Richardson Ogidan

Richardson Ogidan first came to Providence in 1972, a semi-pro soccer player and student enrolled in master's programs at Bryant and Brown. He set up his first apartment in the City’s South Side. “There were a lot of abandoned properties and vacant lots. I was robbed. Every July 4^th, people would burn abandoned properties down. It was like a war zone - just terrible”

But rather than leave, Richardson dug in. He met his future wife, and guided by a deep faith that held God, duty, and social justice as its core doctrines, he got involved in making the neighborhood better. By 1995, he was chairman of SWAP and remained on the board for 26 years. “I was determined to help build a community.”

As a celebrated minority business owner (in the computer tech field), Richardson especially appreciated SWAP’s work in mentoring neighborhood contractors- creating what he calls a capacity to compete.

Today, having raised his family on the South Side, Richardson says the area is one of the most diverse in Rhode Island. He serves as the Executive Director of Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island and says after four decades of investment, the area is “on the upswing”.

“For those of us, we who live here, we can showcase the culture and capacity of this area,” he says. One of his latest priorities – building affordable homes with a focus on indoor air quality. ”Houses shouldn’t make you sick!”