During the Spring of 2025, RILA’s Café Recuerdos (memory cart) will be on display at our Galería del Barrio inside the Southside Cultural Center. This installation launches Somos Rhode Island, a year-long traveling exhibition inspired by 30 Portraits created by artist René Gómez.
Throughout the year, Somos Rhode Island will tour communities across the state, sparking dialogue and reflection on Latino history and the contributions of Rhode Island’s Latino communities. Each stop will feature panel discussions, writing prompts, and interactive activities designed to inspire personal memories tied to local places and people from Rhode Island’s past.
Come ready to share your story—and become part of the growing history of Latinos in our state.
Throughout the year, Somos Rhode Island will tour communities across the state, sparking dialogue and reflection on Latino history and the contributions of Rhode Island’s Latino communities. Each stop will feature panel discussions, writing prompts, and interactive activities designed to inspire personal memories tied to local places and people from Rhode Island’s past.
Come ready to share your story—and become part of the growing history of Latinos in our state.
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Movies | VHS tape | Super 8 film
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RI Latino Newspapers | Periódicos
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Tell Us Your Story | Cuéntenos Su Historia
Your story can be part of Latino History | Tu historia puede ser parte de la historia latina de Rhode Island
Here is what we are looking for:
• Photographs, diaries, artifacts
• Old movies: VHS, Super 8 to convert/digitize
• Personal papers (i.e., letters, passports, etc.)
• Business documents (menus, business cards, brochures, posters)
• Old newspapers depicting Latino life in RI or Spanish-language papers
• Your personal story, shared with and recorded by RILA staff.
We will scan all photos and paper items and give you copies in a flash drive, take photos of artifacts and return them. If you wish to donate originals, we can make arrangements to store them in our collection.
* You will be asked to sign a release form.
• Photographs, diaries, artifacts
• Old movies: VHS, Super 8 to convert/digitize
• Personal papers (i.e., letters, passports, etc.)
• Business documents (menus, business cards, brochures, posters)
• Old newspapers depicting Latino life in RI or Spanish-language papers
• Your personal story, shared with and recorded by RILA staff.
We will scan all photos and paper items and give you copies in a flash drive, take photos of artifacts and return them. If you wish to donate originals, we can make arrangements to store them in our collection.
* You will be asked to sign a release form.
✪ Oprime aquí para leer en Español
Visit La Galería every Monday between 11am - 1pm (please E-Mail us first) and enjoy a cup of coffee with Marta V. Martínez, Community Oral Historian. Bring your documents and learn more about Nuestras Raíces and about the stories we have already collected.
Buscamos lo siguiente:
• Fotografías, diarios, artefactos
• Películas antiguas: VHS, Super 8 para convertir / digitalizar
• Documentos personales (es decir, cartas, pasaportes, etc.)
• Documentos comerciales (menús, tarjetas de presentación, folletos, carteles)
• Periódicos antiguos que describen la vida latina en RI o en periódicos en español.
• Su historia personal, compartida y registrada por el personal de RILA.
Escanearemos todas las fotos y elementos de papel y le daremos copias en un unidad flash (flash drive). También tomaremos fotos de artefactos y los devolveremos. Si desea donar originales, podemos hacer arreglos para mantenerlos en un lugar seguro, en nuestra colección.
• Se le pedirá que firme un formulario de autorización.
• Fotografías, diarios, artefactos
• Películas antiguas: VHS, Super 8 para convertir / digitalizar
• Documentos personales (es decir, cartas, pasaportes, etc.)
• Documentos comerciales (menús, tarjetas de presentación, folletos, carteles)
• Periódicos antiguos que describen la vida latina en RI o en periódicos en español.
• Su historia personal, compartida y registrada por el personal de RILA.
Escanearemos todas las fotos y elementos de papel y le daremos copias en un unidad flash (flash drive). También tomaremos fotos de artefactos y los devolveremos. Si desea donar originales, podemos hacer arreglos para mantenerlos en un lugar seguro, en nuestra colección.
• Se le pedirá que firme un formulario de autorización.
Puede visitar La Galería los lunes de 11 am a 1 pm (envíe un correo electronica antes de su visita) y disfrutar de una taza de café con leche con Marta V. Martínez, historiadora oral de la comunidad. Traiga sus documentos y aprenda más sobre Nuestras Raíces y sobre las historias que ya hemos recopilado.
For information | Para más información: Marta V. Martínez
Click here to learn more about the Latino History Project @RILA ➤
Funds for this project have been made possible in part through funding support from Rhode Island Humanities, an independent state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. RI Humanities seeds, supports, and strengthens public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders.
