Advocacy & Innovation

For years, major manufacturers have built their products in ways that lock everyday people — and small businesses — out of the repair process. They hide essential tools, restrict parts, and use software locks to force customers into overpriced service channels. It’s a system designed to maximize corporate profit at the expense of families, independent repair shops, and local economies.

Right to Repair is the first crack in that ice.

This initiative pushes back against the manufactured barriers that keep consumers powerless. It calls for fair access to affordable, modular parts, open designs that allow upgrades and repairs, and transparency around any component not genuinely protected by intellectual property or safety laws. It’s about restoring control to the people who actually own the devices — not the corporations that sold them.

For Rhode Island homeowners, tradespeople, and small businesses, Right to Repair means lower costs, longer-lasting devices, and the freedom to choose who works on their equipment. And for the entire state, it’s a direct investment in the local economy — keeping repair dollars in our communities instead of bleeding into corporate service centers. When Rhode Islanders can fix, upgrade, and maintain their own technology, we protect our wallets, strengthen independent shops, and build an economy where money stays here and works for us. 

The Blackstone Valley Coalition of Art and Industry is a community driven effort to bring creators, tradespeople, and innovators together under one shared goal: rebuilding local opportunity. Our region has always been a place where craft, industry, and culture intersect. However, those connections fade over time, especially when people work in isolation. This coalition is about fixing that.

We’re building a network where welders and painters, coders and carpenters, designers and electricians can collaborate, teach, and create side-by-side. It’s a space where skills are shared openly, projects grow from conversation, and local talent has a platform instead of being overshadowed by out-of-state institutions and corporate interests.

The mission is simple: revitalize the Blackstone Valley by putting its people -  artists, makers, builders, and small businesses — at the center of its future. When we strengthen collaboration across art and industry, we generate new jobs, new workshops, new community events, and new opportunities for residents to learn hands-on skills that matter. It keeps revenue local, sparks innovation, and builds a culture where creativity and craftsmanship drive economic growth instead of being treated as afterthoughts.

But the coalition isn’t just about creativity and commerce. it’s also about impact. When enough volunteers and skilled professionals step forward, the coalition mobilizes to help residents who need support. Building handicap ramps, assisting with home repairs, fixing essential equipment, or stepping in where resources are limited. It’s a practical way to use real skills to make a real difference.

For those who join, the experience can be personally rewarding. It also serves as strong public relations for local professionals and businesses who want to show their commitment to the community. Whether someone is driven by purpose, visibility, or both, the result is the same: meaningful, hands-on support for neighbors who would otherwise fall through the cracks.

This coalition Is an engine.

And it exists to ensure the Blackstone Valley’s talent, history, and potential aren’t just preserved, but expanded.