The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Ad Hoc Committee was established by LLC President Joe Fisler in April 2021 to promote and expand learning opportunities that enable the LLC organization and membership to better understand, celebrate, learn from, support, and include diverse communities. (The Committee defines diversity broadly to include race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, language, geographical origin, gender and/or sexual orientation and physical disabilities.)
The Committee is developing a series of webinars about Providence’s initiatives to address current inequities in such areas as housing, health, public education, and policing.
The Importance of Art and Culture in Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations:
A Conversation with Valerie Tutson
Our thanks again to Valerie for making time in her busy schedule to share the power of storytelling and talk with us about the role of the arts community in advancing Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations. We promised to send you several links, and they are listed below.
A graduate of Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in Storytelling as a Communications Art and a master’s degree in Theatre Arts, Valerie Tutson has been using stories to entertain and educate children and adults in schools, churches, libraries, festivals and conferences since 1991. Her compelling stories and songs, emphasizing African traditions and the African American experience, continue centuries of tradition of sharing and passing down community history through storytelling. She is a founding member of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers (RIBS) and of Funda Fest, an annual Celebration of Black Storytelling that in 2023 will mark its 25th anniversary.
For details about FundaFest, the RI Black Storytellers' Celebration of Storytelling: https://fundafest.org
For more info about the Rhode Island Black Storytellers: https://ribsfest.org
Note: It was suggested during the webinar that LLC give Valerie everyone's emails to be added to the RIBS notifications list. When you go to the RIBS website, you will immediately get a form to sign up to be on their email list. Since LLC has a policy of not sharing emails, we suggest that everyone who wants to be on the RIBS email list should sign up on their own.
If you're interested in volunteering for RIBS, here's the direct link to the website's volunteer page: https://ribsfest.org/volunteer/.
Rose Weaver's Directory of Black Artists: https://blacklivesbiz.com/blackArtists/ri
To send congratulations to Joe Wilson on his appointment as head of the City of Providence Department of Art Culture & Tourism: We could not locate an email address on the City's web page, so the best suggestion we can give is that you contact Joe the old-fashioned way via mail:
Joe Wilson, Jr.
Director, Providence Department of Art Culture & Tourism
444 Westminster Street, 3rd Floor
Providence, RI 02903
To learn more about the African American Ambassador Group: aaagpvd.com.
A Matter of Truth, the thoroughly researched publication that was the first step in the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations initiative, was published by the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society and the 1696 Heritage Group. It documents the treatment of African-heritage people and indigenous peoples in Providence and Rhode Island across more than four centuries and continuing today and illustrates the resiliency of the African American community in the face of enslavement and racial discrimination. The book is available for purchase through the RI Black Heritage Society. A link to order a copy, as well as a link to download a copy, can be found on the Heritage Society’s home page: http://riblackheritage.org. In addition, copies are available at local libraries.
To read an LLC newsletter article about the City of Providence Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations initiative: https://www.lifelonglearningcollaborative.org/lark-vol-2-issue-11-october-2022/
Past Speakers
Valerie Tutson, Storyteller
Over 100 people joined the conversation with Valerie to learn about the importance of arts and culture as an instrument for opening minds, bringing folks together and taking creative approaches to problem solving. We also heard about the African American Ambassadors Group's plans for working with the new administration to continue to advance Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations in 2023.
A graduate of Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in Storytelling as a Communications Art and a master’s degree in Theatre Arts, Valerie Tutson has been using stories to entertain and educate children and adults in schools, churches, libraries, festivals and conferences since 1991. Her compelling stories and songs, emphasizing African traditions and the African American experience, continue centuries of tradition of sharing and passing down community history through storytelling. She is a founding member of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers (RIBS) and of Funda Fest, an annual Celebration of Black Storytelling that in 2023 marked its 25th anniversary. Follow Valerie Tutson on Facebook.
Raymond Two Hawks Watson, J.D., M.C.P.
Our thanks to Raymond Two Hawks Watson for his dynamic and thought-provoking discussion, in which he explained the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations process and provided his insights and perspectives.
Attendees asked for information about how to obtain the various reports mentioned during the webinar.
A Matter of Truth, was published by the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society and the 1696 Heritage Group. It documents the treatment of African-heritage people and indigenous peoples in Providence and Rhode Island across more than four centuries and continuing today and illustrates the resiliency of the African American community in the face of enslavement and racial discrimination. The book is available for purchase through the RI Black Heritage Society. A link to order a copy, as well as a link to download a copy, can be found on the Heritage Society’s home page: http://riblackheritage.org. In addition, copies are available at local libraries.
The report for the Reconciliation phase of the process, produced by The Providence Cultural Equity Initiative and Roger Williams University, is Truth-Telling and Reconciliation: Proposing A Framework for the City of Providence. Use this link to download a copy.
The report of the City of Providence’s Municipal Reparations Commission can be accessed online here.
To learn more about the African American Ambassador Group, you can visit the Group’s website aaagpvd.com. Shawndell Burney-Speaks is the contact in the Mayor’s Office for the AAAG: [email protected].
To learn more about the work of Raymond Watson’s organization The Providence Cultural Equity Initiative, visit http://provcei.org.
Coverage in the Providence Journal of the October 26, 2022 City Council’s vote on the $10 million reparations budget can be viewed here: https://lbus7do-cdn.newsmemory.com/?publink=2bc49775e_1348687.
The process included the development of a multimedia initiative to directly connect more individuals with the A Matter of Truth report, including a website featuring documentary interviews and reconciliation framework report. See it here: Providence Reconciliation Doc Trailer Mockup - YouTube.