Photog41's Blog

Hello all,

       this weeks edition of street stories (11/7) features a young woman Caitlin Cohen, a Brown university student who is a health activist, and co-founder of MHOP (Mali Health Organizing Project).  She sits down and talks to Walt Buteau about her effort to reach a goal of having a government/citizen cooperative healthcare system in the urban area of Mali. MHOP would enable citizens to design their own healthcare system. Also next time you buy a bag of Doritos, check out the bag of the bag, because Caitlin's picture is on the back of some of the bags for winning a contest for her MHOP project. you can catch our video blog on our street stories homepage on wpri.com, and you can catch Caitlin's story this friday November 7th at 6:15 on Channel 12.

                                                    
     John Villella

I have spent many election nights in the Biltmore, waiting for returns and reaction. It is our most storied arena for what some consider our favorite sport.

But November 4, 2008 was such a sharp contrast. The word historic is too easy. The word different is not enough.

At one point, my photographer and I reflected on how we see some of the 'regulars' only once every 2 years or so. They are the organizers, the behind the scenes operatives and in a few cases, the 'king makers'. They are the brains and the money. Some, both. You may not know all their names but you are more than likely impacted by most of their work. Early on, those faces filled the room with smiles and hand shakes as they exchanged their opinions and perhaps a cold beverage or two.

But this night was. . .something.

The old guard of the democratic party was joined by a sea of unknown and in many cases young humanity. You could tell they were new to the election night game as they climbed on the stage when it wasn't ocupied and snapped pictures of each other at the podium reserved for the candidates' concessions or celebrations. They wore sweatshirts and long hair instead of ties and neat parts. They got louder throughout the night and by ten or so they sort of swallowed up and maybe even nudged the others away from the television. But a thunderous difference came with the first word that Barack Obama was the president-elect.

Suddenly, 'Oh---bom--uh' chants filled the room and tears filled many eyes. The emotion was something I've never seen in that stately room. The happiness, the glee, maybe some relief and more than anything, the unshadowed optimism.

We saw more of that in the streets, streaming down college hill and into Kennedy Plaza. Four to five people wide, walking forward, yelling with excitement and pounding the crisp midnight air with their fists. The chanting. . .Oh----bom----uh. . .continued as though they were in an arena, celebrating a cleanup hitter or a quarterback. I asked a few  where they were going. They all said the same thing.

"I don't know."

And they don't. But there's no doubt they feel a strong connection to what happened on November 4, 2008. They feel important. They feel powerful. They feel maybe for the first time in their lives that they are a vital part of the process that's been celebrated for so many years without them.  

Walt Buteau 

Reporter Walt Buteau records a video blog at the spot where Central Falls resident Jorge Restrepo was murdered just down the street from his home.

Street Stories Videographer John Villella and Reporter Walt Buteau (no, he was not sleeping during the interview even though his eyes are closed) interview Linda Silva about her search for her grandchild.

Vietnam Veteran Steve Kilgore listens to Walt Buteau as they discuss the shock of getting his Vietnam Letters back 4 decades later.

Here are the two good samaritans who found the letters and pictures and somehow tracked down Vietnam Veteran Steve Kilgore to return them to him.

here are just a few of the letters Steve Kilgore wrote back in the Vietnam War that were lost here in rhode island, now 4 decades later, they were found.

Here Steve Kilgore sits down and talks to Walt Buteau about the Vietnam Letters that were returned to him 40 YEARS LATER.

Here's another picture from our Letters from Vietnam Street Stories shoot this past Wednesday.  Steve Kilgore reads one of the many letters he wrote and sent home to Rhode Island and that were lost all these years. Now 40 YEARS LATER, the letters and pictures were found and returned to him and his family.