By Will Weatherly on June 21, 2018
Those who attended Nika Lomazzo‘s first stand-up show at AS220 were met with a bit of an apt misnomer: the show was titled “Imposter Syndrome,” but it was clear that Lomazzo, an outspoken figure in her neighborhood of Federal Hill in Providence, was nothing but the real deal. Her trenchant critiques of local politics, delivered […]
Posted in Featured, LGBTQ, News, People, Politics | Tagged affordable housing, Gina Raimondo, John Lombardi, lgbtq, Nika Lomazzo, pride, Providence, queer rights, The Dark Lady, trans rights |
By Steve Ahlquist on October 13, 2017
“The findings reveal disturbing patterns of mistreatment and discrimination and startling disparities between transgender people in the survey and the US population…”
Posted in Civil Rights, Featured, Health Care, Homelessness, Housing, Inequality, Labor, LGBTQ, Providence, Tennesse | Tagged 2015 US Transgender Survey, ACLU, Ethan Huckel, GLAD, National Center for Transgender Equality, Rhode Island Commission on Human Rights, Rhode Island Department of Education, ride, TGI Network |
By Steve Ahlquist on October 4, 2017
Education Commissioner Ken Wagner announced his commitment to require all school districts in the state to adopt comprehensive policies affirming the civil rights of transgender and gender non-conforming students.
Posted in Civil Rights, Education, Featured, LGBTQ, Rhode Island, Youth | Tagged ACLU of RI, Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, donald trump, ken wagner, Marcela Betancur, Rhode Island Department of Education, ride, transgender students |
By Steve Ahlquist on October 2, 2017
Well over 400 people converged on India Point Park for the March for Racial Justice (M4RJ). Sister marches were held across the country. In Providence, the “march” was actually more of a rally.
Posted in Activism, Arkansas, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Climate, Criminal Justice, Education, Environmental Racism, Events, Featured, Gun Control, Health Care, Immigration, Indigenous Americans, Inequality, Justice, LGBTQ, National News, News, People, Photos, Poverty, Prison Reform, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, Sex Work, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged AMOR, Arely Díaz, Behind the Walls, Black Studies Academy of Rhode Island, Blue Lives Matter, Cata Lorenzo, Celeste Terry-Lo, Community Defense Project, Community Safety Act, CSA, Daniel Chhum, DARE, David Veliz, direct action for rights and equality, Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island, India Point Park, John Prince, Justice Gaines, M4RJ, Malchus Mills, March for Racial Justice, Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, Marco McWilliams, Narragansett Tribe, Niko Merritt, Nirva LaFortune, No LNG in PVD, Project Weber/RENEW, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Randy Noka, rent control, Ron Lewis, Sankofa Community Connection, Seneca Pender, Stephen Dy, Tatiana Jones, Times Squared Academy, Vanessa Flores-Maldonaldo, Yojaida Heredia |
By Steve Ahlquist on September 13, 2017
“You can’t force people to love and sometimes when you force you actually create the very issues that you say you are trying to prevent,” said Education Commissioner Ken Wagner.
Posted in Civil Rights, Education, Featured, LGBTQ, News, Religion, Rhode Island, Video, Youth | Tagged Alexander Hoffman, Beth Capron, Council on Postsecondary Education, Donald Anderson, Family Services Rhode Island, Kayla David, ken wagner, Marcela Betancur, Marta V Martínez, Rhode Island Department of Education, Rhode Island State Council of Churches, ride |
By Steve Ahlquist on September 10, 2017
“As low-income queer youth of color, Trump’s policies continue to affect our community. He and his policies place fear in our hearts, for not only our well being, but for everyone around us.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Featured, Inequality, LGBTQ, National News, News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, Video, Youth | Tagged Betsy DeVos, Charlottesville, CJC, Community Justice College, DACA, Defend DACA RI, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, donald trump, Dreamers, Environmental Justice League, Heather Hyer, kennedy plaza, Providence Career and Technical Academy, providence student union, Vice News, What Cheer Brigade |
By Steve Ahlquist on September 9, 2017
“I’m here because I’m standing up for human dignity, for migrant dignity and undocumented immigrant dignity…”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Featured, Immigration, Inequality, LGBTQ, National News, News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, State House, Video, Youth | Tagged aaron regunberg, BIRC, Brown Immigrant Rights Coalition, Burnside Park, Carmen Castillo, CASO, Coalition of Advocates for Student Opportunities, DACA, David Cicilline, Deborah Gonzalez, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, donald trump, gayle goldin, Gina Raimondo, grace diaz, james diossa, Javier Juarez, jorge elorza, Marta V Martínez, Nirva LaFortune, PIRC, Providence Immigrant Rights Coalition, providence student union, Rhode Island State House, Roger Williams University, Sabina Matos, Tatiana Hall |
By ACLU of RI on September 7, 2017
A recent report from the ACLU of RI found that more than 25 percent of RI public schools have no comprehensive policy in place to protect transgender and gender non-conforming students.
Posted in Civil Rights, Education, Featured, LGBTQ, Rhode Island, Youth | Tagged ACLU of Rhode Island, ACLU of RI, AIDS Project Rhode Island, Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health, Council of Elementary and Secondary Education, donald trump, GLAD, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias, Rhode Island Department of Education, Rhode Island State Council of Churches, Rhode Island Working Families, ride, Steven Brown |
By Steve Ahlquist on August 30, 2017
“When Wendy Becker came to me again and asked me to work on the conversion therapy ban, I had to say yes. Wendy was just amazing in her running the campaign for passage of this bill.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Featured, Health Care, Justice, LGBTQ, National News, Photos, Rhode Island, State House, Video, Youth | Tagged American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, Donna Nesselbush, Edie Ajello, General Assembly, Gina Raimondo, Lisa Carcieri, Wendy Becker, Youth Pride Inc, YPI |
By Steve Ahlquist on August 10, 2017
“Simply put, Municipal ID cards affirm your residency in out city, regardless of immigration status, regardless of housing status or criminal history,” said Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza
Posted in Civil Rights, Domestic Violence, Featured, Homelessness, Immigration, Infrastructure, LGBTQ, National News, News, Providence, Race & Racism, Religion, Rhode Island, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged A Sweet Creation, ACLU of Rhode Island, Crossroads Rhode Island, Dean Isabella, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Higher Ground International, Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, jorge elorza, Lucas Hawthorne, Mary Kay Harris, Muslim-American Advisory Board, NAACP Providence Branch, New Bridges for Haitian Success, OpenDoors, Providence Human Relations Commission, Providence Municipal ID Cards, Providence Police Department, Refugee Dream Center, Rodrigo Pimental, Southside Cultural Center, Steven Brown, TGI Network, Theresa Agonia, Year Up, Youth Pride Inc |
By Steve Ahlquist on July 30, 2017
Carly Crystal is a combat veteran discharged from the military just before the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and spent four years on the streets as a homeless veteran.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Defense, Events, Featured, Health Care, Justice, LGBTQ, National News, News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, State House, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged Carly Crystal, donald trump, Ethan Huckel, Jaye Watts, Milá Kingsley, Nika Lomazzo, Project Weber/RENEW, Tatiana Jones, TGI Network |
By Steve Ahlquist on June 30, 2017
“This process is carefully designed to meet the needs of the employee enacting the protocols while providing training and tools in order to promote a supportive work environment.”
Posted in Civil Rights, Events, Featured, Health Care, LGBTQ, National News, News, Providence | Tagged Emily Crowell, jorge elorza, Santa Rosa, Transgender Law Center, transgender rights, Workplace Gender Transition Protocols |
By Steve Ahlquist on June 24, 2017
“Police enforce criminal law, but immigration law is civil. Using police to enforce civil law is unconstitutional,” said Jim Cowan, speaking for the Standing on the Side of Love Committee at First Unitarian Church in Providence.
Posted in Activism, Featured, Immigration, LGBTQ, Religion, Rhode Island | Tagged ACLU, CBP, Customs and Border Protection, donald trump, First Unitarian Church of Providence, ice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Immigration Protection Ordinance, Jim Cowan, Law Enforcement Agency, LEA, RI Pride, Standing on the Side of Love Committee |
By ACLU of RI on June 13, 2017
The report highlights the multitude of issues facing transgender and gender non-conforming students, including privacy and confidentiality, the use of students’ preferred pronouns and participation in gender-segregated activities.
Posted in Featured, LGBTQ, Women | Tagged Access to Public Records Act, ACLU of RI, American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, apra, arcela Betancur, Marcela Betancur, RI Department of Education, ride, Steven Brown |
By Steve Ahlquist on June 12, 2017
Providence kicked off Pride on Sunday with a rally at the Rhode Island State House followed by a march to Providence City Hall for a Pride Flag raising event featuring Mayor Jorge Elorza and Governor Gina Raimondo. Across the country Pride events are being challenged to be more inclusive and diverse. In Boston yesterday the […]
Posted in Activism, Boston MA, Civil Rights, Featured, Health Care, Inequality, LGBTQ, National News, Photos, Providence, Rhode Island, State House, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged After Orlando, Ashley Delgado, Beth Alianiello, Christian Fairlove, Dave Rabinow, George Evans Marley, Gina Raimondo, Jeff Hodge, Joe Wilson Jr, jorge elorza, Kate Monteiro, Kelly Henry, Lynne Collinson, Melody Lucas, Milly Massey, Naomi Chomsky, Nika Lomazzo, Orlando FL, pride, Pride Flag, Providence City Hall, Pulse, Rhode Island Pride, Rhode Island State House, Tim Rondeau, Wilbury Theater Group |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 31, 2017
Those advocating for the bill’s passage cheered when McNamara called for the bill to be passed, and cheered again when the bill overwhelmingly passed.
Posted in Featured, LGBTQ, State House, Video, Youth | Tagged Brian Newberry, conversion therapy, David Coughlin, Donna Nesselbush, Edie Ajello, House Health Education and Welfare Committee, Joseph McNamara, Kenneth Marshall, Michael Chippendale, Ramon Perez, Sherry Roberts |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 27, 2017
The biggest reveal? The new name of the ordinance is the “Providence Community-Police Relations Act.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Featured, Immigration, LGBTQ, News, Providence | Tagged Bryan Principe, Community Safety Act, Courtney Hawkins, CSA, CSA Working Group, Home Rule Charter, Hugh Clements, Justice Gaines, Kathryn Sabatini, Linda Heng, Martha Yager, Mary Kay Harris, Nick Freeman, Providence City Council, Providence Community-Police Relations Act, Report of the Community Safety Act Working Group, Robert Boehm, Shannah Kurland, Steven Pare, Terrence Hassett |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 26, 2017
In the end, common ground was found and every instance of contentious wording in the draft ordinance was settled via unanimous agreement by members of the CSA Working Group. The final version of the Community Safety Act (CSA) was officially approved and will be now ready to be voted on by the full Providence City Council on June 1.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Featured, LGBTQ, Providence, Race & Racism, Video, Youth | Tagged AFSC-SENE, American Friends Service Committee - South Eastern New England, Bryan Principe, Community Safety Act, Courtney Hawkins, CSA, CSA Working Group, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, gang database, Hugh Clements, Justice Gaines, Kate Sabatini, Linda Heng, Martha Yager, Mary Kay Harris, Nick Freeman, Providence City Council, Providence FOP, Providence Police Department, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Robert Boehm, Shannah Kurland, Stand Up for Racial Justice, Steven Pare, SURJ, Terrence Hassett |
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