Progressive News, Opinion, and Analysis
Local legend and community organizer Henry Shelton passed away Wednesday night at his home in Edgewood. He was 86 years old.
A wake in honor of his passing will be held Sunday from 4 to 8 at Keefe Funeral home in Lincoln. Funeral mass will be at St Judes in Lincoln Monday at 10am.
All are welcome.
The Red Bandana Fund is proud to name Artemis Moonhawk and Sarath Suong and the Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM) as the 2016 recipients of the Red Bandana Award. The Award honors individuals and groups whose work embodies the spirit and work of Richard Walton, a longtime activist in the Rhode Island area who died in 2012.
This is the fourth year the awards have been given.
Past recipients include:
Eric Hirsch, 2015
The workers at the Renaissance Hotel, 2015
Henry Shelton, 2014
Providence Student Union, 2014
and Amos House, 2013
The Red Bandana Fund was created to help sustain Rhode Island’s community of individuals and organizations that embody the lifelong peace and justice ideals of activist Richard J. Walton. Through the Red Bandana Fund, an annual financial award is made to an organization or individual whose work best represents the ideals of peace and social justice that exemplify Richard’s life work.
Richard Walton had an outdoor party every year, on the banks of the Pawtuxet Cove in Warwick, in which people from all over the country would gather from all walks of life and political activism to raise money for Amos House. He did this every year, on his birthday, up until his death December 27, 2012. The Red Bandana Fund has continued this tradition every year since then.
This Sunday, June 5, between 4 and 7pm, at Nick-A-Nees 74 South Street in Providence, the 4th Annual Red Bandana celebration will be held. There will be food, drink, music and laughter. They were many deserving nominees this year, all of which one could make an excellent argument for winning the award. The awardees for 2016 are:
Artemis Moonhawk, also known as Mama Dreads, founded and runs Mama Dreads Mission of Love, grassroots operation to help the homeless. Amanda Smith, a friend and fellow advocate says, “Artemis
sees the invisible people, feeds them nourishing meals and gives hope and hugs to those who have little or
none.” Colleen Polak, a teacher and friend, says that Artemis “does what we’re all supposed to do; but she
does it reflexively so that while the rest of us are still thinking about it, she has already done it.”
You can find out more about here: Artemis Manie Butti Moonhawk https://www.facebook.com/Mama-Dreads-Mission-of-Love…/
Sarath Suong is Co‐Founder and Executive Director of the Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM).
Both he and PrYSM are being honored for their work to mobilize the Southeast Asian communities and
the youth of Providence to stand up for their right to live free from injustices. Most recently, the
organization launched the Community Defense Project to provide free and low‐cost legal help and
counseling for victims of police brutality.
You can find out more about here: Sarath Suong https://www.facebook.com/PrYSMProvidence/
Bill Harley, president of the Red Bandana Fund that oversees the award noted, “Choosing this year’s
awardees was tough. There were many nominations of amazing individuals and groups, each one
deserving of recognition. Artemis and Sarath represent all of the people working to make a better life for
us here in the Rhode Island area. Those of us who remember and were close with Richard Walton know
he would approve.”
The celebration, at Nick‐a‐Nees is open to all, with donations to the Fund accepted. In addition to the
awards ceremony, there will be performances by the Christ Monti Band and the Extraordinary Rendition
Band.
“Last year’s party burst out onto the street with dancing! Harley commented. “It was a true celebration of
Richard, his words and spirit, and the people of Rhode Island who work to make the world a better,
happier place.”
“Last year’s party burst out onto the street with dancing! Harley commented. “It was a true celebration of
Richard, his words and spirit, and the people of Rhode Island who work to make the world a better,
happier place.”
So come this Sunday and join with us as we gather together to honor the past, and the future, in memory of Richard Walton. Buy yourself a an official, Richard Walton, Red Bandana and a beer, as we toast those who have worked for, and continue to work for, social justice in Rhode Island.
See you there.
——
To find out more about The Red Bandana Fund or to make a contribution, click here http://www.soup.org/page1/RedBandana.html.
(Core participants in organizing the event this year include: Rick Wahlberg, Barbara Wahlberg, Karen Malcolm, Jane Murphy, Stephen Graham, Ellen Fingeret, Maggi Rogers, Ed Benson, Zack Mezera, Mary Ann Rossoni, Bill Harley, Jodi Glass, Cathy Barnard & Richard Walton, Jr.)
When Warwick resident Linc Chafee formally declares his candidacy for president of the Unites States today he will be the first Rhode Islander since local progressive icon Richard Walton (for whom the Red Bandana Award is named) ran in 1984 as a member of the Citizens Party.
Chafee, who would launch his political career two years after Walton’s failed bid to become the president, hopes to capture the Democratic nomination in 2016. He’ll presumably outperform Walton, who won 240 votes in Rhode Island that year. But the progressive Chafee needs to best isn’t Richard Walton. It’s Bernie Sanders.
“The first obstacle Chafee faces is not Hillary Clinton, it’s Bernie Sanders,” Larry Sabato told Rhode Island Public Radio.
A fiercely unapologetic leftist, Sanders is tough competition for anyone seeking the progressive vote. He has a track record of implementing progressive reform – and winning free market converts and economic improvement in the process – as the mayor of Burlington, Vermont.
Sanders is as tough as they come in addressing America’s wealth gap, which remains an unaddressed issue that most voters are united against. Chafee, for his part, isn’t well-situated to steal any income inequality thunder from Sanders. As governor of Rhode Island, he resisted raising taxes on the rich and instead focused on broadening and lowering the sales tax.
But perhaps Chafee has an edge on national security and international diplomacy. They both oppose the war in Iraq, but Chafee did so as a Republican and won oodles of respect for doing so. NPR this morning called him, “the last liberal Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate.”
Yesterday Chafee tweeted in regards to the USA Freedom Act, “Congratulations to Congress for standing tall for civil liberties! Now let’s bring Snowden home. He has done his time.” Sanders, for his part, hasn’t gone quite that far on Snowden.
Maybe there’s a way for Sanders, the fiery populist, and Chafee, the principled moderate, to form a ticket together?
The nearly 100 people who crammed into Nick-a-Nees on a rainy Sunday afternoon in celebration and remembrance of activist Richard Walton were given quite a show. This was the third annual Red Bandana Awards show.
The awards are granted to those who embody the spirit and work of Richard Walton. This year’s winners were Providence College Professor Eric Hirsch, a “tireless advocate for the poor and homeless” and the Providence Renaissance Hotel workers, who are fighting for “their right to decent working conditions and a living wage.”
The Gnomes, a global folk-fusion band, opened the event with about a half hour of live music before being joined on stage by emcee Bill Harley. Harley gave a short talk about Richard Walton, and read one of Walton’s emails to give a flavor of the man, quoting him as saying, “I’d like life to be a hot hodge-podge of people of all sorts. All ages, all cultures, all colors, all everything.”
Harley then segued into a remembrance of Sister Ann, the amazing “social justice activist” and founder of the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence who died earlier this year. Harley held a touching moment of silence that lasted about a minute before joking, “I think that’s the longest it’s been quiet at Nick-a-Nees.” Sister Ann was considered for an award, said Harley, but the committee making the decision decided to keep it as an award for the living.
After a song, Harley gave the first award to the Providence Renaissance Hotel workers. Receiving the award were organizer Heather Nichols-Haining and Mirjaam Parada. For many years now the workers at the Renaissance and more recently the Providence Hilton have been battling The Procaccianti Group over wages, workload and the right to organize. Workers at these hotels are getting hurt on the job, and management treats them as disposable. The award recognizes the importance of organized labor and union rights.
Professor Eric Hirsch was then called to the stage to be presented his award. Hirsch, ever the activist, reminded the audience that he’s involved in the Zero: 2016 effort to wipe out veteran homelessness by the end of this year and to wipe out chronic homelessness by the end of 2016. Hirsch asked everyone interested in this effort to go to rihomeless.org to find out what they can do to help.
Hirsch also reminded the audience that the school he teaches at, Providence College, recently had an event to deal with racial profiling and Renaissance Hotel boycott. After Hirsch received his award, the crowd was entertained by the Extraordinary Rendition Band, an appropriate choice, given their appearance in the viral “Joey Quits” video.
This Sunday, the Red Bandana Fund will award Eric Hirsch and the workers at the Renaissance Hotel Red Bandana Awards for 2015. The Award honors individuals and groups whose work embodies the spirit and work of Richard Walton, a longtime activist in the Rhode Island area who died in 2012. This is the third year the awards have been given.
Past recipients include:
Henry Shelton, 2014
Providence Student Union, 2014
and Amos House, 2013
The Red Bandana Fund was created to help sustain Rhode Island’s community of individuals and organizations that embody the lifelong peace and justice ideals of activist Richard J. Walton. Through the Red Bandana Fund, an annual financial award is made to an organization or individual whose work best represents the ideals of peace and social justice that exemplify Richard’s life work.
Richard Walton had an outdoor party every year, on the banks of the Pawtuxet Cove in Warwick, in which people from all over the country would gather from all walks of life and political activism to raise money for Amos House. He did this every year, on his birthday, up until his death December 27, 2012. The Red Bandana Fund has continued this tradition every year since then.
This Sunday, May 31st, between 4 and 7pm, at Nick-A-Nees 74 South Street in Providence, the 3rd Annual Red Bandana celebration will be held. There will be food, drink, music and laughter. They were many deserving nominees this year, all of which one could make an excellent argument for winning the award. This year’s Awardees are Eric Hirsch and the Renaissance Hotel workers.
Bill Harley, president of the Red Bandana Fund that oversees the award noted, “We’re very excited about the honorees this year. There were many nominations for deserving individuals and groups. Eric and the workers from Renaissance represent all of the people working for a better life for all of us here in the Rhode Island area. Those of us who remember Richard Walton feel he would be very happy that these folks are being honored.”
Eric Hirsch, a professor of sociology at Providence College, is the rare breed of academic who translates his knowledge and research into action in the real world. A tireless advocate for the poor and homeless, he has worked with the RI Coalition for the Homeless on the streets, in the classroom, and in the statehouse, striving to help the less fortunate in our area.
The workers at the Renaissance Hotel, many of them first generation immigrants, have bravely spoken out for their need for a union. Their union organizing has continued for a number of years, despite the resistance of the hotel management. The workers insistence on their right to decent working conditions and a living wage reminds us that all people are entitled to a decent, sustainable life.
“Richard had a party this time every year,” Harley commented, “and what we’re doing is completely in keeping with his words, actions and spirit.”
So come this Sunday and join with us as we gather together to honor the past, and the future, in memory of Richard Walton. Buy yourself a an official, Richard Walton, Red Bandana and a beer, as we toast those who have worked for, and continue to work for, social justice in Rhode Island.
See you there.
——
To find out more about The Red Bandana Fund or to make a contribution, click here http://www.soup.org/page1/RedBandana.html.
(Core participants in organizing the event this year include: Rick Wahlberg, Barbara Wahlberg, Karen Malcolm, Jane Murphy, Stephen Graham, Ellen Fingeret, Maggi Rogers, Ed Benson, Zack Mezera, Mary Ann Rossoni, Bill Harley, Jodi Glass, Cathy Barnard & Richard Walton, Jr.)
Artwork courtesy of Mary Ann Rossoni http://www.secondstorygraphics.com/
Congratulations to Eric Hirsch, a Providence College sociology professor who works with the homeless, and the employees of the Renaissance Hotel, who have been organizing for better working conditions. Both will be honored with Red Bandana awards this year.
“It’s a huge honor to get an award with Richard’s name on it!” Hirsch wrote on Facebook.
Established last year, the Red Bandana award recognizes Rhode Islanders who exemplify the spirit and commitment of Richard Walton, a beloved local activist who passed away in 2012.
Hirsch is best known for coordinating the annual homeless census in Rhode Island and is vice president of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless’ board of directors. In recent years the group helped win passage of a first-in-the-nation Homeless Bill of Rights and more recently the group has won increasing support for ending homelessness in Rhode Island by investing in supportive housing options.
“A tireless advocate for the poor and homeless, he has worked with the RI Coalition for the Homeless on the streets, in the classroom, and in the statehouse, striving to help the less fortunate in our area,” according to a press release announcing the awards.
The Renaissance workers have been embroiled in a several year battle with hotel owners and management for better, healthier working conditions. They have been assisted by Unite Here Local 217, a labor union. This weekend, the workers held a 7am protest outside the hotel, which included music and drums. It rankled both management and hotel patrons. And last year, several Renaissance housekeepers held a hunger strike at the State House and managed to win city support for a $15 minimum wage in Providence.
“The workers at the Renaissance Hotel, many of them first generation immigrants, have bravely spoken out for their need for a union,” according to the press release. “Their union organizing has continued for a number of years, despite the resistance of the hotel management. The workers insistence on their right to decent working conditions and a living wage reminds us that all people are entitled to a decent, sustainable life.”
Hirsch and the Renaissance employees worked together just yesterday on campus at Providence College. Both are part of a group trying to get the college to do more to stop racial profiling on campus and stop the college from doing business with the hotel until labor conditions improve.
They will be honored at a ceremony on May 31, at Nick-a-Nees, 75 South St. Providence, from 4 to 7 pm. The event is family friendly. Local bands The Gnomes and Extraordinary Rendition Band will perform.
“We’re very excited about the honorees this year,” said Red Bandana Fund President Bill Harley. “Eric and the workers from Renaissance represent all of the people working for a better life for all of us here in the Rhode Island area. Those of us who remember Richard Walton feel he would be very happy that these folks are being honored.”
It’s that time of year again. Time to recognize the unsung heroes amongst us for all the good work they do. To nominate someone, fill out a form on-line here or simply email RedBandanaAward@gmail.com to receive the nomination form via email. The deadline is April 15th.
So we’re asking you to help us decide who deserves that recognition. We are seeking nominations from the community to recognize both unsung organizations, and individuals, that embody the spirit and work of Richard Walton and for the commitment they have shown to making the world a better place. Nominations are now being accepted for anyone you feel worthy of recognition.
We’re also asking that you provide a 1 page description of why they deserve the award. Keep in mind that the committee members may have never heard of the person you nominate so the description you give will be go a long way in determining whether they win the award or not.
The Nominee who wins this year’s award, will receive a cash gift and will be honored at the 3rd annual Red Bandana Celebration at Slater Mill on May 31st at Nick-A-Nees.
So what’s behind all this you ask? It’s all about an old friend who was the epitome of activism in Rhode Island for decades. The Red Bandana Fund was created to honor the memory of long-time, activist Richard Walton who passed away on December 27, 2012, after a long illness, leaving a huge hole in the hearts of the Rhode Island Progressive community.
There is a remembrance post about Richard, published in two parts by RIFuture, here and here. On June 2, 2012, the First Annual Red Bandana Fund Concert was held to raise money for the fund and to give the First Award by the Fund to Amos House, an organization Richard was deeply involved in. Last year, 2 awards were given, one to Henry Shelton, the long-time advocate for the poor in Rhode Island and the other to The Providence Student Union, for their inspiring energy and activism on education issues.
And now is your chance to nominate that unsung hero you have watched give so much to the rest of us. First, submit your nomination. And then second, help us honor the legacy of Richard Walton by coming to the 3rd annual Red Bandana Celebration at Nick-A-Nees on May 31st and lending your support.
Of course, this is just a small token in payment to those we owe it to. But we hope to do this every year and to grow the fund to spread awareness, recognition and appreciation for the people and issues we hold so dear. And we hope you will be become a big part of it. Help us grow the Fund by donating and by joining us at our annual celebration to recognize those who deserve our thanks so much. We’re all in this together. Let’s prove we can make it work.
Contact: RedBandanaAward@gmail.com for nominations
RedBandanafund@gmail.com for information
This weekend look for the gathering of friends, Rhode Island College educators, progressives, folkies and family members of the late Richard J. Walton, who come to the Red Bandana Award to pay homage and remember him. With his prominent long white beard and red bandana, decked out in blue jean overalls and wearing a baseball cap, Walton was a dedicated advocate of worker rights and committed to the nurturing of young people as a college professor at Rhode Island College. He gave hundreds of hours of service every month to organizations including Amos House, the George Wiley Center, Providence Niquinhomo Sister City Project, the Green Party, and Stone Soup Folk Arts Foundation.
The Red Bandana Fund was also created to be a legacy to help sustain Rhode Island’s community of individuals and organizations that embody the lifelong peace and justice ideas of Walton. Through the Red Bandana Fund, an annual financial award will be made to an organization or individual whose work best represents the ideals of peace and social justice that exemplify Walton’s life work.
Stephen Graham, a member of committee organizing the fundraiser, noted that 12 nominations received. “There were many deserving nominations, all of which one could make an excellent argument for the award,” he said. “After much deliberation and agonizing, the Red Bandana Fund decided to give not one but two awards,” noted Stephen Graham, a member of the committee. “Awards will be given to longtime community activist and hell-raiser, Henry Shelton, and the other to the passionate, unrelenting organizing workers called the Providence Student Union (PSU),” he says, noting that their work embodies the spirit and work of Walton, a well-known social activist in the Rhode Island area who died in 2012.
“Richard would have loved the choices,” noted Graham, a very close friend of Walton’s and a retired community activist.
The Red Bandana Fund celebration takes place on Sunday, June 8 at Nick-a-Nees, 75 South Street. In Providence from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and donations accepted. Shelton, a former Catholic priest and long-time director of the Pawtucket-based George Wiley Center, is known throughout the region for his steadfast commitment to bettering the lives of all Rhode Islanders, especially the poor and disadvantaged. As a longtime advocate for the needy, he has been a fixture on the streets and at the statehouse for decades, advocating for fairness in housing, public transportation, and medical care.
“It is not an understatement to say that Shelton is the conscience of this state and has been for a long, long time,” says Graham, noting that there was no way Shelton could be ignored.
The committee also honored a new generation of young people working to make a better world, added Graham. So, the Red Bandana Fund also recognizes the PSU for its groundbreaking work done in addressing important issues of education in creative and powerful ways. The PSU is an important voice in the debate over the value of high-stakes testing, challenging the NECAP tests as a requirement for graduation, and has forced officials and politicians to address their concerns, he said.
“It is their commitment to grass-roots organizing and social change, at such a young age, that has earned them the recognition and thanks of the Red Bandana Fund and for all those fighting for justice in today’s society,” says Graham. Coming up with a name for Walton’s fundraiser was tied to his unique fashion sense and was the idea of his daughter Cathy Barnard and Richard, her brother. Like most people, Richard had a vivid, visual image of his father, who had long white hair and beard, being known for wearing his trademark worn blue jean overalls, a red bandana and Stone Soup baseball cap. After Walton died his close friends came over to his house and wanted one of his red bandanas to remember him. Thus, the red bandana became the perfect moniker and recognition for the annual fundraiser.
Says Bill Harley, also on the organizing committee, The Red Bandana Fund is a continuation of Walton’s tradition of having an annual birthday bash – usually held the first Sunday in June, to raise money for Amos House & the Providence-Niquinohomo Sister City Project and other progressive causes. Over 24 years, Walton had raised over $40,000 for these favorite charities, attracting hundreds of people each year including the state’s powerful political and media elite to his family compound located at Pawtuxet Cove in Warwick
“We hope all the people who attended Richard’s parties in the past [1988 to 2011] will show up for the event and you can bring your favorite dish for the potluck,” adds Harley.
“This is our second year giving the award,” said Bill Harley, a member of the selection committee. “We chose the awardees from a great list of nominations, and decided to acknowledge both young organizers, and one of our long-time heroes. Too often, the people who are in the trenches working for us don’t get recognized. We hope the Award begins to address that shortcoming.”
According to Graham, “last year’s event was more of a concert and tribute to Walton.” Over 300 people attended the inaugural Red Bandana fundraising event in 2013 at Shea High School, raising more than $11,000 from ticket sales, a silent auction and raffle. At this event, the first recipient, Amos House, received a $1,000, he said. Graham says the well-known nonprofit was chosen because of its very long relationship with Walton. He was a founding board member, serving for over 30 years, being board chair for a number of years. For almost three decades, the homeless advocate spent an overnight shift with the men who lived in the 90-Day Shelter Program each Thursday bringing them milk and cookies. Each Friday morning he would make pancakes and eggs in the soup kitchen for hundreds of men and women who came to eat a hot meal.
As to getting this year’s Red Bandana Fund off the ground, Harley says: “It’s been a year of fits and starts to make this thing work. I believe that the establishment of this award, and the honoring of people on a yearly basis, will help us build a community here that can transform our culture. It’s a little thing down the road, I can envision this award meaning more and more to recipients, and to the community those recipients come from.”
Walton touched people’s lives, Rick Wahlberg, one of the organizers. “Everyone had such an interesting story to tell about Richard,” he stated, noting that the Warwick resident, known as a social activist, educator, humanitarian, very prolific writer, and a co-founder of Pawtucket’s Stone Soup Coffee House “had made everyone feel that they themselves had a very special, close relationship with him.” Like last year’s inaugural event, Wahlberg expects to see many of Walton’s friends at the upcoming June 8th fundraiser. He and others attending will view this event as a “gathering of the clan” since those attending will be Walton’s extended Rhode Island family.
So, block out some time on your busy Sunday. Come to the Red Bandana Fund event to remember our good old friend, Richard Walton, and support his legacy and positive impact in making Rhode Island a better place to live and work. Enjoy the gathering of caring people who come to recognize the advocacy efforts of Shelton and the PSU to carry on Walton’s work.
Spread the word.
Core participants in organizing this year’s Red Bandana Fund include, Bill Harley, Stephen Graham, Jane Falvey, Barbara & Rick Wahlberg. Other participants included Jane Murphy, Jodi Glass, Cathy Barnard and Richard Walton, Jr.
For more information about donating to The Red Bandana Fund, click here.
Herb Weiss, LRI’12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who covers health care, aging, and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.
Every year he had a party. He would call it his “75th Birthday Part II” or his “80th Birthday Part 4.” You get the idea. And from all over Rhode Island, all over New England and even all over the country, friends and colleagues and relatives would meet, greet, drink, eat, sing and laugh the day away at Richard Walton’s hideaway, at the mouth of the Pawtuxet River, basking in the sunshine (or rain showers), reveling in each other’s company, renewing acquaintances, and hugging old friends.
By the end of the day, there was a cigar box full of checks and cash for Amos House and/or Providence Niquinohomo Sister City Project because social justice was in his blood and opportunities like this should never be wasted.
And he did this every year up until on his death December 27, 2012.
So for the first time in decades last year, there was no party at Richard Walton’s house in Warwick. Instead, a bunch of his friends got together, and produced a fund-raiser at Shea high School in Pawtucket to honor his memory and his work. And to continue that legacy, they formed The Red Bandana Fund.
But this year the party’s back! And we’re hoping to keep it going for a long, long time.
This Sunday, June 8th, between 4 and 7pm, at Nick-A-Nees 74 South Street in Providence, the Annual Red Bandana celebration will be held to honor the memory of long, time community activist Richard Walton. And just like Richard did, there will be food, drink, music and laughter. And because the issues never stop, The Red Bandana Fund will continue raising awareness by handing out 2 Activist awards and making a financial contribution to each.
After much deliberation and agonizing, the committee decided to give not just one but 2 awards this year; one to longtime community activist and hell-raiser, Henry Shelton, and the other to the passionate, unrelenting organizing workers called the Providence Student Union. Last year, the first Award went to Amos House, a cause Richard spent a good part his life working on.
They were many deserving nominees this year, all of which one could make an excellent argument for winning the award. The process eventually narrowed down to two: both Henry Shelton and the Providence Student Union. Finally, it became apparent that it made a lot of sense to give to both. So we did.
Richard would have loved the choices.
Since the mid 1960’s as a Catholic priest, Henry Shelton has fought for people’s rights and organized for social justice. After being dissatisfied with the approach of the diocese over the issues of poverty, Henry left the priesthood to continue organizing full time. He joined with George Wiley, a tireless advocate from Rhode Island, as part of the National Welfare Rights Organization. After Wiley died in a boating accident in August 1973, Henry continued his work forming numerous non-profit organizations including The Coalition for Consumer Justice (CCJ), The RI handicapped Action Committee (RIHAC), the Worker’s Association for Guarantee Employment (WAGE), the Fund for Community Progress (FCP) and the George Wiley Center (the latter with which he is still involved).
From utility rate increases to food stamp cuts to free school breakfast for children to winter shut off regulations to stopping the Charlestown Nuclear power plant to summer jobs to worker’s rights, it is not an understatement to say that Henry Shelton is the conscience of this state and has been so for a long, long time. There’s is even a law mandating a fair repayment programs on back utility bills called The Henry Shelton Act. And since Richard served on the Board of the George Wiley Center for decades; and that they marched together on many occasions, working so passionately for the causes Henry still fights for to this day, it’s only appropriate that Henry be one of the first recipients of the award.
Indeed, there is no way Henry Shelton could be ignored.
The Providence Student Union, on the other hand is relatively new to the picture. Consisting of mostly high school students, the organization was formed to fight cuts at Hope High school, which they eventually succeeded in doing. But they didn’t stop there. Qucikly, the students realized the influence they could be to institute reforms. They testified, organized and protested against unjust policies like the Common Core and High Stakes testing, much to the chagrin of those in charge. They have become a familiar presence before the board of education and have earned themselves a role in the decision making process; speaking truth to power and giving students a voice they have never had before.
This is a true grass-roots organization by any definition as their own words testify:
“The Providence Student Union’s vision of social change is based on the principle that justice can only be won in lasting ways when impacted communities themselves unite together to work for the changes they believe in. From this principle comes PSU’s model: organize low-income youth of color to make positive changes in the here and now by working to build student power within their schools, while strengthening the movement for social and economic justice in the long term by developing students to become leaders who will continue to bring their communities together to work for change long after they have graduated.”
It is their commitment to grass-roots organizing and social change, at such a young age, that has earned them the recognition and thanks of the Red Bandana Fund and for all those fighting for justice in today’s society.
Our mission is to honor those community members who uphold the values Richard Walton espoused. And with this year’s selections, we believe we have done just that.
So come this Sunday and join with us as we gather together to honor the past, and the future, in memory of Richard Walton. Buy yourself a an official, Richard Walton, Red Bandana and a beer, as we toast those who have worked for, and continue to work for, social justice in Rhode Island.
See you there.
To find out more about The Red Bandana Fund or to make a contribution, click here http://www.soup.org/page1/RedBandana.html.
(Core participants in organizing the event this year include: Bill Harley, Stephen Graham, Jane Falvey, Barbara & Rick Wahlberg. Other participants include: Jane Murphy, Jodi Glass, Cathy Barnard & Richard Walton, Jr.)
A very special event is happening this Sunday, continuing a legacy of community engagement created by the late Richard Walton.
The 1st annual Red Bandana Concert is being held at 3pm at Shea High School 485 East Ave in Pawtucket. The purpose is to establish The Red Bandana Fund which will give an annual award to those groups and/or individuals that best carry on the ideals of Richard Walton. You can buy tickets here: http://www.soup.org/page1/RedBandana.html
Every summer, Richard would hold a magnificent gathering of community activists, artists, musicians and friends on his birthday at his shoreline house in Pawtuxet. A cigar box was placed on a card table and people were asked to make a contribution to Amos House or the Providence-Niquinohomo Sister City Project. People brought their checkbooks, food, drink, instruments, friends and their children for a full day of fun and companionship. The last party held there was in 2011 where as Richard billed it his 80th birthday Part IV. The year after, Richard did not have the energy to hold it at his house so the last one was successfully held at the Roots Cultural Center. Here’s what he sent me to announce it:
Hi, Steve: I'm so damn disorganized. I've probably already asked you this but I wanted to make sure. You have such a wide circle of friends and I hope you are spreading the word about my 80th Birthday Party, Part V on Sunday afternoon, May 27 at Roots. I just ran out of steam and didn't have the energy to pull together another big party here ... but Bill Harley and Len Cabral had the terrific idea of holding it at Roots, a damn good place. This may well be my Last Hurrah but I didn't want what had become a tradition to end with no notice. I hope it's a success. More details follow ... and I certainly expect to see you there. Thanks for your help. Richard.
This year would have been his 85th birthday. When he passed, numerous people expressed the desire to continue the party both out of respect and to continue to support the causes Richard pushed for his entire life. So on Sunday, the tradition will be reborn with performances from some of Richard’s favorite musicians and a gathering of Richard’s large group of friends. Proceeds will benefit Richard’s organizations with a silent auction and raffle and the sale of actual, Red Bandanas, imprinted with the image of Richard that you see here.
Local musician and two time Grammy winner Bill Harley put it this way:
This Sunday is the first annual benefit concert for the Red Bandana Fund honoring Richard Walton’s life and work. The first Red Bandana Award will be given to Amos House, an organization that truly represents Richard’s spirit and ideals.
If you’re in the Rhode Island area, we’d love you to be there. Richard Walton was one of my dearest friends, and I miss him every day. He was a very kind man, and very supportive, and also resolute in his commitment to the least in our society. The Red Bandana Award will be given annually, and we hope to make the concert annual, too.
My gut feeling on this is that the Award will become a focal point and affirmation of all the incredible work being done in southeastern New England, and will be a way for all of us active in issues of peace and justice to touch base with each other. I think it’s going to be around a long, long time.I’m sure Richard would have loved this – I only wish he were here to see it.
Come if you can – it will be a great time. And a memorable one, too.
On behalf of the Red Bandana Fund committee, we invite you to come and lend your support for this unique event, the first of what we hope to be many as we continue to honor the life of this remarkable man.
To learn more about Richard Walton, you can read my posts on his passing here http://www.rifuture.org/rip-richard-walton-you-taught-us-how-to-live-part-12.html and here www.rifuture.org/rip-richard-walton-you-taught-us-how-to-live-part-22.html.
Richard Walton touched so many, from students to advocates to the homeless to musicians to the oppressed. Richard was always there. Besides being so active in the community, he worked for 27 years as an adjunct professor at Rhode Island College.
A memorial and tribute for Richard is being held this Saturday at 3pm at the Roots Cultural Center, 276 Westminster Street Providence. You are invited to help us celebrate a life well lived. The mailing address for Amos House is P.O. Box 72873, Providence, RI 02907. They aceept on-line donation via credit card, including a space on the form for an “in memory of” designation. Read the first installment of this online memorial here.
Rhode Island College
Richard’s bereavement notice was sent out to the entire Rhode Island College community and the campus flag was flown at half staff. RIC President Nancy Carriuolo wrote:
Office of the President
Dear Colleagues,I have very sad news to share. Richard Walton, beloved adjunct faculty member in the English Department and President of the Adjunct Faculty Union, passed away yesterday. Please follow the link for more specifics http://news.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/2012/12/rhode-island-fixture-richard-j-walton-dies-at-age-84ready.html.
I have asked that the college flag be flown at half- mast in his memory. Richard loved our college, the students and his colleagues. He will be missed greatly by our campus community as well as by many others in RI who benefitted from his knowledge, concern, and generosity.
As any more information becomes available, my office will forward it to you.
Sincerely,
Nancy Carriuolo
Richard often got letters from students. The ‘you changed my life’ kind. He thought it was typical. He was irreplaceable. He was never negative about any of the students. That was one of the things people picked up from him.
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 1:39:20 PM
To: Walton, Richard
Subject: Writing 100Hello, Professor!
It’s been quite some time but I took your Writing 100 class my very first semester of college back in 2007 and my experience with you and that class has stayed with me throughout my undergraduate career. It remains one of my fondest memories to date. I wrote a piece on women and society’s beauty ideal that brought you to tears during discussion one day. I’m emailing you today because I recently had an idea for a children’s book and I’m not quite sure what the first step would be in producing such a thing or where to start. I would love to meet for coffee one day and discuss these ideas with you! I truly value your opinion and any advice you could give me. I hope this finds you healthy and happy on such a beautiful spring day!
________________________________________
From: Richard J. Walton [richard@RichardJWalton.org]
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:36 PMSubject: You’ve Made This Wintry Day Like Spring
What a nice surprise, … after nearly five years! I still remember the name but the face that goes with it is dancing just beyond my recall … but we can deal with that by having that coffee you suggest. I’m on campus only on Mondays and Wednesdays for classes at 2 o’clock and 4 so perhaps we could meet sometime before my 2 o’clock. I’ve been teaching a lot of years and a rare note like yours is so very welcome, especially as I near the end of my teaching years. Getting a book published is increasingly difficult and I’ve been away from publishing for a good many years.
Yet books are still being published and maybe our conversation would come up with something helpful so, yes, let’s have that coffee soon. The Café is quite a nice place.
On this day that feels more like January than late March, you can imagine, I hope, how nice it was to receive your note, to be remembered fondly after so many years, so many classes. I’m looking forward to our conversation. Suggest a couple of times and we’ll pick the best one. Again, thank you for that very nice note.
Richard Walton.
P.S. I still weep in class now and then. I am so lucky to have taught for so many years. Best job in the world
Maureen Reddy, Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Department of English, Rhode Island College
He was a wonderful colleague, adjuncting for 27 years. He taught Political Science and English… academic writing: Freshmen course. He gave students a place to write a lot with a lot of chances to revise. He got stellar evaluations from students who often went in kicking and screaming. All the “not me, I’m an Anthro.” majors. He converted them all. They didn’t want to take it but they loved it. He knew how to criticize without being hurtful. They slowly realized that it’s obvious that ‘he just wants us to be good writers’.
He was so sad about leaving RIC. He loved teaching. Last Spring, he told me ‘Ok, this is really it.’ We all threw a party but instead he got sick. He said, ‘No way could he be here in September but he would be there in the spring.’ But he can’t now.
Here’s an email he sent me. 5:55am ‘I walk up very concerned about one of my students. She wrote about suicide and I know they have vivid imaginations but I couldn’t ignore it. “I care about you” he wrote back. Who else is going to do this? 82 years old. Don’t worry about me. Perfect. Exactly the right balance, no insulting her. He was wonderful.
Jim Kittridge, Adjunct Faculty – RI College English Department
We started unionization in 2005 for the adjuncts as the only un-unionized group on campus. Richard’s greatest asset was his ability to communicate. He could talk with anybody. We was very valued because of that. When it came to it, there was no question he should be the 1st president. If anybody had the temperament, if anybody could talk to the adjuncts, it was Richard. He had a natural way with computers and inquiries and details all across the spectrum at RIC. He was part of the negotiating team that secured the 1st contract. 18 months of negotiations; very foundational proposals. He put a lot of effort into building those proposals. We were meeting 3-4 times a month, forging new ground. With his skills, he was uncanny in negotiating. He felt it was one of the best things he ever did. Genuine and meaningful. He felt it was a legacy that will be passed on.
Adjuncts are hired on a course basis, semester by semester, limited to 2 courses to avoid benefits. Higher Ed is using this job definition more and more. Just like business. In business, they’re “independent contractors”. PHD’s are a dime a dozen these days. We get 300-400 applicants for a position. We’ve had a steady erosion of state legislative support over 20 years. Back then, 70% of the positions were full-time, now it’s barely above 50%. He had a great sense for justice. He just realized that they deserved to be recognized. And the union won! We got official recognition in approximately 2007. He negotiated 17 months for that 3 year contract (2009). He was an avid reader and could talk about anything. He was self-deprecating, down to earth, very reasonable, very level. A hard core group of 7-8 people brought this about.
He was grounded in equality. He fundamentally saw that (the union) as fundamental. The second round happened while he was in chemo. He was fatigued and tired, but his mind was still there. There were private meetings: went right to the heart of the matters. How to rebut… strategies… that kind of thing. They went on for 8 months in 2012. He missed the last two or three but he was still demanding to know about what went on. He had to know right away. Each year was different but the solidarity was steady.
All of us are equally saddened, it was very quick. We were going to give him a gift as this was his last year as president. He loved the RI College chairs because they were so comfortable. The weekend before Christmas, Saturday, we decided to make a surprise for him. We went in first and talked. Then we went out to the car and brought him back a chair. He was so happy; he was tickled pink. A few days later he was gone. He looked so good, like he had another several years left.
C. Kelly Smith, Community Advocate, Pawsox fan and volunteer at Stone Soup
Richard was a sweet guy with a good heart and his spirit was always so giving. I knew him through Stone Soup. He was at all the anti-war protests. He was always there. And at McCoy. We saw each other there a lot.
At Stone Soup, he was the constant reminder of stacking all the chairs and cups in the kitchen. I had to take his place once, and I felt like “How could I take his place?” He would get up and just start going “sssshhhh” and everybody would laugh. I tried to get a ticket to a sold out event once and Richard found out and got a mystery ticket left at the door. He made it possible for me to go. I loved having chats with him about world politics. Later in his life he got to do some of the traveling that he always wanted to do.
Carol and Henry Shelton, long time community activists and advocates for the poor in Rhode Island
We’ll always remember Richard’s long term service, his steadfastness, his actions, and his creative ideas at the Board meetings for the George Wiley Center. You always knew you could count on Richard. We’ll never forget what Richard’s question would be all the time on the finances: ‘Are we above water?’ Or ‘Are we sinking?’ But then that’s always the question, isn’t it. It never goes away.
Richard represents the best of community activism and peacemaking. His consistency in supporting low income and peace issues, in various parts of the world, is something you can never forget. He was an example for all of us. We all adhere to the common principles of justice, we all do what we can but it is always nice to see that dogged principle from those that made commitments that lasted their lifetime. He had a nice balance between peace making and a love of music and good beer and good times. We’ll always remember the Rhubarb pies that we made from his garden. We always a made a big pie for his party but sometimes it would go so quick we would make a 2nd pie just for him. His garden was another of his passions. We just got rid of the Thai hot peppers within the last week or so. He was a nice combination of love of a good party and activism. Every year, a large bag of Rhubarb that would arrive on the front porch. Hillary Salk’s granddaughter, Bianca, took Richard’s writing course, and graduated from Emerson College. The recommendation that Richard wrote was absolutely splendid. It helped her get in. At RIC, we would always have a protest every week against the Iraq war. We did that for about a year. Richard was always there.
Jim Tull, Professor of Global Studies at Providence College and former Director of Amos House
His main contribution was to peace and justice work. I’ll never forget Richard’s style… he can get pretty sophisticated about foreign policy but he did not do that. He eschewed that side, his contribution was ‘This was wrong.’
Ironically, given his long career in journalism, he was not prone to getting very detailed about any particular issue. He presented himself, politically and morally, as a voice for peace and justice in the world. And he avoided conversations that distracted from that very fundamental imperative; that distracted from that moral conversation.
He did a panel once, with Mark Patinkin, on the 1st gulf war: He (Patinkin) couldn’t get Richard to say anything other than ‘War is only going to make everything worse. War has never served the function of making anything better.’ He would just not budge. Everybody else was talking about oil, the Kuwait invasion and the details of why we should go to war. ‘War is never going to be the answer.’ And I kind of wanted to shake him, because I knew he could argue. But he would not budge. Richard knew that no argument for War was going to make anybody’s life any better. Despite his expertise, he just said no.
His style was as a creature of habit. He didn’t just go occasionally, he would go every week. Eleven years in front of the federal building, protesting the war in Central America. He locked in habits. Aristotle defined virtue as a habit. He only stopped doing something if hell freezes over. He makes commitments and then he habituates that commitment. I’ve never met anybody in my entire life that approached peace and justice that way. Every Friday, we would retire to the Custom House after the vigil. He was always open to a good beer or two.
Most people who are 83 years old just want to sit home. We used to go to McCoy stadium and we would pick up people along the way. They didn’t even know we were coming. We would just grab them. That was Richard.
Phil Edmonds, Irish musician and community advocate
Along with some people like Catherine Rhodes, Jim Tull, and myself, we would try to get a little sleep inside refrigerator boxes on the cold steps of the Federal Building near Kennedy Plaza. One memorable night, I remember this sight of Richard wrapped in a sleeping bag, pacing the sidewalk all night during the freezing, sleepless, ‘Sleep Out to End Homelessness’ that took place many years ago on the Martin Luther King Holiday in January. I’ll never forget that one.
Another vision is of him being escorted by the police out of Rep. Ron Machtley’s Pawtucket office for a sit-in, protesting the Congressman’s support of the U.S. War in El Salvador in the late 80s.
Richard also loved to volunteer at Amos House’s Men’s Residence, especially on Christmas Eve so he could pass out gifts on Christmas Day to the men who were homeless. He volunteered at Amos House for decades. He loved that.
Those are the ways I will always remember Richard.
Richard’s Birthday parties, Annual Events that were not to be Missed
His parties were where you experienced the true scope of his influence. Hundreds of people from all walks of life would come to his house in Warwick, overlooking Pawtuxet Cove, bringing food, instruments and checkbooks for Amos House.
This is the original invite that has been passed along over the years:
Hi, As many of you know, a long time ago when Richard Walton was about to turn 60, a bunch of his Stone Soup friends [Jann Campbell, Joyce Katzberg, Jane Murphy, Steve Snyder, Bill Harley, Debbie Block and others] decided that this milestone should be celebrated with a party. Sounded like a good idea to Richard but since he didn’t want any gifts, he decided to make it a benefit for Amos House [where he has now been a volunteer for decades] and the Providence-Niquinohomo Sister City Project [he’s been there numerous times]. The party was such a success, not only as a party right there on the shores of Pawtuxet Cove but it raised a couple of thousand dollars. So when the next year rolled around Richard decided to repeat the party, calling it his 60th Birthday Party, Part II. It too raised a fair amount of money so he decided to make it an annual event, in five-year increments of Part I, Part II, etc. And over the years we’ve raised about $75,000, not so bad for friends making donations at a party. Last year’s was 80th Birthday Party, Part IV and as spring approached his year, people began asking about Part V … but Richard felt himself running out of steam. He was in a dilemma: he didn’t want to just abandon what has become something of a tradition but he didn’t have the energy to pull together another 200-person party. What to do? Then Bill Harley had a good idea: maybe it could be held at Len Cabral’s fine arts center/club, the Roots Café, in the space formerly occupied by the Black Rep Theatre, 276 Westminster St.. Len thought it was a good idea so that’s what’s going to happen: Sunday afternoon [2 to 6], May 27. It’ll be much like the parties at the Walton Compound: people will make donations to one or both charities, they’ll bring delicious pot luck dishes [drinks will be available at Roots] and it will be another wonderful afternoon and Amos House and the Sister City Project will again benefit. So this is a long-winded invitation and since the 80th Birthday Party, Part V is a week earlier than usual and at a different place, we’re hoping you’ll spread the word as far and as wide as possible. And I hope to see you there. Richard. P.S. Will this be my Last Hurrah? At my age, who can say. Check with us a year from now.”
His last invite to his last party is a treasure I’ll always preserve.
From: Richard J. Walton [ mailto:richard@RichardJWalton.org ]
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 2:44 PM
To: Stephen Graham
Subject: Please Spread the World about Party Sunday Afternoon, May 27 at RootsHi, Steve: I’m so damn disorganized. I’ve probably already asked you this but I wanted to make sure. You have such a wide circle of friends and I hope you are spreading the word about my 80th Birthday Party, Part V on Sunday afternoon, May 27 at Roots. I just ran out of steam and didn’t have the energy to pull together another big party here … but Bill Harley and Len Cabral had the terrific idea of holding it at Roots, a damn good place. This may well be my Last Hurrah but I didn’t want what had become a tradition to end with no notice. I hope it’s a success. More details follow (as written by my anonymous helper)…
and I certainly expect to see you there. Thanks for your help. Richard.
You are invited to help us remember and celebrate Richard’s life this Saturday (1/19/13) at 3pm at the Roots Cultural Center 276 Westminster St. Providence
Photos from Richard’s Birthday party in 2008 are available here.
Writing this has been so hard. You can’t include everyone; he traveled in wide, wide circles; only he knew what they all were. The sadness still abounds.
Richard still lives in our memories. His heart was the biggest I’ve ever known. It welcomed everyone and everybody. Not in an over-the-top, you’re my best buddy way but with a warm smile, sincere eyes and patient listening. Richard Walton let you know right away that he was you’re friend; a skill very few of us develop with such intensity. He leaves behind a legacy of living by example, of showing us how to be. He made me, and numerous others, a better person. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Shock turned into sadness for many long time activists here in Rhode Island over the holiday season when, on December 27th, Richard Walton, in his 80th year (for the 4th time) passed away from leukemia after a number of treatments and hospital stays.
The shock, for many of us, is in how quickly the end came. He was with friends on Christmas Eve and two days later, he was gone.
An era is over.
A fixture at so many events, and with so many organizations, that they all seem changed now, never to be the same. He was an anchor to many, an inspiration to more. Most of the time he was quiet, but his eyes were vigilant, observing all that was going on.
He loved music, beer, gardening, teaching, baseball and helping people. He advocated for the homeless, stood with strikers, protested against war and stood up for the hungry and those in desperate need. He was a scholar, an activist, an author, reporter, a mentor and a wonderfully, good friend. He touched so many.
A memorial and tribute for Richard is being held this Saturday at 3pm at the Roots Cultural Center, 276 Westminster Street Providence. You are invited to help us celebrate a life well lived. The mailing address for Amos House is P.O. Box 72873, Providence, RI 02907. They aceept on-line donation via credit card, including a space on the form for an “in memory of” designation: https://www.amoshouse.com/tabid/209/default.aspx
One story leads to another… and then another and another and another. What follows are the thoughts and reactions of some of those who knew him.
Karen Malcolm – lived with Richard for 10 years with her daughter Erin
We had just spent Christmas eve with him. We just didn’t think it was that imminent. He didn’t like living with the stillness. It’s like losing a grandparent.
Journal article captured his totality. There was this side of him that was so close to family and friends. He was always 150% committed, centered around Stone Soup, Nicaragua, and his students. He woke up to Classical music every morning, reading and grading for the day. He loved to cook, and volunteering at Amos house; he didn’t like being idle. Working, music or traveling were all connected. He felt his students needed a wider view, a connection to the larger world. He saw folk music as connected to mental health, homelessness and making a better world. He was optimistic but melancholy too. He had a belief in people’s essential goodness; except every single person for who they were. He had an intimate hope and empathy for people’s individual and collective structures. It’s going to be a great loss.
He was a bit of a homebody. He cultivated an image for himself. When he was running for Vice President (with the Citizen’s Party), he wanted to be out splitting wood when they arrived so they would see the old Yankee at work. He had such a good sense of humor, always made fun of himself.
When traveling, he would access the culture through food; stalking all the neighborhoods, and looking over the menus on the local eateries wherever the locals ate. He took local transportation – no first class for Richard… always traveling with the people. It was always such an experience and so much fun. He would make friends with travelers and local people and he would follow up even years later and they were always happy to see him. It was his way of having a true experience.
He and Erin became very close. It was wonderful for her, even as a little kid. Once, in France, when she was 8 or 9, we met one of his students and spent a whole day on a French farmhouse. We had bread and wine and escargot. No English and only a little bit of French so we had fun navigating the whole experience. What a time we had. You could always count on him. He had a true commitment and was able to balance that with fun and work and travel in his life.
Most of us get so involved in our focus but he had such a wide level that is not something everybody could do. I just really admire that in him. I learned a lot about my own life. He walked the talk. If it’s true of anybody, it’s true of Richard.
Bill Harley – one of the founders of Stone Soup and one of his closest friends
He was so charismatic. He was my greatest cheerleader in some ways. He was always there. He filled this space that I don’t think anybody else can fill now.
I think that Richard’s genius was that he was definitely not doctrinaire. What he really wanted was for everybody to get along and everybody to be taken care of. He had a politics of kindness. He would support the cause with his presence and example. He was a Uniter; especially on a grassroots level.
‘When I feed the hungry, they call me a saint. When I call for change they call me a communist.’
We’re all going to miss him more than any of us realized.
Debbie Block – wife and producer of Bill Harley, was also one of Richard’s closest friends
He was larger than life. He was a model of what you get when you pay attention to your better angels. He was an incredible teacher. That’s one of the other things that was most inspiring: how did you use your gift? And he lived so simply. That’s something else to admire. He’s going to be missed for a long time. I do hope we take that part of Richard that we admired and go forward and make it a part of what we do.
Often in life joy and sorrow live side by side. That’s just one of the things we have to deal with.
Joyce Katzberg – long time activist and folk singer, another founder of Stone Soup
I just saw him at a party on the 23rd. It really hit me… we were caught by surprise… I went over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was a fabulous drinking partner. And he was a part of so many different communities. He brought together so many communities from very different places.
Richard Walton was not afraid to use the F-word; and by the F-word I mean fascism. Richard was always the moderating voice. He had a great sense of humor. I loved that he saw things on his own terms. He didn’t need to conform to the tie and suit crowd.
I will never forget sleeping out with Richard on Representative Claudine Schneider’s office lawn one very cold and icy night. Richard and I told stories and laughed most of the night away as we were side by side, each in our refrigerator boxes. For years after that, when he would introduce me at Stone Soup Coffee house, he would teasingly brag that he had “slept” with me. LOL! “I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve slept with Joyce Katzberg.” I’m having a hard time dealing with Stone Soup. I’m sad for myself and everybody else. Richard led a glorious life. The sadness is for those who are left behind.
It reminds me how lucky we are that we have this activist community. There are some people who are ‘hugs’ people and he was certainly one of them. He didn’t need to label you. And he was able to retain respectful relationships with people who were 180 degrees from him. He came from a place of deep respect. He was much more interested in getting work done. That is so rare.
That leaves us as the new, old guard. All the people who taught me are almost all gone. The pain you feel is almost in direct proportion to the love you felt.
Dennis Byrnes – Richard’s cousin and long time activist
My mother always talked about him. I met him later in life. He had dealings with Alger Hiss, you know. He interviewed him when he was a Daily News reporter in NY, I think, during the McCarthy era. His book about Kennedy got him on the Merv Griffin show. He was so inquisitive, was always ahead on the issues. In his gentle manner, he always managed to get his point across. He hardened my feelings on activism. Mother collected everything about Richard. His mother Gertrude took in anyone during the Depression. Richard gave a lot of his money away for the benefit of the people of Nicaragua and others. If he heard you had problems, he would be there. He was never afraid to be out there. Cold, wind… it would never occur to him to be anywhere else if you were a true American – unselfish.
He knew how to talk to both sides of the fence. How could you not like Richard? You would warm right up to him. And he had the oddest assortment of friends; right, left, they all respected him.
I was stunned when I heard he was gone. It was the finality of it. To never ask him what he thought again… He always gave his absolute honest opinion. He would give you all the time that you needed. And he always got back to you.
Dana Holmgren – long time friend and traveling companion with Niquinohomo Sister City Project
In 1987 a group of Rhode Islanders went again to Nicaragua, this time to build a school a couple miles out of town. The group had brought down bicycles to use in our daily commute and then distribute to the community afterwards. The bike distribution process amongst us brigadistas was fairly haphazard… I ended up, for my two weeks, with an undersized banana seat bike. Riding it was bothering my knees a bit, young as I was at the time. I did, however, figure I was entitled, somehow, to a ride-able bike as I, as a nurse, was also the health person ‘responsible’ for the group. While talking with a few people, I floated the idea of a bike rotation amongst the brigadistas, for the selfish purpose of relieving my knees. Richard, who had a great bike, and who had to have been around 60 at the time, immediately offered to trade bikes with me. I was completely chagrined about my whining and shut up immediately.
Richard continued to visit his host family in Niquinohomo for many years, long after the Sister City Project was no longer sending work brigades, and continued to benefit Niquinohomo (as well as Amos House) via his now legendary birthday parties on the Bay.
Rick Wahlberg – long time friend and past-president of Stone Soup
He was a like a grandfather. Community was his gift. Hope. Nobody should feel sad; he’s at peace. He is. He brought people together. He was not afraid of influencing you through non-violence, you would come along eventually. He was just a reasonable man. There are very few of them out there. He was friends with republicans! He was literally a real friend.
Tony Affigne – long time friend and Professor of Political Science at Providence College
I knew him for 30 years. He was my campaign manager in 1986 when I was the Citizen’s party candidate for governor. He was instrumental in formulating our fair labor policy progressive statement: minimum wage, bargaining rights, labor rights, alternative energy – using Quonset for windmills, solar; Central America policy – support for the people of El Salvador. His writing ability gave him lots of credibility. Back then, the RI National Guard built roads for the army to attack the rebels and the Governor of RI was the Commander in Chief. He had an idea to paint all of the National Guard vehicles white for emergency, environmental response units.
The first Green Party meeting was in 1992. Richard was always the stalwart through all the turbulent times and had a clear vision: the Democratic Party was where progressive ideas go to die. He traveled all over the world and gave voice to foreign policy, history and contemporary politics. He kept the minutes of 6-hour national meetings, one of a handful of leaders because of his long experience. If Jill stein had gotten 5% of the RI vote, he would have been the convener of the party.
He always did the hard work, so that it would always be there, always be ready in the future, when the time came. The public would realize that there was not another option. And when it was the most discouraging, he didn’t feel like he had wasted his time: someday the Green party would be there. But he had a long life before the green party too.
He spent Christmas with the homeless and was the first to write about it. He knew that the best way to write their stories was to live with them; and lovingly tell their story. He wrote about them not to make himself famous but to really bring home to RI the plight of real people, the normalcy, to show that they were just like us. He wanted to really humanize the struggles about housing.
Richard’s art was always to make progressive politics normal to people, taking care of people, The thought came naturally, he would wake up each day and know that he was part of the society and he recognized that he had a responsibility to give back, to take care of others.
Richard walked the picket line at Brown & Sharpe when he was campaign manager for Hillary Salk’s Citizen’s party campaign for governor. Margaret Kann, Paul McNeil… Joe Buck was involved. We met and put together a campaign for the run for governor. We held our first press conference in South Providence. We knew it would impact coverage but it was the right thing to do. The Press wouldn’t come because they thought the equipment was unsafe at the corner of Public and Broad. People needed to know that there was a party and campaign that cared. He walked from Pawtuxet to the office.
The Green party formed after the Exxon Valdez incident. The Citizen’s party was national; the Green party was international. It was a way to make progress if not here then in other states that it would trickle over to.
I think he started Stone Soup to keep himself grounded and alive. He got as much out of it as he contributed to it. He still felt hopeful because he kept seeing young people every year learning the skills.
Part 2 is available Here
Legendary local progressive activist, author and one-time vice presidential candidate Richard Walton has passed away, confirms the Providence Journal.
The word first spread via his Facebook page, where a friend wrote this morning, “Richard Walton, former reporter, teacher, activist for social justice and the man who got me online in 1989, has died. Peace at last, Richard.”
The Providence Journal reports that he died on Thursday of leukemia.
“In his trademark bib overalls and bandana, Walton was a fixture at local anti-nuclear and peace vigils for years,” wrote Karen Lee Ziner, of the Providence Journal. “He worked assiduously against homelessness, poverty and hunger.”
According to a Wikipedia page, he was “an American writer, teacher, and politician.He was the vice-presidential nominee in 1984 of the short-lived Citizens Party; Sonia Johnson was the party’s presidential nominee that year.”
“Every year for his own birthday from 1988 to 2011, Walton hosted a substantial fundraiser at his home that was typically attended by several hundred people, including sitting and former governors, senators, congressional representatives, and media personalities who were in some cases his former students,” according to Wikipedia, which contains a short summary of his life and his activism
