On October 15, actress and producer Viola Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon, announced the start of the Davis-Tennon Foundation. This announcement occurred during the gala celebration of the Segue Institute for Learning’s 15th anniversary. Angelo Garcia, a lifelong friend of Davis and the founder of Segue Institute and its affiliated Legacy High School, was named the chair.
The idea for this foundation was in the works for a little over a year. With the intention of addressing the needs of the Central Falls community, a needs assessment was first completed. Central Falls, which has a population of around 22,400 people, has a large Hispanic population, numbering around 69%, or about 15,400 people. About 40% of Central Fall’s population, around 8,860 people, are immigrants, so it is essential to address the distinctive needs of this diverse population. These numbers do not account for individuals who are here on visas or who are undocumented. In reality, these statistics are higher.
Once the unofficial report was received, Garcia, who has spent his life in Central Falls, was asked to lead the Foundation.
“The Foundation’s goal is to start conversations, remove barriers, and make connections, plain and simple,” says Garcia. “The Davis-Tennon Foundation is not a provider of direct services. It is not a facilitator of events. It is a convener.”
The Foundation’s purpose is to find out why people are having a hard time accessing services and seeks to start conversations around the topics of domestic violence, homelessness, food insecurity and education, among others. The Foundation’s focus is to get these services in the hands of the people who need them while addressing the root cause. With support from numerous local groups, the Foundation expects their support for Central Falls to reach around $1 million annually. The money from the Foundation will be “put in the hands of the people who are doing the work,” according to Garcia.
Garcia believes wholeheartedly in not talking about people without giving those people a voice. In addition to establishing a board of directors for the Foundation, Garcia is also establishing a Parent Advisory Council to work with the Foundation, who will be trained in reviewing proposals and decision-making. This council will have the unique perspective of being recipients of the services from the establishments submitting proposals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of state and local organizations received both financial support and food donations. When the economy began to settle, nonessential establishments began to open and financial support for individuals ended, there was still a need for services. Garcia believes that this process “perpetuated a population of people who are dependent on a system that no longer exists, so we have to recognize that the only way we’re going to get out of poverty is not to continue to create something that is enabling someone to not get up on their own feet, do their own thing and be a part of an ongoing, continuous process.” This is what makes the Davis-Tennon Foundation unique, they are not looking to “reinvent the wheel.” Instead, they are looking to end the cycle.
Garcia acknowledged that there are a lot of well-intended people and organizations that do incredible work. He says: “What we are doing is creating a system that is giving people the tools to really work towards self-reliance and self-dependence because nobody wants to be in that place. That’s what’s happening in this country- really well-intended people create all of these really wonderful programs, public housing and all of those things, and they think that the problem is solved when, in fact, it’s perpetuating another problem. In our own little way, in our own little corner, in our own little city, we want to make sure that we’re saying to families “We hear you”. It’s a long process, but there is always the opportunity for us to improve the quality of life for people. There is always the opportunity for us to make sure that we are keeping folks engaged in the conversation and in the dialogue.”
Our way of paying it forward also gives us the chance to express deep gratitude to the hard-working people at those organizations who make things a little bit easier for those in crisis.
Viola Davis says that “the Davis-Tennon Foundation is one way of staying connected to the Central Falls/Blackstone Valley area. A lot of support and services that my family and I received over the years came from many of the organizations that still exist today. Our way of paying it forward also gives us the chance to express deep gratitude to the hard-working people at those organizations who make things a little bit easier for those in crisis.” Having grown up in Central Falls and still having friends and family in the area, Davis understands the needs of her hometown.
Garcia is excited to partner the Segue Institute of Learning with the Foundation: “Now we’re able to do things on a grander scale and were able to do things with a little bit more flexibility. I think back to my days as a social worker in the ‘80s and ‘90s- there was money coming from all over the place. The problems that existed then still exist now, but the funds are nowhere to be found.” Garcia continues, “I’ve already met with several foundations and small organizations who want to partner with us. Both Viola and Julius want to be really intentional with making sure that were having an impact and it’s not just for a photo op or a one-and-done deal. They’ve charged me with that, they’re allowing me to use my platform with Segue to do that. It’s really incredible and I’m so humbled by the fact that they trust me enough to do this. We’re going to be successful.”
The Segue Institute is a vital part of the Central Falls community. Kevin Montoya, Principal of Segue Institute and former Segue student, explained that every student attends Segue “on promise.” The “promise” is that every student will have what they need to succeed. That is a promise they take to heart, as well as instill. Every student renews their pledge daily to “REACH” for their success. They “will show respect to all students and adults of (my) community, express enthusiasm towards school and strive to be (my) best, to work towards the achievement of Segue Standards, model true citizenship and try to make a difference and engage in hard work to reach goals.”
Montoya, whose two children are enrolled in Segue, is hard to miss in the hallways. He knows the names of every student, all of whom greet him with hugs and secret handshake combinations. Being recognizable is important to the school community as it promotes Montoya’s “open door” policy. In his wanderings, students, faculty and staff check in with Montoya regarding difficulties at home, in the classroom, and physical building needs. Montoya, in turn, connects everyone to the appropriate resource.
“I’ve had children come into school without their uniform on, or only their uniform shirt. A day or two, you don’t really think much of it,” Montoya says. “I had one student (for whom) this was an everyday occurrence. The student wasn’t getting a detention or anything, but I pulled them aside and asked about his uniform. The student said that he and his family are new to America, his mother had just gotten a job and couldn’t afford to buy uniform pants. After speaking with his mother, she confirmed that this was the case. I was able to find and pull together the resources to get the student his uniform pants.”
This is the beauty of the Segue family: they ensure that every child has a jacket, a laptop for classes, a hot meal, an instrument for music class and stable housing. Most of these students and their families have similar stories- they are immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries who are struggling with housing, food insecurity, health care, documentation, and English. To help alleviate some of the stress of the parents, Segue helps provide English classes, immigration needs, and food insecurity, among others. Segue also runs a food pantry that is for their families as well as their community.
Nadya Sanchez, the Family Engagement Coordinator at Segue, runs the food pantry as well. The pantry is staffed by parents and the families of staff and former students. The volunteers are excited to help unpack and stock shelves and are even more eager to assist when people walk through their doors.
“We count all the children who come through,” says Sanchez. “We have about 500 that come through, and it’s not just our students.” The number of children has increased since the pandemic, as previously, only about 300 children were counted. “We gave away about 500 turkeys to our school families this year too, where in the past we’ve done about half of that as well,” Sanchez says that while the panty is open for school families on Wednesdays and Thursdays only, any family or child can request for food to be sent home, regardless of the reason.
The food pantry is located on Pine Street in an old, restored textile mill building that also boasts affordable housing, Shri yoga studio, and Flying Shuttles, an art studio for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The building itself, owned by NBC 10’s Allison Bologna, was restored with the purpose of assisting the Central Falls community, especially marginalized populations.
Mayor Maria Rivera is proud of the good things happening in the city. She acknowledges that there are a lot of good people doing great things for other people, even when they themselves have unmet needs. She also acknowledges the stigma of Central Falls being a “terrible city where there are high crime rates.” Part of deconstructing the stigma included appointing Colonel Anthony Roberson as Chief of Police, encouraging police/civilian interactions, and creating and improving city programs.
One important topic for Rivera is developing affordable housing for her constituents. As a first-generation American born to Puerto Rican parents, Rivera understands the struggles many families face. This understanding she has for her constituents is part of what fuels her fire as mayor. She hosts and volunteers at many community events, preferring to speak with her constituents and support local businesses. This grassroots effort has helped the mayor in tackling the city’s child-leading poisoning crisis and creating the city’s first one-stop community center to better support the mental health and welfare needs of residents.
Rivera has prioritized youth and education, helping to raise funds for new construction and redesign of all public schools in the city. She has helped in revamping and building new parks and recreation sites citywide, creating safer streets, and launching new supports and resources for local businesses to thrive.
Rivera also acknowledges that the needs of Central Falls now are greater than before. “We gave out about 750 turkeys for Thanksgiving this year. We were really fortunate to be able to do that. Usually, we give away about 500.
“Having the support of partners and foundations is essential in providing help. Foundations like the Davis-Tennon Foundation seek to help fight the root causes of social determinants. We’re very lucky to have people like Viola Davis and Julius Tennon who have not forgotten where they came from and who want to help and give back.”
While the remaining Board of Directors for the Davis-Tennon Foundation has not been established yet, Garcia said that he is excited about the opportunity to expand. “It’s not about the financial base of it,” says Garcia, “but I think the ideology behind it is that if you’re looking to either receive funds or get support from the Foundation, there will be collaboration. We will be asking our partners who they are supporting, who they are looking to help, and who is helping sustain them, aside from the Foundation.”
Copyright © 2024 Salve Regina University. Originally published by OceanStateStories.org.
