HOUSE RESOLUTION CELEBRATING FUNDA FEST 28 AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE RI BLACK STORYTELLERS (RIBS) FROM JANUARY 13TH-25TH, 2026

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LC003476
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CELEBRATING FUNDA FEST 28 AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE RI BLACK
STORYTELLERS (RIBS) FROM JANUARY 13TH-25TH, 2026

Introduced By:
Representatives Morales, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale,
Sanchez, Stewart, Hull, J. Lombardi, Biah, and Ajello

Date Introduced:
January 15, 2026

Referred To:
House read and passed
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WHEREAS, RI Black Storytellers (RIBS) was founded in 1998, and is a nonprofit
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organization whose mission is to promote “the awareness, appreciation, and application of Black
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Storytelling in Rhode Island through performance, as well as through educational and cultural
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experiences”; and
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WHEREAS, Funda Fest is “the flagship of RIBS programming”, and over the years, has
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reached over 120,000 people with international, national, regional, and local artists at various
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career stages, representing the diversity of Black storytelling; and
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WHEREAS, Funda is a South African Zulu word meaning “to learn” or “to teach”. Funda
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Fest is a two-week celebration which includes seven statewide public performances in partnership
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with local organizations in each city or town, and annually reaches a statewide audience of
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thousands; and
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WHEREAS, This year heralds the 28th celebration of Funda Fest, and provides a platform
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for Black people to shape the narrative of their own history and promote awareness, appreciation,
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and application of Black storytelling through an educational and cultural experience, with a place
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and time to learn the history, values, and traditions that have often been non-existent in
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mainstream literature; now, therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
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joins the thousands of Rhode Islanders in celebrating and supporting Funda Fest 28 from January
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13th through the 25th, 2026. We moreover urge all Rhode Islanders to take this time to listen,

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experience, and learn generational Black history, values and traditions through the power of
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storytelling from the “keepers of the culture”; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Rhode Island Black Storytellers (RIBS).
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