Looking forward to the next one! Thank you to our sponsors and co-hosts @growsmartri.bsky.social and @strongtowns.org Providence.

Our first film night, courtesy of Better Cities Film Festival curation was inspirational! After several entertaining, thought-provoking, and insightful short films, we were treated to a rousing panel discussion and Q+A.

In 2009, it was down to 13%. The public health implications of this are clear: rising obesity, less community, more isolation. This is a perspective, I believe, is not shared with enough frequency when we discuss how our cities and towns evolve. (3/3)

A sobering fact shared during the film is in regards to the dramatic decline in the percentage of children walking or cycling to school. For instance, in 1969 48% of children ages 5 to 14 walked/cycled to school. (2/3)

Inspiring night at the Block by Block Film Series watching shorts from the Better Cities Film Festival. Great to see folks discussing housing, safer streets, & equitable development. Kudos to the organizers: @neighborswelcomeri.bsky.social, @growsmartri.bsky.social, & @strongtowns.org Greater PVD

We're excited for this free showing of BLOCK BY BLOCK! Let's fight for better, healthier cities & towns. Let's fight for a stronger East Providence. A stronger Rhode Island. For all of us.

There is a housing shortage in our region of the country & outdated regulations like mandatory dual staircases only add to construction costs — which are then passed on to folks who are already struggling. Let's take steps in RI to legalize single staircases! www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/21/o...

YIMBY and smart growth are climate policy: “Compact development contributes significantly to reducing emissions.” It’s how we provide the homes people need without worsening sprawl and pushing people to live in areas at high climate risk. Great plenary at @yimbytown.bsky.social!

It's time for East Providence to catch up with our neighbors and allow backyard chickens. Tell the City Council to pass this common-sense ordinance! 🩵🐓🐥 Show your support: 🗓️ Sept 16, 6pm 📍 145 Taunton Ave.

Check out @jimpimentel.bsky.social's letter to the editor on how there's more to be done to make ADUs a truly viable housing option for EP residents. We encourage you to read the letter & join the discussion on how we can create more housing options for all: reportertoday.com/eastproviden...?

If you are out for an early walk, stop by EPiC’s adopted island on Brightridge and check out our new addition: two beautiful, handmade bird houses disguised to look like sunflowers. 🌻 🌻 🩵

Today we are thankful for labor organizers who won us all of the workers’ rights we enjoy today. Thank a Union! 🩵

Our website is finally LIVE! ✨ Discover our mission, see our advocacy projects, and learn how you can join us in moving our city forward. Let's build a stronger community, together. www.epicri.org

Let's work towards housing abundance. 🩵🏘️

There is nothing to celebrate here. This is still a massive reduction in service that will harm riders with frequency reductions and elimination of weekend service. Our full statement below ⤵️

EPiC supports not just fully funding RIPTA but increasing the funding to get to parity with our regional neighbors. Our streets feel over crowded because there are too many cars. We need robust alternatives. 🚌 🚲🚶🏻‍♀️🩵 Read this great article here: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/20/m... (1/3)

We handed out flyers about @epicri.org's mission, as well as free childrens' books and instant photos to anyone who requested one. I am happy with the great weather and high turnout of the event. It was great seeing you all!

We had a wonderful time connecting w/neighbors at Neighborhood Day! So great chatting with neighbors about our volunteer projects & our mission to advocate for inclusive schools & for creating more housing opportunities so that people can afford to live & thrive right here in our community 🩵🏡.

EPiC members testified tonight against RIPTA's proposed service cuts. We oppose these changes, which will disproportionately harm our most vulnerable residents. We'll keep fighting for a reliable transit system for all! 🩵🚌 Watch our testimony here: www.facebook.com/eastproviden...

📢Call Governor McKee today to say we need to fully fund RIPTA! 401-222-4080📢 East Providence is set to see a significant reduction in bus service. Routes 33 and 34 will see a 10%+ reduction in service. This can’t go forward! We need more bus ridership, not less. Call today. 🚍🚏🩵

This is a great opportunity for young folks in our city to get civically involved 🏛️ and to learn how to engage in our democracy! 🇺🇸 Civic engagement is a duty of citizenship.

Happy Friday, Rhode Island! Before heading into the weekend, call Governor McKee’s office and urge him to find funding for RIPTA to avert these severe service cuts. Transit is essential!! 🙏🏽🚌

What is EPiC all about? We created a visual to represent our core values that make up our vision for the future of East Providence. If you want to read more in-depth about the each one, checkout this Google Doc: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Local journalism is incredibly important for healthy civic dialogue. East Bay Media Group — publishers of The East Providence Post — will be hosting a pop-up newsroom tomorrow! 📰

The native plants are starting to bloom at the @epicri.org garden in the traffic island at Fenmoor and Brightridge Streets. Purple Wood Aster, Goldenrod, Broadleaf Mountain Mint. Stop by any time and enjoy the plants and pollinators. #nativeplants #pollinators

We think so too 🩵🐔

EPiC members quoted on the front page of the Post for the second week in a row. Ruarri Miller talks about experience raising hens in EP. EPiC supports allowing East Providence residents to legally own hens, just like all of our neighboring cities. 🐓 🩵 Article and PDF linked in thread below. 🧵

“We want to own a home in the city my wife grew up in. I feel like the housing crisis is pushing people out of the towns they actually have a connection to,” Dufurrena said.

We're incredibly grateful to have worked with @neighborswelcomeri.bsky.social this session in advocating for statewide policies that take steps towards addressing our housing crisis. We appreciate the leadership shown in the State House, particularly regarding crucial housing initiatives. (1/2)

Check out today’s East Providence Post cover! An interview with EPiC’s Mélodie Pimentel and Jimmy Dufurrena, a GenZ couple with deep roots in East Providence and a simple, but sadly unattainable, dream of buying their first home in East Providence. 🏡🩵 Link below Or pick up a paper copy.

We've got a brand new sign at our adopted island at Fenmoor St & Brightridge Ave! ✨ A huge thank you to the City of East Providence DPW for their awesome work on the sign & to @bloomrhodeisland.org for the grant that made this possible, & big props to @pricklyedscactus.bsky.social for the plants!🪴

We've sent our letter of support to the East Providence City Council advocating for the proposed ordinance permitting backyard chickens! 🐔 We believe this is a positive step for our community. Read our letter below 👇

We're excited to back our neighbors in their efforts to legalize backyard chickens in East Providence. 🩵🐔 Join us at the East Providence City Council meeting on July 15 at 6:30 PM to show your support. Your voice makes a difference! www.facebook.com/events/71086...

East Providence residents rally against hate and extremism "I want our neighbors to know that everyone is welcome here - except for Nazis. We don’t respect them. They’re not welcome." steveahlquist.substack.com/p/east-provi...

We got a lot of honks and waves today in front of City Hall. Hate is not welcome in East Providence! 🩵 📸: Steve Alquist -follow him on Substack

In East Providence we are lucky to have a significant and vibrant Cape Verdean community. Congratulations on 50 years of Independence from Portugal! 🇨🇻 ❤️ 💙 EPiC stands with the Cape Verdean community. We condemn the racist actions of the young man who lowered and stomped on the flag today.

Finally got to weeding the @epicri.org traffic island in East Providence! Plants from @pricklyedscactus.bsky.social and @bloomrhodeisland.org are looking good (we made it through the massive heat!). Watch for plant ID signage and a bespoke birdhouse coming to the space.

Today we are celebrating! After a long night at the Statehouse, the Senate passed 5 of our bills! Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard on these, and thank you ALL for your support.

We had an EPiC night out at Union Square Bistro in Riverside for East Providence's Restaurant Week! Great food and vibes. Restaurant Week is still on for a few more days — don’t miss it! #eprestaurantweek

Claudia Wack of @neighborswelcomeri.bsky.social writes in the Valley Breeze calling for common-sense housing solutions to address our housing crisis. CT & NH took action making it easier to build more homes in commercial areas. Let's not fall behind in RI! www.valleybreeze.com/opinion/lett...

"Rhode Islanders searching for a home in today’s housing market experience a cruel game of musical chairs. With too few homes available to rent or buy, wealthier families who can win a bidding war or pay rising rental prices get better access to limited opportunities.

We need to build approximately 24,000 additional homes just to meet the demand of our current residents. The good news is that there are tested and popular solutions to the problems we face." Read more from our very own Claudia Wack in the Valley Breeze:

Let’s get the beverage container litter off our streets and out of our waterways. @cleanwaterri.bsky.social act.cleanwater.org/page/155165/...

Building more isn't just about bringing down home prices. It is also a proven way to drive rents downward for renters. "The chief reason behind Austin’s falling rents, real estate experts and housing advocates said, is a massive apartment building boom..." www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/a...

The housing market needs more small homes. ". . . Those properties punch above their weight, offering an entry into the housing market, a place to retire to after raising a family, and for plenty of families, a step in between."

"The Northeast is not making any measurable progress in addressing the demand for housing. Meanwhile, the South is only three years away from closing their housing gap. Cities like Austin, Texas have seen a drop of 7% in the median home price because of rapid building."

"The most imperative decisions in our lives lie in the hands of local officials — like our City Council members — on acting to cut red tape by streamlining zoning and planning regulations, as well as working with builders to create more housing units." (3/3)

Check out my letter in The Post regarding housing affordability in our City. Some important takeaways: "Our city should be an affordable and fiscally responsible place to live in. These values are at the core of every strong American community." (1/3) www.eastbayri.com/stories/lett...

📣East Providence Residents: Contact Senate President Lawson as soon as you can to ask her to bring SB359, the "Assault Weapons Ban" to the Senate floor for a vote. Call: 401-222-4901 Email: [email protected] (1/3)