The Roger Williams Park Conservancy is thrilled to announce its new Program Manager, José Ramirez. José is a park neighbor and photographer. He takes on this new role after two decades of contributing to the vibrant local arts scene in Providence and Rhode Island. He is currently the Chair of the Board of Rhode Island Latino Arts and many people love his Instagram account too. You might also recognize him as a featured person in last year’s film celebrating the success of the Campaign for Roger Williams Park.
We caught up with José recently and asked him a few questions. Read on and keep the conversation going in the comments below.
José, welcome to Roger Williams Park. Tell us about yourself.
“I’m a local artist who’s been living in providence since 92’, currently involved with a few community based nonprofit organizations.”
What made you want to work in Roger Williams Park?
“I wanted to work for the Roger Williams Park Conservancy because of the love I have developed for the park in all these years of living in Providence. I want to make sure that the Roger Williams Park neighborhood community feels represented in the programming with put out there and are aware that the park exists for them. I also want to learn what they think would be the best use of the park for them, what they would like to see.”
What kind of programs will people see in the Park this year?
“This year’s program calendar has movies, music, exercise and learning. A little something for everyone and we’re looking to add more programming if feasible.”
Are there any new things you might like to try, either as a host or a participant?
“I’m looking forward to reaching out to the park’s neighborhood community and learning from them how they would like to participate in the park. I hope to build upon current programming and focus on quality vs quantity as to maximize the audience’s experiences. A more hands-on community outreach effort is one of my main goals this year.”
We have to ask: favorite place in the Park?
“If I had to choose a favorite place in the park, I would say it has to be looking at the sunset from across the water with the Temple to Music in front of me. The way you get to the spot is by parking before the softball field after the Temple and walking through the first trail until the end. The whole time the Temple will be visible on the left across the water.”
