The route to the Public Gallery winds through a pretty rough neighborhood – the streets of Olneyville are lined with pawnbrokers, flea markets and head shops; an old woman waves down cars near a stop light, peddling flowers. But along with the obvious signs of poverty, there are signs of strength. A poster on a […]
Stages of Freedom is an organization dedicated to creating and providing programming about the culture and lives of black Rhode Islanders and providing inner-city youth with access to museums and live performances — cultural opportunities they might otherwise not experience. On February 29, Stages of Freedom is holding Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine, a culinary experience […]
Justin Case is the photographer behind our cover imagery. We talked a little about the design he chose for our black history issue. What does this statue mean to you? When I look at the statue it reminds me that there is a lack of representation of African Americans’ contributions to RI and their tribulations. The slave […]
Wondering what the stars tell you about your romance prospects? Venus is always the key when looking for romance and relationships. Where Venus is in the sky in relation to your Sun Sign tells you the best spot to attract what you are looking for. This year it is especially true as she goes retrograde […]
As we enter the so-called season of love, politics in Rhode Island are producing a love story between unlikely partners, and they may not even realize that Cupid’s arrow hath struck Smith Hill. I have occasionally floated the notion that Rhode Island may be better off by, in a broad sense, temporarily abandoning the conventional […]
“[I] kept on getting up. A little slower. And a lot more deadly.” -Assata Shakur The Underground Railroad is traditionally taught to be an early 19th century clandestine network of white abolitionist and free Negroes who used various modes of transport to successfully whisk away countless numbers of enslaved Africans from their unsuspecting slave masters. […]
For the record, I am not a fan of Black History Month. There’s inequality in the way we talk about the contributions of black people and white people in American History, and that’s a continuing factor in the racial separation plaguing the country. Black people are intricately entwined in the creation of America. One can […]
It’s not easy being young. Millennials and their juniors face an uphill battle arguably more arduous than any generation has faced since the Second World War. An ever-competitive workforce characterized by low income, long hours and unrealistic expectations of 24/7 loyalty and availability is the norm, with unfavorable rates of interest, legacies of debt and […]
It wasn’t long ago that I found myself covered in flour, rolling dough with a glass bottle, reforming an amoeba-like shape into a circle, struggling to make it thin rather than pancake thick — but despite all evidence to the contrary, after twice flipping this “tortilla” and letting it cool just long enough to tear […]
For those planners among you, take note! This April, the 3rd annual Rhode Island Black Film Festival will take place in various spots in PVD, with a full calendar of narrative, documentary and feature films. The theme this year is Empowerment. Ann Clanton, festival founder and executive director said, “It means empowerment of women to […]