>> SOMEONE GAVE, SOMEONE DONATED, SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS HAVE DONATED.

HOW DO YOU THINK THEM?

BY LEAVING YOUR OWN LEGACY.

PETER: WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN RHODE ISLAND.

I'M YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

MY GUEST TODAY IS ROSE WEAVER, ACTRESS, ARTIST, SINGER AND CIVIL-RIGHTS ADVOCATE.

.

ROSE, YOU DO IT ALL.

ROSE: I TRY.

PETER: THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE SHOW AGAIN.

YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE SHOW BEFORE AND I WANTED TO GET YOU BACK BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT A PROJECT.

AND I HEAR THAT IT IS DONE.

ROSE: YES, IT IS DONE.

IT IS CALLED "THE DIRECTORY OF BLACK ARTISTS IN RHODE ISLAND."

AND IT TOOK MOST TWO YEARS.

I COLLECTED COME UP WITH THE HELP OF A FEW PEOPLE, THE NAMES AND GENRES, OF AS MANY BLACK ARTISTS AS I COULD GET TO RESPOND.

I HAVE ABOUT150 IN THE DIRECTORY NOW.

AND NO ONE CAN EVER SAY AGAIN, THAT WE DO NOT HAVE BLACK ARTISTS IN RHODE ISLAND TO DO THIS AND THAT.

BECAUSE WE HAVE TONS.

REALLY QUALITY.

AND I'M SO PLEASED TO GET IT DONE.

BUT I'M STILL ADDING, AND PEOPLE CAN STILL SEND ME THE INFORMATION.

BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO GROW.

PETER: YES, YES.

YOU SAY YOU HAVE ABOUT 150?

ROSE: YES.

PETER: VERY GOOD, AND THAT IS ACROSS GENRES, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, PEOPLE PAINTING AND ACTING.

ROSE: YES AND THINK YOU WOULD NOT THINK WE HAD, FOR EXAMPLE, GRAPHIC ARTISTS.

THERE ARE QUITE A FEW.

I'M LOOKING AT MY COMPUTER SCREEN AND IN IT, OFF THE TOP, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN WORD ARTISTS, PAINTERS, WE HAVE QUILT ARTISTS.

AND THEY ARE INCREDIBLY GOOD.

I AM LOOKING AT RICARDO'S PHOTOGRAPH BECAUSE HE WROTE THE FORWARD FOR THIS PIECE, SAYING, IT IS LONG OVERDUE.

I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN THAT YET.

OK, OF COURSE, MY PICTURES IN THEIR FIRST.

[LAUGHTER] -- THERE FIRST.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.

IN THE VERY BEGINNING, J. KIZ AT THEZ TIME, WORKINGIE,, AN INCREDIBLE LIBRARIAN AND RESEARCHER.

-- J. KIZZIE, AT THE TIME WORKING FOR RHODE ISLAND AS AN INCREDIBLE LEBRON AND RESEARCHER.

SHE PUT TOGETHER A SPREADSHEET WHILE SHE WAS AT RICH, AND IT WAS A THING WHERE, THE ARTISTS, IF THEY CLICKED ON THE LINK THEY COULD PUT IN THEIR INFORMATION.

SO, THE SPREADSHEET POPULATED, ALL THE ARTISTS.

SO ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAVE THIS BIG SPREADSHEET, WITH ALL THESE ARTISTS AND WHAT THEY DO, THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION.

AND I WAS THRILLED.

THEN I SAID, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS, YOU KNOW?

[LAUGHTER] PETER: YES.

ROSE: THAT I WAS INTRODUCED TO A YOUNG MAN, RAY NUNEZ, OF THE NUNEZ COMPANY.

AND LOREN INTRODUCED ME TO HIM AND PROVIDED A STIPEND, TO START TO TAKE THOSE NAMES AND CREATE A GRAPHIC DESIGN, FOR THE ARTISTS, AND THAT IS WHAT RAY DID.

RAY NUNEZ CREATED A PDF WITH ARTISTS AND THEIR PICTURES AND INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

I'M LOOKING AT ANOTHE PERSON WHO HELPED ME AND I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT HIM LATER.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAD THE PDF AND IT LOOKS GREAT.

I PASSED IT AROUND, AND THE FOLKS AT ARTS, CULTURE, AND TOURISM SAW IT.

FOLKS FROM RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY SAW IT.

AND STEPHANIE FORTUNADO PULLED TOGETHER A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SAW THIS.

THAT I STARTED PRAYING.

HOW DO I GET THIS ONLINE?

BECAUSE I NEED A HOST, I NEEDED TO BE HOSTED, YOU KNOW, PLATFORM ONLINE, SO PEOPLE COULD CLICK ON THERE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT CLICK ON THE PDF.

EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKED FABULOUS.

PETER: RIGHT.

ROSE: THEN I MET CLARK ARNELL MI LLHOUSE, AND FOUND OUT HE HAD STARTED THIS WONDERFUL PLATFORM, CALLED BACK LIVES BIZ.COM.

AND IT IS A DIRECTORY OF BLACK ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

SO HE SAID, WOW, THIS SHOULD BE ON MY PLATFORM.

AND I REALIZED MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

NOW I HAVE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO HOSTED.

-- HOST IT.

THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO COST ME PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MY PERSONAL MONEY ON IT ALREADY.

PETER: OK. ROSE: CLARK SAID WEEK CANNOT PUT THIS ON AS THE PDF AND YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ONLINE, SO I TELL YOU WHAT.

HE PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF PEOPLE, TO CREATE THE ONLINE DIRECTORY.

SO THAT WAS LUCKY.

I AM SO LUCKY.

NOW IT IS AN ONLINE DIRECTORY.

AND EVENTUALLY THE ARTISTS WILL BE ABLE TO GO IN AND CHANGE THEIR OWN INFORMATION, AND UPDATE THEIR OWN INFORMATION.

PETER: RIGHT NOW IT IS STATIC, IS THAT CORRECT?

ROSE: YES.

PETER: WHAT IS THE LINK TO THE WEBSITE?

ROSE: THE LINK IS, BLACKLIVESBIZ.COM.

PETER:O,K, BLACKLIVESBIZ.COM.

ROSE: IN THE TOP BAR, THERE IS THE WORD, 'ARTISTS', AND YOU CLICK ON THAT, AND THERE'S THE DIRECTORY.

PETER: IT SOUNDS EASY TO USE.

ROSE: YES.

PETER: YOUR EXPECTATIONS AS TO WHO MAY BE ACCESSING THIS DIRECTORY TO LOOK FOR ARTISTS?

WHAT GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH ACCESS THIS WEBSITE, BESIDES THE ARTISTS?

ROSE: EVERY ORGANIZATION WHO HAS SET IN THE PAST THEY CANNOT FIND A BLACK ARTIST, WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS TEST -- THIS.

FROM LIBRARIES TO SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

I THINK ABOUT COLLEGES DOING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, OR DOING BLACK HISTORY ANYTIME.

WE HAVE CLASSICAL PLAYERS WHO PLAY THE OLD AND VIOLENT, AND -- VIOLA AND VIOLIN.

ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED TO FIND TALENT, CAN GO HERE.

PETER:.

OK. ROSE: AND THERE THEY ARE.

THERE ARE FEW ARTISTS WHERE I DO NOT HAVE THEIR PICTURE.

BUT IT IS EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW.

AND THEY CAN JUST CALL.

I HAVE DISK JOCKEYS.

I HAVE VOICE SINGERS.

I HAVE STORYTELLERS.

PERFORMANCE EDUCATORS.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE.

BECKY BASS IS IN THERE.

BROWN UNIVERSITY IS NOW A PRODUCER, AND SHE IS IN THERE.

I'M SO EXCITED, I CANNOT TELL YOU.

THERE IS GRAPHIC DESIGN.

MUSICIANS OF EVERY KIND.

AND PICTURES OF THESE ARTISTS IN THIS ARE QUITE NICE.

PETER: ROSE, BESIDES THE DIRECTORY, OR THE WEBSITE ITSELF, LET'S SAY I'M A PRODUCER OF A PLATE.

I GO TO THE WEBSITE.

AND I LOOK UP YOU AND WILSON ARE OTHER ARTISTS AROUND THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE.

IS THERE A CONTRACT FACTOR?

ARE THERE CONTRACTS IN THE WEBSITE?

OR IS THAT OUTSIDE OF THE CONTRACT?

SECOND, HOW THE ARTISTS TODAY, DEVELOP COMPENSATION?

HOW DID THEY DETERMINE THEIR COMPENSATION?

ROSE: OK, THE CONTRACT PART.

EVENTUALLY, I WILL ADD TEMPLATES FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.

PETER: OK, THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT.

ROSE: IT IS IMPORTANT.

A LOT OF ARTISTS HAVE A BASIC CONTRACT ALREADY.

AND THEY KNOW THAT IT HAS TO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THE DATE, THE TIME, HOW LONG YOU'RE GOIG TO BE THERE, BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO ASK ALL OF THIS QUESTIONS.

DO YOU HAVE ELECTRICITY SO I CAN PLUG IN MY INSTRUMENT?

SO I'M GOING TO ADD DIFFERENT KINDS OF DOCUMENTS TO IT.

BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS JUST THE DIRECTORY AND WHAT EVERYBODY DOES, AND WHAT SERVICES THEY OFFER.

PETER: OK, VERY GOOD.

ROSE: RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO LIST OF WHAT THE FEES ARE BUT I WILL WORK ON THAT, TOO.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT FOR ARTISTS, WE HAVE COME A BLACK ARTIST IN PARTICULAR, HAVE NEVER GOTTEN PAID REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD GET PAID.

PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY AND IT IS OK, BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, AN HONORARIUM, IS NOT ENOUGH TO PAY AN ARTIST REALLY FOR WHAT THEY DO.

TAKE ME, WHEN I WAS PERFORMING A LOT, JUST TO GET READY TO GO AND DO THAT JOB, BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO BE THE BEST IT COULD BE, MY PREPARATION WAS THE SAME FOR ALL OF THOSE SAYING -- SINGING JOBS, WHETHER SPEAKING OR SINGING, GIVING A PRESENTATION.

THE PREPARATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT IS TIME.

THAT TIME, I HAVE TO INCLUDE AND WHAT MY FEE IS.

A LOT OF ARTISTS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO, THEY END UP MAKING YOU KNOW, $10 AN HOUR.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

THEY END UP MAKING 10 BOOKS IN OUR, AND THAT IS CRAZY.

-- BUCKS AN HOUR, AND THAT IS CRAZY.

SOMEBODY LIKE ME, I HAVE A BA FROM WHEATON, AN MS FROM BROWN UNIVERSITY, THREE HONORARY DOCTORATES AND ON ORDINARY DUST AND AWARDS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

-- AND AWARDS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO WHEN SOMEONE HE WANTS TO KNOW, WHAT IS MY FEE?

I HAVE TO BE HONEST, IT IS NO LONGER $25 PER HOUR.

PETER: UNDERSTOOD I NEED TO NOT HAVE TO TELL ME RIGHT NOW WHAT IT IS.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, ARTISTS, ESPECIALLY MINORITY ARTISTS, I WILL USE THE PHRASE SHORTCHANGED.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN EQUITABLE TO THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS IN MANY CASES.

I IMAGINE THAT EVEN SOME NONMINORITY ACTORS OR ACTRESSES, ARE ALSO IN THAT SAME BOAT.

THE POINT IS, ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE IN MY EXPERIENCE PEOPLE WHO ARE ARTISTS ARE THERE BECAUSE OF THE PASSION.

IN THE PASSION OUTWEIGHS SOMETIMES THE THOUGHT OF COMPENSATION, WHICH, UNFORTUNATELY, OTHER PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

IN MY PAST I HAD TO HIRE PEOPLE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, FOR SERVICES.

AND YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES, ARTISTIC PRESENTATIONS, IT IS PART OF THEIR SOUL.

SO HOW DO YOU COMPENSATE SOMEBODY FOR SHARING WHAT IS THERE IN HER -- INNER.

IT IS A HARD NUMBER TO GET TO AND EVERY DISCIPLINE WOULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME CALCULATING THAT.

ROSE: IT IS DIFFICULT TO DECIDE WHAT WE HAVE TO TREAT IT AS A BUSINESS, ULTIMATELY.

PETER: RIGHT.

ROSE: THAT IS WHAT IT IS, IN SHOW BUSINESS.

MY TIME TO GET READY.

THIS MORNING I THREW ON A LITTLE LIPSTICK, [LAUGHTER] BUT FOR THE SHOWS.

YOU SEE ON THE BACK OF MY WALL YOU SEE THESE PICTURES.

GETTING READY TAKES ME AN HOUR AND A HALF IF I'M GOING TO DO THE MAKEUP FOR A CHARACTER.

PETER: RIGHT.

ROSE: I HAVE TO DO MY HAIR.

I HAVE TO DO WITH COSTUMES.

AND IT IS A LOT OF WORK.

BECAUSE I TRY TO ARE A LOT OF RED, IT IS THEATRICAL AND GRABS THE EYE.

I REMEMBER PERFORMING FOR THE RHODE ISLAND PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTR YEARS AGO FOR THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM.

I DID IT THREE TIMES, BIG GOWNS THAT TRINITY MADE FOR ME.

I HAD TO GET THOSE GOWNS CLEANED, EVERY TIME I DID THE SHOW.

SO THE EXPENSE, WE HAVE TO ADD IN ALL OF THAT.

SO, AN HONORARIUM, UNLESS YOU ARE JUST DOING IT FOR AN ORGANZATION YOU ARE VOLUNTEERING FOR, LIKE I VOLUNTEERED A LOT FOR TAPA, AND I WAS ON THE BOARD.

SO, HAVE TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING ELSE, SO IT HELPS ME MAKE A LIVING.

WE BLACK ARTIST LIKE YOU SAY, I HAVE LEFT RHODE ISLAND A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE I CANNOT MAKE A LIVING.

PETER: IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF, WHO IS THAT THAT WENT TO FRANCE AND GERMANY, TO PERFORM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PERFORM HERE IN THE STATES YEARS AGO?

ROSE: ALL THE OLD STARS LIKE JOSEPHINE BAKER.

PETER: THAT IS WHO I WAS THINKING OF.

ROSE: AN MUSICIANS.

AND IT IS NOT CHANGED ENOUGH.

PETER: NO, EVEN THE BOXER, I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THE SAME?

ROSE: MUHAMMAD ALI?

PETER: WAY BACK IN THE 1920'S AND 1930'S.

ROSE: JO JOHNSON?

PETER: JO JOHNSON.

ROSE: YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT I KNEW THAT, DID YOU?

PETER: I DO NOT THINK YOU WILL.

BUT HE WAS AN ARTIST, AN ARTIST, AND ACTOR, SINGER, AND A BOXER.

HE WANT TO FRANCE OR GREAT BRITAIN BECAUSE HE CANNOT GET WORK HERE.

HE WAS DUBBED, A COMMUNIST.

ROSE: OH, AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THAT IS NOT JOE JOHNSON.

THE ACTOR -- PETER: WHAT AND IT JOHNSON?

ROSE: ALSO HIM.

COME ON, ROSE.

PETER: IT IS OK.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS, BLACK ACTORS LIKE OTHER BLACKS AND OTHER MINORITIES IN VARIOU DISCIPLINES, IT WAS ALWAYS A SECOND CLASS OF HOW THEY WERE TREATED.

IT IS STILL GOING ON TODAY, AS YOU SAY.

ROSE: IT IS STILL GOING ON TODAY.

AND IT IS INTERESTING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND THERE IS A HUGE BLOCK OF FOLKS WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

I DO NOT KNOW IF WE ARE A MINORITY ANYMORE IF YOU PUT US ALL TOGETHER.

PETER: IT DEPENDS.

AND WHAT YOU ARE LUMPING IN AS THE COMMUNITY OF COLOR.

IF YOU INCLUDE CARIBBEAN AND AFRICANS AND COME OF COURSE DESCENDENTS OF SLAVES HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

IF YOU ARE INCLUDING SOME MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES.

IF YOU ARE INCLUDING SOME SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES.

WHERE PEOPLE ARE DARK, IF IT IS BASED ON SKIN COLOR, YOU'RE RIGHT.

PEOPLE OF COLOR, WOULD NOT BE THE MINORITY, THEY WOULD BE THE MAJORITY IN THE WORLD.

AND IN THIS COUNTRY, THEY ARE SEEING BY ESTIMATING BY I THINK IT WAS 2025, THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE OF COLOR.

ROSE: YES.

PETER: YES, THERE IS CHANGE.

BUT IT HAS TAKEN 200 YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT AND WE ARE NOT SURE HOW MANY YEARS IT MIGHT TAKE TO COMPLETE THAT CYCLE.

ROSE: YES, I THINK IT IS GETTING BETTER, I DEFINITELY DO.

I LOOK AT MY FRIENDS MARLON CARRIE, WHO CAN DO SHAKESPEARE AND WRAP.

PETER: YEAH.

ROSE: PEOPLE REALIZING ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT.

-- RAP, THAT ART CREATED BY ALL ARTISTS IS IMPORTANT.

OUR COUNTRY TRADITIONALLY HAS NOT TREATED ARTISTS FAIRLY FROM ANY CULTURE.

PETER: TRUE.

ROSE: AND WE SUFFER FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER, TAKING OFF AND HAVING TO GO TO LOS ANGELES AND YOU TELL WORK AND FILM WORK A COUPLE OF TIMES.

EVEN KNOW I REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

AND I RETIRED HERE.

I TRYING TO COMMUTE NOW, WHERE MY FAMILY IS AND HERE.

PETER: YET.

ROSE: BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, STILL.

BUT NOW THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG, AGAIN.

IN A BIGGER WAY.

AND I THINK, WE HAVE A LOT MORE SUPPORT NOW.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: I WAS WATCHING BLACK LIVES MATTER.

I WAS IN DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE WHEN THE YOUNG FOLKS CAME MARCHING AND I THOUGHT, OH MY GOODNESS, LOOK AT THIS.

IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE EVERY WALK OF LIFE.

EVERY COLOR.

TOGETHER.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: WALKING TOGETHER, HOLDING HANDS AND HOLDING SIGNS THAT SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER.

I KNEW RIGHT THEN I WITNESSED pTHAT BEFORE.

PETER: YES, YES.

ROSE: IN ATLANTA, I WAS BEHIND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING'S CACTUS -- CASKET MARCHING FROM EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH CHURCH TO MOREHOUSE COLLEGE, WHERE HE WAS LAID IN STATE.

PETER: RIGHT.

ROSE: I ALSO SAW, CHANGES COMING.

CHANGE HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

PETER: AND THERE'S NO QUESTION.

A MORE RECENT EXAMPLE OF SPEED, AND THE INDUSTRY, WOULD BE VIOLA DAVIS.

SHE HAS DONE EXTREMELY WELL FOR THE TIME THAT SHE HAS THOUGHT --- SOUGHT HER MOVIE CAREER, AND HAS DONE WELL.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER ARTIST WHO HAS RISEN AS QUICKLY AS SHE HAS AND RISEN -- AND DONE AS MUCH WORK AS SHE HAS?

ROSE: NO, BUT I DO KNOW A LOT OF ARTISTS WHO WERE PAVING THE WAY.

PETER: SURE.

ROSE: I WAS IN LOS ANGELES LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM CCH POUNDER.

AND THAT SOCIAL GROUP WITH CCH POUNDER, ALFIE WATERED.

-- WOODARD.

PETER: YES, YES.

ROSE: AND THEY WERE WORKING, STARTING TO WORK.

CC HAS BEEN IN A LOT OF SHOWS AND SO HAS ALFRE.

PETER: ALFRE WOODARD HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE.

ROSE: BUT SHE NEVER GOT THAT TREATMENT EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS THE TALENT LIKE VIOLA DAVIS HAS, BUT SHE NEVER RECEIVED THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

BUT VIOLA DAVIS IS SITTING ON OUR SHOULDERS.

I REMEMBER HER FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

BECAUSE THE TRINITY REPERTORY ACTORS AT THE TIME, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY.

AND WE WERE GOING TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, GIVING WORKSHOPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

[LAUGHTER] PETER: WE SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK, TO THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

ROSE: YES, REALLY HELPED.

YOUNG PEOPLE, OLDER PEOPLE NOW COME UP TO ME AND SAY, MISS ROSE, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME TO NATHANAEL GREENE, AND YOU CAME TO THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN SOUTH PROVIDENCE.

I WENT TO A LOT OF SCHOOLS.

AS AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, AND I USE MY OWN WRITINGS, TO HELP BUILD SELF-ETEEM, AND STUDENTS.

YES.

AND I WOULD USE SONGS AND TELL STORIES.

I EVEN MADE A THREE FOOT BLACK DOLL, RAG DOLL, TO BE MY 'MINI ME'SO CHILDREN CAN SEE HOW I WAS RELATING TO MYSELF.

OR AT LEAST TRYING TO COME AND SHOW THEM HOW TO RELATE TO THEMSELVES THROUGH ART.

AND HELP THEM FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: I THINK IT WORKS FOR A LOT OF KIDS.

I'M STILL IN TOUCH WITH SOME STUDENTS.

PETER: WE LOST A GIANT THIS YEAR IN CICELY TYSON.

ROSE: WE SHORTED.

-- WEEK SURELY DID.

GUAIDO HAS HONORED HER BY HAVING HER BE IN, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, AND OTHER THINGS.

SHE WAS A GIANT.

YES, WE HAVE HAD A HANDFUL OF GIANT, MEN AND WOMEN, BLACK MEN AND BLACK WOMEN.

PETER: YOU KNOW, I WAS FLIPPING THROUGH THE TV YESTERDAY.

THEN I SAW CARMEN JONES, ON THE MENU.

I REMEMBER, THAT WAS A FIRST MOVIE, I EVER SAW AS A YOUNGSTER, WHERE THERE WAS A BLACK CAST.

ROSE: DORTHEA DANDRIDGE.

PETER: YES.

THE STARRING ROLE.

I WAS PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS OLD.

MY BROTHER TOOK ME TO THAT MOVIE, ALTHOUGH WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO SEE DANIEL BEEN.

HE WANTED TO SEE DOROTHY DANDRIDGE, SO HE TOOK ME TO SEE HER.

[LAUGHTER] ROSE: THAT'S GREAT.

YOU KNOW THE RHODE ISLAND BLACK FILM FESTIVAL IS COMING UP.

PETER: YES I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT.

AND WE WILL PROBABLY GET THEM ON THE SHOW PRIOR TO COME UP WITH ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT.

ROSE: GOOD, I'M GOING TO BE DOING A PANEL, ABOUT MAKING A LIVING IN THE ARTS.

I ALSO, IT WILL BE RICARDO, JOE WILSON, JACKIE DAVIS, AND ME.

PETER: OK. ROSE: WE WILL TALK ABOUT OUR LIVES.

AND HOW WE HAVE FARED.

PETER: WHEN ARE YOU DOING THAT PANEL?

ROSE: THAT PANEL IS APRIL 21, I THINK.

PETER: SEND ME AN EMAIL.

I WOULD LOVE IT, BECAUSE MAYBE WE CAN WORK OUT SOMETHING WHERE IT CAN BE TAPED.

ROSE: OK, I WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL, DEFINITELY.

PETER: I WILL FIND OUT IF IT IS POSSIBLE, IF WE CAN GET IT TAPED, THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT SHOW.

ROSE: IT IS GOING TO BE ASSUME.

-- A ZOOM.

PETER: OK, WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN THE SHOW IS OVER.

LOOK, SINCE RHODE ISLAND, AS TINY AS IT IS, AND IT HAS HAD SO MANY GREAT ARTISTS THAT COME FROM RHODE ISLAND.

YOU, AND YOUR CLASS OF ARTISTS, ARE MAKING IT AND CONTINUING THAT PROCESS AND THOSE OF US WHO HAD THE PLEASURE TO WATCH YOU AND LISTEN TO YOU, AND SEE YOU PERFORM.

WE ARE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE YOU ARE DOING IT.

BECAUSE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION, I KNOW THAT YOU COULD HAVE MADE A LOT OF MONEY DOING SOMETHING ELSE, OTHER THAN NECESSARILY WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO CALL YOU, TO PERFORM.

AND THEY LOSE OUT BY NOT HAVING YOU.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS, COMPENSATION.

FAIR COMPENSATION, IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

JUST AS WE ARE LOOKING AT $15 AN HOUR IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR FOR THE WORKING CLASS.

ROSE: YES.

PETER: HOPEFULLY, IT HAPPENS, ROSE.

BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW THE COSTS YOU GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO BE AVAILABLE AND DO ALL OF THE THINGS YOU DO HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, AS WELL AS MAKE A LIVING FOR YOURSELF.

ROSE: YES.

WELL, I WENT TO COLLEGE THINKING I WAS GOING TO BE A LAWYER.

PETER: ME, TOO.

ROSE: I JUST FELL ASLEEP.

I HAVE TO BE HONEST.

I WAS INTERESTED IN HISTORY AND THE LAW.'

BECAUSE I SAW SO MUCH INJUSTICE.

IT WAS NOT IN MY PARADIGM OF LIFE TO BE AN ARTIST, IT WAS NOT.

PETER: OK. ROSE: ALTHOUGH I KNEW MOVIE STARS MADE A LOT OF MONEY.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: BUT I SAW HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS.

I WANT TO WHEATON COLLEGE WITH THE NOTION I WOULD BECOME AN ATTORNEY.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

ROSE: I WAS TAKING CLASSES WITH THE LATE JAY GOODMAN, AN INCREDIBLE TEACHER.

AT SAM COLE, WHO WAS TEACHING ENGLISH AT WHEATON COLLEGE.

AND, I JUST CANNOT STAY AWAKE, TO LISTEN TO THE POLITICAL SCIENCE.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: FOR SOME REASON, I WOULD FALL ASLEEP.

THEN, IN THE EVENINGS I WOULD GO TO A DRUM AT SOMETHING, AND I'M ALERT, WIDE-AWAKE, AND SO INVOLVED.

-- A DRAMA SOMETHING.

AND THEY ARE STARTING TO TEACH ME ABOUT MY BODY, TO TUMBLE, AND WE ARTISTS HAVE TO BE STRONG.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: I LEARNED YOGA, TUMBLING, FENCING, DANCE, ALL THE SKILLS THROUGH THE THEATER DEPARTMENT.

SO, I WAS EXCITED TO GO THERE, I WAS SO EXCITED AND IT HELPED ME TO SPEAK.

PETER: YES.

ROSE: I REMEMBER GOING AT HOME TO ATLANTA.

SOMEBODY WOULD SAY WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO TALK LIKE YOUR WIFE?

PETER: -- WHITE?

PETER: I CAN RELATE TO THAT, BECAUSE I USED TO GET THE SAME THING.

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, AND I WISH IT COULD BE LONGER.

I DICTATE CONNECT TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT THE CONVERSATION.

MY MOTHER WAS AN ENGLISH TEACHER AND MY DATA MINISTER, AND I GOT CORRECTED EVERY DAY, SO SPEAKING PROPER ENGLISH WAS REQUIRED IN MY HOUSEHOLD AS A YOUNGSTER.

LISTEN, ROSE, WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO THANK TODAY'S GUEST, ROSE WEAVER, AND YOU, THE VIEWERS COME UP FOR TUNING INTO ANOTHER SEGMENT OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK.

AT IN ANOTHER OPINION IS HOSTED BY PETER WELLS, PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE PROVIDENCE AMERICAN.

STAY SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT DAY ♪ [CAPTIONING PREFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] [CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] ♪ >> SOMEONE GAVE, SOMEONE DONATED, SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.