Woke: An adjective More

Rhode Island’s latest education goal, as stated by the education commissioner and Department of Education, is to “reimagine high school.” While the turn of phrase is eye roll inducing, it is heartening to see an effort to align graduation requirements with eligibility prerequisites to attend… More

This week, The Valley Breeze begins coverage in Central Falls, and I, for one, could not be more excited. This small and vibrant city has a very special place in my heart, and I hope that soon, it will make space in yours too. More

I went to Washington, D.C., last week and saw the White House in real life for the first time, and it was striking how much smaller the place looks in real life than on TV and in movies. One reason for my trip was to attend an event for a woman running as a Democrat for New York’s 12th Congr… More

There is no end to my disappointment in policy around production of energy in the United States. For all Americans, the price of gas has exploded higher. For those in our area, heating oil costs have soared too, making for colder homes and more difficulty for those least able to afford it. More

For the past few years, we have seen an increase in “diverse” panels or presentations across sectors including business, government and nonprofits. I myself have been part of quite a few of those panels. For a while, I felt grateful to be part of such discussions and be able to share some of… More

The first time I witnessed my mom voting I was about 8 years old while we lived in Colombia. At the time, I did not really understand what she was doing, what impact it had, or why it was all that adults talked about. More

Aside from my career as an actor, director, playwright, and composer, I love my career work as a teacher. I teach at universities and colleges, public and private high schools, as well as offering private acting lessons. More

Is it really too much to ask that an iced coffee at the drive-thru come with a straw? The answer to that seemingly absurd question if you live in Rhode Island is yes, yes it is too much to ask. In the state of Rhode Island we have outdone ourselves when it comes to messed up priorities and a… More

It’s getting harder to write a newspaper column. Unlike social media lords, I can’t write two columns for the two Americas, and have exactly the correct people from the correct information silos pick up each version. Social media companies can do that, though, and they’re ruining society. More

The COVID pandemic has made planning difficult for just about everyone from multinational corporations to families trying to make daily schedules. It is quite common to hear people say, “We’re making a plan, but COVID is driving the bus and we’re not sure where we are going.” More

While growing up, the idea of grief was foreign to me. It was something I saw others endure on television or heard my family members mention. However, I didn’t understand it. I couldn’t understand how the absence of someone or something could create such a deep feeling. More

In Rhode Island, we believe that every child should get off to the right start in life. One prepares them to succeed in our schools and to socialize, play, learn, and thrive with their young friends. More

I was taken aback when I received a letter from Santa! There in black and white was his Christmas list of Rhode Island leaders who have been either naughty or nice. One politician dominated the naughty list. Santa asked me to let you know who is on each list. Who am I to disregard his request? More

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that people are more disconnected than ever despite the greatest ease of communication we’ve seen at any time in human history. More

In 1987, while I was the artist-in-residence at the University of Rhode Island, I wrote, along with my co-composer Robert Schleeter, a musical title “The Spirit Warrior’s Dream.” It was a play about a charismatic leader (The Dreamkiller) who rose to power by taking away the people’s will to … More

After hearing NEA Director Bob Walsh’s comments about stay-at-home moms on a recent episode of PBS’s “A Lively Experiment,” one has to wonder if it is the official position of his union that stay-at-home moms can’t also be education advocates. More

Air travel has become one of the most-used forms of transportation across the globe. However, in the last two decades there have been a few occasions when it screeched to a halt, most notably after Sept. 11 and most recently during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Both of these important events… More

I’ll admit, I don’t “embrace change.” I’m slow at that. More

I have this thing I do each holiday season where I try to buy the vast majority of my presents from local retailers. Sometimes I’m more successful than others, but the process is always rewarding, as I get to meet or get reacquainted with wonderful local merchants and often find fun items at… More

Mrs. Donahue was my school librarian at Hardy Elementary School. She was kind and patient as she helped me find books such as “Where the Red Fern Grows,” just the right book for a 5th-grader to read. And she knew how to shush us in that warm but strict way that told us she wasn’t mean. More

The Union has never been perfect for many people. It was full of flaws and loopholes that allowed the rich and thus powerful to stay rich and powerful. It supported the capitalist idea that a permanent underclass of people had to be maintained at all costs. While the Union was founded on Chr… More

It’s been a long and interesting 18 months since I’ve been on this page, and in that time, political conditions in our country have deteriorated. I’m pretty sure the two are not related. More

Gov. Dan McKee is down eight approval points on COVID from his high-water mark this spring. It should not be a surprise. More

There’s a stretch of Mineral Spring Avenue in Pawtucket, measuring about two-tenths of a mile from San Antonio Way to Legion Drive, that’s an absolute dumping ground. More