2012 – RI Future

July 16, 2012

On Choice, Rhode Island Not Far from Mississippi

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If abortion is legal in a state, but there’s nowhere to have an abortion performed, is it really an option? This hypothetical is quickly becoming a reality for those living in Mississippi. While the situation in Rhode Island isn’t quite that dire, some female leaders here say they are saddened and frightened for the lives of women who may not be granted the same privileges and access as others in New England.

The Mississippi Case

A federal judge on July 11 ruled to temporarily block a state law that would force the sole abortion provider in the state of Mississippi to close its doors. The TRAP law requires physicians performing abortions in the state to be OB/GYN certified and to have hospital admitting privileges.

Critics say that the TRAP law was specifically crafted with the intention to close the doors of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where 2 of its 3 OB/GYNs are not currently qualified to access hospital privileges. Essentially this would mean the closure of the state’s only abortion provider.

Rhode Island Out of Line with Other New England States

In 2012, a nationwide report by NARAL Pro-Choice America gave Rhode Island a D+ on its “choice-related laws.” The report highlighted the Rhode Island House as “mixed-choice,” the Rhode Island Senate as “anti-choice,” and 7 anti-choice state laws.

One of those anti-choice laws is in fact a TRAP law, which specifies where abortion services may be provided.

Susan Yolen, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, said NARAL Pro-Choice America’s grade for RI was “quite out of line with other New England states” that earned marks of A (Maine and Connecticut), A- (Vermont), and B- (New Hampshire and Massachusetts). Mississippi, on the other hand, earned an F.

Current Abortion Legislation Efforts in Rhode Island

According to Yolen, of Planned Parenthood, every year for over 15 years there’s been a multifaceted bill proposed in the Rhode Island that seeks stricter mandates for abortion providers — additional counseling for patients, printed information instead of a website, and harsher penalties for physicians who do not adhere to the laws.

In January, Rep. Karen MacBeth (D-Cumberland) introduced legislation that would require a woman to review her ultrasound before the procedure is performed. Opposed to such legislation is Rep. Edith Ajello (D-Providence) who said in an interview the physician would be required to describe the ultrasound image, including the “gestational development of the fetus, the size, and the parts,” to the woman seeking an abortion. Rep. Ajello explained, “There was nothing in the legislation that allows her to say, ‘I don’t want to hear it.’”

In Rhode Island, there are already laws enforcing informed consent, which ensures women are knowledgeable about the abortion procedure and alternatives. “When legislators talk about informed consent, they are making it even more detailed,” said Rep. Ajello. “And this is unusual, in that it would be legislators putting in law how doctors practice their profession,” Rep. Ajello commented.

Low-Income Women Most Affected by Abortion Providers Shutting Down

What affect would it have on women if abortion providers were to shut down within a state?

Rep. Ajello imagines, “abortion will become more expensive, just because of the increased travel time. Difficulty because of the time away from home, time away from care of other children, or time away from work — making it a lot more expensive.”

Yolen added, “Think about that person without resources, the young person, the college student, the single mom, the woman who is in a battering relationship and can’t escape from home long enough from her husband’s control to really take that kind of a trip… it always hits low-income women the hardest.”

Currently, Rhode Island law does not allow insurance plans to cover abortion care for women on Medicaid or state employees. Yolen argues, although these laws are not given the title, they are certainly “traps” for women seeking an abortion.

Comparing Rhode Island and Mississippi

Rhode Island and Mississippi share significant similarities in the abortion debate as there is an increased amount of anti-abortion legislation being proposed, there are a limited number of abortion providers currently available, and both state senates are pro-life.

The big difference between the two states is that Rhode Island’s House is mixed, whereas Mississippi’s House is overwhelmingly pro-life. Rhode Island is not facing as extreme impacts against abortion because of the split between pro-choice and pro-life house members.

The multifaceted bills that pro-life activists and legislators have proposed every year for over 15 years are not gaining enough support to be passed.

In order to be certain that Rhode Island does not turn into the next Mississippi, progressive representatives are working together to create a strong presence on the legislative floor with pressure and support from community members.

Yolen said she believed legislators in Mississippi are setting themselves up to be a state where a constitutional right doesn’t apply, “you certainly do hope that it is doesn’t materialize in other states.”

May 4, 2012May 4, 2012

Organize for Equality

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UPDATE: This training has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date. More information to come…

It’s getting close to crunch time in the General Assembly and we’re about to turn up the heat.

In order to continue being as effective as we can be, we need your help. And so I’m inviting you to take part in MERI’s first ever “Organizing for Equality” training on Saturday, May 5, 2012 where we’ll bring together some top notch politicos to teach you everything you need to know about how to motivate our state representatives and senators in support of the Equality Agenda.

This training is free and open to all equality supporters. No experience is necessary. All you need is an open mind and the willingness to work towards creating change. We’ll show you how to do the rest.

Here’s some of the things we’ll discuss:
Legislative briefings on our Equality Agenda: The Equal Access to Marriage Act,
The Equal Access to Family Court Act, and The Equal Religious Protection Act
Navigating the State House: Talking to your legislator about supporting marriage equality and the entire Equality Agenda
Being an effective online organizer: Using social media and how to write a winning email
The Ground Game: How to run phone bank and door knocking efforts in your neighborhood
The 2012 Elections: What you can do to support pro-equality candidates (of any party) to the General Assembly
Registration is from 8:30 to 9:00 am and we expect to wrap up around 2:00. Light breakfast fare and a box lunch will be provided. The Organizing for Equality Training will be held at the offices of SEIU Local 1199 (294 West Exchange Street, Providence, RI).

It comes down to this: we need an army of equality supporters to step up and help us do what needs to be done to win marriage equality. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by slow progress, or by Smith Hill politicians who are out of touch, and you want to do something about it, then this training is for you.

April 15, 2012April 15, 2012

April is National STD Awareness Month

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With spring comes warmth and rain and also it’s national STD awareness month. It’s a little known observance by the CDC that pushes people to really talk in the open about sexually transmitted diseases and gives a chance for people to get tested in Rhode Island and across the country.

According to the Center for Disease Control an estimated 19 million people will become infected with an STD this year adding to the millions of years past. In fact out of those 19 million people half of them will be under the age of 25 which shows that more needs to be done to educate young people in the state.

Rhode Island is doing well though according to nation wide statistics. With RI being ranked 37th for chlamydia rates and 42nd for gonorrhea but more needs to be done. As of 2008 chlamydia infections were (313.6 per 100,000 persons) and gonorrhea infections were (29 per 100,000 persons) with women having a 2.5 higher percentage of infection than men. Other statistics like herpes and HPV often go undocumented so the numbers for those are skewed. HIV statistics below.

Image credit: Your STD Help

More can and needs to be done here in RI and across the country to start a decline in these numbers and the two greatest weapons we have are testing and proper education. While RI sex ed classes are satisfactory they could be much more effective. Here’s an excerpt from the NCSSE:

Rhode Island schools are required to provide “accurate information and instruction” on sexuality, HIV, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Schools must also teach “the responsibilities of family membership and adulthood, including issues related to reproduction, abstinence, dating, marriage, and parenthood, as well as information about sexually transmitted diseases, sexuality and lifestyles.” These classes must stress abstinence.

Notice the pushing for abstinence. That should be an important issue to discuss but so should proper condom usage which isn’t mentioned. By going after the root of the problem we can change these statistics for the better in a short period of time we just need to do it.

Without more proper education and routine yearly testing things could easily become worse and we can do better than this.

So this April, and the rest of the year for that matter, lets get this out into the open and make Rhode Island the 50th state in the country for STD statistics.

April 11, 2012April 11, 2012

VP Candidate Talks Politics, Race, Music at RIC Friday

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There is room at every election for new voices – including the ideas of former communists and those of modern-day socialists. That’s my premise and I’m sticking to it. Well actually, I’m doing more than that this Friday at a panel discussion I’m facilitating at RI College called “Race, Politics and Music: A Look at Rhode 2 Africa and Election Year 2012,” which includes Yari Osorio, the Candidate of Party for Socialism and Liberation.

The panel is part of “Diversity is a Way of L.I.F.E,” which is a statewide conference that happens annually at RIC “to bring together educators, students, artists and community-based activists.” My session will run on Friday at 4:00 PM in Alger Hall, and Osorio will speak alongside Jim Vincent, President, NAACP Providence Branch and television host of the Jim Vincent Show; Erik Andrade, a spoken word artist and community/youth activist from New Bedford, MA; Talia Whyte, a Boston-based freelance journalist with over ten years experience reporting on social justice, media and technology; and Marco McWilliams, a RI-based educator, activist, lecturer, and published writer (including here on RIFuture.org) who covers the African Diaspora.

The entire conference kicks off at 11:00 AM, and directly following the conference there will be dinner, a poetry open mic, and performances that are part of Bilingual Poetry Festival I organizing at sites across the state.

Below is more information about the panel; updates will also be posted on www.Rhode2Africa.wordpress.com and on Twitter (follow me @rezaclif). Learn more about the conference here on Facebook or register by clicking here.

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Rhode 2 Africa: Elect the Arts 2012 (R2A 2012), is a documentary and multimedia project being produced with the primary aim of motivating diverse constituencies to vote in November and engage in political conversations at the local, national, and global level. The project does this through conversations with emerging and established Black musicians, community members and leaders, political experts and scholars, and media professionals – including those involved in or knowledgeable about alternative parties and platforms and underrepresented issues. The exploration of these topics is based on a very simple principle: there is room at every election to hear and examine new voices and ideas, and this year is no different.

Furthermore, as protesters part of Occupy Wall Street, and break-off movements like Women Occupy and Occupy The Hood have demonstrated, citizens across this country have grown tired of never hearing from the variety of voices making up the “99%.” Still, if you pay attention to major news outlets, you would think that the only people engaged and to be targeted for the November elections are the (now) all-white Republican candidates and their party followers. However, one place in which you can hear alternative voices and views on politics is within the music community. Besides being heads of households, tax-payers, insurance-holders, and voters, there are many performers who play at political events, directly and indirectly endorsing candidates; hip hop artists who “rap” about reform and rebellion; and emerging and established artists who’ve performed at The Whitehouse. R2A Elect the Arts is about sharing the voices of Black and multicultural musicians engaged in this type of work and providing election 2012 coverage and awareness through conversations on race, politics and music.R2A 2012 is currently in-production, but on Friday, April 13 at 4:00 PM, R2A Creator/Producer, Reza Clifton facilitates a panel discussion called “Race, Politics and Music: A Look at Rhode 2 Africa and Election Year 2012.” In addition to opening the conversation up to the Diversity is a Way of L.I.F.E. statewide conference at Rhode Island College, Clifton will bring in tech/staff to film the discussion and question and answers for inclusion on the documentary. Attendees who attend and stay for the session are automatically consenting to be recorded and included in the final project.Facilitator:
Reza Clifton, Award-winning writer, multimedia producer and cultural navigator, Creator/Producer of Rhode 2 AfricaConfirmed Panelists:

Yari Osorio, Vice Presidential Candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation
Jim Vincent, President, NAACP Providence Branch and television host
Erik Andrade, spoken word artist and community activist from New Bedford, MA
Talia Whyte, Boston-based freelance journalist with over ten years experience reporting on social justice, media and technology
Marco McWilliams, RI-based educator, activist, lecturer, and published writer who covers the African Diaspora

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MORE BIOS:

Reza Corinne Clifton is an award-winning writer, producer, digital storyteller and cultural navigator whose work blends and examines music, identity and global consciousness. She was acknowledged in 2007 and 2009 with Diversity in the Media awards for multimedia projects that she published or launched on her flagship blog, RezaRitesRi.com – including the first Rhode 2 Africa project, which was a four-part interview series and concert series held in Providence. Clifton has also been recognized for written work and direction as health editor a regional women’s magazine and for leadership as a young professional and community organizer in Providence, RI. In 2011 alone, she was named “Most Musical,” a “Trender,” and “Most Soothing Voice” due to her work sharing music and art in the community and on radio – through WRIU and BSR. She remains an active blogger on VenusSings.com, RI Future.org, Rhode2Africa.wordpress.com and on RightHer (a blog from Women’s Fund of Rhode Island) and she sits on the board of Girls Rock! RI, an organization that uses music to empower girls and women in RI.

Yari Osorio is the 2012 vice-presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation; he has been a member of the New York City branch of the PSL since 2006. Born in Cali, Colombia, Osorio immigrated to the United States at age three with his mother and older brother. He is now a U.S. citizen, but grew up undocumented. The harsh anti-immigrant policies in the United States propelled Osorio to become an ardent advocate for social and economic justice, and for equality. Osorio received a BA degree from John Jay CUNY in Forensic Psychology and later became a New York State certified Emergency Medical Technician. He is an active anti-war and social justice organizer in New York City, and is a volunteer organizer in the anti-war ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).

Jim Vincent is the President of the the NAACP-Providence, a position he was elected to in December 2010. Prior to taking on the role of president, Vincent had spent many years serving the organization as Second Vice President, and serving the community in general through his work doing housing and community development in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In particular, he has worked since March 1998 as the Manager of Constituent Advocacy for Rhode Island Housing, where he provides outreach and technical assistance to underserved communities among other duties. Vincent has also served on many boards throughout RI that serve the state’s African American, Cape Verdean, and Hispanic communities, and is a former President of the Urban League of Rhode Island. He may be best known for his role as the Producer and Host of the award winning, Jim Vincent Show .

Erik Andrade is a spoken word artist and community activist from New Bedford, MA who is featured in Rhode 2 Africa: Elect the Arts 2012. He works with New Bedford youth through People Acting in Community Endeavor (PACE) YouthBuild New Bedford and as co-facilitator of the organization’s Sustainability, Leadership Development and Social Justice Workshops. Andrade is also a founding member of La Soul Renaissance, a local spoken word and hip hop venue which focuses on social justice issues and spirituality, and of the Overflowing Cup Project – an artist circle that works to encourage, recover and inspire creativity through a collective process. Andrade recently ran for the New Bedford School Committee, hoping to bring the voice of at-risk youth to the committee and to issue a call for systematic reform.

Talia Whyte is a freelance journalist who has reported on issues related to social justice, media and technology for over 10 years. Her work can be found in the Houston Chronicle, The Progressive, theGrio.com, The Boston Globe, MSNBC, PBS, and Al Jazeera, among many other publications and sites. She is also a leader within Global Wire Associates, a new media consulting firm that promotes innovative communication for advancing social justice. Whyte is co-author of “Digital Activism Decoded: The New Mechanics of Change.”

Marco McWilliams is a Pan-Africanist intellectual, published writer, and lecturer whose ideas can currently be read at Voxuion.com and RIfuture.org. McWilliams is also an adult literacy instructor for Amos House and English for Action, two organizations based in Providence, RI. As founder of the Providence Africana Reading Collective, McWilliams is known for his rigorous scholarship on social justice and for creating a “progressive learning community dedicated to the interruption of normative narratives of oppression through a critical examination of the emancipatory thought chronicled in the canons of Africana literature.” He will pursue a Ph.D. beginning in 2013.

March 15, 2012March 16, 2012

Synchronicity at SXSW

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If there is one word I can use to describe my experience so far down at South by Southwest, it would be synchronicity. On at least two occasions, I’ve mentioned people I wanted to see only to see them no more than 12 hours later, and I met a Rhode Islander working at a car company’s vendor booth!

For those that don’t know, I’m down at SXSW to enjoy the tunes and performances of some of my favorite performers and to conduct interviews for Rhode 2 Africa: Elect the Arts 2012 (R2A 2012). But for now, the pictures above show some of the fun I’ve been having with Riders Against the Storm, the Austin-based band (that used to live in RI) that I am interviewing for R2A 2012, other RI friends who are here, and some of the musicians I’ve caught, including Shane Hall, 5th Elament, and Queen Deelah.

If you want to follow other “Reza Rites at SXSW” updates, follow me on Twitter and Facebook @rezaclif. If you are interested in learning more about R2A 2012, visit www.rhode2africa.wordpress.com or follow the link below to donate toward travel, equipment, and staff supports.

March 12, 2012March 13, 2012

Reza Rites and RI Future at SXSW in Austin, TX

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Heard of South by Southwest, but can’t be in Austin yourself? Pop in daily to “Take 5 with Reza Rites” on RIFuture.org for photos and live updates about her adventures at the annual festival – or follow her on Twitter and Facebook @rezaclif. Besides blogging for RI Future, Reza will be recording interviews and footage for an election-year multimedia project being released in June, “Rhode 2 Africa: Elect the Arts 2012.”

PROVIDENCE, RI & AUSTIN, TX – For those who don’t follow me or RI Future on Twitter (and I recommend that you do), you may have missed some pretty cool news: RI Future is going down to South by Southwest in Austin, TX – represented by me, Reza Rites!

Now, for those not quite sure about what SXSW is…

It’s only one of the biggest annual cultural festivals for techies, filmmakers, and musicians! And Reza Rites / RI Future won’t be the only New England folks there. So far I’ve received tips and tweets from peeps and tweeps about artists from Worcester, Providence, and Narragansett (Shane Hall, Soldiers of Life, Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons, Boo City, and 5th Elament to name my current list) – and those are only local / regional folks!

I leave later this afternoon, but to get mentally prepared, I spent the last two weeks talking to representatives from Boo City and ERB about what to expect. To summarize their answers – it’ll be a big party.

So yes, I’ll be taking some of my music and dancing shoes out there because the DJ and music consumer in me can’t be silenced. But if you know me or have been following my posts here on RIFuture.org, then you know that I view music as more than just gateway to fun. And my participation in SXSW could be no better demonstration than this.

Not only will I be in Austin blogging for RI Future and capturing the “cool,” I’ll also be down there talking about politics and election year 2012. That is because this trip represents the final phase of filming for a a multimedia project I began in October called “Rhode 2 Africa: Elect the Arts 2012” (R2A 2012).

Below is an excerpt about the film/series; for additional information, visit www.Rhode2Africa.wordpress.com or click here to access the information page. To make a donation toward the project to help me with producer and artist travel costs, equipment purchases, or staff supports, click here.

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Riders Against the Storm (RAS) is a husband-wife hip hop duo who relocated from Providence to Austin, bringing their political and social justice message right with them. They are participating in SXSW and they will be featured in Rhode 2 Africa: Elect The Arts 2012. Prior to moving, RAS participated in R2A Year One.

ABOUT RHODE 2 AFRICA: ELECT THE ARTS 2012

There is room at every election to hear and examine new voices and ideas. This year is no different. As a matter of fact, as protesters part of Occupy Wall Street, and break-off movements like Women Occupy and Occupy The Hood have demonstrated, citizens across this country have grown tired of never hearing from the variety of voices making up the “99%.” Still, if you pay attention to major news outlets, you would think that the only people who care about the November elections are the all-white Republican candidates and their party followers.

One place in which you can hear alternative voices and views on politics is within the music community. Besides being heads of households, tax-payers, insurance-holders, and voters, there are many performers who play at political events, directly and indirectly endorsing candidates; hip hop artists who “rap” about reform and rebellion; and emerging and established artists who’ve performed at The Whitehouse.

Rhode 2 Africa: Elect the Arts 2012 is about sharing the voices of Black musicians engaged in this type of work. Standing in contrast to the limited news coverage we see daily, R2A will provide election 2012 coverage and awareness through conversations on race, politics and music. Our goal is to make sure that diverse constituencies are motivated to vote in November and engaged in political conversations at the local, national, and global level.

***

CONTACT INFO

Reza Corinne Clifton:
“Reza Rites / Venus Sings / DJ Reza Wreckage”
rezaclif@gmail.com / 401-217-9680 / singsvenus@gmail.com

www.Rhode2Africa.wordpress.com / www.VenusSings.com /
www.RIFuture.org / www.IsisStorm.com /

Facebook & Twitter @rezaclif

NEXT STEPS

Learn more about R2A 2012 by clicking here and getting more information about the project, which is in-production and scheduled to be broadcast-ready and screening-ready in June, 2012.

Learn more about R2A Year One by clicking here to watch and listen to R2A Year One episodes.

Help fund the project by clicking here to make a donation toward the project to help with producer and artist travel costs, equipment purchases, and staff supports.

Tell a friend or potential sponsor/donor.

March 7, 2012March 7, 2012

Racial Profiling, Vehicle Checkpoints Bills Heard Today

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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 are among community members, law enforcement officials and members of the legislature who will gather today at the State House for a meeting of the House Committee on Judiciary; the Comprehensive Racial Profiling Prevention Act of 2012 (H-7256) is one of the bills to be discussed.

All of tonight’s agenda items deal with “Motor and Other Vehicles,” and most are about motorists driving under the influence. A couple other bills that might be of interest to RI Future readers include H-7222, which “would authorize a bail commissioner to order that a person’s license be suspended immediately upon the report of a law enforcement officer that the person has refused a chemical test for driving while under the influence of alcohol” and H-7203 which, if passed, would “bar checkpoints as a means to detect motorists under the influence.”

For more information about today’s hearing, click here. To read more about my interview with Xiong, Alvarado, and Choi, click here.

***

Hear Sonic Watermelons live every Wednesday
6-8 PM (EST) on www.bsrlive.com.

February 21, 2012February 22, 2012

Payday Reform and Policy Change: A Recent Conversation on Sonic Watermelons on BSR

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PROVIDENCE, RI – Are Rhode Islanders paying fees for loans that are higher than what residents in other states are paying? The answer in some cases is yes – 260% versus 36%. Learn more about the type of loans that charge these rates, the impact of these loans on RI families, and what you can do to stop the practice in this excerpt from my interview with Margaux Morriseau and Nick Figueroa of the RI Coalition for Payday Reform.

It’s from the February 8, 2012 edition of Sonic Watermelons on BSR (Brown Student and Community Radio) – a show I produce as part of my work on VenusSings.com and with Isis Storm, a collective of artists, writers, and educators who empower women and underserved communities through performances, workshops, and media projects.

For more information on the topic, click here to listen to the full interview or click on the handouts provided below by the RI Coalition for Payday Reform.

FYI: Hear Sonic Watermelons live every Wednesday, from 6:00-8:00 PM…

Presented by Venus Sings and Isis Storm
Because the World is a Big Place
With Big Ideas and Lots and Lots of Music

Live or archived: bsrlive.com
Studio phonelines: 401-863-9277
Contact: IsisStorm.com, VenusSings.com

January 21, 2012January 21, 2012

Help put President Obama on the ballot in Rhode Island!

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, the signature gathering canvass has been RESCHEDULED for Sunday, January 22nd from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. Volunteers will meet at OFA-RI HQ — 151 Broadway, Providence, RI 02903 (Suite 310). You can RSVP here for the event.

This morning Obama for America – Rhode Island volunteer Jeff P. filed President Obama’s “Statement of Intent to Seek the Nomination for Office of President” with the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s office. Volunteers will now begin the process of gathering 2,500 signatures to put the president on the ballot in the Ocean State. Petitions must be filed with local city and town boards of canvassers by noon on Thursday, February 2nd, meaning the campaign has just two weeks to collect the signatures of registered voters from across Rhode Island.

If you are interested in helping to collect signatures from friends, family, neighbors and supporters in your community RSVP here for our first signature gathering Day of Action THIS SATURDAY, January 21st. Volunteers will meet at OFA-RI HQ — 151 Broadway, Providence, RI 02903 (Suite 310).

If you have any questions, please contact Devin Driscoll, OFA-RI state director, at ddriscoll@barackobama.com or (401) 935-1838.

January 20, 2012January 20, 2012

Principles are Worth More than Political Awards

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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 respectfully asked Treasurer Raimondo to return the award and condemn the hateful positions promoted by the Manhattan Institute. Instead of returning the award, she defended her association with the New York think tank by saying: “Accepting an award from any organization is never an across-the-board endorsement of its leanings.” But that just misses our point.

Organizations like the Manhattan Institute use awards programs for many purposes, including raising money and validating their positions on a range issues to a broader, mainstream audience. A cursory review of the Manhattan Institute’s website will, in fact, lead one to a number of articles and position papers that advance an anti-gay agenda and misogynistic agenda.

As LGBTQ people we know the power in who you will or won’t stand next to you. We know that standing for equality and fairness means refusing to stand next to ignorance and hatred. Raimondo’s close association with this organization could be interpreted by many as implicit acceptance of all their positions, not just those related to public pensions. We have advised the treasurer that those who aspire to political leadership are judged by the company they keep. Principles are worth far more than political accolades.

January 19, 2012

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 find the courage to ask it. Still, I think I want to spend a little time breaking it down for you.

Now, I hate to make this sound clichéd or ultra familiar in terms of the African-American experience, but, really, it’s not clichéd; the transatlantic slave trade and American chattel slavery is where it begins. Remember, this was (is?) a system and a series of policies that made reading and using native languages illegal; made breaking up families, forced breeding, and forced sterilization standard during different periods; and made identity and self-determination a muddled concept at best. Family stories, national heroes, indigenous recipes – banned, marginalized, or high-jacked. From these conditions, a people fought onward and moved forward, often in the form of Negro spirituals, blues music, and later hip hop. In essence, if personhood, pride, and goal-setting could not be achieved through homeownership, the right to vote, or access to living wages, then it was through music, oral storytelling, and creating new (creole) sounds within which people of African-descent found courage and voice.

Today, we see challenges and struggles such as low high school graduation rates, exorbitant prison/probation rates, and disparities in healthcare access, treatment, and mortality rates – again, caused or condoned by this country and state’s systems and leaders. Therefore it is in the tradition of our ancestors, activists, and cultural rebels before us that “The Rhythm Heard Round the World” event happening tonight is, in fact, a political gathering. There will be new spaces, new sounds, and new ways to communicate our stories and build community – strategies we are forced to return to again and again; a recipe that calls for a dash of politics and a sprinkle of art.

That is one of the reasons I’m so excited about another event I have coming up: Soul Rebels Unite: An Empower Communities Event and Reggae Bashment. Don’t tell me that a genre of music known for a song called “Legalize It” is not a place to discuss or engage in political conversations. As I’ve explained to some: it is one thing to perform about smoking weed; it is another thing to write and sing a song asking people to mobilize, advocate and change laws. This song, for instance, alongside others about unifying as a people to fight illegitimate governance are the subjects that make up the content of the reggae songs that launched the international appeal the genre has today.

So as I get ready to go out to do this musical-political work that I’m regularly engaged in, I ask those working on political and social change to take a peek at the events I have listed, and reconsider your stance about who and where you will or will not engage audiences. Try analyzing things similarly to how I did above – tracing the historical perspective to trends we see today. For the event on Saturday with Girls Rock! RI and Sojourner House, remember how long before women were granted the right to vote, observe the lack of women holding office today, and investigate the dismal number of women making decisions within the entertainment and communications fields. Then tell me that there is no room for art in politics or no reason to mix the two topics.

If you still feel that same way – well, as Mr. T used to say, I pity the fool. If you’re open, or just want to debate me, I hope you’ll join me over the next few days.

***

1) “The Rhythm Heard Round the World”
A Night Of Spoken Word Poetry, World Rhythms & An Open Mic

Thursday, January 19, 2012
7:30 – 10:00 PM
Roots Cultural Center
276 Westminster Street
Providence, RI

Price: $5.00

Presented by VenusSings.com, Isis Storm & Funda Fest 14, the event features Singer-Songwriter and Recording Artist, The Dubber; Pecussionist Kera Washington and Bassist Joanna Maria of the band, Zili Misik and performers from the women’s art collective, Isis Storm. The event also includes talent from the RI Black Storytellers’ Funda Fest.

To sign up ahead of time for the open mic, email singsvenus@gmail.com or leave a comment here.

FB EVENT / MORE INFO: https://www.facebook.com/events/243212192414449/

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2) VenusSings.com, rhymeCulture, Isis Storm & La Soul Renaissance Present

Soul Rebels Unite:
An Empower Communities Event and Reggae Bashment

Friday, January 20, 2012
Black Watch Pub
266 Dartmouth Street
New Bedford, MA

Confirmed Artists:
Tem Blessed & Blest Energy ft. the Empress, aka Cita-Light ~ Isis Storm ~ The Dubber ~ King-I ~ Erik Andrade ~ The AS220 Criss Cross Orchestra ~ DJ Blade Mon ~ Rebel International ~ and more.

12-2 PM:
Empower Communities Youth Workshop with YouthBuild New Bedford

7-9PM:
“People of Culture Mixer and Marketplace” with local, regional and national activists, entrepreneurs, poets and musicians

9PM-2AM:
Hip Hop and Reggae Performances, DJ’s, and Sound Systems. PLUS album release party for “Re-Energized” by Tem Blessed & Blest Energy ft. the Empress, aka Cita-Light.

FB EVENT / MORE INFO: https://www.facebook.com/events/224041467674515/
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3) GIRLS ROCK THE SOJOURNER HOUSE: A JOINT BENEFIT FOR:
Girls Rock Camp Alliance & Sojourner House
And A Gathering for Empowerment

Saturday, January 21, 2012
7:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Roots Cultural Center
276 Westminster Street
Providence, RI

FEATURING:
-> Me Jane
-> Simple Etiquette
-> The Bookmarks
-> 5th Elament (CO-FOUNDER OF ISIS STORM)
-> ROUTE .44
-> JERI AND THE JEEPSTERS

FB EVENT / MORE INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/events/226863584050679/

January 19, 2012

Join Obama for America – Rhode Island at a State of the Union Watch Party in Your Neighborhood

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Scores of Rhode Islanders are getting together next Tuesday night in homes, restaurants and college campuses across the state to watch President Obama’s State of the Union address. And it’s not too late for you to join them!

“This is an important speech—one you, your friends and your family can’t miss,” says Devin Driscoll, Rhode Island state director with Obama for America. “President Obama will be talking about the issues and values that are central to his vision of an America that will out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the world.”

Rhode Island’s watch parties will be taking place in homes in Warwick, Cranston, Providence, Pawtucket, Newport and East Greenwich. Students will gather at Brown University’s Wilson Hall and state and city Democrats will head for McFadden’s Restaurant in downtown Providence.

Folks will be renewing neighborhood connections, making new friends and talking together about the next important event on the Rhode Island campaign calendar: forming teams to collect signatures to get President Obama on the ballot for November. For more information and to find the watch party nearest you, go to www.barackobama.com/state/ri and click the “Find an Event” tab.

For more information about State of the Union watch parties and to volunteer with the campaign, please contact Devin Driscoll at ddriscoll@barackobama.com.

January 13, 2012January 20, 2012

Host a State of the Union Watch Party!

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Across Rhode Island, people are getting together in their neighborhoods to watch the 2012 State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 24, celebrate our work of so far, and to plan out the next couple of months for the campaign in the Ocean State.

Can you have a few people over to watch? All it takes is a little bit of time to prepare and some enthusiasm for bringing people together.

Click here to host an event – sometime before the end of the day tomorrow if possible, so we can ensure you get email support from Chicago. You’ll need to be registered as a user of barackobama.com to sign up to host, which you can do here.

These parties are easy to put together. You’ll be able to decide how many people you can comfortably host, and we’ll provide you with tools to promote the event. We’ll talk you through what to expect and how to prepare for that night — including a conference call with other hosts beforehand to share tips and ideas.

This requires a basic commitment from you, but no previous experience doing this kind of thing — even if you’ve never hosted an event like this before, the campaign will make sure you have the tools and resources you need to make your party successful.

A party in your neighborhood is one big way to energize the campaign where you live. We’re aiming to have thousands of parties like it across the country.

You can email Devin Driscoll, Obama for America Rhode Island state director, at ddriscoll@barackobama.com with any questions.

August 10, 2011January 7, 2012

Rumor of the Day: Cicilline to face Democratic Primary challenger?

Rumors abound that Merrill Sherman, a cofounder of BankRI, is considering a run against incumbent Democratic Congressman David Cicilline. She would run as a Democrat in the September 2012 Democratic Primary. Another Democrat has already announced the possibility of a run against the vulnerable Cicilline – former CD-1 candidate Anthony Gemma. Interestingly, Sherman was recently selected as a possible candidate to serve on the powerful I-195 commission. If she is appointed to that, would that make it less or more likely that she would run for higher office?