Rhode Island
New mural in Providence honors lost Chinatown and historic drag queen – The Boston Globe
“This project felt like it was specifically invented for me,” said Lauren YS, the Los Angeles-based artist who painted the mural. “We’re on the street corner that used to house the Chinese Merchants Association, was Chinatown, and is now a queer neighborhood. That cross-section of identity is what I practice within.”
YS said they have worked on plenty of projects in Chinatowns across the United States, as well as painted murals in LGBTQ+ neighborhoods. “But never has it actually intersected,” they said.
The 85-foot-wide mural is located at 40 Snow St., a building owned by Paolino Properties, and faces the Dark Lady, a storied gay nightclub that regularly hosts drag and dance parties. The Avenue Concept, a nonprofit arts organization responsible for many of Providence’s murals, worked with the city and Paolino Properties to hire YS for the commissioned piece.
Unlike many muralists, YS did not project an image of a rough sketch of the mural onto the building at night. They drew the mural out by hand.
In addition to Renault, the mural features other elements that honor Providence’s LGBTQ+, Chinese American, and Southeast Asian communities — which often intertwined in local lore.
Born Antonio Auriemma, Renault performed in 42 countries and across the US, including frequently at Carnegie Hall in New York. His costume collection was valued at $50,000, according to the Providence Public Library’s archives ― worth about $1.1 million today. A writer at the Dallas Morning News noted it included a replica of Marie Antoinette’s wedding gown and a kimono “covered with roses of gold hand embroidery.”
The mural also includes a figure holding a pair of scissors and a piece of thread, which is meant to honor Perry Watkins, who in 1939 became the first Black costume designer from Providence on Broadway. He attended Hope High School, where he and a friend illustrated a newspaper called The Foolscape, and he was awarded a scholarship to study art at the Rhode Island School of Design. This figure in the mural is also holding a fan adorned with the name “Port Arthur,” a Chinese-American restaurant and dancehall known as a haven for the city’s Asian and LGBTQ+ communities.
The Tow family opened Port Arthur on Weybosset Street in 1921. The restaurant’s third floor was an elaborate banquet hall, and musician Bobby Hackett, who later played with Frank Sinatra, honed his craft playing in a six-piece band at the restaurant while he was a teenager. During World War II, Port Arthur became popular with sailors and soldiers, and Shore Patrol considered it such a problematic spot that it was nicknamed “blood alley,” according to the book “Lost Restaurants of Providence.” Port Arthur closed in 1965.
The two middle figures in the mural blend ancient Chinese opera with modern drag, said YS.
“For centuries in China, only cis men were allowed to perform,” said YS. “All the crazy femme types were played by cis men. So my ancestors have been doing drag for forever.”
One of the opera performers is wearing a name tag that says “Luke’s,” referring to Luke’s Chinese American Restaurant, which was located directly behind Providence City Hall from 1951 to 1990. This same figure is also holding two playing cards — the king of hearts and the queen of spades, which YS said represents “Kings & Queens,” a gay bar in Woonsocket open from 1977 to 2002.
A dangling, gold charm bracelet and purple earning with a cursive letter “B” honor the late Beatrice Temkin. Temkin, who was often called “Bea,” was a pioneering local LGBTQ+ ally, and The Beatrice, a nearby hotel owned by her son, former mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr., is named after her.
The red curtains painted on either side of the mural represent the local theaters downtown, YS said, and the arches reference the now-closed Chinese restaurants and dancehalls that were central to the theater experience from the 1950s to the 1980s.
“Public art is fundamental to Providence, and this mural will not only beautify downtown, but also tell a powerful story of our community’s rich history and vibrant diversity,” said Mayor Brett Smiley.
The city paid $65,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to commission the mural, which will be part this year’s PVDFest festivities, according to Joe R. Wilson Jr., Providence’s director of Art, Culture, and Tourism. PVDFest, the city’s signature arts and culture festival, will take place Sept. 6 and 7.
In the mural, Renault holds lavender blossoms — (which have become a symbol of empowerment for the LGBTQ+ community) — and YS pointed to the rainbow Pride flags nearby. There are obvious signs of the queer community around downtown today, they said, but hardly anything references what used to be a thriving Chinatown built by working-class families.
“It makes me really sad that there is no Chinatown here,” said YS. “We feel sort of displaced if there’s no hub.”
“This piece nods to the immigrant history that built these neighborhood blocks,” added YS. “Maybe, someday, Providence will rebuild it.”
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal
It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.
Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.
For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.
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He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.
McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.
A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.
Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?
GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026
No public events.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
2:00 PM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.
LOCATION:
RI State House Rotunda
82 Smith Street
Providence, RI
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026
No public events.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026
No public events.
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026
9:30 AM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.
LOCATION:
Cross’ Mills Public Library
4417 Old Post Road
Charlestown, RI
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026
11:00 AM
Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.
LOCATION:
CIC Providence
225 Dyer Street
Providence, RI
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026
No public events.
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Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Protest in Providence in June against ICE PHOTO: GoLocal
Organizers in Rhode Island and across the country are mobilizing against ICE after a pair of shootings in the past few days.
Organizers locally said, “Rhode Islanders will gather on Sunday to honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”
The RI event begins at 2 PM at the State House on Sunday.
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Nationally, it was a announced on Friday that, “A broad national coalition, including Indivisible, MoveOn Civic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Voto Latino, United We Dream, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign of the Not Above the Law coalition, and partner organizations across the country, is calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.
“The mobilization comes in response to the escalation of ICE violence in our communities, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother of three, and the months-long pattern of unchecked violence and abuse in marginalized communities across America. Across the country, communities will gather in nonviolent, lawful, and community-led actions to honor the life lost, demand accountability, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions,” said organizers.
Organizers added, “Good and the Portland victims are part of a broader and deeply alarming pattern of unchecked violence and abuse by federal immigration enforcement agencies. In September, ICE reportedly shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook from Mexico living in Chicago. In 2025 alone, more than 30 people have reportedly died in ICE detention.”
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island General Assembly Begins 2026 Session With Focus on Affordability – Newport Buzz
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island lawmakers opened the 2026 legislative session this week with a focus on health care affordability, housing costs and economic stability, as leaders in both chambers warned of uncertainty tied to federal budget changes.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi outlined House priorities centered on expanding access to health care while lowering costs, calling it the chamber’s top agenda item for the year. He also said lawmakers will continue addressing housing shortages and rising home energy costs, emphasizing the need for community input as policy decisions move forward.
In the Senate, President Valarie J. Lawson convened the chamber by urging bipartisan cooperation and announcing plans to introduce legislation supporting education, small businesses and the state’s health care system. Stabilizing hospitals and strengthening the primary care workforce were identified as key goals.
Both chambers paused to honor victims of the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University, passing resolutions recognizing the victims and commending first responders. Lawmakers also observed a moment of silence.
New legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara would require the Department of Education to adopt a zero-tolerance hazing policy in partnership with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, mandating clear and consistent discipline statewide.
Meanwhile, Reps. David Morales and Jennifer Stewart called on Gov. Dan McKee to fully fund public libraries in the upcoming state budget.
Speaker Shekarchi also announced several committee leadership changes, appointing Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee as chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith as chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee.
The week also marked the first Senate session for Sen. Stefano V. Famiglietti, who received committee assignments following his election to fill a vacant seat.
Legislative leaders capped the week by joining faith leaders at the 18th annual Rhode Island Interfaith Poverty Vigil at the State House, calling attention to legislation aimed at reducing poverty statewide.
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