Spotlight: Ray Watson; Chief Executive Officer/Founder – Providence Cultural Equity Initiative

What is the mission and vision of Providence Cultural Equity Initiative (PCEI)? What is PCEI’s origin story? 

 The Providence Cultural Equity Initiative (PCEI) is an Agency that promotes, cultivates and advocates for the Cultural Sector of Rhode Island.  PCEI advises and consults with private, corporate and public entities to culturally enhance their development, branding and marketing initiatives.  PCEI also manages and produces events that highlight and showcase authentic cultural resources and communities.  The Mission of PCEI is “to steward Rhode Island’s Cultural Sector & Economy”.  The Vision of PCEI is “to transform Rhode Island into New England’s premier cultural hub”.  PCEI’s work is based in the philosophy that each of us, in some form or fashion, is “Walking in Two Worlds”.  This concept is derived from the words of my great grand uncle, the late Narraganset Sachem Edward Sunset Michael, who stated that he was “…an Indian of today; a modern man who forgets not the faith of his forefathers.” It is this wisdom that serves as the foundation and inspiration for PCEI’s work.

The concept for PCEI came as a result of traveling throughout Mexico and observing how effectively and successfully they have married their colonial history and architecture with contemporary art and design elements, while simultaneously acknowledging their rich indigenous history and heritage, in a manner that has transformed locations throughout the country into international cultural tourism destinations and resources.  Viewing Rhode Island’s tremendous cultural diversity as a natural and untapped resource for the State that could be employed in a similar fashion, the PCEI concept was designed to serve as the key institution for leading the cultivation and development of Rhode Island’s emerging cultural sector and economy.  In 2016, I applied for and received a 3-year Innovation Fellowship from the Rhode Island Foundation, funded by John and Leticia Carter, to bring the PCEI concept to life, and I have been working diligently on PCEI’s development ever since.

What does cultural equity mean to you and your team? 

In PCEI’s “The Cultural Equity Guidebook” publication, developed in collaboration with AS220, Cultural Equity is defined as “Ensuring that the diverse expressions of cultural communities and cultural practitioners are protected, promoted and supported in a fair and equitable manner.”  For PCEI, this translates to supporting and valuing uncompromising commitment to authenticity, equity and economic sustainability when working with Cultural Communities and Cultural Practitioners.  As such, PCEI focuses on raising awareness about both the importance and the benefit of cultural development by promoting and presenting opportunities for engagement with and gaining exposure to the State’s cultural sector and economy.

How did the Innovation Team model come into being? How can the team help corporations, businesses, and communities achieve greater cultural equity? 

PCEI’s Innovation Team is comprised of professionals from a diverse array of backgrounds and cultural experiences, who collaborate to provide innovative and creative solutions to meet the cultural development and cultural equity needs of PCEI’s clientele.  The Innovation Team members were specifically selected due to my past and ongoing collaborative work with each of them, their expertise and success in their respective areas of focus, and their demonstrated understanding of the nuances and diversity of Rhode Island’s cultural sector and economy.  In this manner, the Innovation Team serves as a tangible example of the power of cultural diversity to facilitate the cultivation and promotion of innovative business strategies that work to the benefit of the community as a whole.  This is a model that could be adopted by corporations, businesses and communities seeking to employ best practices for properly honoring and respecting cultural diversity as a key element for organizational success, and also an effective strategy for developing better relationships and more effectively engaging with culturally diverse communities.

What does a typical workday look like? Do you have a daily routine or ritual that you swear by / that helps you stay focused as you work towards PCEI’s mission? 

My schedule varies from day to day.  Typically I begin by reading my Bible in order to get in a positive mindset, and then check my schedule to see what the day entails.  Depending on what projects, initiatives or programs PCEI is engaged with at the time, the day can range from meeting with reps from a local bank to discuss support for PCEI related initiatives, to hosting a Cultural Equity Think Tank meeting to ideate around economic development opportunities for cultural practitioners and communities, to working with local community orgs to assist with promotion or management of community based events and functions.  There is always something new to learn about, an interesting function to attend or support, and always new people to meet when working in the cultural sector.  There is never really a dull moment when it comes to cultural development and cultural equity work.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra that inspires you?

I have two key mantras that I employ as keys to success.

The first is “Keep Creator first; the rest is all secondary.”  By this I mean that you have to have faith that what you’re doing is a part of something bigger and that it is your job to just stay focused, do your part well and trust that the Creator is working out the details that are out of your control.  This comes in very handy when situations get overwhelming and at it is hard to see where the end of the tunnel is.  In fact I would say that it is the main factor that keeps me pushing forward; knowing I am not expected to know all of it, but rather that I am simply supposed to do what I know to be right to the best of my ability, and allow the rest to fall into place… and it always does.

My second mantra is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  This mantra has been tremendously motivating in terms of the community development and cultural equity work that I have been engaged in for the past decade.  I always try to put myself in the shoes of others who may be in need of support and assistance or seeking opportunities, and I always try to conduct myself in the same manner that I would want to receive support and assistance if I was the one in need.  Navigating the space between these two mantras has been my personal key to success, and I would strongly encourage others to consider applying these same principles to their own personal and professional development efforts.

Where can our community connect with you and PCEI? 

PCEI is most active on social media.  You can follow PCEI at IG@provcei or at facebook.com/ProvidenceCEI.  PCEI also has a company website that can be accessed at www.ProvCEI.org.  For individuals looking to stay informed about Rhode Island’s cultural sector events and opportunities, I also suggest following PCEI’s marketing and promotions arm www.LivingCultureRI.com, which is also active on social media via IG@livingcultureri and facebook.com/LivingCultureRI.  Both of our websites were designed and developed by V and R Digital Branding. Individuals, institutions, companies and organizations interested in hiring or developing partnerships with PCEI should also feel free to contact [email protected].