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Reverend Donnie Anderson is a Rhode Island spiritual, social and intellectual leader, who in recent years has outwardly transitioned from man to woman.

During our compelling conversation, Reverend Anderson spoke of her own experiences on her journey towards self-actualization.  

We also discussed some of the specific challenges that marginalized people confront, including systemic issues within the generally-progressive New England region.

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Providence’s Roger Williams Park Zoo has consistently been recognized as a leading zoological institution, as well as regional tourism magnet.  

But with increased scrutiny being placed on animal captivity, I sat down with Roger Williams’ Executive Director, Dr. Jeremy Goodman, for a wide-ranging conversation about the his operation’s conservation, rehabilitation and educational work, captive animal management practices and the role that the zoo serves in Rhode Island communities.  

I asked Dr. Goodman about the broad ethics of zoos and animal captivity, leading to a discussion that ranged from his experience with Roger Williams’ three elephants to a look at South American bird and fish trafficking.  

Our discussion revealed many specific details that should factor into any debate about Roger Williams Park Zoo’s own practices.

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Democrat Jorge Elorza was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term as mayor of Providence this past November.

Our conversation focused on the mayor’s backstory and experiences, and how they inform his decision making process and policy priorities.  

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A roundtable discussion about Rhode Island’s future with Rhode Island Representative Mike Chippendale (R) and Providence-based activist / performer / political commentator Nika Lomazzo.

This panel features two vocal leaders within Rhode Island’s political ecosystem that oftentimes present differing positions.  But as we discovered through our nearly hour-long discussion, when it comes to many of the key issues affecting Rhode Island’s future, many similar, core concerns are shared across political ideologies.

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Kasim Yarn is Rhode Island’s first Director of Veteran Affairs, a position that was raised to cabinet level in 2016.  In his role as Director, Kasim oversees several key initiatives, such as Rhode Island Veterans Resource Center, Rhode Island Veterans Home, Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, serving as a connector between the state and Rhode Island’s 61,000+ veterans.

His broader impact as a publicly visible member of the Raimondo administration - from his hands-on work with homeless veterans to sporting hilarious costumes at state functions - also caught my attention and serves as a portal into some of the specific work being conducted within the current administration.  

With seemingly ubiquitous admiration, and a highly respectable ground game, I was curious about Kasim’s background and how it informs his approach to serving Rhode Island’s veterans and their families, as well as his overall role as a cabinet member.

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James Diossa was re-elected as Mayor of Central Falls, RI in 2016, after rising to Mayoral status in 2012 at the age of 27.

In 2018, Mayor Diossa was also named President of The Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, a testament to the work he has done as leader of a municipality in the midst of recovery from a near economic collapse.

Diossa’s tenure as Mayor of Central Falls overlapped with the city emerging from bankruptcy, and he has been gradually working to guide the Central Falls towards an era of renewed prosperity, driven by investments in infrastructure and the recalibration of decadeslong policies.

With recent RICAS  standardized testing scores presenting Central Falls students behind most of an already underperforming Ocean State’s public school system,  I wondered what signature issues Mayor Diossa would tackle to sure up his city’s future during his final two years in office.

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Democratic United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is junior Senator from Rhode Island, and has served in the post since 2007.

From his early years working under former Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun to contemporarily serving on prominent positions including on the Budget, Finance and Judiciary committees of the United States Senate, Senator Whitehouse discussed his tenure in public life, using the politics of practicality to make change and specific actions he has taken in the Senate to help move Rhode Island forward.

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Dr. Wendy Schiller is Chairwoman of Brown University’s political science department, where she instructs students in poli-sci and international and public affairs.  

Dr. Schiller is also a frequent contributor to local and national media outlets, providing distinct commentary on issues of politics, policy and government.

With the 2018 election cycle in the rearview, I wanted to get Dr. Schiller’s big-picture takeaways and impressions on how she sees Rhode Island and national politics developing in the coming year.  

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Hilary Levey Friedman teaches courses in Brown University’s Department of Education, and is also an author and the President of The RI chapter of The National Organization for Women.

I was curious as to Professor Friedman’s opinion on what are the most pressing issues facing women in Rhode Island.

Our conversation addressed a multitude of issues that RI NOW are focused on, from reproductive rights to gender-based economic and educational disparities, to transgender rights and protections.  

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Kim Kalunian is an anchor and reporter for WPRI channel 12 television in Providence, RI, where she has emerged as a signature talent on the station’s roster.

Ahead of pursuing a full-time broadcasting career, which launched with radio work, and a stint at Providence news-talk station WPRO, Kim was a full-time stage actress, performing nationally and locally, including at Trinity Rep.  

I identified with Kim’s journey as an artist, making bold choices to pursue her dreams - and fulfil her purpose - and her application of The Artist's Life to news media.

I’d wondered what it was that made Kim decide to shift from the stage to the newsroom, and how her life’s journey informs her approach to delivering news to the WPRI audience.

We discussed some key commonalities between fine art and journalism, including the idea that, at the end of the day, artists and journalists are each charged with the pursuit of examining, trying to make sense, and report back on the human condition.

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