By Will Weatherly on August 2, 2018
Sitting in The Lunch Box, a Dominican restaurant on Park Avenue in Cranston, Democratic candidate for Providence city council Deya Garcia (Ward 8, Reservoir and West End) shows me pictures of flowers. Her neighbors have dug in chayote, a kind of squash plant usually reserved for humid climates, and gave Garcia tips on how to […]
Posted in Education, Energy, Environmental Racism, Featured, News, Providence | Tagged DARE, Deya Garcia, Education, environmental racism, Fields Point LNG Plant, James Taylor, Mashapaug Pond, National Organization for Women, Rhode Island Jobs with Justice, Ward 8, wilbur jennings |
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 20, 2017
As the crowd gathered outside Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza’s offices on the second floor of City Hall chanted, “We’re not for sale!” one member stepped forward and began demolishing two piñatas.
Posted in Activism, Class Warfare, Environmental Racism, Featured, Housing, Inequality, Infrastructure, National News, Photos, Providence, Rhode Island, Video | Tagged Acquisition and Revitalization Program, ARP, Barbara Fields, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Elena McCann, jorge elorza, Malchus Mills, Renter Week of Action, Rhode Island Housing, Terri Wright |
By Steve Ahlquist on September 8, 2017
The Democratic Party has railed against Trump’s decision to end DACA in six months but actual action, in the form of legislation that could help undocumented immigrants in RI, has not passed in the Democrat controlled General Assembly.
Posted in Cities and Towns, Civil Rights, Featured, Immigration, Justice, National News, Rhode Island, State House, Youth | Tagged ACLU of Rhode Island, Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education, Blackstone Valley Economic Progress Institute, Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, DACA, DARE, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Direct Action or Rights and Equality, donald trump, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, driver's licenses, fuerza laboral, General Assembly, ice, Latino Policy Institute, NAACP Providence Branch, providence student union, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Refugee Dream Center, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Rhode Island Democratic Party, Rhode Island State Council of Churches, Sojourner House, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement |
By Steve Ahlquist on August 31, 2017
We are here to let [RIH] know that they have to use the bond for what it was originally sanctioned for, and that is to help low and lower income folks have an apartment, stay in their apartment, and help them have some stability in their life.”
Posted in Activism, Class Warfare, Featured, Homelessness, Housing, Inequality, Infrastructure, Labor, National News, Photos, Poverty, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, Video | Tagged DARE, direct action for rights and equality, First Source, Malchus Mills, Mary Kay Harris, Michael Araujo, Property Acquisition and Revitalization Program, Rhode Island Housing, Rhode Island Jobs with Justice, RIH, Tenant and Homeowner Association, THA |
By Steve Ahlquist on July 21, 2017
The delay in passing a budget has “real and mounting human costs”…
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Economics, Featured, Justice, Minimum Wage, National News, Religion, Rhode Island, State House | Tagged American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island, Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Dominick Ruggerio, Economic Progress Institute, fuerza laboral, Georgia Hollister-Isman, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Mental Health Association of RI, Ministers Alliance of Rhode Island, Nicholas Mattiello, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Progreso Latino, Rachel Flum, Religious Coalition for a Violence-Free Rhode Island, Rhode Island Chapter, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Rhode Island General Assembly, Rhode Island Public Radio, Rhode Island State House, RI Community Action Association, RI Council of Churches, RI Jobs with Justice, RI NOW, RI Racial Justice Coalition, RI Regional Adult Learning, RI Working Families, RIRAL, sierra club, Step Up Center International, UNAP, United Nurses and Allied Professionals |
By Steve Ahlquist on June 15, 2017
“There are no residents of the communities where these homes and businesses will be created making decisions about where this money goes!”
Posted in Activism, Class Warfare, Corporate Greed, Featured, Housing, Inequality, News, Photos, Poverty, Providence, Race & Racism, Video | Tagged Area Median Income, Barbara Fields, DARE, Deborah Wray, direct action for rights and equality, Malchus Mills, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Nicolas Retsinas, NLIHC, Out of Reach, Property Acquisition and Revitalization Program, RI Housing, Tenant and Homeowner Association, THA |
By Bob Plain on June 14, 2017
If the General Assembly enacts a study commission in lieu of legalizing cannabis this year, it will have to do so without the benefit of Regulate Rhode Island, the local NAACP chapter, and DARE. Calling the proposed study commission a “flawed delay tactic,” the pro-pot advocacy group said in an email today that coalition members […]
Posted in Featured, Marijuana, State House | Tagged cannabis, DARE, jared moffat, marijuana, Moffat, NAACP, regulate ri |
By ACLU of RI on May 30, 2017
“This ordinance will only serve to punish the City’s already vulnerable poor, and divert police attention away from meaningful law enforcement activities,” said Barbara Freitas, director of RIHAP.
Posted in Class Warfare, Featured, Homelessness, Providence | Tagged ACLU of Rhode Island, Barbara Freitas, DARE, Direct Action for Rights an Equality, homeless bill of rights, Homeless Bill of Rights Committee, House of Hope CDC, jorge elorza, kennedy plaza, Providence City Council, RI Homeless Advocacy Project, rihap, SouthCoast Fair Housing, Steven Pare |
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 |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 20, 2017
“This report pulls together data that have been highlighted by different sources and community members over the years to provide a full picture of how Black Rhode Islanders are faring in the Ocean State,” said Rachel Flum, Executive Director of the Economic Progress Institute (EPI).
Posted in Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Economics, Featured, Inequality, Justice, Poverty, Race & Racism, Rhode Island | Tagged DARE, direct action for rights and equality, DOC, Economic Progress Institute, EPI, Great Recession, jobs with justice, Justice Gaines, NAACP Providence, NAEP, National Assessment of Educational Progress, Opportunities Industrialization Center, Progreso Latino, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Rachel Flum, Racial Justice Coalition of Rhode Island, Refugee Dream Center, Rhode Island Department of Corrections, The State of Black Families in Rhode Island 2015, The State of Working Rhode Island Workers of Color |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 12, 2017
Since the Community Safety Act was tabled at the last Providence City Council meeting, a lot has happened. Here’s where we stand now…
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Featured, Inequality, Labor, LGBTQ, Politics, Providence, Race & Racism, Video, Youth | Tagged ACLU of Rhode Island, Bryan Principe, Community Safety Act, Courtney Hawkins, CSA, CSA Working Group, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, FOP, Home Rule Charter, Hugh Clements, Jeffrey Dana, Jo-Ann Ryan, Justice Gaines, Kate Sabatini, Kevin Jackson, Luis Aponte, Martha Yager, Mary Kay Harris, OMA, Open Meetings Act, Providence City Council, Providence City Council Ordinance Committee, Providence City Hall, Providence FOP, Providence Fraternal Order of Police, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Robert Boehm, Samuel Zurier, seth yurdin, Shannah Kurland, Sophia Wright, Steven Pare, Terrance Hassett, va |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 2, 2017
“For five hours today, we actually did create a new world where food was free,” said Michael Araujo at the end of the day, “We shared each others company equally, safely and beautifully. Children were able to play without any fear. And everyone lifted each other up throughout this entire process.”
Posted in Activism, Featured, Holidays, Justice, Photos, Rhode Island, Video | Tagged afsc, BASE, Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion, Community Safety Act, CSA, DARE, Diocese of Providence, Direct Action or Rights and Equality, Environmental Justice League of RI, FANG Collective, green party, May Day March and Rally, Michael Araujo, No LNG in PVD Coalition, Our Revolution-RI, Providence City Council, Providence City Council Ordinance Committee, Providence City Hall, Providence Public School Department, RAGE, Resistance and Action for Gender Equity, Rhode Island Jobs with Justice, RI Department of Education, Socialist Alternative, Standing Up for Racial Justice, SURJ, Textron, Thomas Tobin, US District Court of RI |
By Steve Ahlquist on April 28, 2017
“It would just be easier if they told us that black lives don’t matter. It would just be easier if the told us they don’t think trans is beautiful. It would just be so much easier if they just said they’re racist. If they said we don’t have to play these fucking games.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Featured, Inequality, LGBTQ, News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged AFSC-SENE, American Friends Service Committee – South East New England, Bryan Principe, Carmen Castillo, Community Safety Act, CSA, Dan McGowan, DARE, David Salvatore, direct action for rights and equality, Hugh Clements, Jo-Ann Ryan, John Igliozzi, jorge elorza, Kevin Jackson, Luis Aponte, Mary Kay Harris, Michael Correia, Nicholas Narducci, Olneyville Neighborhood Association, ona, Providence City Council, Providence FOP, Providence Fraternal Order of the Police, Providence Police Department, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Sabina Matos, Samuel Zurier, seth yurdin, Step-Up Coalition, Steven Pare, Terrence Hassett, Vanessa Flores-Maldonado, wilbur jennings |
By Sophia Wright on April 26, 2017
DARE’s Behind the Walls Committee has made enormous strides in winning changes to the Providence Housing Authority’s admissions policies toward the goal of eliminating the discrimination against community members with criminal records.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Criminal Justice, Featured, Housing, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism | Tagged ACLU, Behind the Walls Committee, DARE, Direct Action for Rights and Equity, PHA, Providence Housing Authority, Shriver Center |
By Steve Ahlquist on April 21, 2017
The Community Safety Act (CSA), a city ordinance that prohibits profiling not just by race but expands the list of protections to include gender identity, gender expression and housing status, passed the Providence City Council 12-0, with three city councilors absent.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Criminal Justice, Featured, Immigration, LGBTQ, New York, News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, Video, Youth | Tagged AFSC-SENE, American Friends Service Committee – South East New England, Bryan Principe, Carmen Castillo, Change the NYPD, Community Safety Act, CSA, DARE, David Cicilline, David Salvatore, direct action for rights and equality, EFF, Electronic Frontiers Foundation, Jo-Ann Ryan, John Igliozzi, jorge elorza, Kevin Jackson, Luis Aponte, Mary Kay Harris, Michael Correia, Nicholas Narducci, Olneyville Neighborhood Association, ona, Peter Kilmartin, Providence City Council, Providence City Council Ordinance Committee, Providence Fraternal Order of Police, Providence Police Department, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Sabina Matos, Samuel Zurier, seth yurdin, Shahid Buttar, Sophia Wright, STEP-UP Network, Steven Pare, Terrence Hassett, wilbur jennings |
By Steve Ahlquist on April 11, 2017
The Community Safety Act is about safety, said Flores-Maldonado. “We have made compromises. We’ve made a lot of compromises… but you have to remember we are compromising our safety, and that is dangerous to a lot of us in this community.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Featured, Immigration, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Rhode Island, Video, Youth | Tagged ACLU of Rhode Island, AJ Methe, Andrew Horwitz, Bryan Principe, Carmen Castillo, Community Safety Act, CSA, Curt Columbus, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Eduardo Sandoval, Fred Ordonez, ice, Imaginary Entertainment, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Jo-Ann Ryan, John Lombardi, jorge elorza, Joseph Buchanan, Justice Gaines, Kevin Jackson, Luis Aponte, Mary Kay Harris, Michael Correira, Michael Solomon, Peter Glantz, Providence City Council Ordinance Committee, Providence City Hall, Providence Youth Student Movement, PrYSM, Sabina Matos, Shannah Kurland, Sophia Wright, Step-Up Coalition, Stephen Fortunado, Steven Brown, Steven Dy, Steven Pare, Terrence Hassett, Trinity Rep, Vanessa Flores-Maldonado |
By Steve Ahlquist on April 10, 2017
“It’s fair to say that legislators and corporate lobbyists in Rhode Island are freaking out a bit seeing the amount of involvement and energy from our side,” said activist Jane Tucker, “They’re realizing that something is really happening here.”
Posted in Featured | Tagged aaron regunberg, aca, Arthur Corvese, Community Safety Act, CSA, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Dorcas International Institute, Extraordinary Rendition Band, fuerza laboral, ice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Jane Tucker, Jessica Sherwood, JSEC, Juanita Sanchez Education Complex, Neil Gorsuch, Providence City Council, Resist Hate Restaurant Week, Resist Hate Rhode Island, Resist Hate RI, RHRI, Roe. v. Wade, sam zurier, Sanctuary cities, seth yurdin, Sofia Wright, Steve Bannon, Vanessa Flores-Maldonado, Week of Resistance |
By Sophia Wright on March 16, 2017
For the past two years, the Behind the Walls Committee at Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE) has led a campaign to provide fair access to public housing for people with criminal records and their families.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Featured, Housing, Photos, Prison Reform, Providence, Race & Racism, Video | Tagged Behind the Walls Committee, BTW, DARE, Dexter Manor, direct action for rights and equality, Housing and Urban Development, HUD, Manton Heights, PHA, Providence Housing Authority |
By Steve Ahlquist on March 10, 2017
“When you tell a radical Christian, when you tell a humanist – it’s not just a Christian thing but it is a Christian thing and I’m a Christian pastor – when you make a law telling me I can’t help somebody, as God is my witness I’m going to violate that law.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Featured, Homelessness, Inequality, Photos, Poverty, Religion, State House, Video | Tagged Charlene Lima, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Duane Clinker, Edie Ajello, Jane Young, Jason Knight, Jeremiah O’Grady, Justin price, LeeAnn Byrne, Malcus Mills, Megan Smith, Michael Araujo, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Randall Rose, Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, RI ACLU, RI Jobs with Justice, Robert Nardolillo, Steven Brown |
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