Upcoming Events

Money flows and asset ownership may not be the first things that come to mind when you think about Rhode Island’s history, but they have had major, long-term implications for our communities — making some people and places more prosperous and resilient and others less so. Please join Local Return for this important presentation on wealth in Rhode Island.

Tuesday, May 5, 2026
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Teatro ECAS
679 Valley Street, Providence

Four community conversationalists will demonstrate the connection between past and present and prompt intentional consideration for the future. How was wealth generated locally? Who benefited from this wealth generation, and who was hurt by it? What is the interplay between wealth, the economy, and culture in Rhode Island? What choices are we making today that will shape lives and opportunities for future generations?

This event is made possible with the generous support of the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission (RI250).

Our Conversationalists

Dr. Taino J. Palermo

For over 20 years, Dr. Taino J. Palermo has worked to affect change in policy and practice in the areas of nonprofit management, community and economic development, and education reform. Dr. Palermo is a founding faculty member of College Unbound and served as the Director for both the Community Development and Healthy Communities degree programs at Roger Williams University’s University College in Providence, Rhode Island where he founded the state’s first and only graduate program in Community Development. In 2022, Dr. Palermo completed his law degree at Roger Williams University School of Law where he co-founded the American Indian Law Student Association, and most recently, co-founded the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights, the only pro bono legal services and policy center on the east coast. Dr. Palermo also teaches Federal Indian Law and Tribal Courts & Governments courses at Roger Williams University School of Law and is an attorney at Barton Gilman LLP practicing education law.

Seth Rockman

Seth Rockman is a historian of the United States focusing on the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. His research unfolds at the intersection of slavery studies, labor history, material culture studies, and the history of capitalism.

Rockman is the George L. Littlefield Professor of American History at Brown University. He sits on the faculty advisory board of the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice and leads their Slavery and Finance research cluster. Rockman’s newest book, Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery, was published by University of Chicago Press in Fall 2024 and named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. The book won the 2025 Philip Taft Labor History Book Award, earned distinction as a finalist for the Mark Lynton History Prize, and appears on the longlist for the Cundill Prize.

Lorén M. Spears

Lorén M. Spears, enrolled Narragansett Tribal Nation citizen and Executive Director of Tomaquag Museum, holds a master’s in education and received a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2017, from the University of Rhode Island and Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa from Roger Williams University in 2021. She is an author, artist and shares her cultural knowledge with the public through museum programs. She has contributed to a variety of publications such as Dawnland Voices, An Anthology of Indigenous Writing of New England; Through Our Eyes: An Indigenous View of Mashapaug Pond; From Slaves to Soldiers: The 1st Rhode Island Regiment in the American Revolution; and Repair: Sustainable Design Futures. Spears co-edited a new edition of A Key into the Language of America by Roger Williams; and recently co-authored “As We Have Always Done: Decolonizing the Tomaquag Museum’s Collections Management Policy” published in the Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archive Professionals. Under her leadership Tomaquag Museum received the Institute of Museums and Library Service’s National Medal in 2016 and she has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors.

Keith W. Stokes

Throughout his four decades of public service in Rhode Island, Keith W. Stokes has remained dedicated to building a community that welcomes everyone who calls the Ocean State home. He has served in various roles, including as an elected official in his cherished hometown of Newport and as a gubernatorial appointee focused on economic development. Additionally, he has contributed to the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island, leading business development efforts. Stokes has consistently sought to intertwine public funding with private development to nurture a strong, beloved community.

Keith is presently Rhode Island Historian Laureate and Director of the State of Rhode Island Division of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. He earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and completed his graduate studies in public policy at the University of Chicago. His education is enriched by the stories of his ancestors, who have shared long-held narratives from a time before the American Revolution, providing him with a unique perspective on the present. He is a 9th-generation Rhode Islander who calls Newport home with his beloved wife, Theresa. He is the father of four children and an extended clan of Pit Bull dogs that he rescues and nurtures.

Jessica David, moderator

Jessica David is president and co-founder of Local Return. She is also principal of Good Worth Working For, a community consultancy, where she supports people and organizations working to align their values, strategies, and practices. Previously, she served as Executive Vice President of Strategy & Community Investments at the Rhode Island Foundation. Jessica is a Master of Divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School (expected May 2026), where she is studying the intersection of spirituality and money. She holds an MBA from Bryant University and a BA in political science from American University. Jessica serves on several community boards. She  delights in human connections, local places, problem-solving, her puppies Odysseus and Moxie Mae, and Bruce Springsteen.