Robb Dimmick and Ray Rickman, founders of Stages of Freedom, take us behind the scenes of their new endeavor, Rhode Island’s only museum dedicated to illuminating the remarkable stories of Black excellence in the state, such as those of opera singer Sissieretta Jones, Providence’s Black Victorian power couple Edward and Christiana Bannister, Newport caterer George T. Downing, and entrepreneur Elleanor Eldridge.
Sponsored by the Richard & Barbara Bell Fund for Social Justice
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Founded in 2016, Stages of Freedom has at its core addressing racial inequities in Rhode Island and ensuring that Black Lives Matter. Their mission is to build community and advance racial equity by using the arts and humanities to create and present programming that illuminates and celebrates Black Rhode Island life and culture to a large and diverse audience; to provide youth of color free swimming lessons in order to reduce the high number of drownings in the BIPOC community, dismantle systemic barriers, and ensure their health and well-being; and to elevate and empower Black youth by providing workshops and access to cultural opportunities, such as museums, theatre and concerts.
