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Celebration of the Humanities
OCTOBER 15, 2020
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WELCOME TO THE 2020 CELEBRATION OF THE HUMANITIES! Thank you for joining us this year for the Council’s first ever virtual Celebration of the Humanities! While I miss the spirited gathering we usually have and seeing you in person, this new digital format allowed us to include a deeper look into the work of this year’s remarkable honorees. This digital program book includes multimedia elements, conversation prompts for small livingroom gatherings, and other activities. Enjoy! By taking the Celebration virtual, we join the many organizations and people throughout the state who have adapted how they create meaningful humanities experiences and engagement. I’ve been truly inspired by how dedicated and nimble Rhode Island’s humanities community has been during the pandemic. (See just some of these adaptations in the grants list included in this digital booklet.) At the same time, I want to recognize the huge loss and difficulties that so many institutions and individuals are going through in order to protect public health. Tonight we celebrate in the spirit of mobilizing the humanities for this moment. This moment is fundamentally about the movement for racial justice and the acknowledgement of oppression and inequality. The Humanities Council is committed to supporting the historical investigations and interpretation, cultural engagement and intervention, and dialogue that will help, in Bryan Stevenson’s words, “change the narrative.” Tonight we shine a light on the leadership and achievements of those who are contributing to education that changes lives, revealing extraordinary depth and beauty of members of the community, and documenting the present and past in ways that enable us to tell stories that matter. Thank you for celebrating these leaders and for supporting the Council’s ability to do more to catalyze the humanities in the service of the common good. Warm wishes,
Elizabeth Francis, PhD Executive Director 2
Engage with us on social media! Tag @rihumanities #2020Humanities
VIRTUAL PROGRAM
WELCOME CONGRATULATIONS! Senator Jack Reed Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Representative Jim Langevin Representative David Cicilline Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, City of Providence
RUN TIME
6:00 - 7:15 PM EVENT COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS: Elaine B. Fain, MD Council Board Member & Tiffini Bowers Vice-Chair, Council Board OPENING REMARKS
Elizabeth Francis, Executive Director
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS with special guests
Innovation in the Humanities Award Bill Harley, Storyteller 2010 recipient of the Honorary Chairs’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities Michelle Cruz, Trinity Repertory Company
PROVIDENCE CLEMENTE VETERANS’ INITIATIVE with Dr. Mark Santow, Tyrone Smith, and Sarah Cavanaugh
Lorén Spears, Tomaquag Museum, 2016 recipient of the Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities
Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities
Smriti Gupta, India Association of Rhode Island
with Bernadet Pitts-Wiley
MARY BETH MEEHAN
Meg Sullivan & Keilly, Manton Avenue Project Joe Wilson, Jr., Educator, Advocate, & Actor 2019 recipient of the Public Humanities Scholar Award
Public Humanities Scholar Award
Marjory O’Toole, Little Compton Historical Society 2017 recipient of the Innovation in the Humanities Award
with Christina Bevilacqua
Valerie Tutson, Storyteller, Rhode Island Black Storytellers 2017 recipient of the Public Humanities Scholar Award
Honorary Chairs’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities
Silvermoon LaRose, Tomaquag Museum
DR. JOYCE L. STEVOS
Marta V. Martínez, Rhode Island Latino Arts, 2016 recipient of the Public Humanities Scholar Award Randall Rosebaum, Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Jillian Winters, What Cheer Writers Club
JANAYA KIZZIE
with Rose Weaver and Elizabeth Richards-Hegnauer
CLOSING REMARKS
Elizabeth Francis, Executive Director 3
HONORING A BRILLIANT LIFE
W. EDWARD WOOD 1941-2020 Established Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities, 2001 Humanities Council Board Member, 1990-1996 Board Chair, 1993-1996
“Ed Wood was a friend, a humanitarian and a humanist. His interests were broad, his kindness and humility vast and his effect on the State of Rhode Island, diverse and indelible. As the first recipient of the Tom Roberts Award for the Humanities, an award Ed and Linda Wood conceived of and funded, I can only hope that through his example we can learn from his curiosity, his joy of life and his deep gratitude for those, who, like himself, wanted to leave the world a better place than they found it... and that, he most certainly did.� - Marc Levitt, writer, storyteller, educator, & 2002 recipient of the Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities 4
HONOREES INNOVATION IN THE HUMANITIES AWARD
Providence Clemente Veterans Initiative Recognizing the innovative implementation of the humanities by an organization or a collaborative partnership between organizations to achieve a specific goal, this year's Award is presented to the Providence Clemente Veterans Initiative (PCVI) and Dr. Mark Santow. PCVI students explore history, philosophy, art and literature, from the Ancient Greeks to the present, aided by professors from UMass-Dartmouth, URI, and RISD, as well as guest scholars, filmmakers, and Trinity Rep actors. Dr. Mark Santow, Associate Professor and Chair of History at UMass-Dartmouth and a Providence School Board member, directs the program.
2020 marks the second year of the PCVI, funded by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which provides free humanities classes to Rhode Island veterans. The course is open to all vets regardless of discharge status, age, or education; all materials are provided free of charge, and child care and transportation are available for those who need it. Those who complete the PCVI are eligible to earn up to 6 credits from Bard College, which they can transfer to any university in the country. The PCVI works closely with its’ partners Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, Trinity Rep, and the URI College of Arts and Sciences, to recruit and support students.
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HONOREES TOM ROBERTS PRIZE FOR CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HUMANITIES
Mary Beth Meehan, Pulitzer nominated Photographer; Educator The Tom Roberts Prize celebrates creativity in topics, disciplines, and formats that extend the field of the humanities. This year’s Prize honors New England-based photographer Mary Beth Meehan. An educator committed to meaningful, indepth coverage of her own communities. Her longterm Seen/Unseen installation in Providence, Rhode Island has helped communities confront differences and consider how to welcome the stranger and her Seeing Newnan project in Georgia sparked dialogue about immigration on a national-scale. Meehan’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington
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Post, The Boston Globe, and The Take Magazine. She has exhibited her photographs nationally and internationally and has lectured nationwide on the subject of long-term, community-based documentary projects. Her honors include awards from Pictures of the Year International and the National Conference for Community and Justice. She was nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. Born in Brockton, MA, Mary Beth earned a degree in English from Amherst College and a Master of Arts in photojournalism from the University of Missouri. She lives in Providence.
HONOREES PUBLIC HUMANITIES SCHOLAR AWARD
Janaya Kizzie, Archivist, Librarian, Artist, & Writer The Scholar Award recognizes outstanding public humanities work in teaching and scholarship that advances the civic and cultural life of Rhode Island. This year’s Award honors Janaya Kizzie her unflinching dedication to equity, access, and engagement in the public humanities in institutions and digital spaces. Kizzie earned her undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and History at Bard College. Following work as an archives assistant at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library at Princeton University, Kizzie was awarded a PRISM scholarship to pursue a master's degree at the University of Rhode Island, focused on library services and information literacy for underserved populations. She then assisted in the establishment of
archives at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Citizens Bank, Concord Free Public Library, and most recently organized the AS220 Collection at Providence Public Library in 2018. Kizzie was named the Rhode Island Arts and Culture Research Fellow for the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities in 2019, and in 2020 began a new role at the Providence Public Library as their Events Coordinator focused on engaging the public with the library’s extensive collections and resources. Kizzie is also an artist and writer; she was co-director of Frequency Writers from 2015-2016, and her work has appeared at FringePVD, the RISD Museum and Creature Conserve's Urban Wildlife Exhibit.
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HONOREES HONORARY CHAIRS’ AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HUMANITIES
Dr. Joyce L. Stevos, Educational & Civic Leader The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates career achievements that demonstrate humanities excellence, reflect the Council’s mission and core values, and enrich public life in Rhode Island. Dr. Joyce Stevos is a Rhode Island native and graduate of Classical High School, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island. An adjunct professor in Educational Studies at Rhode Island College, Dr. Stevos was a teacher and administrator in the Providence Public Schools where she was a leader in implementing the study of Black History, the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and
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law-related education. After retirement, she served as a consultant with Trinity Restoration, Inc. to develop and incorporate the Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts Charter School that opened in 2009. Dr. Stevos has served on the boards of several community organizations. She is a member and past Regent of the Narragansett-Cooke-Gaspee Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and is presently a board member of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame and the Heritage Harbor Foundation.
Seeds, supports, and strengthens public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders. As an independent nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Council has provided over $8 million in grants. Support the Council at: rihumanities.org/get-involved/donate EVENT COMMITTEE Event Co-Chairs: Elaine B. Fain, MD Tiffini Bowers Committee: Joan Abrams Alexandra Agati Becca Bertrand Diana DeCesaris Champa Catherine “CC” Chung Liz Crawford Betsy Cronin Adina Davies Touba Ghadessi Elizabeth Francis Rachael Jeffers Taylor Polites Maureen Reddy Ray Rickman Rebecca R. Riley Robin Wetherill
Since 1973 the Council’s grants, partnerships, and initiatives have put the humanities into action– connecting history to the present, increasing access to culture, engaging issues that matter, encouraging young people to develop their talents and identities, and ensuring that Rhode Island’s many voices are heard.
These grants support more than 650 organizations throughout Rhode Island, as well as independent researchers, filmmakers, scholars, and oral historians.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Julie Nora, PhD, Chair Tiffini Bowers, Vice Chair Jean Patiky, Secretary Gina McDonald, CPA, Treasurer Joan Abrams Kenny Alston Reenie Barrow
C. Alexander Chiulli, Esq. Elaine B. Fain, MD Michael R. Fein, PhD Touba Ghadessi, PhD, Immediate Past Chair Froma Harrop Kenneth C. Newman James P. Riley
Rebecca R. Riley Cynthia Scheinberg, PhD John Simmonds Jonathan Stevens, MCP Don E. Wineberg
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Thanks to our Sponsors! VISIONARY ($2,500)
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CATALYST ($1,000) Joan & Richard Abrams* Christina Bevilacqua David Carden & Rebecca Riley* Elaine & Barry Fain* Kate & Howard Kilguss *
*Members of the Council’s PELL CIRCLE leadership giving society
Thanks to our Sponsors! 12
HUMANIST ($500) Reenie & Robert Barrow Melanie & Stephen Coon Elizabeth Delude-Dix * Polly Hutcheson & George Rice Paula M. Krebs & Claire Buck Adrienne Morris & Stewart Martin Ken Newman Jean & Mark Patiky James & Cynthia Patterson* James P. Riley Cynthia Scheinberg Joyce L. Stevos Don & Kitty Wineberg* Connie Worthington & Terry Tullis
*Members of the Council’s PELL CIRCLE leadership giving society 13
PARTNER ($300) Roberta Andreozzi Anonymous (2) Rebecca Bertrand Winifred Brownell, PhD Board of Dirt Palace Public Projects in honor of Janaya Kizzie Wayne Franklin Touba Ghadessi & John Richard Gayle L. Gifford & Jonathan W. Howard Julie Nora Maureen T. Reddy & Douglas Best Jeannette E. Riley & Kathleen M. Torrens Tom Roberts John Simmonds Clay V. Sink Jessica & Aaron Weinstein
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tur l u urC O ich r n #E e r u ult C r u O h c ri n E re # u t l u urC
The Grantmaking Program is at the heart of the Humanities Council's mission to seed, support, and strengthen public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Island Islanders. Major and mini grants to nonprofit organizations and individual researchers sparks thoughtful community exchange, builds new audiences for the humanities, stimulates new research, and improves
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approaches to using the humanities to build a lively and engaged democratic public. To date in FY2020, the Council has made a record-breaking 95 grants to individuals and organizations for a total of over $547,000. Read on for more details and explore the multimedia links to hear more from our grantees about their projects.
MAJOR GRANT AWARDS
Charette Charter School, $11,730 Civic Engagement at Charette High School International Tennis Hall of Fame, $12,000 In Your Court: Black Tennis and Social Justice Then and Now Little Compton Historical Society, $12,000 Little Compton Women’s History Project Manton Avenue Project, $12,000 The Manton Avenue Project’s Audio Plays – Podcast and Walking Tour newportFILM, $12,000 newportFILM Outdoors Engage Program Preserve Rhode Island / Doors Open RI, $12,000 Doors Open Providence 2020 Festival Programming
PUBLIC PROJECTS
In support of organizations and projects that enrich and enliven the life of our state through public humanities programs.
Pushed Learning and Media, $12,000 Curriculum Development and Long-Term Planning in PPSD Amidst RI State Takeover Rhode Island Urban Debate League, $5,000 Centering Equity and Access in Urban Debate School One, $9,200 Write Rhode Island (2020) South County History Center, $3,900 A New Perspective on New Deal Mural “Economic Activities of the Narragansett Planters” Stages of Freedom, $8,257 A Mighty Roar: Frederick Douglass and the Quest for Black Citizenship in Rhode Island Trinity Repertory Company, $4,743 Context and Conversation
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MAJOR GRANT AWARDS
DOCUMENTARY FILM In support of documentary films that preserve Rhode Island’s stories and bring its history to life.
African Alliance of Rhode Island, $10,000 The Seed Keepers: Sustaining Ethnic Food Traditions in a New Land Center for Independent Documentary, $12,000 Blood and Watershed (2020) Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, $3,170 Documentary: Legacies of Slavery and Freedom: “A Family Journey through the Atlantic World”
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MINI GRANT AWARDS In support of organizations and projects that enrich and enliven the life of our state through public humanities programs.
PUBLIC PROJECTS Bryant University, $1,557 Rhode Island Foodways Project FirstWorks, $2,000 Cartography: Modern Migration and Globalization in the COVID-19 Era Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, $2,000 Sowams Heritage Day Event Support Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, $2,000 Maribelle Cormack: Connecting the Museum’s Past to the Present Newport Art House / Newport County Development Council, $1,950 Future: A Visualization Newport Restoration Foundation, $2,000 Colonial Conversations: Why Did Newport Furniture Matter in the Past, and Why Does It Matter Today? Ponagansett High School, $2,000 Black History 101: An Inclusion Project Providence Community Library, $2,000 Power, Privilege & Social Justice: The History of African American Civil Rights in Providence, RI Providence Public Library, $2,000 Queer Stories Project Rhode Island Latino Arts, $2,000 How the Colombian Community Saved the Textile Mills in Central Falls
DOCUMENTARY FILM Documentary Educational Resources, $2,000 Untitled RI VOTES 2020 Documentary Film
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHER Carol Green, $2,000 Branches of History: Native Plants as Teaching Tools for Civic Engagement Winifred Lambrecht, $1,922 A History of Lincoln Woods Matthew Lawrence, $2,000 Scandalous Conduct / Newport 1919 Seth Tourjee, $2,000 Legacy
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CARES ACT In 2020, due to the global coronavirus pandemic, additional funding was provided to the Humanities Council by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the federal CARES Act. Read on for more details about these recipients and the impact this support has made on their operations and programs.
OPERATING SUPPORT RELIEF GRANT AWARDS
49 awards totaling $345,646 Ashaway Free Library Aurea Blackstone Valley Historical Society The Cocumscussoc Association Davisville Free Library Dirt Palace Public Projects Educational Center for Arts & Sciences (Teatro ECAS) The Empowerment Factory Everett Company, Stage & School FirstWorks Frequency Writers Friends of Hearthside, Inc. Generation Citizen India Association of Rhode Island International Tennis Hall of Fame Langworthy Public Library Lippitt House Museum / Preserve RI Museum of Work & Culture / Rhode Island Historical Society New Urban Arts Newport Art Museum newportFILM Newport Restoration Foundation Norman Bird Sanctuary North Kingstown Free Library Oasis International
"As an event-based organization, operating support from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities could not have come at a time of more critical need. We are so grateful to the Council for this financial support which helps with our administrative costs while bolstering our ability to launch weekly virtual documentary film screenings and filmmaker Q&As." – Rebecca Bertrand, newportFILM 20
“The support from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities has allowed us to not only sustain our staff and operations for the near future, but it’s allowed us to pivot our planned programming in a way that will serve our mission and our community despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. We’re grateful that with the support of the Council we’ve not only found a way to survive this difficult period, but we’ve also been able to discover new ways to thrive.” – Josh Short, The Wilbury Theatre Group Old Slater Mill Association Portsmouth Free Public Library The Preservation Society of Newport County Providence Athenaeum Providence Children’s Film Festival Providence Children’s Museum Providence Preservation Society Providence Public Library Rhode Island Black Heritage Society Rhode Island Center for the Book Rhode Island Computer Museum Rhode Island Kung Fu & Lion Dance Club Rhode Island Latino Arts RISD Museum South County History Center South County Museum Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island Stages of Freedom Tomaquag Museum Warwick Center for the Arts WaterFire Providence Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society What Cheer Writers Club The Wilbury Theatre Group
CARES ACT These CARES Act project grant descriptions provide an inspiring glimpse into the way Council grantees are adapting their public humanities initiatives for our current moment.
HUMANITIES IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING PROJECT GRANT AWARDS
16 awards totaling $32,000 “There is no doubt in my mind that the grant came at the right time when we are still looking for more funding to support our programs and ways to reach out to those less privileged in our community. We plan to continue to provide face masks to people in our community that need our help and provide stipends to staff and art consultants as needed for our youth program.” – Morris Akinfolarin, Oasis International
Barrington Public Library Corporation, $2,000 Rhody Radio: RI Library Radio Online Supports the development of Rhody Radio, an online podcast channel where the state’s public libraries are able to upload, stream, and share public programs during the age of social distancing. Public programs will cover topics ranging from WWII, to organized crime, indigenous heritage & culture, and jazz. Block Island Historical Society, $2,000 Block Island: Virtual Visits to its History Supports the digitization and dissemination of the archival content, exhibitions, and collections of the Block Island Historical Society. Adapting organizational content for digital engagement allows the public to continue to access the organization’s tremendous resources while social distancing and travel restrictions are in place.
Bristol Historical & Preservation Society, $2,000 Lost Main Street in the Age of COVID-19 Supports the expansion and continuation of BH&PS’ exhibit “Lost Main Street: Mom and Pop Businesses of Bristol’s Past.” Through the circulation of a free booklet, creation of a COVID-19 archive, and extension of the exhibit, BH&PS will document the cultural and financial significance of small businesses in Bristol. Coggeshall Farm Museum, $2,000 Digital Civics/History Program for Grade 5 Students Supports the production of a free, digital civics curriculum unit (combination of written resources and videos) for Rhode Island 5th graders. The unit will focus on the history of slavery and the African-American experience in Bristol in the eighteenth century.
"The emergency funding supplied through the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities ensures that the Athenaeum can continue to provide programming. This is the most difficult environment for the cultural sector in decades, and champions like the Humanities Council are helping to preserve the cultural fabric of the state." – Matt Burriesci, The Providence Athenaeum 21
HUMANITIES IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING PROJECT GRANT AWARDS George Hail Free Library, $2,000 LUMINOUS COASTS: The Life and Works of Henry N. Cady (1849-1935) Supports the creation of a digital exhibition (and related programs and educational materials) on the life and work of Henry N. Cady drawn from the holdings of the George Hail Free Library and the Warren Preservation Society. Kingston Chamber Music Festival, $2,000 Kingston Chamber Music 2020 Online Festival Supports robust program notes distributed as part of the Kingston Chamber Music’s 2020 summer festival. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the festival and program notes will allow Rhode Islanders to connect with world-class performance from the safety of their home. Providence Public Library, $2,000 RICovidArchive.org Project Coordinator for Latinx/Spanish-Language Outreach & Promotion Supports the hiring of an outreach coordinator to encourage contributions from members of Rhode Island Latinx communities to the Rhode Island COVID-19 Archive. The coordinator’s activities will include the creation of Spanish-language messaging and building relationships with Latinx communities. South County Museum, $2,000 Virtual Campus Social Studies Learning Tools Supports the projection and distribution of “virtual campus tours” of the South County Museum. Recorded videos are geared toward enriching the at-home education K-12 students who are unable to visit the South County Museum during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How hav Shar e the hu m e yo ur st anities ories im usin pacted g #2 020 you this Hum year ? a n i t 22 ies
“The operating support we received from the Rhode Island Council for Humanities has allowed us to continue our planning for the launching of our teaching artist program; to create and establish cultural education summer camp & virtual learning programs while adapting to the state reopening guidelines. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for your continued support of our efforts.” – Richardson Ogidan, Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island
Stages of Freedom, $2,000 Engaging the Black Community in the Age of COVID-19 Supports Stages of Freedom as they develop a myriad of resources for Rhode Island’s African-American community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Connecting audiences with public health information, details on relief support, and community-building exercises, the project helps one of the state’s hardest-hit communities survive and thrive. Teatro ECAS, $2,000 Disproportionate Impact Supports the research and development phase of “Impacto Desproporcionado,” a theatrical performance documenting and sharing experiences of Rhode Island’s Latinx community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project results in an edited collection of theatrical monologues. WaterFire Providence, $2,000 Decameron, Providence: Sharing New Stories for a New Era Supports a two-night drive-in film series at WaterFire Art Center featuring films based on Boccaccio’s Decameron. This film series will be coordinated with Zoom-based talk-back sessions, and is part of a larger project helmed by WaterFire and The Wilbury Theatre Group involving 15 cultural groups reinterpreting the Decameron for our current historical moment.
PROJECT GRANTS TO INDIVIDUAL SCHOLARS, FILM, & OTHER MEDIA MAKERS: Aashish Edakadampil, $2,000 Project Saudade Supports the production of a brief, animated film exploring the alienation and isolation of individuals from one another—and nature—during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite technology allowing us to be “in touch.” The film addresses technology’s limitations to support society in its full complexity and meaning. Kelly Eriksen, $2,000 How You Talk Now: Supports a research project examining how the art of conversation has been altered by the COVID19 pandemic. Through recorded dialogues and reflections, the project documents how Rhode Islanders’ day-to-day life & socialization have been affected by social distancing. Lisa Limer, $2,000 Providence Diary Supports a project that documents the impact of COVID-19 on Rhode Island’s capital city. Submitted by residents of Providence, photos will be compiled into a publicly accessible e-book, submitted to the Council-supported digital RI COVID-19 Archive (RICovidArchive.org).
Daniel Phillips, $2,000 Super 8 Film Festival Supports a documentary filmmaking project and public screening event. Utilizing the world-famous Super 8 film technology, 20 Rhode Islanders will document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives. Finished films will be publicly screened and preserved for the historic record. Rose Weaver, $2,000 Don’t Take the Memories with You: COVID-19 As a Catalyst to Examine My Arts Work in Rhode Island Supports an individual research and archiving project led by scholar and artist Rose Weaver. The project documents and preserves the history of theater and performance in Rhode Island through the examination of personal and professional experiences and practices.
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Giving the Humanities COLOR Print this page to color & enjoy!
The Council is pleased to share this one-of-a-kind coloring page created exclusively for the 2020 Celebration of the Humanities by MJ Robinson. Robinson is a RI-based author-illustrator, educator, and community organizer whose work encourages play and artmaking in movements for social justice.
Find more about Robinson’s work at: mj-robinson.com Follow them @meejy on Instagram & Twitter 24
Keep the conversations going‌ How do you see the humanities serving as a bridge for sparking community conversations? Where is the deepest need for the humanities in the current social justice movement? How can we all play a role? What gives you hope?
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2020 is a Puzzle – The Humanities Offer New Pathways It’s not quite the New York Times Sunday Crossword, but we hope you, your family, and friends enjoy this humanities-themed puzzle. Grab a mug of coffee or tea and settle in for an engaging activity to be enjoyed solo or in groups.
Down:
1. Study of the rights and duties of citizenship 2. Demands wisdom and vision 3. What we have to do in response to change 5. RI State Motto 6. Try and try again 7. To take part in 14. Bring together and spark 16. Organize and encourage action 17. Ensuring all have a fair chance 18. Cultural legacy 21. National Arts & Humanities Month
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Across:
4. Ocean State 8. Knowledge creator and culture bearer 9. Use of the imagination or original ideas 10. To cause something to begin to develop or grow 11. Make heard 12. What we are together 13. A point or way in which people or things are not the same 15. Nearness that promotes understanding 19. Give assistance to 20. Raising of a doubt about or objection to something 22. Structure carrying a road, path, railroad across a waterway or other obstacle 23. Late RI Senator who was the main sponsor of the 1965 bill that created the NEA and the NEH 24. A new method
Learn more about the Council’s partnerships & initiatives: RhodeTour.org
Digital tours that bring Rhode Island stories to life connecting civic engagement to stories of the past. Download the app for free or explore online. 31 tours 308 stories 36,000+ users Partners: Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage, and the Rhode Island Historical Society
Rhode Island Expansion Arts Program
This program offers funding and organizational assistance to community-based, culturally diverse arts and cultural organizations. The Expansion Arts grantees for 2019 – 2021 are: ECOArts USA; Korean-American Association of Rhode Island; Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading Committee; and Sankofa Community Connection. Partners: Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, The Rhode Island Foundation, and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
XIX: Shall Not Be Denied XIX: Shall Not Be Denied is a partnership initiative of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the Rhode Island Department of State which seeks to commemorate the 19th Amendment Centennial with a forward-looking vision to a more perfect union with full and equal rights for all American citizens. Learn more at: shallnotbedenied.org. To-date, over 30 partner organizations are hosting lectures, exhibits, performances, film screenings, and virtual conversation series across the state.
Culture is Key: Strengthening Rhode Island’s Civic Health Culture is Key seeks to explore and document the role of cultural participation in rebuilding civic life, encouraging communities to come together to learn about our shared histories and diverse experiences, and to envision a better future. Culture is Key is supported by the Rhode Island Foundation, the Federation of State Humanities Councils, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in partnership with the Pulitzer Prizes. 27
131 Washington St., Suite 210 Providence, RI 02903 401-273-2250 rihumanities.org @rihumanities
Make a gift to support the Council’s work, visit: rihumanities.org/get-involved/donate
The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities seeds, supports, and strengthens public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders. For nearly 50 years, we have cultivated diverse expressions of the public humanities through vital and innovative public programs, research, and media projects that have reached millions of people in Rhode Island and beyond. We are a catalyst for engagement with our state’s remarkable history and culture, and believe in the power of the humanities community to inspire and improve Rhode Island. The Council was founded in 1973 as an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. A private nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, the Council is supported by federal and private funds