Flashback: Rhode Island Monthly Through the 2020s (So Far)
If you feel like a full decade has already passed since January 2020, you’re not alone. The 2020s ushered in a global pandemic, changing life in Little Rhody as we know it, canceling events and forcing our favorite traditions online. Rhode Islanders adapted, leaning on each other in their period of need and finding comfort in reminiscing about old times. As we look to the future, the state has also reckoned with its past and prepared for new projects and changes ahead. So raise a glass to the 2020s — here’s hoping they roll out a little smoother than how they arrived.
May/June 2020:
In the depths of the pandemic, and at Governor Gina Raimondo’s request, RISD alumnus Shepard Fairey created the R.I. Angel of Hope and Strength to inspire Rhode Islanders through difficult times. The image adorned the side of the RISD Auditorium, social media accounts — and the cover of Rhode Island Monthly. The issue also included a keepsake poster sponsored by National Grid to recognize the efforts of health care professionals and essential workers throughout the state.
May/June 2020: “The Way Things Used to Be”
Eight Rhode Islanders between the ages of eighty-three and 108 reflected on life and what brought them to Little Rhody.
July 2020: Snapshot
An estimated 10,000 people gathered on the State House lawn to protest systemic racism and police brutality toward Black people during a Protect Black Lives protest on June 5, 2020.
December 2020: “A Christmas Carol Online”
Of all the canceled events, nothing hit home more than when the beloved holiday tradition of seeing A Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep went on hiatus. For the first time in its forty-six-year history, the show moved online, remaking the timeless tale of Scrooge for the Zoom era. Thankfully, the show returned in person the following year.
October 2022:
Hocus Pocus mania descended on Little Rhody with the release of Hocus Pocus 2 on Sept. 30. We talked with local folks who helped bring the film — much of which was shot in the state — to life.
