♪ >> TONIGHT ON "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY" -- >> IT'S BEEN NINE MONTHS SINCE KATIE ADAMS BEGAN HER TRANSITION FROM MALE TO FEMALE.

ARE YOU HAPPY ABOUT GOING DOWN THIS ROAD?

>> DEEP DOWN I USED TO FEEL I WAS VERY HOLLOW.

LIKE THERE WAS A PART OF ME MISSING.

I FINALLY FEEL LIKE I'M MYSELF.

>> TOXIC METAL INSIDE OF HOMES ACROSS THE OCEAN STATE IS HARMING CHILDREN.

THOSE MOST AFFECTED LIVE IN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> LEAD POISONING IS AN ECONOMIC INJUSTICE.

THE CHILDREN WHO ARE POISONED ARE TOO OFTEN FROM FAMILIES OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME.

BILL: BRAD IS A RECORDING ENGINEER AND THE OWNER OF A STUDIO, LOCATED IN A FORMER TEXTILE FACTORY, SITUATED ALONG THE BLACKSTONE RIVER.

THE ONE-TIME ENGINE OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

>> GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

I'M SHALL SAN MIGUEL.

PAMELA: AND I'M PAMELA WATTS.

LEAD POISONING, SOMETHING TOO MANY AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DEALING WITH IN THEIR HOMES AND IN THEIR WATER ON A DAILY BASIS.

MICHELLE: IN RHODE ISLAND HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN SUFFER LEAD POISONING EVERY YEAR.

THE PROBLEMS SURROUNDING THE TOXIC METAL WERE MADE WORSE DURING THE PANDEMIC AS FAMILIES WERE TOLD TO STAY HOME.

TONIGHT WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND ONE COMMUNITY THAT IS FIGHTING BACK.

>> DIFFERENT GENES.

>> YEAH.

MICHELLE: JESSICA ENJOYS SPENDING TIME WITH HER THREE YOUNGER SIBLINGS.

BUT THEIR HOME IN CENTRAL FALLS HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.

ESPECIALLY FOR HER 14-YEAR-OLD BROTHER.

WHEN EDWIN WAS THREE, A BLOOD TEST SHOWED HE HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD AND OVER THE YEARS HIS FAMILY SAYS HE STRUGGLED TO FOCUS.

>> LIKE IF YOU ASK HIM TO DO SOMETHING, LIKE GO PICK UP THE DISHES, HE WOULD WALK TO THE DISHES AND THEN LIKE INSTANTLY FORGET WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

MICHELLE: LIKE IT TAKES HIM A WHILE TO REMEMBER THINGS, EVEN IN THE SHORT TERM?

>> YES.

MICHELLE: IS THAT FRUSTRATING FOR HIM?

>> YES.

EVEN MORE IN SCHOOL.

MICHELLE: THE LEAD WAS TRACED TO CHIPPED PAINT AROUND WINDOWS THAT WERE LATER REPLACED.

IT WAS ALSO FOUND OUTSIDE IN THE SOUL -- SOIL.

>>[SPEAKING SPANISH] MICHELLE: I ASKED HER WHAT TYPE OF CONSEQUENCES.

>>[SPEAKING SPANISH] >> WE KNOW THAT LED DISEASE HAS AN IMPACT ON NEUROCOGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN CAUSE SPEECH DELAYS AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES.

ADHD KIND OF STUFF.

COGNITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR BRAIN AND SOME OF THEM ARE PERMANENT.

MICHELLE: THIS DR.

RUNS A PEDIATRIC CLINIC.

SHE HAS TREATED DOZENS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE SUFFERED LEAD POISONING, INCLUDING EDWIN.

>> THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF LEAD THAT IS SAFE.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHY DO WE WAIT FOR A KID TO GET SICK BEORE WE CHANGE OUR HOUSING?

IT'S A BACKWARDS APPROACH TO A HEALTH CONDITION WE KNOW EXISTS.

MICHELLE: WHILE MOST CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO LEAD HAVE NO OBVIOUS IMMEDIATE SYMPTOMS, PROLONGED EXPOSURE COULD CAUSE LONG-TERM HARM.

HAVE YOU WORKED WITH PATIENTS WHO HAVE SUFFERED LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF LEAD POISONING?

>> I HAVE HAD KIDS WHO HAVE HAD LED POISONING DEVELOP LATER PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL, SPEECH DELAY, CONSTIPATION.

YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY DRAW A CONNECT LINE BETWEEN A AND B BUT IT IS A FACTOR THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

MICHELLE: MORE THAN 95% OF THE HOUSING UNITS IN CENTRAL FALLS WERE BUILT BEFORE LEAD WAS BANNED IN HOUSEHOLD PAINT IN 1978 IN THE OLD PAINT IS THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF LEAD EXPOSURE TO CHILDREN IN RHODE ISLAND.

>> WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE LEAD ISSUE, A LOT OF THE LAWS THAT ENFORCE WHAT WE DO HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR DECADES AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH IT NOW MEANS SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING.

MICHELLE: IN 2020, 20% OF THE CHILDREN -- 5% OF THE CHILDREN TESTED HAD HIGH LEAD LEVELS IN THEIR BLOOD.

A CERTIFICATE OF LEAD CONFORMANCE INDICATES THERE'S NO HAZARD IN THE UNIT.

>> I'M LOOKING AT THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME IN THERE IS CHIPPED AND PEELING PAINT.

I WILL TAKE OUT MY PHONE AND TAKE A PHOTO.

MICHELLE: IN HIS FIRST YEAR ON THE JOB HE HAS HELPED TO SECURE CERTIFICATES FOR 14% OF THE PROPERTIES THAT NEED TO BE INSPECTED.

AND TO BE CLEAR, THE GOAL IS NOT TO REMOVE IT, THE GOAL IS TO PAINT OVER THE LEAD-BASED PAINT?

>> LEAD SAFE, EXACTLY RIGHT.

LEAD FREE IS A ALMOST COMPLETE REMODEL OF THE PROPERTY.

BRINGING IT DOWN TO THE NUBS OF THE HOME INTO BUILDING IT BACK UP.

WHICH SOME PROPERTY OWNERS DO.

MICHELLE: BECAUSE PART OF THE REASON IS THAT GETTING THAT 3-WOOD CAUSED TENS OF THOUSAND DOLLARS -- GETTING LEAD FREE WOOD CAUSED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS?

>> YES.

>> ROMERO AND MARTINEZ ARE PUTTING LANDLORDS ON NOTICE THAT STATE LAW REQUIRES MOST OF THEM TO HAVE LED CERTIFICATES.

>> YOU CAN SEE THE CHIPPING OF THE PAIN.

HERE, ALL THIS HERE.

MICHELLE: WE FOLLOWED ALONG WHERE HOUSING VIOLATIONS HAD BEEN REPORTED.

MARTINEZ FOUND THAT THERE WERE ALSO LEAD HAZARDS.

>> KIDS, THEY ARE STRANGE, YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH.

THEY TEND TO BITE ON THE WINDOWSILLS.

MICHELLE: HEALTH EFFECTS ARE MORE HARMFUL TO CHILDREN UNDER SIX YEARS OLD.

THEIR BODIES ARE STILL DEVELOPING.

THIS FACT RESONATES WITH GUADALUPE BAY.

NOT ONLY DID HER TEENAGE SON SUFFER LEAD POISONING AS A CHILD AND YEARS LATER SHE FOUND THAT HER NOW SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SON AND FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WERE ALSO POISONED.

ALL THE WHILE, THE FAMILY THOUGHT THE LEAD PROBLEM HAD BEEN CORRECTED.

>> WE DID JUST FROM THE WINDOWS, BUT IT'S EVERYWHERE.

TOYS, FLOOR, WINDOWS.

SOIL OUTSIDE.

MICHELLE: SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN GUADALUPE WAS RENTING THIS HOME ON SUMNER AVENUE, THE INSPECTION FOUND LEAD PAINT AROUND THE HOME.

THE FAMILY HAS SINCE FIXED THOSE AREAS, THEY NOW OWN THE HOUSE AND IT HAS BEEN DEEMED LEAD SAFE.

>> WE WILL HEAR FROM THE CITY AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO RESPOND.

MICHELLE: OWNERS WHO IGNORE THE REQUEST TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE ARE ISSUED A SUMMONS FOR HOUSING COHORT -- COURT.

>> THERE WERE NO KIDS.

MICHELLE: THE JUDGE LISTENED AS THIS PROPERTY MANAGER MADE HIS CASE.

THE CITY SAYS THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH HIM FOR ALMOST A YEAR.

>> MY CONCERN, THOUGH, IS YOU OWN 59 UNITS.

THAT'S A LOT OF UNITS.

THAT'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL CHILDREN WHO COULD GET POISONED.

MICHELLE: THE ISSUE ISN'T STOPPING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS FILED 17 LAWSUITS AGAINST LANDLORDS WHO VIOLATED THE LEAD PREVENTION LAWS.

>> WE IDENTIFY THE SITUATIONS WHERE THE KIDS WERE POISONED, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAD TAKEN ACTION, THE LANDLORDS HAD INSEMINATED -- INSTANCES IGNORED THE ORDERS TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY FOR A DECADE OR MORE.

MICHELLE: WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE?

>> WE ARE GOING TO KEEP COMING.

IT'S AMONG OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.

IF YOU ARE LANDLORD WITH LEAD PAINT IN THE APARTMENT AND YOU ARE RENTING TO CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR AND YOU DON'T USE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU TO CLEAN IT UP, WE WILL COME FOR YOU.

MICHELLE: LAURA UNDERSTANDS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM.

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE LEAD CONTAMINATION THAT COULD BE IN YOUR HOUSE IS LIKELY TO BE INVISIBLE TO YOU.

SOMETHING THAT YOU CANNOT SEE, SMELL, OR TASTE.

MICHELLE: LET DOES NOT DECAY OR DECOMPOSE.

POISONOUS LEVELS CAN REMAIN NOT ONLY IN HOMES BUT OUTSIDE AS WELL.

>> MUCH OF THE SOIL IN URBAN AREAS IS CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD TO YES, BECAUSE OF PAINT COMING OFF OF OLD HOMES BUT ALSO LEAD POLLUTION BECAUSE OF LEADED GASOLINE THAT WE STOPPED PUTTING IN OUR CARS A LONG TIME AGO.

MICHELLE: MANY RHODE ISLANDERS MOST AFFECTED BY THE TOXIC METAL LIVE IN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> THE LEAD POISONING IN RHODE ISLAND IS VERY MUCH A RACIAL INJUSTICE, ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, SOCIAL INJUSTICE.

TOO OFTEN THE CHILDREN POISONED ARE FROM FAMILIES OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS A SPECIAL STRATEGY TO PROTECT FAMILIES.

MICHELLE: SHE SAYS THE RATE OF LEAD POISONING IN RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN GOING DOWN OVER THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS BUT WENT UP DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THOSE WORKING ON THE ISSUE STRESS THAT IT'S ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE.

>> WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF USING KIDS AS THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE, WAITING UNTIL LATE CHILD POISONING OCCURS BEFORE WE DO SOME THING ABOUT IT.

MICHELLE: GUADALUPE BAY SAYS SHE WISHES SHE HAD KNOWN SOONER ABOUT THE LASTING EFFECT.

SHE FEELS HELPLESS WATCHING HER OLDEST SON STRUGGLED.

>> [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] ♪ >> UP NEXT, LAST YEAR AS A PART OF OUR STORY FOR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR RHODE ISLANDERS, WE PROFILED SOMEONE GOING THROUGH A GENDER TRANSITION.

WE MET THIS TEENAGER AT THE BEGINNING OF CHANGING FROM MALE TO FEMALE.

TONIGHT WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON HER TRANSFORMATION SEVERAL MONTHS ON .

WE BEGIN OUR STORY WITH A BRIEF LOOK BACK TO WHEN WE FIRST MET KATIE ADAMS.

KATIE: I BROUGHT A GIRL OUT ON A DATE FRESHMAN YEAR.

I HAD NO TYPE OF SEXUAL ATTRACTION TO HER AT ALL.

I FOUND HER VERY PRETTY.

I WISHED I WAS HER.

I COULDN'T GET MYSELF TO REALIZE THAT THOUGHT.

I WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT UNTIL MUCH LATER ON.

>> WELCOME TO GENDER SPECTRUM.

YOU WILL BE HERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.

>> BACK THEN, KATIE ADAMS AS SHE NOW CALLS HERSELF WAS ATTENDING GENDER SPECTRUM AT YOUTH PRIDE.

A NONPROFIT SERVING THE LGBT COMMUNITY.

AND SHE WAS LIVING AT HOME.

WHAT'S THIS PICTURE HERE?

KATIE: THIS IS A PICTURE OF WHEN WE WENT TO COMIC-CON.

>> YOU ARE A BIG STAR WARS FAN?

KATIE: I REALLY DO, STILL DO, ENJOY STAR WARS AND COMIC BOOKS.

>> TYPICAL KID.

YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE TRANSGENDER?

MICHELLE: I DIDN'T KNOW.

DISCOVERING IT WAS ROCKY.

VERY, VERY ROCKY.

>> SHE SAYS SHE TOOK THE FIRST STEP ON THAT ROCKY ROAD BY DOING THE MOST MASCULINE THING SHE COULD THINK OF, ENLISTING IN THE MARINES.

>> IT DID NOT WORK.

NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, IT WON'T GO AWAY.

I'M A TRANS WOMAN.

I'VE PUSHED IT BACK MY ENTIRE LIFE.

IT'S A FEELING THAT SHOWS UP MY ENTIRE LIFE.

I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE A GIRL.

I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS ONE BECAUSE I AM ONE.

>> WHEN WE FIRST MET, ADAMS NOW 19, HAD JUST STARTED HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY.

IT'S BEEN NINE MONTHS SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE JOURNEY, WHEN WE LAST SPOKE TO YOU.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW IT HAS BEEN FOR YOU?

KATIE: IT'S BEEN PRETTY ROUGH.

IT'S A SECOND PUBERTY.

IT'S HARD, REALLY HARD.

SOMETIMES A LOT OF PEOPLE TRANSITIONING DON'T HAVE THAT SUPPORT THAT YOU NEED TO FUND -- SUPPORT AND YOU NEED TO FIND IT.

>> HER SUPPORT FROM HER FAMILY ERODED.

SO SHE MOVED OUT.

SHE NOW LIVES AT HOUSE OF KODAK, A SHELTER IN PROVIDENCE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

KATIE: WHAT HAPPENS WITH PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY TRY TO TRANSITION IS A FAMILY CAN SEE SOME THEY USED TO BE COMPARED TO WHO YOU WANT TO BE.

IT CAN REALLY SEPARATE THE TWO.

A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS THIS CHRISTMAS I WENT TO GO RECEIVE GIFTS AND A LOT OF THE GIFTS WERE INTO THE NAME I WANTED TO HAVE.

>> WHAT IS THAT NAME, WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT NAME?

KATIE: THAT WOULD BE A DEAD NAME.

THAT'S THE NAME THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU AND DOESN'T MATCH HOW YOU FELT INSIDE.

>> WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU NOTICED ABOUT CHANGES WITHIN?

DESPITE THE EMOTIONAL TOLL, ADAMS IS ENCOURAGED BY THE PHYSICAL CHANGES SHE IS BEGINNING TO SEE.

>> IT SOMETHING I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

IT'S VERY EUPHORIC.

>> YOUR HAIR, YOU HAVE GROWN IT OUT SINCE LAST WE SAW YOU.

WHAT OTHER PHYSICAL CHANGES HAS THE MEDICATION BROUGHT?

>> I'VE HAD A LOT OF FAT DISTRIBUTION, THAT'S FOR SURE.

A LOT IN THE CHEST, AS WELL AS WITH LIKE THE WASTE AND SOMETIMES LIKE RECONSTRUCTING THE FACE A LITTLE BIT.

I REMEMBER MY DOCTOR TALKING TO ME ABOUT THE CHANGES I WOULD GO THROUGH.

>> ADAMS ALSO SAYS HER SKIN IS GETTING SOFTER.

SHE'S HAD ELECTROLYSIS TO REMOVE HER FACIAL HAIR AND IS BEGINNING TO DRESS MORE FEMININE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT YOU ARE AWFULLY YOUNG TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND BE SO COMMITTED.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> AM I REALLY YOUNG?

OR AM I JUST BEING WHO I HAVE BEEN KEEP ON SAYING I AM AND KEEP ON GETTING TURNED DOWN?

>> RELIABLE DATA IS HARD TO COME BY BUT ANECDOTALLY MANY MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS REPORT MORE TEENAGERS ARE COMING OUT AS TRANSGENDER THAN EVER BEFORE.

SOME SAY THEY ARE INSPIRED BY THOSE NOW IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

CELEBRITIES SUCH AS CAITLYN JENNER AND LAVERNE COX.

IN OUR INITIAL REPORT WE ASKED DR. JASON RAFFERTY ABOUT THE NUMBERS.

>> WE SEE EVOLVING IDENTITIES.

PEOPLE WHO ARE NON-BINARY.

PEOPLE WHO ARE GENDER FLUID.

PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SORTS OF LABELS THAT ARE STARTING TO EMERGE AND DESCRIBE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES.

>> THE DOCTOR NOTICED THE SOCIETAL SHIFT TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE HAS STAUNCH CRITICS.

20 STATES HAVE ANTI-GENDER LEGISLATION -- ANTI-TRANSGENDER LEGISLATION.

>> WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, FROM RACE TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AS WE TRY TO BECOME A MORE EXCEPTING CULTURE, THERE'S RESISTANCE.

>> RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN FAIRLY ACCEPTING.

IN 2000 ONE, GENDER IDENTITY WAS ADDED TO PROTECTIONS IN HOUSING, CREDIT, AND EMPLOYMENT.

ADAMS IS CURRENTLY JOBHUNTING AFTER SHE SAYS HARASSMENT WHILE WORKING AT A LOCAL CINEMA COMPLEX BECAME OVERWHELMING.

KATIE: A LOT OF IT CAME FROM CUSTOMERS.

BECAUSE THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO TYPE OF, LIKE, BARRIERS CUSTOMERS HAVE TWO HOW THEY SPEAK TO YOU.

>> WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?

KATIE: A LOT OF HURTFUL TYPES OF WORDS.

SPECIFICALLY WORDS TOWARDS THE TRANS COMMUNITY IN GENERAL OR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF JUST ASKING ME TO GO BACK TO WHERE I CAME FROM.

>> HOW DO YOU FIND THE RESOLVE TO GO FORWARD?

KATIE: I ADMIT THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO PROVE PEOPLE WRONG.

I WANT TO PROVE TO MY FAMILY THAT -- OF WHO I AM.

DESPITE THEM TELLING ME WHO I ALWAYS AM GOING TO BE.

>> ARE YOU HAPPY ABOUT GOING DOWN THIS ROAD?

KATIE: DEEP DOWN, I USED TO FEEL VERY HOLLOW.

I FINALLY FEEL LIKE I'M MYSELF.

SOMETIMES I FELT LIKE AN ALIEN.

AT LEAST I KNOW WHO I AM.

>> ADAMS IS CURRENTLY TAKING COURSES AT SEA CRA AND SAYS SOMEDAY SHE WOULD LIKE A PART -- PROFESSION PROTECTING WILDLIFE.

YOU FEEL AFFINITY FOR ANIMALS, CREATURES?

KATIE: YEAH, YEAH, ACTUALLY.

THE BEST PART ABOUT ANIMALS IS THEY DON'T JUDGE, THEY ARE NOT BIASED.

AS THEY SAY, DOG IS A MAN'S BEST FRIEND.

>> AND COULD BE A WOMAN'S BEST FRIEND, TOO.

KATIE: YEAH, WOMAN'S BEST FRIEND, TOO.

♪ >> FINALLY TONIGHT, A LOOK AT SOMETHING OLD THAT IS NEW AGAIN.

HERE IN RHODE ISLAND AND ALL OVER SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND, MANY ARTISTS ARE LOOKING BACK TO THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND REIMAGINING THE BUILDINGS AS A PLACE WHERE ART, MUSIC, EVEN COMEDY CAN SORT, BRINGING NEW LIFE TO COMMUNITIES.

AS CONTRIBUTING REPORTER BILL BARTHOLOMEW FOUND RECENTLY, TAKING THESE SPACES TO ARTISTIC HEIGHTS REQUIRES BOTH INGENUITY AND TENACITY.

>> THE LEGACY OF A PLACE LIKE THIS, THE WAY THESE MILL BUILDINGS ARE SUCH A STAPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE WAY THEY WERE BACK THEN WHERE THESE BIG COMPANIES WOULD COME IN AND LIKE DROP THESE TOWNS ON THE MAP BECAUSE THE RIVER CAME THROUGH.

BILL: THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND, DOZENS OF MILL BUILDINGS REMAIN FROM THE ONCE CELEBRATED TEXTILE ECONOMY.

SOME OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE TRACED TO THE SAMUEL SLATER INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

TODAY A NEW ERA OF REVOLUTION OCCUPIES THESE SPACES.

CREATIVE BUSINESSES AND ARTISTS, SOME OF WHOM FIND THAT THE BUILDING PROVIDES THE PHYSICAL LOCATION AND BUDGET THEY REQUIRED TO EXECUTE THEIR VISION.

>> WHERE I AM SITTING RIGHT HERE, THERE WERE THESE MASSIVE PRODUCTION MACHINES THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, LOOMS.

MAKING TEXTILES IN ALL THIS.

NOW WE HAVE TAPE MACHINES AND DRUM SETS.

GUITARS AND EVERYTHING.

♪ BILL: BRAD IS A RECORDING ENGINEER AND THE OWNER OF BIG NICE STUDIO, LOCATED IN THE FORMER TEXTILE FACTORY KNOWN AS THE LONSDALE MILL COMPANY COMPLEX, SITUATED ON THE BLACKSTONE RIVER, THE ONE-TIME ENGINE OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

>> I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO A SPACE LIKE THIS, WHERE THEY ONCE WERE FOR A DIFFERENT REASON BACK THEN.

IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I COULD HELP TO BE A STEWARD OF THIS LEGACY OF YOU KNOW, JUST BRINGING THE ARTS THROUGH A SPACE LIKE THIS.

BILL: HE GREW UP IN RHODE ISLAND, PLAYING IN HIS PARENTS BASEMENT.

BY 2016 HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO NEED A LARGER SPACE.

>> LUCKILY MY MOM WAS MY BIGGEST BOOSTER AND SHE WAS DRIVING AROUND AND SAW A FOR RENT SIGN ON THIS BIG, BEAUTIFUL MILL SPACE.

I WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A SPACE THAT HAD THESE KINDS OF LARGE CEILINGS, EXPOSED BRICK.

I DROVE DOWN FROM BOSTON THAT DAY.

I MET THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING.

WE DREW UP A LEASE AND I MOVED IN THAT DAY.

BILL: THE BUILDING FEATURES LARGE ROOMS AND 32 FOOT HIGH CEILINGS.

>> I WAS LIKE THE ACOUSTICS ARE INCREDIBLE.

WALKING AROUND AND CLAPPING MY HANDS TO HEAR THE REVERBERATION.

IT WAS PERFECT.

BILL: FOUR MILES SOUTH, A MASSIVE FORMER FABRIC VILLAGE BUILT IN 1889, HAVING BEEN HOPE TO THE HOPE WEDDING COMPANY.

THAT IS WHERE THESE PARTNERS FOUND A HOME FOR IMPROV KIDS MET.

>> WE NEEDED A GREEN ROOM, WE KNEW.

WE KNEW WE NEEDED ENOUGH SPACE FOR 30 TO 50 PEOPLE.

OTHERWISE, WE WERE REALLY SORT OF INSPIRED BY THE SPACE.

THIS SPACE USED TO BE A PAINT STORE.

YOU CAN SEE THE SPACE, THE PAINT ON THE FLOOR, ALL OLD FROM THE LAST TENANT.

THEATER AT ALL.

ALL WE COULD SAY IS MAYBE THIS WILL BE HERE, MAYBE THIS WILL BE HERE.

BILL: THEY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES IN THE IMPROV WORLD IN BOSTON AND EVENTUALLY STARTED A BUSINESS IN RHODE ISLAND.

>> AT FIRST WE WERE LOOKING DOWNTOWN, MORE COMMERCIAL ORIENTED.

WHAT WE REALIZED WAS NOT JUST THAT THIS WAS A MORE FINANCIALLY REASONABLE SPACE FOR US, BUT THE CULTURE IS FLEXIBLE AND WELCOMING.

>> GIVEN THAT IMPROV IS NOT OFTEN CONSIDERED A CREATIVE BUSINESS, BEING WORKED -- WELCOMED BY THE COMMUNITY DETERMINED A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.

>> IT'S THE DESERT, THE DESERT.

[LAUGHTER] >> IT WAS GREAT TO FIND A PLACE THAT HAS BEEN REALLY BIG IN SUPPORT OF SERENELY SMALL ARTISTIC BUSINESSES THAT DON'T HAVE THE HIGHEST REVENUE POTENTIAL IN THE WORLD.

>> ♪ ALL THIS TIME ♪ BILL: KIDS PRESENTSM LIVE SHOWS AND CLASSES THROUGH THE WEEKET.

THEY HAVE BECOME A STAPLE OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY.

>> AFFORDABLE ARTIST SPACES ARE CRITICAL.

WE CAN ACTUALLY GROW A COMMUNITY AND A BUSINESS AND AN ART FORM ALL AT ONCE.

WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

BILL: BACK AT BLACKSTONE, BRAD HAS BUILT HIS STUDIO INTO A NATIONALLY RESPECTED INSTITUTION, RECORDING BANDS LIKE HORSE JUMPER AND FRIENDSHIP, WORKING ON TV PROJECTS LIKE THIS ACADEMY AWARD WINNER.

AS WELL AS "HOCUS-POCUS TWO," AND "BOB'S BURGERS."

IN 2021, HE BOUGHT THE BUILDING.

>> WE HAVE ARTISTS COMING FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE.

FOLKS COMING IN FROM NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA.

IT BLOWS MY MIND THAT PEOPLE FLY HERE TO WORK HERE BECAUSE OF THE SPACE.

BUT WE ALSO FOCUS A LOT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

THE LOCAL ARTISTS.

SO MANY PEOPLE MAKING INCREDIBLE MUSIC IN RHODE ISLAND.

WE TRY TO BE A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN KIND OF MAKE THEIR ART.

>> IT'S NOT LOST ON HIM THAT THIS SPACE THAT HE HAS CREATED AS PART OF A CONTINUUM OF IDEAS IN THE REGION.

>> IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT THERE IS A THROUGH-LINE HERE TODAY FOR PEOPLE REDISCOVERING SPACES LIKE THIS FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE.

BILL: HE ENCOURAGES FELLOW ARTISTS TO FIND UNTAPPED AND PERHAPS IMPERFECT IMAGINATIONS -- SPACES FOR IMAGINATIVE SPACE.

>> MANY PEOPLE ARE OPENING SPACES THAT HAVE THE SAME IMPERFECT VIBE.

WE HAVE SOMETHING HERE THAT HAS ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF A PROFESSIONAL HIGH-END FACILITY.

BT IT IS IN A SPACE WHERE NOT EVERYTHING IS PERFECTLY SQUARE.

THERE'S WEIRD HOLES IN SOME OF THE BRICKS AND I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FILL THEM.

PEOPLE WANT TO COME HERE SO THEY CAN LET USE, BE CREATIVE, WORK ON THEIR ART AND NOT FEEL LIKE THERE'S THIS, YOU KNOW, BUTTONED UP FIVE THAT WILL TAMP DOWN THEIR EXPRESSION.

-- VIBE THAT WILL TAMP DOWN THEIR EXPRESSION.

FIND THE THING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO TAKE A CHANCE ON.

FIND THE PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP YOU REALIZE THAT VISION.

♪ >> THAT'S OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

PAMELA: AND I'M PAMELA WATTS.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.

UNTIL THEN YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND VISIT US ONLINE TO SEE ALL OF OUR STORIES AND PAST EPISODES, OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST ON YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORM.

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

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