03/08/2026
About a decade ago, Downtown Pawtucket began a powerful transformation. What started as a vision championed by community leader Urban Missionary Leslie Moore quickly resonated in the hearts of Rhode Island’s Black and BIPOC communities.
Through years of many community conversations, meetings, forums, and collective organizing, that vision continued to grow. In 2023, The Black Block Community Foundation (BBCF) was formally established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to represent the life, the voice, and the soul of the people of The Black Block Cultural District.
This month, as we celebrate three years since the establishment of BBCF and the recognition of our district’s hallmark, we reflect on what it means to be organized as a community. The Black Block Community Foundation stands as the collective entity through which our community’s voice, culture, and aspirations are represented and advanced.
This milestone is a testament to the power of community dialogue, vision, and persistence. And now, as we move forward, our district is preparing for historic moments ahead, including the global excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the national commemoration of the United States Semiquincentennial.
We invite Rhode Island’s Black and BIPOC communities, whose vision and leadership helped bring this district to life, and all who believe in the power of culture, unity, and community leadership to continue walking with us as we shape what comes next for The Black Block Cultural District.
Together, we can.
It’s time.
POC Foundation
at Still on Main