Non-profit spotlight ~ PechaKucha Providence

Nonprofit  name: PechaKucha Providence
Website: www.PechaKuchaPVD.org (Launching in January 2021!)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PechaKuchaPVD
Instagram: @PechaKuchaPVD
Other: Providence on PechaKucha's Global Website (Link: https://www.pechakucha.com/cities/providence)

1. Tell us about your nonprofit’s mission.

We believe that everyone has ideas worth sharing. We provide the Providence (and RI) thinkers, creators, and storytellers an open platform to share their ideas, creations, and stories using the PechaKucha format of 20 images that each last 20 seconds. Think of it like  'show and tell' for grownups.

2. Is there a story behind your organization’s name?
PechaKucha means "chit-chat" in Japanese. The PechaKucha format was created in Tokyo in 2003 by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo’s Klein Dytham architecture (Link: http://klein-dytham.com/) who wanted to see  "more show, less tell". Their idea has spread to more than 1,200 cities across the globe! 

3. How long have you been operating in Rhode Island?
We've held a free event every month since March of 2009. Providence has the great distinction of being the 2nd longest consecutive running PechaKucha night in the world, only behind Tokyo itself! 

4. Who would speak at Pecha Kucha?
It's tricky to answer this, because the answer is so broad: anyone with a passion!

I've seen people talk about overcoming childhood fears, a really cool trip they took, finding their voice as an artist, going on a terrible date, inspiring youth through Arts and STEAM education, building a table with their dad. I could spend the next hour listing unique things I've seen.

It comes down to this. If there's something in your life that you're excited and passionate about, you're who we want to present at a PechaKucha Night.

5. How are the talks specific to Rhode Island?
All of our presenters are Rhode Island based, so every presentation is either about Rhode Island, something happening in Rhode Island, or the perspective that a Rhode Islander has.

6. What do you love about what you do?
Seeing the community that develops around us. After every event there's a buzz of people talking about things they discovered, or interests they share. We've seen so many friendships form, and even had someone get offered a job after a presentation.

7. Do you fundraise for your activities? How?
We want anyone who wants to come to an event to be able to, so we never charge. We ask for voluntary donations during each event, and the generosity of the community is what keeps the wheels turning.

8. How can I {heart} Rhody readers help?

1) Check out an event.
Pandemic times haven't slowed us down, just changed how things look. We've been hosting our events over Facebook Live, and have been delighted by the support of our community. You may not see the faces like in person, but the chat is filled with people making connections and supporting the presenters.

2) Consider this your invitation to share your passions with us.
Check out our upcoming themes at tiny.cc/PechaKuchaPVD and sign up to present!

9. What do you {heart} about Rhode Island?
Everytime I think I know everything there is to know about this littlebig state, I discover how wrong I am. There is always something exciting to discover, you just need to look. Every person we walk by has something amazing to share, even if they don't realize it yet.

10. Please include anything else you’d like to add:
Something I hear at almost every event we host is: "I didn't know I wanted to know that".

So for everyone out there who is passionate about something, celebrate it and share it with others. Rhode Island will be a better place for it.