ANNOUNCER: SOMEONE GAVE.

SOMEONE DONATED.

SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF SOMEONE'S HAVE SHAPED RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS AMAZING PLACE WE CALL HOME.

HOW DO YOU THANK THEM?

LEAVE YOUR OWN LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

♪ PETER: LOOKING TO ANOTHER EDITION OF IN ANOTHER OPINION.

A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM WHERE ARE OUR DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN RHODE ISLAND.

MY GUEST TODAY IS ROSE ALBERT OF RHODE ISLAND FOR COMMUNITY AND JUSTICE.

WELCOME.

ROSE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

PETER: I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS TO GET HER ON THE SHOW.

WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, ONE OF THE FIRST SHOWS.

SHE SAID, NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ROSE COME ON AND TALK ABOUT OUR YOUTH PROGRAM.

ROSE: I AM HERE.

ETER: THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE.

BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PROGRAM, TELL THE AUDIENCE, THE VIEWERS ABOUT WHAT IT IS.

ROSE: I WILL START A LITTLE BIT BACK WITH OUR HISTORY.

STARTED IN 1952 WHEN WE WERE CALLED RHODE ISLAND AND SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS.

WHICH YOU KNOW ABOUT.

THE NAME CHANGED TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY JUSTICE.

AS THE MISSION SHIFTED FROM INTERFAITH TO CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP, THE ORGANIZATION BROKE UP AND BECAME AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT.

THAT IS HOW IT WAS BORN.

PETER: EXACTLY.

TOBY HAS HAD THE CHALLENGE, AND THE SUCCESS IN DEVELOPING THAT ORGANIZATION FROM THE DAY IT BECAME RICJ.

SHE BECAME THE FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

>> THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT -- HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.

I AM THE YOUTH PROGRAMS DIRECTOR.

PETER: WHAT IS THE YOUTH PROGRAM ABOUT?

WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL?

ROSE: I LIKE TO EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE THAT RICJ HAS THREE DIVISIONS.

WE HAVE THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SECTION THAT WORKS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE.

WE HAVE THE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION SECTION WHERE WE PROVIDE TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AROUND ANTIRACISM.

AND THEN, THE YOUTH PROGRAM.

WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT YOUTH PROGRAMS AND I AM EXCITED TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU.

PETER: GO INTO DEPTH.

TELL ME ABOUT THE FIRST ONE.

ROSE: PROJECT RESPECT.

THAT IS A SUMMER CAMP THAT IS A CAMP THAT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1955.

IT WAS CALLED CAMP -- PETER: YES ROSE: YOU ARE FAMILIAR?

PETER: I AM.

ROSE: OUR HISTORY, THERE IS SO MUCH.

I AM EXCITED TO BE SHARING IT.

IT IS A ONE-WEEK RESIDENTIAL CAP PROGRAM THAT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM RHODE ISLAND, OR THE OUTSKIRTS OF RHODE ISLAND GO TO.

IT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1995 AND RUNS EVERY SUMMER.

UNFORTUNATELY EVERY -- WITH COVID, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE CAMP.

WHICH WAS A BIG SHIFT FOR RICJ.

HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE CAN BRING CAMP BACK STRONGER THAN EVER.

CROSSING FINGERS.

THE SECOND PROGRAM WE HAM -- WE HAVE, IN 2003 THERE WAS A LOT OF FOCUS ON AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH.

AND SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THE YOUTH ACTION COUNCIL WAS CREATED.

THE YOUTH COME AFTER SCHOOL ONCE A WEEK, GET SUPPORT WITH THEIR HOMEWORK EITHER FROM STAFF, VOLUNTEERS OR PEERS.

THEY WORK ON ACTIONABLE PROJECTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR CLASSROOM.

THAT HAS BEEN AROUND AND IS STILL GOING AROUND TODAY.

THE THIRD PROGRAM IS THE YOUTH FACILITATING FOR CHANGE PROGRAM.

WE LOVE ACRONYMS.

[LAUGHTER] PETER: I LIKED YAC.

ROSE: THIS PROGRAM STARTED IN 2017 WITH THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE.

THIS PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY TAILORED FOR YOUTH IN PROVIDENCE.

IT IS A SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM AND THE YOUTH GET TRAINED TO BE FACILITATORS.

AFTER THAT, THEY GET WORK READINESS TRAINING, FINANCIAL LITERACY MY SOCIAL JUSTICE LEARNING, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING.

THEY CREATE THEIR OWN WORKSHOPS AND GO AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY AT PRESENT, WHICH IS SUPER COOL.

THE LAST 1 -- WE HAVE A LOT.

PETER: WHEN YOU USE THE TERM USED, WHAT IS THE AGE?

ROSE: 14-18 YEARS OLD.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

ROSE: THAT IS THE POPULATION THE YOUTH PROGRAM SERVES.

PETER: I WANT TO JUST GET A SENSE OF THE SIZE IN MY HEAD AS TO THE AGE OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE PROGRAM.

ROSE: YES.

HIGH SCHOOLERS, WE ARE REALLY FOCUS INTO HIGH SCHOOL AGE YOUNG PEOPLE.

THE LAST PROGRAM IS THE YOUNG WOMAN EQUITY CORRELATION -- COALITION.

IT STARTED IN NOVEMBER 2020.

IT IS AN INTENTIONAL PROGRAM CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED AND TAILORED FOR WOMEN OF COLOR.

IT IS RUN BY US I MADE FOR US, MEANT TOWARD BY US.

AND BY US, PEOPLE THAT IDENTIFY LIKE ME.

WOMEN OF COLOR.

I RUN IT.

WE JUST FINISHED THE FIRST COHORT WITH 14 HIGH SCHOOLERS.

14-18 YEARS OLD, THAT ARE WOMEN OF COLOR IDENTIFIED.

THEY WERE MEANT TOWARD BY BLACK INDIGENOUS WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE DOING VARIOUS WORKS IN DIFFERENT SECTORS, BUT THAT HAS THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING UNIT.

-- TRAINING IN IT.

PETER: ARE YOU PARTNERING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FOR THAT PROGRAM?

ROSE: NO.

IT IS NEW.

WE JUST STARTED IT.

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THE MENTORS THAT SAID YES AND CAME TO THE TEAM FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM.

WE ARE JUST IN THE INFANT STAGE.

PETER: WE WOULD BE REMISS -- BUT WHO WERE SOME OF THE MENTORS?

ROSE: THE MENTORS WE HAVE.

YES, I CANNOT MISS ANY.

-- WALLACE.

BRENDA WESTBERRY.

PETER: IT'S OK WITH THE LAST NAMES.

ROSE: KYLA WORKS FOR YFC AND IS WELL KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY.

REGINA ALBERT.

CARLENE FONSECA.

PETER: -- I KNOW.

ROSE: REALLY KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY.

STEPHANIE NUÑEZ.

-- PAUL.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED FOR WOMEN.

IS THERE A PROGRAM THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE DESIGNED FOR YOUNG MEN?

WE DON'T KNOW YET?

ROSE: GOOD QUESTION.

TIME WILL TELL.

LIKE I SAID, IT WAS INTENTIONAL.

IN THE SPIRIT OF CREATING THIS PROGRAM, IT WAS THINKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION.

THAT IS THE IDENTITY I BRING TO THE TABLE.

IF A PROGRAM WERE TO BE CREATED FOR YOUNG MEN, I PERSONALLY WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING A MAN OF COLOR RUNNING THE PROGRAM.

IT IS MORE RELATABLE HAVING SOMEBODY THAT IDENTIFIES AS YOU.

AND THAT IS GOING THROUGH LIFE IN THE SAME IDENTIFIER.

THE STORIES MAY NOT BE THE SAME, BUT THEY ARE RELATABLE.

OBVIOUSLY TO SUPPORT A PROGRAM IN SUCH WAY AND EMPATHIZE, BUT I AM NOT A BLACK MAN.

NEVER WHAT I UNDERSTAND FULLY WHAT BLACK MEN EXPERIENCE.

PETER: I AM GLAD YOU MENTIONED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

OFTEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF COLOR ESPECIALLY IN RHODE ISLAND, WE TEND TO FOCUS MORE ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS, AND THE LATIN-CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY, HAITIANS, DOMINICANS, PUERTO RICANS, WHATEVER.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT TENDS TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON IMMIGRATION AND DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES, BUT NOT NATIVE AMERICANS.

WHO, TOO, MANY ARE OF COLOR.

MY MOM WAS A BLACKFOOT.

NATIVE AMERICAN.

I DO ASSIMILATE TO SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.

I AM GLAD TO SEE THE PROGRAM HAS FOCUSED ON THAT BECAUSE WE DO LEAVE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DOWN THE NARRAGANSETT OUT OF THE MIX QUITE OFTEN.

ROSE: RIGHT NOW, THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN CHANGING AND SHIFTING.

I DO NOT KNOW IF THE SIMPLE FACT OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT HAPPENS NOWADAYS, I THINK THAT AS SOCIETY IS GETTING MORE INTO UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE AND HISTORY, LEARNING TO EMBRACE THEM.

PETER: AS WELL WE SHOULD.

ROSE: WE SHOULD.

AND RECOGNIZING THEY BIG PART OF HISTORY.

PETER: THEY WERE HERE FIRST.

[LAUGHTER] WHAT RICJ RICJ GOT?

YOU INVOLVED IN?

-- WHAT GOT YOU INVOLVED IN RICJ ?

ROSE: THEY DRAG ME.

I STARTED WITH THE -- CAMP.

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE DIRECTOR FOR THE YOUTH PROGRAMS, A GREAT MENTOR OF MINE CAME TO MY HIGH SCHOOL AND DID A PRESENTATION.

AND THEN MY ESL TEACHER WAS LIKE, YOU ARE GOING.

I'M LIKE, NO.

BEFORE I KNOW IT, THEY WERE TELLING MY MOM.

MY STORY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, I HAD A LANGUAGE BARRIER, SO IT IS MORE TO TRANSLATE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS WAS ABOUT.

THAT SUMMER, 2009, I WENT TO CAMP AND HAVE BEEN HOOKED EVER SINCE.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

A LOT OF OUR VIEWERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE FACT YOU ARE ACTUALLY FROM HAITI.

ROSE: I AM.

PETER: I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT IN THE BEGINNING.

YOU WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.

WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE?

ROSE:.

2013 -- 2013.

PETER: YOU HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME.

ROSE: I HAVE.

[LAUGHTER] ROSE: I WORKED THERE NOW.

PETER: WHAT DO YOU DO?

ROSE: ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR MULTICULTURAL RETENTION OFFICE.

PETER: WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK FOR ANOTHER PROGRAM JUST TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

ROSE: OK. [LAUGHTER] PETER: NEXT MONTH, I HOPE TO HAVE THE NEW DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY AT BLUE CLASS LOU SHIELD ON THE SHOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW MISS BAUTISTA, SHE IS BRAND-NEW TO THE COMPANY, BUT THOSE ROLES ARE VERY IMPORTANT WITHIN CORPORATE STRUCTURE AND ALSO WITHIN NONPROFIT STRUCTURE AS WELL.

YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP.

HOW DO YOU FEEL?

ROSE: I LOVE IT.

I ALWAYS WANTED THIS ROLE.

IT IS HAPPENING, I WORK HARD FOR IT AND NOW I AM HERE.

I AM REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE MISSION AND THE VISION OF RICJ AND FELT THAT RICJ GAVE ME SO MUCH WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER AND I WANTED TO COME BACK AND BE A REPRESENTATION, BE A LEADER FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING UP.

I AM THANKFUL I GET TO WORK THERE.

PETER:.

.

-- PETER: VERY GOOD.

EVERY PROGRAM HAS SOME METRICS TO DETERMINE SUCCESS.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE SUCCESS IN THE PROGRAMS YOU ARE RUNNING FOR RICJ?

ROSE: I FEEL LIKE -- AS WELL BECAUSE SHE HAS ALL THE NUMBERS AND GRAPHICS.

PETER: THAT'S OK. ROSE: IF I WERE TO EXPLAIN IT TO SOMEONE, IN MY OPINION, IT IS THAT WE HAVE YOUTH COMING THROUGH THE PROGRAM THAT EITHER DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL, OR DIDN'T LIKE SCHOOL, THEN BEING AROUND OTHER YOUTH AND ENCOURAGING THEM AND PUSHING THEM TO DO BETTER.

THEY WOULD GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL.

YOU HAVE YOUTH, LIKE MYSELF, THAT WERE VERY SHY.

SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU.

PETER: ON TV.

ROSE: WORKING ON PUBLIC SPEAKING AND LEADERSHIP ASPECTS, WE HAVE YOUTH DOING AMAZING WORK.

EVEN IF YOU SLIGHTLY SEGUE TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAM, YOU HAVE YOUTH THAT ARE BEING SERVED BY RICJ AND HELPING THEM GET OUT OF THIS SYSTEM IN A BETTER WAY THAN GOING TO JAIL.

I WOULD SAY THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS WE MEASURE OUR PROGRAMS.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS -- AND I FEEL LIKE I AM AN EXAMPLE -- OUR YOUTH COME BACK.

THE ALUMNI BASE IS SO STRONG.

DEVOTION TO THE ORGANIZATION, I DON'T THINK EVERYPLACE HAS THAT.

YOU HAVE MYSELF, I WAS A YOUTH FROM THE PROGRAM, NOW I AM WORKING FOR THE PROGRAM.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CAP, -- CAMP, A LOT OF ALUMNI COME BACK TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS.

THEY WILL COME BACK AND HELP OUT, WHICH I FIGURE HAS WHAT HAS BEEN -- IS WHAT HAS BEEN SUSTAINING RICJ.

PETER: SO THE SUCCESS RATE IS ACTUALLY SEEN IN PAST MEMBERS AND PAST PARTICIPANTS GIVING BACK AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE PROGRAM.

HOW IS IT FUNDED?

ROSE: NOT THAT I WOULD DO IT JUSTICE, BUT WE DO A LOT OF FUNDRAISING AND GRANT PROPOSALS TO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.

I KNOW FOR A FACT BECAUSE THE YOUNG WOMAN EQUITY COALITION, WHICH JUST STARTED AND IS FRESH IN MY HEAD, WE GOT SUPPORT FROM THE RHODE ISLAND WOMEN'S FUND GRANT.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE SUPPORTING US FOR TWO YEARS.

THAT IS HOW THIS PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO LAUNCH IN COVID.

IT DEPENDS.

FOR CAP, WE HAVE INDEPENDENT DONORS -- FOR CAMP, WE HAVE INDEPENDENT DONORS.

PETER: FOR THE YOUTH PROGRAMS.

WITH THE FUNDING YOU GET MY AND YOU RUN THESE PROGRAMS, OUR PEOPLE PAID, OR IS THIS VOLUNTEER WORK?

BEYOND YOURSELF.

I AM SURE YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFERENT.

ARE THE VOLUNTEERS -- DO THEY RECEIVE STIPENDS?

OR AT THIS POINT NO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GIVE BACK?

ROSE: MY BIGGEST HOPE AND PRAYER IS THAT RICJ CAN GET TO A STAGE WHERE IT GROWS AND BECOMES SUSTAINABLE.

WE HAVE A VERY SMALL STAFF, BUT WE ARE DOING GREAT WORK AND IMPACTFUL WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE A DIRECTOR.

SHE RUNS THE SHOW.

THE DIRECTOR FOR THE YOUTH PROGRAMS.

I AM PART-TIME THERE.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR YOUTH COORDINATOR, THAT JUST STARTED.

I BELIEVE THAT IS IT.

PETER: OK. ROSE: AFTER THAT, WE HAVE AMERICORPS, INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP OUT.

PETER: THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT RICJ HAS DONE, BUT THAT IS -- AGAIN, KUDOS TO TOVI.

SHE HAS DONE THE WORK ROSE: YES, THE BOARD IS VERY IMPORTANT.

PETER: I USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS.

ROSE: YOU SHOULD COME BACK.

[LAUGHTER] PETER: LIFE CHANGES SOMETIMES.

WHEN I WAS PUBLISHING THE NEWSPAPER, I FOUND IT WAS SOMETIMES A CONFLICT TO PUBLISH ARTICLES AND BE ON BOARDS OF THE ORGANIZATIONS I MIGHT BE WRITING ARTICLES ABOUT.

I DID SOME OF MY BOARD RELATIONSHIPS, BUT I STILL SUPPORT THE ACTIVITY IN THE WORK OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, INCLUDING RICJ.

ROSE: I AM HAPPY I MET YOU.

PETER: LIKEWISE.

SO, HAVE YOU MET ANY OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE DOING SIMILAR WORK YOU ARE DOING, OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAYBE YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY COLLABORATING WITH?

ROSE: DEFINITELY.

I AM NEW TO THE ROLE.

AND VERY SHY.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY, KNOCKING ON DOORS AND LOOKING FOR PEOPLE DOING THE WORK.

I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR PRISM.

YOUTH ACTION COUNCIL.

THERE IS A GROUP THAT GOT CREATED.

COVID MADE A LOT OF THINGS CHANGE.

SOME GREAT CHANGES IN SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS NOT WELL FOR THE YOUTH SPECIFICALLY.

YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS WERE CREATED.

SO WERE A LOT OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS CAN TOGETHER THEY ARE HAVING MEETINGS AND CONNECTING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

ALSO CHANGING IDEAS AND BOUNCING OFF OF EACH OTHER.

THAT SPACE, FOR ME, IS COOL TO BE IN.

HAVING ACCESS AND CONNECTION WITH OTHER YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND.

PETER: IT IS EXCITING.

I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED HOW THINGS WOULD BE IN ANY CITY IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE SUPPORTING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.

IN MANY CASES, DUPLICATING SOME OF THE WORK.

SOMEHOW, I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY, BUT IF SOMEHOW ORGANIZATIONS COULD MELD THEIR PROGRAMS TOGETHER SO THAT LARGER PIECES OF THE PIE COULD GO TO PROGRAMS VERSUS SHARING -- EVERY ORGANIZATION DOING A LITTLE BIT AND MAYBE NOT GETTING AS MUCH DONE AS THEY COULD IF THE ORGANIZATIONS EMPOWERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER, LIKE A YOUTH PROGRAM FROM RICJ COULD INVOLVE SUPPORT FROM PRISM, YAC -- YOUTH ACTION PROGRAM AND FAMILY LIFE CENTERS.

THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING SIMILAR WORK WITH SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE.

IF THE MONEY WAS SOMEHOW MELDED TOGETHER SO THAT IT WOULD BE HOLISTIC IN TERMS OF APPROACHING PEOPLE, IT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THAT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF COLLABORATING.

ROSE: I THICK THE CONVERSATION IS SHIFTING.

COLLABORATION HAPPENS.

THE SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE GO TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND PRESENT THEIR WORKSHOPS.

FEDERAL HILLHOUSE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THE CITY HAD THIS PROGRAM LAYERD, IT ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER WITH EITHER THE PROGRAMMING, OR HAVING EASIER ACCESS TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS OF THE YOUTH.

IN THAT WAY -- PETER: IT IS KIND OF HAPPENING.

ROSE: IT IS KIND OF HAPPENING.

THE OTHER THING IS, THERE IS A PLANNING HAPPENING ON THE GROUND FOR A ONE-DAY FOR YOUTH IN AUGUST.

PETER: REALLY?

LIKE A HOLIDAY?

DAY OF ACTION?

ROSE: DAY OF ACTIVITIES, PLANNING, FUN AT THE PARK.

I GOT INTRODUCED BECAUSE I GOT AN EMAIL FROM A GENTLEMAN NAMED AKEEM WHO IS PLANNING IT WITH OTHERS THAT WAS LIKE, PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH RICJ YOUTH.

IT IS HAPPENING.

PETER: ONE DAY MAYBE IT WILL BE AT THE UTOPIAN POINT WHERE ORGANIZATIONS GO HAND IN HAND TO THE SAME SPONSORS AND FUNDERS AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TOGETHER, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

THAT WOULD ONE DAY BE SO GREAT.

I KNOW IT IS TRIED.

I LIVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR A WHILE.

THERE WAS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE BLACK UNITED WAY.

THAT IS WHAT THEY TRY TO DO UNDER A BANNER OF UNITED WAY, TO BRING ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER INTO A FUNDING SOURCE.

IT WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR A WHILE.

I HAVE LOST CONTACT, I DO NOT KNOW HOW WELL IT IS DOING TODAY, BUT THAT WAS ONE ATTEMPT AT IT BACK IN THE 1980'S.

ANYWAY, WHAT IS NEW?

WHAT IS NEXT FOR RICJ, THE PROGRAM, AND FOR ROSE ALBERT?

ROSE: WHAT'S NEXT IS DEFINITELY COMING OUT OF COVID ERA.

GETTING THE YOUTH ENERGIZED AND ENGAGED TO COME BACK TO RICJ.

PETER: I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, WHAT -- WHERE IS THE OFFICE LOCATED?

ROSE: 271 NORTH MAIN STREET.

PETER: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH?

ROSE: YES.

PETER: THAT IS A BIG LANDMARK FOR FOLKS.

ROSE: I FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME WORK TO HAVE PEOPLE COMING OUT AND RECONNECTING IN THE WAY WE USED TO, DECREASING THE ZOOM PLATFORM.

THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE THING.

I WOULD SAY, GETTING THE YOUTH BACK IN THE COMMUNITY DOING THE WORK THEY WERE DOING AND BRINGING MORE YOUTH TO THE ORGANIZATION SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW, DEFINITELY TRY TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE.

EVEN FOR THE YOUNG WOMAN EQUITY COALITION, TRYING TO GET IT MORE ROBUST AND MORE VISIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN SERVE MORE YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR FOR THAT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY.

FOR ALL OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS, JUST ANY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO LEARN ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUITY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

PETER: WHAT ABOUT ROSE?

ROSE: WHAT'S NEXT FOR ROSE?

SO MUCH.

[LAUGHTER] DEFINITELY CONTINUE MY LEADERSHIP JOURNEY AND GROWTH.

THE DREAM JOB IS TO BE RUNNING AND DIRECTING SOMETHING AND BE THE BOSS.

PETER: MAYBE RICJ?

ROSE: YOU ARE PUTTING IT INTO EXISTENCE.

THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT OUT LOUD.

PETER: I AM SURE TOBY MUST BE EXCITED TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH ENERGY LIKE YOURSELF WHO MAYBE -- WHO MAY BE ASPIRING TO THAT POSITION.

SHE IS A GOOD MENTOR.

ROSE: SHE IS A GREAT WOMAN AND SHE IS SUPPORTIVE OF PASSING THE TORCH TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

PETER: WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT RICJ DOES NEXT, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT ROSE ALBERT DOES NEXT, AND WE ARE WISHING YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THE BEST IN TERMS OF MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME.

[LAUGHTER] IT GOES BY VERY FAST.

I WANT TO THANK YOU TODAY FOR BEING ON THE SHOW REPRESENTING RICJ.

SAY HELLO TO TOBY.

AND YOU, THE VIEWERS, A SPECIAL THANKS TO PBS FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE.

I AM PETER WELLS.

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] -- [CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] ♪ TWO SOMEONE GAVE.

SOMEONE DONATED.

GENERATIONS OF GENEROUS SOMEONE'S HAVE HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS AMAZING