Study: Young People of Color Have Political Power
In the days since the election, there has been a renewed attention on our country’s changing demographics, given the overwhelming Obama/Democratic successes among voters of color. The increased margin of support for Democrats among Latino voters was significant enough to cause some GOP leaders to choke on their pretzels, and now it appears that a [...]
Jessica Ahlquist Honored at Touro Synagogue
It sounds like the start of a bad joke: a Rabbi, an Imam, and an atheist walk into a Synagogue… In this case, though, it is the story of a ceremony at Touro Synagogue in Newport – the 65th annual reading of George Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregation. It was a celebration of Washington’s [...]
RI Baseballers Win International Competition
In a dramatic comeback victory, the Rhode Island Baseball Club Under 14 AAU team took the title at an international competition, the Cooperstown Baseball World Tournament, this week with an 8-7 win in the bottom of the seventh inning against a team from Indiana. After a scoreless first inning and giving up seven runs [...]
Chris Herren Talks About Substance Abuse Saturday
Former NBA player, Chris Herron, will be the guest speaker this Saturday (7/21) as Rhode Island Sports Heroes holds their annual Summer Outing Event at Camp Westwood in Coventry from 9 am-3:30 pm. More than 160 kids from various nonprofit groups throughout the state, including Big Sisters/Big Brothers, Seven Hills, Ocean Tides, Youth Rap, Adoption RI, [...]
Millennials Will Be the Optimistic Generation
The Great Recession, spiraling debt crises, suicidal austerity, roads falling apart, the war on women, Wall Street bailouts, anti-immigrant sentiment, greater political power to religious zealots, global warming, etc., etc. I look at these and think; I can’t wait for the future. That’s because I’m a Millennial, and in case you don’t know, despite having [...]
No Red Carpet for Needy Families, Immigrants
For years, a staple of talk radio hosts and budget hardliners has been the argument that Rhode Island public policy on welfare and public assistance has made the state a magnet for families, particularly immigrants, seeking its juicy benefits. But the recent release of the Rhode Island Kids Count 2011 annual report pokes some neat [...]
Community Forum on Trayvon Martin Murder
Due to the egregious inaction by local, state and even federal authorities in Florida regarding the non-arrest of GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, the killer of TRAYVON MARTIN, and given the complex racial dynamics and their implications for Black males nationally, the Providence Africana Reading Collective (PARC) will host a community action forum. We will discuss/plan how we might [...]
Racial Profiling, Vehicle Checkpoints Bills Heard Today
Last week here on RI Future, I shared a short podcast about Racial Profiling in RI from the perspective of youth and community organizers working with Providence Youth Student Movement. Here is an extended series of excerpts from my conversation on Sonic Watermelons with Sangress Xiong and Yonara Alvarado, and Franny Choi. Xiong, Alvarado, and Choi [...]
Advocating to End Racial Profiling in RI
PROVIDENCE, RI – On Wednesday, March 7 at 4:30 PM, community members and advocates are expected to show up en masse to share their views on racial profiling in RI at a hearing at the State House before the House Committee on Judiciary. But folks have been speaking out on the topic for years, including [...]
Philadelphia-based Feminist Media Activist Group Led By Providence Native, Nuala Cabral, Launches Campaign Supporting Ethnic Studies in Arizona
Click here to check out my recent interview with Nuala Cabral and Denice Frohman of FAAN Mail, a Philadelphia-based media activist group that has launched a social media campaign (on Twitter, primarily, #WishiLearnedinHS), “Wished I Learned in High School,” in response to policies in Arizona restricting ethnic studies programs. Cabral is graduate of Moses Brown [...]
Principles are Worth More than Political Awards
You may have heard about our recent letter to General Treasurer Gina Raimondo requesting that she return an award from The Manhattan Institute, an extremist right wing group that promotes offensive, ignorant and hurtful positions towards the LGBTQI community, women, minorities, and our environment. Marriage Equality Rhode Island was among a group of organizations that [...]
Understanding The Intersection of Race, Music and Politics
(RHODE ISLAND, MASSACHUSETTS) – If I were to describe some of the events I have coming up as political, I’m sure someone would ask me, “hey Reza, what is political about an event featuring spoken word poetry and world rhythms?” This is the type of question I love to answer, though, sadly, few seem to [...]
Girl at the Center of the Cranston “Prayer Banner” Case targeted by Cyber-Bullies
Upfront let me say that I am proud to be an uncle to the amazing Jessica Ahlquist, the student who two days ago won her case against the City of Cranston over an unconstitutional “prayer banner” on display at her school. It was not only a victory for Jessica, but a victory for everyone in [...]
Remember MLK’s Legacy this Weekend by Supporting Civil Rights Struggles in AZ!
Rhode Islanders have a special opportunity to express solidarity with young people and educators in Tuscon, AZ who are standing up to their state’s xenophobic and racist laws. On Sunday, January 15th, feature length documentary, Precious Knowledge, will be screened at Renaissance Church located at 77 Reservoir Ave in Providence. Precious Knowledge, which will be [...]
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