Upcoming Programs & Events
Beyond the Bio - Speaker Series: Pilar Mccloud
Real People. Real Stories. Real Connections.
Gather with us for Beyond the Bio, a free speaker series featuring women and gender expansive people from Rhode Island and beyond. Each event offers space for deep listening and meaningful conversation. Expect powerful storytelling, audience Q+A, and a chance to meet speakers in an intimate, community-centered setting.
This month, we’re honored to welcome multi-hyphenate Pilar Mccloud.
Pilar is a Providence-based community leader, youth mentor, and civic advocate who founded A Sweet Creation Youth Organization and The Pilar McCloud Experience in the city’s Olneyville neighborhood. She has held numerous leadership roles with the NAACP Providence Branch, including serving as Chairwoman of the Youth High School and College Chapters, and as a YouthWorks Advisor supporting youth councils across New England. Her community involvement also includes work with Keep Forward Movement (KFM), the Community Action Board through Tulane University’s State of Black Rhode Island initiative, and the Racial and Environmental Justice Committee, where she serves as Breathe Providence Coordinator.
With more than 20 years of experience supporting young people, Pilar has served as a Mentor Team Leader with YouthBuild Preparatory Academy through AmeriCorps and has mentored through organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State, Goodwill Industries, The Met High School, and Nathaniel Greene Middle School. She facilitates programs focused on civil rights, social justice, and empowerment for young women, and holds certifications in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and as a Community Health Worker. Her contributions have been recognized through numerous honors, including the NAACP Rosa Parks Award, the YWCA Woman of Achievement Award, induction into the Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame, and recognition as one of Rhode Island’s Remarkable Women of 2025. Her story has also been preserved by the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress through StoryCorps, reflecting her lasting impact on community leadership and youth development.
This is a ticketed event. Suggested donations of $5-10 per ticket helps support free public programs for women and gender expansive people.
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
Meet the Speaker!
Pilar Mccloud, Community leader, youth mentor, entrepreneur, and civic advocate
Come hear her story at The Alcove!
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
Cocktails & Conversations
2nd Annual Women in Philanthropy Awards!
Join us on Thursday , May 28 from 6 pm to 8 pm for our 2nd Annual Women in Philanthropy celebration event! We will be hosting it at The Alcove - located at 189 Broadway in Providence. We thank the Better Business Bureau RI for sponsoring the event!
IMPORTANT: Parking is metered on Broadway or free on side streets - do not park in the adjacent lot.
We will be honoring the following categories:
Expansive Executive Director - an executive director who embraces the power of partnership and collaboration as she grows the impact of mission-based, purpose-driven work in Rhode Island.
Bold Board Member - a new or seasoned board member who has proved to be invaluable in furthering the mission with her brave out of the box leadership in Rhode Island.
Valuable Volunteer - a Rhode Island community member who dedicates their time to support your mission through various types of support outside of board leadership.
Mocktail & light eats will be provided.
The building is accessible. Parking is metered on Broadway or free on side streets - do not park in the adjacent lot.
We are asking for a $5 donation to cover related expenses but no one will be turned away. Please note that we will be sharing email addresses with The Alcove unless otherwise advised by you. If that is the case, please send a 'do not share' email to DenniseKowalczyk@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Beyond the Bio - Speaker Series: Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg
Real People. Real Stories. Real Connections.
Gather with us for Beyond the Bio on Thursday, May 14 , co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association!
We're sending Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg, who has been a Judge for 36 years and a Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court for 29 years, off into retirement as a community celebrating her remarkable career!
Beyond the Bio is a ticketed event. Suggested donations of $5-10 per ticket help support free public programs for women and gender expansive people.
Meet the Speaker!
Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg
Justice Goldberg was born in Pawtucket, R.I., and grew up in a family of seven children in East Providence. Following her graduation from St. Mary Academy Bay View, she attended Salve Regina University, then transferred to Providence College when it began accepting women as undergraduates in 1971, graduating cum laude in 1973. She then taught reading and social studies to third and fourth graders at an inner-city elementary school in Providence.
Justice Goldberg attended Suffolk University Law School, earning her Doctor of Law degree with honors in 1978. She worked as a prosecutor for R.I. Attorney General Dennis Roberts. She was one of two women appointed assistant attorney general, a first for the state. She later became administrator in the criminal division. After her service in state government, she worked in private practice with a concentration in representing the State and its municipalities. Gov. Edward D. DiPrete appointed her a Justice in the Rhode Island Superior Court in 1990. In 1997, she was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Lincoln C. Almond, the third woman to serve on that Court and the only woman to serve as Chief Justice (acting). She is the second longest serving Justice of the RI Supreme Court (28 years) and has issued approximately 800 opinions (797 to be exact). She holds five honorary degrees and is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her service to the Judiciary.
About Beyond the Bio
Beyond the Bio is a speaker series featuring women and gender expansive people from Rhode Island and beyond. Each event offers space for deep listening and meaningful conversation. Expect powerful storytelling, audience Q+A, and a chance to meet speakers in an intimate, community-centered setting.
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
From Page to Stage: Inside Ballet RI’s Machinal - A Dance of Defiance
Join us for an intimate artist conversation exploring the creative process behind Ballet RI’s world-premiere production of Machinal!
This special evening invites community members into the artistic journey from script to stage through a live talkback with members of the creative team, including theater director Rachel Walshe and dancer Yury Yanowsky.
Machinal by Sophie Treadwell tells the story of a woman driven to violence while trapped within the rigid expectations of a patriarchal society, inspired by the real-life case of Ruth Snyder, a woman executed in Sing Sing Prison for the 1927 murder of her husband. Treadwell uses the word Machinal as the title of this play to refer to a woman caught in the mechanics of a woman's expected life path and the disastrous results. This story exposes the enduring impact of societal pressure on women’s autonomy and challenges us to confront how systems can still silence women.
Together, we will explore how written stories are translated into movement, how choreography can deepen emotional storytelling, and how collaboration shapes a new work. This program offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with the artists and gain deeper context ahead of Ballet RI’s Providence performances.
Following a conversation with members of the artistic team, participants will be able to engage in a Q+A session and learn more about the upcoming show, which will run May 7-10 at the Ballet RI Black Box Theatre and May 14-17 at the University of Rhode Island J Studio.
As a special benefit, registered attendees will also receive a discount code to attend an upcoming performance of Machinal courtesy of Ballet RI!
This is a free, ticketed event with suggested donation of $5-10.
Beyond the Bio - Speaker Series: Kilah Walters-Clinton
Real People. Real Stories. Real Connections.
Gather with us for Beyond the Bio, a speaker series featuring women and gender expansive people from Rhode Island and beyond. Each event offers space for deep listening and meaningful conversation. Expect powerful storytelling, audience Q+A, and a chance to meet speakers in an intimate, community-centered setting.
This month, we’re honored to welcome Kilah Walters-Clinton.
Kilah Walters-Clinton serves as the Director of Equity and Community Partnership for the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). A dedicated advocate for systemic change, Kilah is the Founder of Innovative Advising Experts and serves as President of The Providence Shelter for Colored Children. Her extensive leadership portfolio includes roles with the American Red Cross, the Institute for Nonprofit Practice, and the Providence College President’s Council. A proud alumna of Providence College with a BA and M.Ed. in Counseling, Kilah has achieved Doctoral Candidate (ABD) status in Education and Leadership. As a wife and mother of three, she seamlessly integrates her clinical background and deep community roots into her passion for strategic change management and health equity through StoryCorps, reflecting her lasting impact on community leadership and youth development.
This is a ticketed event. Suggested donations of $5-10 per ticket help support free public programs for women and gender expansive people.
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
Meet the Speaker!
Kilah Walters-Clinton, Leader, educator, counselor, and advocate.
Come hear her story at The Alcove!
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
The Healing Stage - Open Mic with Sojourner House
In an effort to foster community healing and shatter the silence around sexual violence, Sojourner House is collaborating with The Alcove to host an open mic where survivors are invited to share stories, poetry, or music connected to their experiences with trauma and healing. All are welcome!
During the event, select pieces from the RI Clothesline Project— a community art exhibition designed to showcase the widespread impact of abuse— will be on display for viewing.
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
Beyond the Bio - Speaker Series: Michelle Bloomrose
Real People. Real Stories. Real Connections.
Gather with us for Beyond the Bio, a free speaker series featuring women and gender expansive people from Rhode Island and beyond. Each event offers space for deep listening and meaningful conversation. Expect powerful storytelling, audience Q+A, and a chance to meet speakers in an intimate, community-centered setting.
This month, we’re honored to welcome Michelle Bloomrose: retired U.S. Navy Commander, Lawyer, and LGBTQ+ Advocate.
Michelle was forced to retire from the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps after more than 20 years of honorable service because she is a transgender woman. Her naval law practice took her to 49 of the 50 United States, all over Europe and the Middle East and gave her the opportunity to live & work in Italy, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. During her service, she performed two years of sea duty on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Gulfs of Aden and Oman and the Persian Gulf.
Her practice focused on military justice, military personnel law, environmental law, national security law and legal education. She is most proud of her work on advocating for and implementing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal and the drafting and implementation of the 2016 Carter Policy that allowed open transgender service in the U.S. military for the first time.
Michelle's final position in the U.S. Navy was as the Commanding Officer of the Naval Justice School aboard Naval Station Newport. She is the recipient of five Meritorious Service Medals and numerous other personal, unit, and campaign awards in recognition of her exemplary service.
Presently, Michelle does contract work for GLAD Law and volunteers with SPARTAPride, The Good Health Project, and as the attorney coach of the Portsmouth High School Mock Trial Team. She makes her home in Portsmouth with her spouse of 22 years and their two children.
This is a ticketed event. Suggested donations of $5-10 per ticket helps support free public programs for women and gender expansive people.
Meet the Speaker!
Michelle Bloomrose, retired U.S. Navy Commander, Lawyer, and LGBTQ+ Advocate.
Come hear her story at The Alcove!
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.
Beyond the Bio - Speaker Series: Dr. Chanda Womack
Real People. Real Stories. Real Connections.
Gather with us for Beyond the Bio, a free speaker series featuring women and gender expansive people from Rhode Island and beyond. Each event offers space for deep listening and meaningful conversation. Expect powerful storytelling, audience Q+A, and a chance to meet speakers in an intimate, community-centered setting.
This month, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Chanda Womack—organizer, educator, mom of two, and Founding Executive Director of ARISE. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in Providence, Chanda’s story spans generations, geographies, and deep community-rooted work. She shows up with heart and unapologetic power, and her work on identity as a tool for liberation is as inspiring as it is urgent. Come listen, ask questions, and stick around afterwards to chat in a cozy, intimate setting.
This is a free, ticketed event. Suggested donations of $5-10 per ticket helps support free public programs for women and gender expansive people.
The Alcove is grateful to our community of members and supporters whose generosity makes free, public programs like this one possible. Together, we create space to thrive.