Rhode Island Report

Former US Representative Jim Langevin has a long track record of leading cybersecurity efforts in Congress. The Trump administration's cuts to positions at the federal Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency “make no sense,” he says. He joins host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk about these developments and the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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Refugees come to the United States to escape dictatorships, oppression, and violence. But the Trump administration’s freeze of the refugee resettlement program and its ramped-up deportation efforts are making many refugees wonder if they’re safe here. Host Ed Fitzpatrick talks to two people who fled to the United States - a man who escaped slavery in Mauritania and a woman avoiding female genital mutilation in Senegal. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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Students are afraid to come to English classes. Young immigrants are skipping weekly soccer games. The Trump administration has stopped funding resettlement of refugees, who are here in the United States legally.

But Teddi Jallow, executive director of the Refugee Dream Center in Providence, who came to the United States as a refugee herself, is determined to continue her work helping newcomers to America, despite the obstacles. "I also have the belief that we will survive because we do have good people around, and people are reaching out." Our host, Ed Fitzpatrick sat down with Jallow at the Refugee Dream Center to learn more. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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You might have heard of the Green Book, a guidebook that was widely circulated from the 1930s through the 1960s to help Black travelers find welcoming places across the country to stay, eat, and fill up their cars. But did you know that many of those locations were in New England? Emily Sweeney, a Boston Globe reporter, has documented and mapped more than 350 spots in this part of the country. Sweeney says, "It wasn't that long ago... One generation ago, things were completely different," She joins host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk about the Globe's Green Book project. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected]. 

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Since April, a small group of inmates in Rhode Island's medium security prison have been learning how to code. It's part of a program called The Last Mile. The classes are designed to help inmates find jobs and stay out of prison. Globe RI’s Steph Machado just finished a story for Rhode Island PBS about The Last Mile. She joins host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk more about the program. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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Indie pop singer-songwriter Lainey Dionne has gone from performing for classmates at Smithfield High School to becoming a voting member of the Grammy’s Recording Academy. She talks to our guest host, Boston Globe reporter Chris Gavin, about her journey and life as a working musician in Rhode Island. Dewey Raposo, RI PBS producer of Ocean State Sessions which showcases local musicians, also joins the podcast to discuss the series' fifth season. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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Last week, during R.I. Governor Dan McKee’s State of the State address, a group of Rhode Islanders planned to protest in the State House rotunda. But the area was roped off and guarded by state and Capitol police, who said the space had been reserved by the governor’s administration. But no one used it during and after the address. Now, the ACLU is considering a First Amendment lawsuit, saying that night was "a double whammy for the First Amendment." Harrison Tuttle, president of the Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC, and Steve Brown, executive director of the ACLU of Rhode Island join host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk more about what happened. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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In July 2024, the Rhode Island Supreme Court upheld Mario’s Law, which gives juvenile offenders a chance at freedom after serving 20 years. A month after the ruling, Mario Monteiro – the man the law was named for – was released. He faced two life sentences as a 17-year-old, and served 23 years in prison. Monteiro joins host Ed Fitzpatrick to talk about life in prison as a young person, and the human capacity for change. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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Today marks the start of Rhode Island’s legislative session. What can we expect from lawmakers this year? The Globe's Steph Machado and Jim Hummel of “A Lively Experiment” on Rhode Island PBS join host Ed Fitzpatrick and make some predictions. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected]

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Tonight, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley will light the City Hall Menorah to celebrate the eight nights of Hannukah. And this year, the event will hit close to home. He recently converted to Judaism. Before the holidays, Steph Machado sat down with the mayor and Rabbi Sarah Mack, the senior rabbi at Temple Beth-El, to talk about the journey he’s been taking for the past year. Tips and ideas? Email us at [email protected]

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