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This year again, all Valley Talks will be presented in a hybrid format, meaning guests have the option to attend the presentation in person at the Museum or virtually through Zoom. In checkout, make sure to select the correct ticketing option that reflects how you would like to attend the presentation.The Museum of Work & Culture, a Rhode Island Historical Society Museum, will host its annual Valley Talks series featuring six free lectures celebrating the Blackstone Valley’s history, continuing Sunday, January 25 at 1:30 pm.
The Heart of Wattayai by Vimala Phongsavanh is an exhibit of photographs and family keepsakes that traces one family’s story of loss, strength, and migration—from a village in Laos to the mill towns of Rhode Island. Centered on Phongsavanh’s grandmother, Khamhoth, the exhibit honors her quiet courage through war, displacement, and rebuilding a new life in America. It also uplifts the collective resilience of Woonsocket’s immigrant families and confronts a history often forgotten: the Secret War in Laos. Join Phongsavanh as she discusses the exhibit, which will be on display in the Museum’s Landmark Medical Center changing gallery from January 9 to February 28.
Vimala Phongsavanh is a lifelong organizer and proud resident of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. She currently serves as Managing Director of Coalition Mobilization at the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD). Vimala began her career organizing in Boston’s Chinatown and Rhode Island’s Southeast Asian communities. With over 15 years of experience in organizing and policy advocacy, she has led winning campaigns on reproductive freedom, voting rights, data equity, and statewide ballot initiatives. A former elected school committee member and chairwoman in Woonsocket, Vimala now serves as chair of the Laotian American National Alliance (LANA). She holds a BA in Political Science from Providence College and an MPA from the University of Rhode Island.
The Museum’s 2026 Valley Talks series is presented by the Museum of Work & Culture Preservation Foundation and the RI AFL-CIO.
Guests are encouraged to register here.
2026 Valley Talks Schedule:
Sunday, January 11, 1:30 pm – Looking Back 50 Years: 1976 and the Bicentennial Celebration in Woonsocket
Sunday, January 25, 1:30 p.m. – Remembering Through Resilience and Grief with Vimala Phongsavanh
Sunday, February 8, 1:30 p.m. – Moving Images: The Bicentennial in Motion with Dr. Morgan Grefe
Sunday, February 22, 1:30 p.m. – Nathanael Greene – Forgotten Hero of the American Revolution with Paul Bourget
Sunday, March 8, 1:30 p.m. – Rewoven: The Rise, Fall, and Future of American Textiles with artist Deborah Baronas
Sunday, March 22, 1:30 p.m. – Disparate Regimes of Citizenship Rights and Rhode Island History with author Brendan Shanahan
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42 S Main Street, Woonsocket, RI, United States, Rhode Island 02895
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