Since 2012, Girls on the Run Rhode Island has been inspiring girls from third to eighth grade to recognize their inner strengths and increase their physical activity. KASHA HANFLIK, executive director, and ELIZABETH MCGANN, program manager, discuss how young girls build friendships and grow their self-confidence during the ten-week program.

We are more politically divided than we have ever been in over 30 years. JENNIFER LAWLESS, chair of the Politics Department at the University of Virginia, discusses the national political scene and “affective polarization”. If you are a Rhode Island political junkie, you may recall that in 2006 she ran for the Democratic nomination for RI’s 2nd Congressional District. She lost but continues her research and analysis of politics.

LISA GUILLETTE, executive director of Foster Forward, discusses how foster care in Rhode Island has changed over the years, their innovative housing project in Pawtucket, and how opening your heart and home can change the life of a child forever.

SUE ANDERBOIS is the Director of Climate and Energy for The Nature Conservancy. She also serves on the Providence City Council. She discusses how the city hopes to fund the $15 million settlement to the Providence School District, her work on affordable housing, and how environmental groups are handling the Republican Administration’s dismantling of environmental and clean energy policy issues.

Since 2014, Rhode Island’s premier culinary incubator is HOPE & MAIN in Warren. Founder and CEO, LISA RAIOLA shares the secret sauce to helping over five hundred entrepreneurs to jumpstart their food business- 60% are women-owned and 45% owned by founders of color.

How much do you know about native American history? The Narragansett Indians are the state’s only federally recognized tribe. LOREN SPEARS, the executive director of Tomaquag Museum, the state’s only indigenous museum, discuses native American history, culture, and art.

Roberta Richman is an artist who spent 33 years at the RI Department of Corrections including warden of the Women’s Prison. She is not like the warden in Shawshank Redemption, but more like Mother Theresa! She began by creating art programs in the prison and later collaborated with community groups to create support systems to help people once they were released from prison.

BETH BIXBY shares her compelling story of going from a client of Tides Family Services to the CEO. She is the first woman CEO of a Brothers of Christian Schools upon the retirement of founder Brother Michael who started the agency to help at-risk children.