthly’s questionnaire.

2. CITY FINANCES: I would like to end tax breaks for luxury developers and increase tax es on private colleges. We can’t have the city services our residents deserve or address the pension deﬁcit without creating and imple menting a fairer tax system.

4. QUALITY OF LIFE: Addressing dispar ities of investment, adding a splash pad and park renovations in Wanskuck, reno vating and converting abandoned housing to a ordable housing, maintaining clean streets, improving sidewalks, and ensuring high-quality education and living wage job opportunities in the neighborhood.

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!

Eastern Art & Frame Company 1376 Eddy Street • info@providenceframeshop.comProvidenceFrameShop.com781-8363 your Rhody Gem, please email

CompanyFrame&ArtEasternofcourtesyPhoto To submit

Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com By Karen GrecoNEWS & CITY LIFE 32 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

Eastern Art & Frame Company

Framing Shop and Art Gallery

What it is: A framing shop and art gallery that can also stretch and frame needlework and canvas, and even cut mirrors to fit any frame. Where to find it: At the corner of Eddy Street and Vermont Avenue in the Washington Park neighbor hood. It’s one mile south from the Thurbers Avenue exit, across from Broad Street School. What makes it a Rhody Gem? Custom framing is an art form in and of it self, and Joanne and Joseph Noonan have been helping customers preserve and dis play their treasured artwork since 1988. Since moving into their current location in the old Carter’s Candy building 10 years ago – a unique Art Deco building dating back to 1932 – the couple has lovingly brought the period details back to life, in cluding the brass globe lamps, a tin ceiling, and the elaborate hardwoods. Joanne ex pertly guides clients through choosing the best mats and frames to showcase their collections while long-time employee Will Cooley, with his detailed eye, cuts, frames, and finishes each by hand. Have walls to fill but nothing to hang? Check out their ex tensive inventory of prints, posters, maps, and botanicals, many of them vintage.

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 33

HOT TOPICS

In response to the 195 Commission’s re peated calls for development along the riv erfront – and numerous applications – the Fox Point Neighborhood Association’s July meeting saw residents of Fox Point and the Jewelry District asking two local develop ers questions about their building propos als for Parcel 8/8a. The plot, located just o the 195 o -ramp at South Main Street, adjacent to the structure-in-progress on Parcel 6, boasts river views to the west and panoramic city views to the north.

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

The two building proposals could not be more di erent. Developer Richard Baccari’s proposal, a mixed-use building with o ce spaces, high-end condomini ums, and rooftop dining drew praise from neighbors for its appealing design, with a descending, stepped rooﬂine, and ample parking. Some residents commended it for being well thought-out and architec turally impressive, while others criticized the proposal for its lack of a ordability.

Neighborhood News

“Luxury condos don’t add as much to the vibrancy of the community as one might wish,” said one neighbor.

34 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 Neighborhood News | Curated by Abbie LahmersNEWS & CITY LIFE

An overview of what’s happening around the city right now Fox Point neighbors weigh in on I-195 proposals

The second proposal, presented by Jor dan Durham of D+P Real Estate, prioritizes ecologically responsible building materials and practices, with sustainability at the core. The D+P proposal includes a corpo rate headquarters with a traditional brick exterior, a ordable residential rental units designed to look modern, and first-floor re tail space. The structure would look like two attached buildings, each five to six stories tall. While residents lauded the project for bringing stable jobs to the neighborhood as well as much-needed workforce hous ing, they expressed concern about lack of parking and unsatisfying design. Durham said he is willing to work with neighbors to revise the design of the building; residents will no doubt rise to the occasion.

GrowSmartRI recently launched the Main Street RI initiative with a primary goal of provid ing centralized organization and support to those around Rhode Island who are working to cultivate, enliven, and promote traditional commercial districts while advancing main street revitalization.

Mid-summer, residents were feeling the e ects of living in a “heat island” – urban neighbor hoods facing temperatures higher than surrounding areas. Close to the highway, port, and hos pital, combined with the general lack of shade-giving trees, South Providence neighborhoods experience the perfect storm of ill health e ects. Though a beautiful and historic neighborhood, Washington Park has yet to receive adequate curbing and tree coverage. Neighbors are looking to change this, one tree at a time, on both residential and state-owned streets. Looking ahead to next spring, WPA welcomes residents to get involved in future plantings. For Washington Park neigh bors interested in receiving trees, call or email Linda Perri at 401-241-3522, bettylinda@aol.com.

Fox Point and Jewelry District residents have weighed in on two building proposals for Parcel 8

Washington Park Association’s efforts to beat the heat with tree coverage

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 35 Specializing in Historic Property on the West Side, Broadway Armory District and Historic Elmwood for the past 20 jdriver@residentialproperties.comyears.

The outcome of the meeting will inform how SPNA and GrowSmartRI host future meetings for the neighborhood’s other high-tra c commercial corridors (such as Eddy Street, Prairie and Thurbers avenues, etc.). To learn more or o er input, email southprovneighbors@gmail.com.

Call Jane Driver 401.641.3723 Happy to assist you with all of your real estate needs

In association with Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, Washington Park Association (WPA) is seeking volunteers to go door to door signing up residents to have free trees planted on their streets. Residents can receive one to three trees for their street or yard to enhance their property and create much-needed shade for the entire area.

Meet the candidates with West Broadway Neighborhood Association

As election season heats up, West Broadway Neighborhood Association is organizing two candi date nights this month to ensure neighbors have a chance to get to know the candidates vying for seats in state and city governments. On September 7, a Meet the State House Candidates event o ers neighbors the opportunity to hear from current state-level elected o cials and their chal lengers about their visions for Rhode Island and stances on issues a ecting the community. Candi dates will speak in two shifts: House candidates from 5:30-6:30pm and Senate from 6:30-7:30pm. In addition to covering core issues, neighbors are encouraged to submit questions in the days before the event. Then on September 8, WBNA hosts Meet the Mayoral Candidates, an informal meet and greet in Dexter Park. Unlike a traditional mayoral forum, this is an opportunity for resi dents to meet the candidates face to face, get to know them, and ask questions about the issues that matter most to them. The candidates will be present in three 45-minute shifts: Brett Smiley from 3:30-4:15pm, Gonzalo Cuervo 4:30-5:15pm, and Nirva LaFortune 5:30-6:15pm. WBNA.org

MendilloAmyByPhoto

South Providence Neighborhood Association (SPNA) was invited to participate on the Steering Committee for this statewide initiative to help best provide this opportunity to the businesses based on high-tra c corridors in the Southside of Providence, in particular Broad Street. SPNA hosted an initial meeting at the end of July about Main Street RI to hear feedback from Broad Street businesses on whether or not the program can support their goals and to determine next steps to implement the initiative if they found it to be beneﬁcial.

South Providence businesses begin main street initiative talks

36 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 Neighborhood NewsNEWS & CITY LIFE Blackstone Parks Conservancy Jane Peterson P.O. Box BlackstoneParksConservancy.orgBlackstoneParks@gmail.com401-270-3014Providence,603141RI02906 College NeighborhoodHill Association Rick Champagne P.O. Box Providence,2442RI CHNAProvidence.orgCHNA@chnaprovidence.org02906 NeighborhoodDowntown Association Facebook:DNAPVD.comDNAPVD@gmail.comProvidence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA Elmwood AssociationNeighborhood Karen Facebook:ENA-PVD.orgHlynskyElmwood Neighborhood Association PVD Fox Point AssociationNeighborhood Meeting Date: September 12 Amy Mendillo P.O. Box Providence,2315RI FPNA.netFoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com02906 Jewelry AssociationDistrict Sharon Facebook:JewelryDistrict.orgSharon@sharonsteele.comSteeleJewelryDistrict Association Providence, RI Mile of History Association Wendy Marcus c/o Providence Preservation Society 24 Meeting Street Providence, RI MileOfHistory.orgMileOfHistory@gmail.com02903 Mount Hope Community Center Facebook:MHNAInc@gmail.com401-521-8830MountHope Neighborhood Association, Inc. Olneyville Neighborhood Association Eduardo Sandoval 122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI Facebook:ONAProvidence@gmail.com02909OlneyvilleLibrary Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations ProvCNA.orgInfo@provcna.org Reservoir NeighborhoodTriangleAssociation David Talan 25 Santiago St. Providence, RI 02907 DaveTalan@aol.com401-941-3662 Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative Wole Akinbi 400 Smith Providence,StreetRI02908 Suite #1 Facebook:AAkinbi@half-full.comSmithHillPartners’ Initiative South NeighborhoodProvidenceAssociation c/o Dwayne Keys P.O. Box Providence,5653RI 02903 NeighborhoodFacebook:SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com401-369-1334SouthProvidenceAssociation Summit AssociationNeighborhood Meeting date: September 19 P.O. Box Providence,41092RI SummitNeighbors.orgSNAProv@gmail.com401-400-098602940 Washington NeighborhoodParkAssociation 237 Washington Avenue Providence, RI Facebook:BettyLinda@aol.com02905Washington Park Association Wayland NeighborhoodSquareAssociation Katherine Facebook:TouafekWayland Square Neighborhood WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.comAssociation West NeighborhoodBroadwayAssociation 1560 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909 WBNA.orgWBNA@wbna.org401-831-9344 AssociationsNeighborhoodProvidence A heat island, Washington Park Neighborhood is in the ongoing process of increasing tree coverage AssociationParkWashingtonofcourtesyPhoto

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 37 Edgewood&illageVawtuxetPBYCHARMEDBE KeanesWoodFired.com CORPORATEWEDDINGSEVENTSHOLIDAYMENUSEXPRESSDROP-OFFCATERING PHOTO BY ERIN MCGINN OPEN EVERY SATURDAY ALL SUMMER 9AM-NOON 20+ VENDORS EVERY WEEK • LOCAL FOOD HANDMADE GOODS • VEGAN FRIENDLY 60 RHODES PLACE, CRANSTON • PLENTY OF PARKING • @PAWTUXET_FARMERS_MARKET VISIT OUR Art Gallery M-F 10am-5pm / Sat 9am-2pm Festive Art Night WED, SEPT 7th 5pm-8pm BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME e REALPRO Way 2202 Broad Street, Cranston • 401-709-4626 • TheRealProGroup.com RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SALES SERVING RI & MA Real Estate & Art Gallery FULL-SERVICE LIQUOR STORE ROBUST WINE SELECTION CRAFT BEERS Including Locally Brewed Options Edgewood WINE & SPIRITS 1992 Broad Street, Cranston • edgewoodwineandspirits.com785-2286

With a commitment to fostering a vibrant and supportive community, THE PRESERVE AT BRIARCLIFFE is Rhode Island’s newest facility o ering an experience unlike any other in senior living and care. Owner and CEO Akshay Talwar’s mission is to create a space for residents to embrace this next chapter in their lives as a time of renewal rather than isolation, surrounded by new friends and all the amenities of a comfortable life. The moment you set foot inside, there is a sense of coming home. The Preserve features 66 modern, private residences in a variety of appealing floorplans, for residents seeking an independent lifestyle or assisted living. The Preserve blends Briarcli e’s legacy of care and compassion with a sense of elegance in spaces designed to feel airy and cozy with high ceilings and upscale finishes. The Preserve is all about choices, whether that means enjoying a manicured outdoor oasis or using concierge and personal care services. Residents have daily access to a fitness center, restaurant-style dining, library/computer area, spacious lounges, and social activities. Briarcli e has been the choice of generations of RI families when it comes to providing compassionate care. The Preserve is an extension of this commitment with state-of-the-art safety and accessibility features and a luxury resort feel.

The Preserve at Briarcliffe

401.944.2450 • Briarcli eRI.com One-of-a-Kind Assisted and Supportive Independent Senior Living Residence 54 Old Pocasset Road | Johnston, RI BriarcliffeRI.com | 401.944.2450 ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE The Preserve at Briarcliffe Assisted & Independent Living Residence CALL FOR PERSONAL TOUR Awarded Top Senior CommunityLivingbyRIMonthly For more information Email Ann@providenceonline.com + A Pawtucket Loft with Industrial Vibes New Dining: Salads, Spirits More Revamped RISD Store Interview with “The Funniest Stand-Up Alive” Start family fun day KNEADwith Doughnuts 20+ waystobecoolwithkidsinthecity Have your business profiled here in our SpotlightBusinesssection! READSOMETHINGYOULIKE? REPAIRSINSTALLATIONS•REPLACEMENTS We are always providing a Free Estimate IASIMONE PLUMBING 27 Allen Avenue, North Providence (401) 300-9761 • iasimonephdc.com HEATING & DRAIN CLEANING, INC. We Can Do Anything With Water Except Walk On It Servicing all of RI & nearby Mass. for over 35 years WINNER OF THE SUPER SERVICE AWARD FROM ANGIE’S LIST FOUR YEARS IN A ROW! Monday - Friday 7:00am to 6:00pm WASHERSRANGESREFRIGERATORSSTAINLESS•HOODS&DRYERSBUILT-INREFRIGERATIONCOOKTOPSWALLOVENSDISHWASHERS TOP APPLIANCES AT LOW PRICES NEW SHOWROOM WITH OVER 400 SCRATCH & DENT APPLIANCES! 299 Walcott Street, Pawtucket 723.0500 • www.KitchenGuys.com DR. THOMAS MORISON Chiropractic Physician Northeast Chiropractic “After a week of treatment, all the pain was gone... I recommend Dr. Tom to everyone I know.” – J.T. ALSO OFFERING THE IDEAL PROTEIN WEIGHT LOSS METHOD 401-861-1300 • 187 Waterman www.wickedgoodposture.comStreet Ornamental and Shade Tree Specialists T.F. Morra Tree Care, Inc. • fine hand pruning • tree preservation • hazard tree removal • tree evaluation & diagnosis • plant health care 331-8527 • tfmorra.com

38 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 Special Advertising SectionBUSINESS FOCUS

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40 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 BACK to SCHOOL Nursery through eighth grade • East Providence • gordonschool.org BUY 3 LESSONS GET THE 4TH FREE! WHEN YOU USE CODE 4FOR3 Register by September 15 to secure your spot! FIND YOUR... Contact us TODAY! 401.248.7001 • MS.RIPHIL.ORG/PMF22 Find Your Place the Wolf School Private K-8 Special Education School | Financial Aid Available | thewolfschool.org D iscover a school as unique as your child Join us at our Fall Open House on October 23rd! Learn more at thewolfschool.org! Writing • Marketing Social Media • Photography Graphic Design Apply For Our Internship Programs Send résumé to elyse@providenceonline.com magazines?HAVE A PASSION FOR

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 41 BACK to SCHOOL Quality dance education in a nurturing and supportive environment. Register Now for 2022-2023 Classes! Oﬀering a wide range of styles and programs for movers of all ages and Schedulesabilities!andrates at festivalballetprovidence.org/school When you become a student at Mount, the world opens up for you. Whether you’re in middle school or high school, you will: Be a Mountie and you can be anything AN AWARD-WINNING CATHOLIC, COLLEGEPREPARATORY, CO-ED ACADEMY FOR GRADES 6-12 Free Transportation • mountsaintcharles.org Sign up for our Open House • Sunday, October 23 • Be connected to teachers • Be challenged by rigorous academics • Be inspired to explore • Be involved in and out of school • Be loved in a safe, caring environment 160 COLLEGES ANDWORLD-WIDE.UNIVERSITIES Class of 2022 were accepted into more than COLLEGESELITE including Discover the Prout ADvantage Academic rigor, athletic opportunity and exceptional arts education in our Catholic community! from the Class of 2022 are committed to play 15 NCAASTUDENTSSPORTS. For more information about enrollment, go to www.theproutschool.org or contact Admissions Director Sharon DeLuca at (401) 789-9262 ext 514 or sdeluca@theproutschool.org. Freshman applications are still being accepted for 2022-2023 school year. We also welcome transfers in all grades. A Catholic, Diocesan, Coeducational, College-preparatory High School. The Prout School Wake eld | Rhode Island Class of 2022 were accepted into many Brown, Yale, Notre Dame, Boston College, Lehigh and UNC.

KEVIN FOX KFox@residentialproperties.com401.688.5556 YOUR EAST SIDE EXPERT! 43 THAYER PENDINGST. 59 EMELINE ST. PENDING 61 SHELDON ST. PENDING 46 WOODBURY ST. RECENTLY SOLD 293 COLE AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 340 COLE AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 287 COLE AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 26 FISHER ST. RECENTLY SOLD 939 HOPE ST. RECENTLY SOLD 226 SLATER AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 347 SLATER AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 325 COLE AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 280 IRVING AVE RECENTLY SOLD 54 TWELFTH ST. RECENTLY SOLD 42 INTERVALE RD. RECENTLY SOLD 375 ROCHAMBEAU AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 55 HAZARD AVE. RECENTLY SOLD 7 BARNES ST. RECENTLY SOLD 125 PROSPECT ST. RECENTLY SOLD

BY KAREN GRECO Photo courtesy of GoProvidence

T here’s an illusion that cities just spring up, fully formed, that their very existence will ﬁll the streets, retail spaces, restaurants, and apartments above with throngs of people. But cities are living, breathing entities that shift and morph with each boom and bust. Downtown is not immune to that cycle. And COVID was the bust no one anticipated.

Everything’s Waiting For You

“Like any sort of crisis, there’s opportunity born out of it,” says Kristen Adamo, president of GoProvidence, the city’s tourism board. According to Adamo – and a cross-section of downtown business owners agree –downtown Providence was booming pre-pandemic. Several national publications listed Providence on their “top cities to visit” lists, praising its big city feel wrapped up in a fun-sized package. More a ordable and more accessible than its northern cousin, Boston, Providence punches above its weight in culinary and cultural o erings. But rather than wallow in what-ifs, the pandemic galvanized Providence’s stakeholders. With unexpected time on their hands, three entities came together – the Downtown Improvement District, The Providence Foundation, and GoProvidence – and envisioned the Providence they wanted to see: one with a dynamic downtown that brought people to the area for work, play, as well as living.

A new direction for downtown puts green space at its center

Wood points out that the programming bud get for Lawn D in front of the Boston Conven tion Center is nearly $2 million dollars a year; NYC’s Bryant Park hits $20 million. The collec tive day-to-day programming budget of the parks network is $200,000, which feels like a bargain. “We have big city ambitions with small town underwriting,” says Wood. “For us to reach our impact goals in our downtown spaces we need to generate increased support.”

“We have this loop of public space that other cities literally spend millions and millions of dol lars to create,” Wood says, referring to the 4050 acres of riverfront land that runs from Ken nedy Plaza to Waterplace Park to the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge. “So we wanted to capitalize on having this space, but that means putting together a public/private partnership to maintain, steward, and program at that level.”

“My job completely changed during the pandemic,” says Adamo. “Before, it was real ly about marketing the things we have. Then during the pandemic, and going forward, it became about helping to develop the things we need. We can’t just promote the things that are happening in Providence anymore; we have to help create them.”

THE REIMAGINED KENNEDY PLAZA HAS “BIG SHADE” AND A ADAMO CLIFF

Downtown Providence is buttressed by its namesake river. When Roger Williams arrived and declared his freedom from Massachusetts’ tyranny, putting downtown at the edge of the waterway was likely a logistics decision. The river is once again a focal point, this time for revitaliza tion. “There are several things in the works that if they all go right, it’s going to be transformative at a deep level for Providence over the next three years,” says Cli Wood, executive director of The Providence Foundation and The Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy. Wood is spear heading an ambitious green space initiative that links the existing disparate parks skirting down town and the river into a cohesive parks network that forms a loop around downcity. “We’ve always known that green space is important for a healthy city,” Wood continues, “but sometimes convincing people to invest in the way that’s required is more di cult. But with COVID, it became more obvious how much of this open space you need to have.”

WOOD Rendering courtesy of Imagine Downtown PVD

WATER FEATURE KRISTEN

Over the years, Kennedy Plaza’s renewal has had a few iterations. Originally programmed for use only six months out of the year, Wood says it became clear that the plan needed a larger foot print for year-round use. With RIPTA planning to move their buses to an indoor hub in the Jewelry District, raising the street ﬂush with the sidewalk for ease of walking, and building an elevated con nector to Waterplace Park, Kennedy Plaza will be much more pedestrian-friendly and o er ample space for events, from movie screenings to live performances to yoga classes. The plan also in cludes cafe kiosks for food and beverages.

Notably – but, surprisingly, with little local fan fare – the Central Park Conservancy chose the Downtown Providence Parks Network to be one of only seven urban park organizations for their Institute of Urban Parks 2022 cohort lab. The Conservancy was behind the revitalization of the once-blighted Central Park. They pioneered the idea of a public/private partnership, considered revolutionary at the time, and turned the park into the crown jewel of New York City. As part of the 2022 cohort, Downtown Providence Parks Net work has access to their institutional knowledge of making these partnerships work to revitalize urban green spaces and received a $25,000 grant.

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“We’re now in the process of potentially expanding the DID presence towards the State House, which would include Waterplace Park and the capital center district,” Miller explains. “We’re also exploring, taking at least part of the 195 Jewelry District area to further expand the footprint.”

“Violent crime, including gun-related crime, is still on a downward trend for Providence, especially downtown,” says Joshua Miller, state senator for District 29 and chairperson of the board of the Downtown Improvement District (DID). “But perception was enough of an issue that we thought it was important to have additional Yellow Jacket presence.”

YELLOW JACKETS

LOU COSTA (LEFT) AND LEO ALMONTE KEEP BEAUTIFULDOWNTOWN Rendering courtesy of Imagine Downtown PVD Photos courtesy of Downtown Improvement District

According to the midyear data released by the Providence Police De partment, most major crime in Providence is trending downward for 2022. However, the perception of downtown as a city run amok remains preva lent among Rhode Islanders who spend little time in the area.

While the focus of the DID is to keep the parks landscaped and the streets attractive and litter free, they have increased the number of security ambassadors – known as “Yellow Jackets” because of their bright yellow tops – working downtown and expanded their hours to 8pm to encourage people to come to the city for dinner and events.

Wood believes – and statistics back him up – that well-utilized green space is a crime deterrent. “Healthy activity supplants unhealthy activi ty,” he continues. “If [the park’s] full of people doing public programming, getting a burrito at the food trucks, business improvement people walking back and forth, it’s public safety. So that’s why this space is very important.”

“Public safety is a beneﬁt of public programming,” says the Parks Con servancy’s Wood. “You can have big, annual events, like PVDFest and Pride, that bring tens of thousands of people. But that has to be coupled with what happens every single day. So if Kennedy Plaza feels great for three days a year, but lousy for the rest of the year, you haven’t succeeded.”

shelters. While the number feels low compared to the estimated 4,000 people experiencing housing insecurity in the state, it’s indicative of the one-on-one response needed to get people o the streets.

In the spring, the DID also added a social worker to its ranks to reach out to the area’s unhoused population and direct them to services. In the ﬁrst month of the initiative, the social worker placed 10 people in

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Cornish As sociates led the residential charge, rehabbing abandoned downtown properties and turning them into loft apartments.

InDowncityofcourtesyPhotography,ReaNatbyPhoto

“This was born out of what I call triage. The things that were bleeding the most are what you worked on during the pandemic, and downtown was bleeding. Because of the pandemic, we had to all work together to make sure that it survived, and I think from that has come this great collaborative spirit.”

Rory’s will also include a prepared foods section for grab-and-go lunches for o ce workers as well as catering for large corporations.

“Our residential units are somewhere in the high 90 percent ca pacity,” says Joanna Levitt, director of commercial leasing and marketing for the real estate company. With demand strong for living space, they have several more residential properties in the works.

KRISTEN ADAMO, GOPROVIDENCE

“A lot of our office tenants have young, creative employees who tend to be interested in engaging in the city. They’re the type of employee who might want to go out for lunch and stay for a drink after work and go to see some music in the evening and maybe even live downtown.”

New commercial tenants are ﬁlling empty storefronts, with a specialty retail space opening on Eddy Street and several new restaurants in the works. “Both restaurants and retail outlets are exceeding their 2019 numbers,” says Levitt, a promising sign that these fresh additions to the downtown area can thrive.

While Rhode Island has onerous com mercial tax rates, Providence is a bar gain compared to the commercial lease costs, residential rent prices, and general higher cost of living of our big city neighbors, which is drawing more out-of-state businesses. Levitt points out that the lower cost of liv ing in Providence saves people mon ey without skimping on amenities that make urban living so appealing: great restaurants, a rich arts and cul ture scene, and a lively nightlife. That downtown remains eminently walkable is another boon to city lovers.

As far as neighborhoods go, the East Side – with its stately historic homes and proximity to Brown University – gets the lion’s share of the love. Fast gentrifying areas like the West Side and the Valley – with their dramatic transformations – are media darlings. But Providence’s vibrant city center has attracted residents, and plenty of them, without much fanfare. According to the most recent census data, 5,260 people call downtown home; and this is be fore the Superman building rehab adds 400 residential apartments to theOverneighborhood.20yearsago,

According to Levitt, small city living entices young professionals and empty nesters to downtown. More a ordable than Boston and New York – and with both larger cities easily accessible via train and bus – Levitt sees a trend of folks from these high-cost locations migrating to Providence.

Robust amenities keep downtown vital, and Levitt says the anticipated arrival of Rory’s Market, a beloved woman-owned organic grocer with two stores on Cape Cod, on Washington Street this fall will ﬁll a void, giving the area its ﬁrst full-service grocery.

JOANNA LEVITT, CORNISH AND ASSOCIATES

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“We’re hoping for a joint project between the CVB, The Avenue Concept, and WaterFire that will be a winter event. But that relies on funding, and we have not gotten word on that money yet. But that’s indica tive of the kinds of things you’re going to see: groups working together to develop these kinds of events.”

THE AVENUE CONCEPT DRAWS SOME OF THE MOST CELEBRATED MURALISTS IN THE WORLD – LIKE ITS MOST RECENT COMMISSION FROM RENOWNED SPANISH ARTIST OCTAVI ARRIZABALAGA, ALSO KNOWN AS ARYZ – TO USE THE CITY’S BUILDINGS AS GIANT CANVASES.

YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES WILL MAKE THE NEW KENNEDY PLAZA A DESTINATION PVDDowntownImagineofcourtesy(bottom)renderingFilms,DownChop’Emby(top)Photo

PVDFest and Pride also serve as linchpin events for the downtown area, drawing thousands of people to the city center to celebrate its vibrant diversity.

Tourism remains a signiﬁcant income driver for the city, with downtown its hub. The city’s investment in public art has been a boon to the tourism sector.

Adamo plans on rolling out more events in the com ing months that incorporate the various arts groups.

“We booked meetings, conventions, and sport ing events just in July and August that brought $17 million worth of indirect spending,” says GoProvi dence’s Adamo, who points out that the hotel taxes are a key revenue driver for the city. Full hotels – two new ones, Aloft and The Beatrice, opened during the pandemic – mean full co ers, and that money gets invested throughout all of Providence.

Sponsored and won adoption of full funding for the State’s share of Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT), resulting in Providence receiving $1.7 million of additional revenue.

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 51 LOCATED IN RHODE ISLAND Top producer with all major cruise lines and tour companies MY EXPERTISE IS YOUR TICKET TO AN AMAZING JOURNEY! 770-740-9099 www.travelsmartdreambig.combdiener@cruiseplanners.comBarbaraDienerCruisePlanners Experienced in all aspects of travel Travel Smart, Dream Big! ARE YOU READY FOR A VACATION? Land Tours • European Vacations and Custom planning as well as cruises and upscale small ship sailings DIENERBARBARA LAND & CRUISE SPECIALIST Uptown, Downtown... Any Town! Follow Us @Greene_SweeneyOn Kira Greene 401.339.5621 | Michael J. Sweeney 401.864.8286 As the #1 Team across Providence and #1 Small Team Statewide, we are bringing real estate to new levels! Look out for us in new towns, selling new homes with new clients like YOU! Please reach out, we’d love to meet you. *Rankings based in whole or in part on data supplied by State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the MLS may not refect all real estate activity in the market. Based on information from Statewide MLS for 2022 as of December 2022. “I will continue to stand up for Providence, fghting to secure our fair share of state funding, insisting on accountability from the State on the school take over, and backing a comprehensive approach to public safety that prioritizes violent crime.”

As a member of the State Finance Committee, helped secure a major increase in State funding for affordable housing, enabling Providence to provide signifcantly more housing options for low and moderate income residents.

In his frst year in offce as our Senator, Sam Zurier has already begun delivering:

Actively backed gun safety measures, including, banning large-capacity ammunition magazines, raising the minimum age to purchase frearms from 18 to 21, and prohibiting the open carry of loaded rifes and shotguns.

Led the successful fght to bring more account ability to the State takeover of the Providence schools, spearheading a new law that creates more regular reporting on progress and ensuring more local input by restoring a limited role for the Providence School Board.

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While Paolino says he doesn’t see a coordinated effort, Wood notes that all stakeholders have a clear line of communication, saying that RIPTA’s director of planning is at the Foun dation’s monthly membership meet ings providing updates on moving transit, which is the most logistically complicated part of the vision. Ave disian stresses that transparency is top of mind, noting the developer will be “contractually required to under take public engagement activities as part of their design process.”

“City’s move, they change, they shift, and the ones that don’t, die,” he says. “Vibrancy is like the blood run ning through the city. If things aren’t moving and changing, then the city doesn’t have life anymore.”

But prose is a painstaking process, as anyone who’s written a novel can attest; and Wood counters that the prose is nearly drafted. RIPTA’s start ing the RFP (Request for Proposal) process in the fall, after successful ly soliciting input through an REOI (Request for Expressions of Interest) issued in the spring. “Overall, the re sponses confirmed our belief that RIPTA’s vision for a first-rate transit center is achievable,” says RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian in an emailed state ment. They anticipate selecting a de velopment partner by year’s end.

Of course, projects this ambitious are bound to experience pushback. “I want to be an enthusiastic supporter,” says former mayor Joseph Paolino, who is also one of the largest prop erty holders in downtown Providence. “But I need to know what I’m support ing.” Pointing out that the planning process has been ongoing since 2014, the former mayor quips, “It’s time to get out of poetry and into prose.”

RIPTA spokesperson Cristy Raposo Perry adds, “RIPTA will always have a pres ence in Kennedy Plaza as it remains a major destination for our passengers.”

Wood points out that the chang es the city has undergone over the past 30 years – like moving the river, creating Waterplace Park and the Mi chael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge – make downtown “more human scaled” and served as a catalyst for this next iteration, which he expects will be complete in three years.

THE DOWNTOWNFOUNDATIONPROVIDENCEANDTHEPROVIDENCEPARKSCONSERVANCY BARNABY EVANS REBRANDED THE PROVIDENCE RIVER AS A SPECTACLE WITH WATERFIRE, ENTICING TOURISTS AND LOCALS DOWNTOWN TO EXPERIENCE IT A NEW VIEW OF WATERPLACE PARK PVDDowntownImagineofcourtesy(bottom)renderingWinslow,Jaredby(top)Photo

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Caren Mendez’s kitchen is best described as a jewel box. Pale blue walls are like the satin backdrop to shimmering elements like crystal pendant lighting, hardware in antique gold, and lighted glass-front cabinets. “I love pretty things,” Mendez shares. It’s why she became a wedding officiant – to surround herself with beauty – and the same goes for her home. “I want to wake up to flowers, pretty wall colors, and decor. It gives me life.”

A homeowner embraces her shabby chic roots with an elegant kitchen makeover

Photography by Grace Lentini, courtesy of Michelle Lee Designs

To create more light, cabinets ﬂanking the sink have glass inserts

STYLE

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 55 &LIFE Home | Influencer | Shop

Crowning Touches

The joyful Mendez emigrated from the Dominican Republic to the US in the late ‘70s. When she was ready to buy a house, she went online and did a simple but targeted search for a three-bedroom single family with a ﬁreplace in her growing brood’s speciﬁc price range. A 1926 Colonial in the quiet-meets-convenient Auburn neighborhood of Cranston popped up immediately. “It was meant to be,” she recalls. “I fell in love the moment I saw it. Right after we moved, I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter.”

Mendez notes that she was particularly drawn to the home’s original wood features and fireplace. After taking ownership, the kitchen was remodeled “from floor to ceiling.” A main structural change was removing the wall between the kitchen and dining rooms, resulting in an open floor plan. Fast-forward nearly a quarter century later, and Mendez was ready for some updates. She was in the midst of renovation and hit a few snags – that’s when Michelle Parenteau, interior designer and owner of Johnstonbased Michelle Lee Designs was brought on.

DesignsLeeMichelleofcourtesyLentini,GracebyPhotography

Home | By Elyse MajorLIFE & STYLE

“When I met with my client, a demo in her kitchen had begun, but she was having trouble with creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing environment,” explains Parenteau. “To create more wall space, we walled up one of the windows and moved the stove to a more central part of the kitchen. She also needed more storage and more seating so a peninsula was installed with seating for three, and a huge pantry was added for more food storage.”

Brushed gold appears in a wave of ﬂecks in the backplash, custom stools, and iridescent cushions

56 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

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AROUND TOWN In Cranston, Mendez enjoys Garden City Shopping Center, T’s Restaurant, The Lunch Box, Bistro 22, and Spain. When heading into nearby Providence to dine, her number one choice is Los Andes.

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“Michelle Lee will work with you to get an Ocean State vibe or vibe of your choice. If you dream it, she can make it happen,” says Mendez of the designer who used the following local business es to make her client’s dream kitchen a reality: EastCoast Countertops, Light ing & Design by J&K Electric, Rhode Island Design Center, Sherwin-Williams Paint Store and Supply New England (various locations). Learn more at MichelleLeeDesigns.com Want your home featured in Providence Monthly? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more

And, of course, it all had to be pretty. Mendez is a devotee of shabby chic, a style known for an appreciation of worn finishes and faded pastels and shades of white, punctuated with elegant fixtures like chandeliers. “I’ve tried earth tones and enjoyed that decor, but with this new remodel, I’m going back to my roots,” says Mendez with conviction. “The new Cambria countertop in my kitchen reflects the ocean waves of our beautiful beaches.” With the renovation behind her, Mendez describes herself as head over heels about the new kitchen. “My home inspires me to decorate because I like coming home to a space of peace,” she says with a grin. “Who finds peace in an ugly home?”

DesignsLeeMichelleofcourtesyLentini,GracebyPhotography

Home | By Elyse MajorLIFE & STYLE

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“Many people don’t realize that Aldo also makes tailored womenswear,” says Mendez, who is a longtime customer.

CUSTOM MADE Here’s a tip from Caren Mendez: Be spoke suits at Aldo’s House of For mals (685 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston).

Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.

Delve Deeper programs are presented in cooperation with the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and area synagogues including: Congregation Beth Sholom, Temple Beth-El, Temple Emanu-El, Temple Habonim, Temple Sinai, and Temple Torat Yisrael.

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What’s your favorite type of photo to take at a wedding and why?

Find a photographer that feels like a friend. You’re going to be spending your entire day with this per son, so if you don’t feel 1,000 percent comfortable with the person after your engagement photos, keep looking! The right ﬁt is out there.

What is your number one tip for couples for posing for wedding photos?

My ﬁance Justin and I just started First Look and we are incredibly excited. I am a person that loves to collect vin tage and cool items for my home – it’s my favorite hob by. We don’t have a big basement to store everything we want for our wedding, so we thought, how nice would it be to just pick everything you could possibly want for your event in a catalog and be able to return it after? We o er anything from a table napkin to a donut wall! A little bird told us you are walking down the aisle soon. Any advice for newly engaged couples starting to plan their big day? I’m not going to lie, even being in the industry, it’s daunting. My advice is to take your time. Don’t overwhelm yourself. And especially, don’t let any one else dictate what your wedding should and should not be. It’s all about you and your partner!

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60 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

Meet Jacquelina Paiva

You’ve recently started First Look Decor, a service for renting trendy wedding accessories. What prompted this and what do you offer?

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What made you gravitate towards photography in the first place? Growing up, my mom was very into photography. She had a giant chest ﬁlled with printed photographs, and I always loved going through them. She always bought me disposable cameras to play with, but when I got my ﬁrst job in high school, I decided I wanted to buy my own camera and recreate all the photos I’d always loved seeing. I began taking photos of my classmates for their senior portraits and my love for it never stopped!

I honestly don’t think there’s anything better than a candid photo. Don’t get me wrong, you can get some amazing photos posing people and getting the light just right. But personally, I think it’s best when a cou ple can look back on a photo and recall the moment and either laugh, smile, or end up with a nice little happy tear. Learn more at JackAaalack.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 61 mottandchace.com Each offce is independently owned and operated. Josh Cullion josh.cullion@mottandchace.com401.862.8381 This information is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service.The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy. These properties may have been sold by other real estate companies. Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Data is based on information from StateWide Multiple Listing Service, Inc., CND listings for the period of 1/1/2022 through 8/1/22. #1 Agent in Providence for Condo Sales Over $13M in sales volume for 2022 LOVE AT FIRST BITE Creative American Cuisine 771 Hope Street, Providence • 331-4100 Wed-Sun:DINNER4pm–9:30pmBRUNCHSat-Sun:10am-2pm SundayBrunch 10am-2pm

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September in Providence means an influx of fresh faces – after all, nearly half our state’s colleges and universities are right here in the city. To give newbies some help, we’ve amassed goods from local shops and makers along with words of wisdom to help initiate our newest residents right away. 101 1. LONELYVILLE DAD CAP Hungry Ghost Press OLNEYVILLE: 60 Valley Street, Unit 2 “Shade yourself from the sun and break the ice in all situations, whether grabbing a drink at Troop, reading a book at Riffraff, enjoying lunch at La Lupita, or heading to the Big Top Flea on the weekend for some killer deals.”

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EAST SIDE: 795 Hope Street be a tourist for four years and then go on merry way. Allow the and the culture influence Schofield, owner

you.” Asher

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“Sabor Latino” means “A Taste of Latino” in Spanish, explains Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA) executive director Marta V. Martinez, but it’s likely guests won’t want to stop with just a taste after experiencing the vendors and food trucks slated to gather for the annual fundraiser event on September 18.

“Once you sample their food, the vendors hope you return later that evening to purchase something from their broader menu,” says Martinez.

Founded in 1988, RILA is known for launching the ﬁrst statewide celebration of Latino heritage, which continues every year during Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15. “Sabor Latino has become our signature fundraiser and as we enter our 35th year, this year we will kick o a year-long celebration with events happening statewide, leading up to our Ruby Celebration in September of 2023,” says Martinez.

By Abbie Lahmers

A Cultural Culinary Celebration

From Mexican aguas frescas (fruit drinks) crafted by Casa Azúl Taquería to birria tacos served up by One2Taco & More, local vendors demonstrate their culinary masterpieces alongside other cultural artforms, including live salsa and bachata sessions and goods by local artists. TrapBox PVD, Matilda RI Empanadas, and Nolee’s Custom Sweet Treats will also dish up delicacies, and when the evening chill sets in, Mexican hot chocolate with sweet pan dulce desserts will be on hand.

Photo courtesy of

“We promise a night ﬁlled with food, art, dancing, and conversation (in any language) – a wonderful outdoor experience.” Sabor Latino takes place at the SouthLight Pavilion of the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, 393 Broad Street. Reserving tickets in advance online is recommended: RILatinoArts.org/SaborLatino.html

DRINK

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 65 &FOOD Experience | In The Kitchen | Food News

Local Latino food vendors o er traditional eats for an evening backdropped by art and music Sabor Latino

Sarto Restaurant opened in 2018 as a part of the Providence G luxury apartment building and G Hospital ity, and a much-awaited reopening this past spring introduced a new outdoor patio.

FOOD & DRINK

Modern Italian cuisine meets local ingredients at an eatery all about details Must-Try Items Empower Sour

Lemon curd, lemon and lime sweet cream, candied lime zest

The team at Sarto pride themselves in using locally sourced ingredients (some vegetables are grown right upstairs!) while still honoring the tradition of Italian cuisine, and creating a community-style experience. According to director of sales at G Properties Rebecca Mill er, the food is “about friends and family, and is meant to be shared,” with an open concept bringing patrons and sta together, too.

Welcoming smiles, the smell of spices sim mering, and upbeat lounge music ushered me into a contemporary Italian dining expe rience I won’t soon forget.

66 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

Experience By Kou Tukala Nyan

Pan-Seared Diver Sea Scallops ($38) Local clams, fennel-sa ron broth, roasted tomatoes, marble potatoes, bruschetta Limoncello Cake ($9)

For the main course, we opted for the popular Porchetta – an authentic Italian pork roast – and Pan-Seared Diver Sea Scallops. Served with polenta, the pork was savory with a crisp outside and juicy inside – soaking up the ﬂavor of caramelized cipollinis (on ions popular in Italian cuisine), salsa verde, and rosemary, it’s easy to see why this is a fan-favorite. The scallops didn’t disappoint either, with a seafood broth that warmed me inside while tucking into the delicious clams. A round of aperitifs was in order before dessert. A-Malfy Coast teased with zesty cit rus while the Summer Negroni ﬂirted with a soft candy-like scent – both are excellent fruit-forward cocktails with strong liquors. However, my favorite was the Empower Sour, a lower-ABV choice named in homage to one Summer Negroni ($14)

All the food o erings make use of simple in gredients, so I was surprised by how much ﬂavor was packed into each menu item that arrived. As he handed us the special of the night to start the meal o with, executive chef Andrew Capella explained his secret: “Great food doesn’t have to be complicated.” We dug into the dish – an artful arrangement of seasonal tomatoes in all hues garnished with green olives, red peppers, and toasted garlic, drizzled in olive oil.

SartoofcourtesyPhotos

Sarto means “tailor” in Italian (a homage to the building’s roots as the former Philip Wolfe Haberdashery) so it makes sense that they weave ﬁne details into every o ering, including their cocktail list. Seeking a light late-summer refreshment, a friend and I started with the Lav ender Lemonade and Mango Mule mocktails.

The former – which sipped like a health elixir with lemon juice and honey – featured a lovely lavender fragrance and delicate mix of tart and sweet ﬂavors. The Mango Mule includes spicy ginger beer at the forefront with a hint of lime and sweet mango balancing it out.

Contratto bianco, gin, yel low chartreuse, basil fragola

A Tailored Approach

Sarto Restaurant 86 Dorrance served over polenta

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SartoProvidence.comStreetPorchetta

of the first female entrepreneurs in Europe, Maria Scala Branca. Pleasingly complicated, a concoction of Fernet branca, egg white, orgeat, lime, and orange bitters brings to gether sour and sweet notes, with floral, herbal, and slightly woody essences. A couple slices of cake were a delightful end to a beautiful evening. The limoncello cake was creamy, soft, and flu y – a sweet lemon dessert topped with whipped cream and tart lemon garnish. A nice contrast, the chocolate cake was a rich o ering with semisweet creamy chocolate in the middle. With each dish memorable and unique in its own way, it was hard to name a favorite part of this culinary journey with Sarto. For lovers of modern Italian dining that makes you feel like you’re part of the family, it’s a can’t-miss.

But David was persistent, seeing the possi bilities, so Tiago did the math – “I always look at the logistics,” he says. After a few months, Brother & Mo at was born. David grins. “I was like, let’s dream big. We have a good product. We have that foundation, so let’s do it.”

“I wanted to impress a girl, so I would ask the chef, how do you make this? What do you do with that?” David says. The chef, impressed by their curiosity, began to give them small prep jobs in the kitchen. As they learned, they took on responsibility and “we just evolved from there.”

By Karen Greco

The Gomes brothers’ scratch-made food re ceives rave reviews. They have invested in little to no marketing to grow their business, relying on happy customers to tell their friends and family. It took them several years to even start an Instagram account, which they did when they branched out into meal prep services.

The restaurant grind, with its long hours and lack of beneﬁts, began to wear on them and their young families. So they transitioned to cooking in a healthcare environment, work ing at an upscale retirement home. “We got beneﬁts,” says David, who took Tiago with him to the new gig. A death in the family led to a fortuitous cir cumstance. David o ered to make a soup for the family while they were in mourning, which led to a request for him to cook for the repast. At the end of the day, a family member handed him an unexpected envelope of money. When the shock wore o , he immediately called his younger sibling about opening up their own catering business. “I always loop my brother in,” he explains. “He’s the pragmatic one.” “We had jobs,” says Tiago. “I said, we don’t need it.” “We grew up very poor,” David explains. “We didn’t have access to things; we saw my dad struggling. When you grow up like that, just trying to survive, it’s hard to dream. It’s hard to have big goals.”

Cooking on location, Brother & Mo at o er an immersive experience

The weekend they launched, they expect ed 100 orders at most. Instead, they doubled

“That was another one of David’s ideas,” says Tiago. “I was like, you want to do more? You want us to be busier? I asked him a lot of questions and threw up a lot of hurdles.”

They set up their commercial kitchen at Sankofa Community Kitchen, a non-proﬁt on the West Side focused on economic develop ment, whose support the entrepreneurs found invaluable. Through word of mouth, their business began to build, going from working a 30-person event to catering a 200-strong backyard wedding. While Brother & Mo at are comfortable ca tering in any location – from white glove to ca sual – they really shine at outdoor events. Their grilled entrees are a big part of their growing following. From octopus to steak to ribs, the duo do more than dish out delicious food; they also o er a unique immersive experience for the guests, setting up their grill in the center of the action. “We cook on location and put on a little show,” says David. “We interact with the guests, explain how we make things. We serve them. When you get our services, you don’t just get the food. You get the chefs.”

Mo&BrotherofcourtesyEstrela,ValeciobyPhotoat

Both are avid gym goers, and cooking in healthcare made them hyper-aware of the need for good nutrition. In the midst of COVID, a catering customer reached out to ask about meal prep services and David’s brain went into overdrive.

In The Kitchen

When David and Tiago Gomes arrived in Rhode Island from their native Portugal in 2004, they got their ﬁrst taste of the culinary world as dishwashers at an Italian restaurant in Providence. “We were living the American dream, you know. Big pizzas, rap music, cool sneakers,” says David. This is when the closeknit brothers – who are six years apart – be gan working together.

FOOD & DRINK

68 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022

Sibling Revelry

The brothers behind Brother & Mo at want to cook for you, whether large-scale events or your daily dinner

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David recently quit his day job as culi nary director at an assisted living facility to focus 100 percent on growing Brother & Mo at. Meanwhile, the cautious Tiago, un surprisingly, is still holding on to his similar gig for a little bit longer.

“Growing up, we were given a golden ticket to do better, to be better, in the best country in the world,” says David. “You know what? I believe America is the best country in the world.” Instagram: @brotherandmo at The Gomes brothers specialize in catering outdoor weddings

Baking is Parvin Okai’s love language. The Providence native kept the summer launch of his custom dessert business, Okai Sweets, low key, partly because he was uncomfortable charging for his sensation al treats. The baking bug struck Okai ear ly and, by high school, he graduated from Betty Crocker mixes to experimenting with his own recipes. “I’d bring my baked goods to school so friends could try out the reci pes,” he explains, making him possibly the most popular kid at Classical.

The Slow Rhode restaurant joined soon after. Okai makes his custom creations for restaurants, special events, or simply any one with a sweet tooth. “If you want me to make your grandma’s cookies, I’ll try to rec reate them,” he says. Okai-Sweets.com

70 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 Food News | By Karen GrecoFOOD & DRINK

The Johnson & Wales graduate also works in the kitchen at Broadway Bistro and it was owner Patrick Lowney who encouraged Okai’s side hustle, offering to purchase the handcrafted desserts for the restaurant.

Neighborhood coffee joint opens in Smith Hill Beloved Rhody bartender opens her own saloon Sweet new custom dessert biz

Since the mid-’90s, co ee fanatic Neal Ka plan dreamed of opening a co ee shop.

RiseNShineRI.com

Kaplan sources his co ee – a special blend made speciﬁcally for the cafe – from a local co ee roaster, and the pastries are from L’Artisan Café in Wayland Square. A fun touch is to-go hot co ee poured in oldschool Greek diner co ee cups. Kaplan, a 40-year Smith Hill resident, opened the cafe hoping to bring more foot-tra c to the area and jump-start revitalization, explaining, “I am involved, committed, and invested in this neighborhood.”

The West Side’s bar scene got a little more vibrant with the opening of Kimi’s Bar by beloved Rhody bartender Kimi Rich. With 13 years’ experience running local water ing holes, she knew exactly the space she wanted to open. “I wanted a friendly, invit ing place that everyone from the neighbor hood can go to,” she explains of the impe tus to set up her own bar. “It’s not divey, not stu y – just a positive atmosphere,” which includes a green-tiled accent wall, lending the old factory space a botanical feel. The cocktail menu is limited by design, with the focus on crafting the fresh est seasonal cocktails, featuring either house-pressed or locally cold-pressed juice. There are 60 local beers in cans or bottles, plus four rotating draft op tions. Once the back-ordered oven ar rives, Kimi’s will offer a variety of English muffin pizzas to snack on. For those with heartier appetites, she plans on hosting food trucks outside. Kimis.bar

SweetsOkaiofcourtesyDuran,GeorgebyPhoto

A contractor with experience building out cafes – the RISD grad worked on The Nitro Bar’s Pond Avenue (Newport) location and the remodel of PVDonuts, to name a few – he merged his experience crafting third spaces with his love of java and opened Rise ‘n Shine Co ee Bar on Holden Street, just o of Smith Street. “There are so many pro fessionals in the area, and I would see them walking to Dunkin,” he says.

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Central Contemporary Arts’ new gallery space at 22 A Street hosts local artist Mariana Ramos Ortiz for their grand opening exhibition in October. Visit CentralContemporaryArts.org for details. | By Karen Greco

With art commissions in the gallery space, studio space to host artists for micro residencies, as well as a vibrant and accessible education program, Cohen says art lovers can expect, “experimental, innovative work grounded in social, economic, and environmental justice.”

Cohen’s experience straddles both art and social justice. Frustrated by the art world’s inaccessibility, she detoured to a pre-med track at Harvard, where she got involved with Boston’s Healthcare for the Homeless. Ultimately, a love of contemporary art pulled her back, but brought with it a realization that the gatekeeping needed to change, both for artists and audiences. A prestigious internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York solidiﬁed that stance. “It was an interesting time to be at the Met,” she says, noting the institution was ﬁguring out how to be more relevant and accessible while also grappling with being built on racist practices.

Central Contemporary Arts gives under-represented local artists a home for their work

Photo courtesy of Mariana Ramos Ortiz

Central Contemporary Arts launched in a big way over the summer, with a public exhibit of Andrew Moon Bain’s art work on billboards around the city. It turns out, this was just an amuse-bouche, with the opening of their permanent gallery space in the West End coming this fall.

The new contemporary art gallery focuses on local BIPOC artists who are underrepresented in gallery spaces. “I think there are hundreds, if not thousands, of fantastic artists working in Providence, who have really strong local connections, but who haven’t been able to show their work in a more formal state,” says founder Natalie Cohen, who chose Bain’s work for the billboard project because he was “underappreciated by collectors.”

Crafting Access

CULTURE

Mariana Ramos Ortiz in their studio

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 73 &ART Music Scene | Artist Profile | Calendar

The track “Still Processin’” opens with a distinct vocal line that plays out more like a lead instrument in the opening chorus be fore becoming deliberate in its verse deliv ery over funky fuzzed-out guitars and busy bass. Unexpected and satisfying, Kosinski’s voice is very much its own instrument with in the arrangement.

The band – composed of John Bonoan on guitar; Nevin Kosinski, vocals; Dante Kryst man, bass; and Noah Mangelson, drums – ex plain that their songs evolve over time, leaving plenty of room for improvisation. While their song structure forms organically, it lays the foundation for the intricate parts played live, when they often kick into a jam. Their musical communication gives each member space to elaborate and each musical element inﬂuences the next. In other words, they trust the process.

74 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 Providence band Bochek’s August release

Tightly Clung to Love is a wonderful dive into a world brimming with spontaneity, forays, and rabbit holes that transcend genres. Their music carries elements of an improvisational jam, with R&B, pop, and a general “indie” feel. The songs have movements, interplaying lead instrumentation, motifs, and non-repeating elements, and there is an ease to them that maintains a cohesive vibe across the album, yet each song continually switches up – play ing with rhythm, time, and syncopation.

Tightly Clung to Love is a co-release be tween Roz Raskin’s SELF LUV Records (which is producing and distributing cas sette tapes) and Dollhouse Lightning (out of New Hampshire, which is producing the CDs and handling digital distribution). Production values from Lincoln’s Big Nice Studio are ev ident: kind of loose, reverb-heavy, and real sounds. Longtime producer Chaimes Parker returns on this e ort; the band credit him as a major inﬂuence in the production style. The spontaneity and improvisational qual ity Bochek ﬁnds in the studio is not lost on their live shows, which manifest this spirit into their performance. The set lists are cre ated as they go, often dictated by the energy of the room, making each stage performance unique. Weird moments such as playing The Price Is Right theme song are the norm. Look for an album release show this November: O cialBochek.bandcamp.com Jackson at Big Nice Studios, Lincoln Released on Dollhouse Lightning and SELF LUV

Producing and mixing: Chaimes Mastering:ParkerBradford Krieger All recording done

“I deﬁnitely want to sound like I’m blending with the song and focusing more on being an instrument, but at other times my focus is on the words and melody standing out,” says Ko sinski. “Each song dictates what I’m going to do vocally for the most part. I like to have a balance of spoken sounding phrases, mixed with melodic as well. I would consider myself more of a vocalist than a singer, because I like to vary up my vocal styles and techniques.”

BOCHEKofcourtesyPhoto Music Scene | By Adam HogueART & CULTURE Record Review Bochek’s latest captures sonic improv elements of live shows LINER NOTES Released August 5, 2022 All songs written and performed by Bochek Tenor saxophone on tracks 6, 7, and 9 by Cat Walsh Artwork: Andrew

Nestled within the tapestries of each un folding track on Tightly Clung to Love lie lyri cal and melodic patterns rooted in equal parts guitar, keys, horns, rhythm, and bass with no particular instrument standing out as a clear lead. Halfway through the track “Rebuttal,” the building bridge resolves not back to the original shape but instead opens up to a choral, soaring land. Each track on the album keeps the listener engaged and guessing.

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Cutler and the band were inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2015 and he still records as a solo artist. He can be found playing around the state on any given Saturday night with his current band, Men of Great Courage. So what’s a Rhody rock star like Cutler doing every Tuesday morning at the Outsider Collective in Pawtucket’s Hope Artiste Village? He’s leading The Same Thing Project, a songwriting workshop he devel oped several years ago. The project brings to gether people from all walks of life, including some with special needs, and that’s been the goal from the very beginning. Backtrack to a few years ago: Cutler was ap proached to compose a soundtrack for a ﬁlm about the Ladd School, a former state-run fa cility for youth and adults with developmental disabilities. That was the ﬁrst time the musician collaborated with people with developmental challenges. That experience gave him the idea to start the songwriting workshop.

“When I was hanging out with my friends who had Down Syndrome and other develop mental disabilities, I realized it was so great to be able to work with these folks, and more people need to know that we have so many similar qualities,” explains Cutler.

“It didn’t turn out that way and that’s cool; this is where I ended up and it’s a mighty ﬁne place to end up.”

There’s an egalitarian spirit in the room where he works his magic. The creative process is a shared experience; everyone present has songwriting duties. It’s inspir ing to watch Cutler work with his collective cast of contributors, some who are clients of Avatar Residential in Warwick, a licensed provider of residential and day services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

76 ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 Artist Profile | By Ken AbramsART & CULTURE

Mark Cutler has been a mainstay on the lo cal music scene for over 40 years. He’s best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist for The Schemers, the legendary RI-based band that barnstormed around the Northeast in the late 1970s and 1980s. Considered by many to be one of the greatest rock and roll bands ever to come out of the Ocean State, they never quite made it nationally, but their sound still resonates with longtime fans. “Back then I thought we were going to be, not necessarily rock stars, but touring musicians for the rest of our lives,” said Cutler in a recent interview.

“EverySchoolhouse.”timeIgothere and do it, and I know “It’s the hive mind thing. We become one big mind, the synapses start ﬁring, and a song is formed” says Cutler, pictured with guitar at left.

Tuesdays with Mark Providence rock luminary Mark Cutler inspires all at free weekly songwriting workshop at Hope Artiste Village

When The Same Thing Project released its first album Walks of Life Collaborations in 2019 on Warren label 75orLess Records, many in the room became published songwriters, and another recording is in the works, according to Cutler. His formula for success is straight forward. “You get a group of people togeth er and come up with a chord progression,” he explains. “I’ll ask for prompts, or if somebody plays an instrument, I’ll give them the guitar and ask them to come up with a simple chord progression which we can elaborate on later. Then we have a conversation and maybe come up with a subject, or a title. Sometimes it’s just random thoughts that we string together to create a cohesive thought. It’s not necessarily about pie in the sky stu , sometimes we can get a little dark.” The project is designed to bring people to gether. “I want the banker and the bricklayer, the teacher and the firefighter, the blue-col lar guy, the white-collar guy, the lefty and the righty to get into a room together and discov er things that we have in common. That’s the goal,” he explains. And he means it. On the day I visited the project, I collaborated with the group by adding a line or two to the song, “The Lonely

AbramsKenbyPhoto

Hours may vary, please call ahead 401.421.9780 5 Branch Ave Providence 02904 it’s probably true for everybody there, I feel uplifted and ﬁring on all cylinders, it’s a wonderful experience,” says Cutler. Cutler has conducted the workshop at other sites including the Southside Com munity Center in Providence and the Rhode Island Folk Festival. He’s also working with the National Museum of Mental Health, a virtual museum, where he is the songwrit er in residence. “I’m going to do the Same Thing Project and hopefully bring it to some college campuses locally and maybe expand to New England,” he adds. There are no prerequisites for the Same Thing Project – you just show up on Tues day morning and join the group. Outsider Collective, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. Learn more at TheSameThingProject.com ELISE PENN PANSEY The Pet Friendly Realtor DEDICATION...isawordthatisbothusedand abused these days. But I want you to know that I really am dedicated to my customers and to my profession. If a real estate transaction is in your future, let’s talk. Then you can decide for yourself if you really believe that I am... CalltoDedicated…servingYOU!metoday! Butterman & Kryston, Inc. • 749 East Avenue, Pawtucket • @ Blackstone Blvd www.elisepennpansey.com401.455.1625401.521.9490

September 10: Local music, theater, ﬁlm, visual, and folk-tradi tional arts put the city’s creative and cultural life on full view for the Pawtucket Arts Festival, an annual celebration of art, music, and food, with free programming. PawtucketArtsFestival.org

Rhode Island designers and entrepreneurs gather for DESIGN WEEK RI, an annual cele bration of local talent featuring talks, tours, panel discussions, and parties, with Providence Monthly as a sponsor! DesignXRI.com

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September 24: Take a wild ride with a rock and roll legend when Providence Performing Arts Center welcomes the national tour of TINA: The Tina Turner Musical by Pulitzer Prize-winning play wright Katori Hall to the stage. PPACRI.org

September 14: The 9th Annual RI Herb Festival invites en thusiasts and expert herbalists alike to expe rience a day packed with workshops, plant walks, community circles, family-friendly fun, food trucks, and more. RIHerbFestival.com

Calendar | By Caroline MitchellART & CULTURE

The Must List 10 essential events this month

September 23-30: Mile of History Association sponsors the Music in the Garden series presented by Providence Preservation Society at historic garden Shake speare’s Head. This month bassist Dave Zinno and his jazz trio are featured. PPSRI.org

September 17: Oktoberfest goes plant-based with the VegtoberFest foodie extravaganza at Trinity Beer Garden, showcasing samples from local restau rants and breweries, plus a vegan marketplace of artists and makers. RIVegFest.com

September 17: Celebrate Roger Williams Park Zoo’s birthday by donning your fanciest attire for the 150th Tails and Trails Gala, featuring a three-course dinner, live music, and animal meet-and-greets in support of animal care and conservation. RWPZoo.org

September 11-18: Pack a picnic blanket and soak up the last rays of summer while dining on lobster rolls and clam chowder at the 12th Annual Rhode Island Seafood Festival at India Point Parkt. RISeafoodFest.com

September 17: Bring the family to Heritage Day at the WaterFire Arts Center and explore world cultures represent ed in Rhode Island through exhibits, visual art, demonstrations, diverse cuisine, and a multicul tural fashion show. Preservation.RI.gov

September 10-11: Dance to your favorite ska punk hits at The Strand – Streetlight Manifesto: The Calm Before The Chaos Tour takes the stage with opener Catbite for a reboot you never knew you needed. TheStrandRI.com

September 9-18: Dine on plant-based eats for VegtoberFest For a listingstatewideofeventsvisitusonline! HeyRhody.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • September 2022 79 766 Hope Street, Providence • thecamerawerks.com 401.273.5367 • Tues-Sat 10-5:30, Closed Sun-Mon The Camera Werks HUGESELECTIONCARD We YourHaveYardCovered Relax CITYESTATEGARDENER.COM401.935.2312 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE PACKAGES TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS L o c a l n e w s f o r R h o d e I s l a n d a n d S o u t h e a s t e r n M a s s a c h u s e t t s w w w . t h e p u b l i c s r a d i o . o r g 102 Waterman Street Providence, RI 02906 401.421.5160 Print@AllegraProvidence.comwww.AllegraProvidence.com Providence

Capturing PVD in ﬁlm Pic of PVD ABOUT BRYAN @bryanaroberts Working, ﬁlming, taking photos, and living in the Weird City

details@liladelman.com | 401.274.1644 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. Top sale based on info from the RI Statewide MLS for 1/1/93 - 6/1/22. ESTATE*REALLUXURYISLANDRHODEIN1NO. $1,490,000 3 BD 2F 1H BA 3,417 SF 14.14 Acres 401.339.2222 54 Cook Road | Cumberland, RI $785,000 3 BD 2 BA 2,050 SF 1.4 Acres 401.383.0999 $595,000 2 BD 1 BA 1,297 SF 608.628.9283 $640,000 Listed by The Stephanie Basile Group 401.465.3975 $549,900 3 BD 2F 1H BA 1,664 SF 401.265.8316 125 Touisset Road | Warren, RI 18 Virginia Road | Barrington, RI 15 17 University Avenue | Providence, RI 17 Carousel Drive | East Providence, RI PENDING

EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI 45 EMELINE STREET | $1,100,000 EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI 17 HALSEY STREET | $1,375,000 Jim 401.529.2188DeRentis David401.465.8625Hasslinger PROVIDENCE, RI 141 GROVE AVENUE | $629,900 Gerri401.474.3733Schiffman Jane 401.641.3723Driver Barrington 401.245.9600 Cumberland 401.333.9333 East Greenwich 401.885.8400 Little Compton 401.635.8590 Narragansett 401.783.2474 Newport 401.619.5622 Providence 401.274.6740 West Side PVD 401.457.3400 Westport MA 508.636.4760 EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI 59 EMELINE STREET | $985,000 *Ranking based in whole or in part on data supplied by State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the MLS may not refect all real estate activity in the market. Based on information from Statewide MLS for 202 as of anuary 2022. RHODE ISLAND’S #1 REAL ESTATE COMPANY * TRUSTED NAME, PROVEN RESULTS PROVIDENCE, RI 19 21 PRATT STREET | $349,900 Ellen 401.451.7848KasleEAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI 331 WILLIAMS ST, UNIT 3 | $395,000 Rachael401.484.7015Dotson ResidentialProperties.com

Providence Monthly September 2022

Articles inside

CALENDAR: This

PROFILE: RI rock

MUSIC: A review

FOOD NEWS: A sweet

A Pawtucket workers cooperative paves the way for new models of care and pay equity

IN THE KICTHEN

EXPERIENCE

HOME: An elegant kitchen makeover in Cranston

INFLUENCER

RHODY GEM: A

Cuervo, LaFortune and Smiley make their cases for being the city’s next mayor