Resources:

GUIDE TO PROGRESSIVE CULTURE & ACTIVISM AT BROWN:

Because we know how hard it is to be an activist in unknown territory, we’ve compiled this handy list of resources on College Hill and beyond. This listing is by no means completely inclusive, but we encourage you to use these suggestions as a starting point for exploration.

MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

The Providence Phoenix: This is an awesome place to start your quest for alternative Providence area news as well as arts and entertainment listings. The Phoenix includes a weekly calendar of hot events and reviews of the local arts scene. The Phoenix is a weekly newspaper and can be picked up for free in many area businesses and on the Brown Campus at the Rockefeller and Sciences libraries. http://www.thephoenix.com/

AS220: Situated in downtown Providence, AS220 is a non-profit community arts center, consisting of 19 studios where artists live and work, 4 galleries, a performance space, a community darkroom, a bar and café. AS220 offers eclectic and interesting events nightly; a complete schedule is available on their website. 115 Empire Street. 401.831.9327. http://www.as220.org/
                                                                                               
The Providence Black Repertory Company (“Black Rep”): The Black Rep’s mission is to “produce and present artistic performances that bring people together, provoke thought, inspire hope, and create understanding” through its three focus areas of theatre, education, and public programs. 276 Westminster Street. 401.351.0353. http://www.blackrep.org/ 

Avon Cinema and Cable Car Cinema: These two theaters screen documentary, independent, and foreign films. Located right on Thayer Street, Avon Cinema offers $6.50 bargain matinees and midnight movies on Friday and Saturday. 260 Thayer Street. 401.421.AVON. http://www.avoncinema.com/
The Cable Car Cinema has comfy couches for seating, live pre-show music, and a $2 student discount on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights with valid college ID. 204 South Main Street. 401.272.3970. http://www.cablecarcinema.com/

Rites and Reason Theater: Affiliated with the Africana Studies department, the Rites and Reason Theater is a place where students produce and perform awareness-raising pieces with members of the local community, using a unique process called the Research-to-Performance Method (RPM). As stated on the Rites and Reason website, “the RPM is a rational and systematic process that organizes teams of artists, scholars and researchers in the scholarly and creative development of new plays.” 155 Angell Street. 401.863.3558. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/African_American_Studies/RitesandReason/

Symposium Books: This independent bookstore sells academic oriented titles on topics ranging from art theory to labor history at reduced prices. 240 Westminster Street. 401.273.7900. http://www.symposiumbooks.com/

SOCIALLY CONCIOUS DINING

Hourglass Café: A non-profit café run by student volunteers serving fair trade, organic, vegetarian and local options. All proceeds go to Oxfam America, an NGO working to combat hunger, poverty, and social injustice throughout the world. The Hourglass is also available for events and student performances. The Underground, Basement of Faunce House, Monday-Thursday 6-9PM. http://www.brown.edu/Students/Hourglass_Cafe/

Coffee Exchange: This cozy coffee shop on Wickenden Street is a haven for those who want their daily caffeine fix without supporting corporate greed. Coffee Exchange offers fair trade coffee and many organic and shade-grown options, as well as tea, breakfast foods, dessert, and other standard café fare. 207 Wickenden Street. 401.273.1198. http://www.coffeexchange.com/

Providence Farmers’ Markets: There are several farmers’ markets throughout the Providence area sponsored by Farm Fresh Rhode Island, the brainchild of 2004 Brown graduate Louella Hill. Every Wednesday afternoon from late August through November Brown students have the convenience of a farmer’s market located right on Wriston Quad. Various times and locations. Brown Dining Farmers’ Market-Wednesdays, 11am-2pm, August-November. In front of the Ratty, Wriston Quad. http://www.farmfreshri.org/ 

MISCELLANEOUS

Fox Point Community Garden: A result of the hard work of many Brown student groups and District One City Councilman David Segal, the Fox Point Community Garden provides about 125 plots to residents of Fox Point, Wayland, and College Hill. Between Gano Street and the Seekonk River, just south of Power Street. david@votesegal.com.

Brown Association of Cooperative Housing (BACH): For room and board beyond freshman year, BACH is a non-profit cooperation consisting of approximately 30 people who reside in BACH’s two houses, Watermyn and Finlandia, and non-residents who participate in the vegetarian food co-op. Watermyn-166 Waterman Street. Finlandia-116 Waterman Street. BACH-401.453.6836. http://www.brown.edu/Students/BACH/

Here are somecontacts to help you connect with Providence’s numerous activist groups.

On Campus:

Swearer Center for Public Service: 25 George Street. 401.863.2338. http://swearercenter.brown.edu/

Sarah Doyle Women’s Center: 26 Benevolent Street. 401.863.2189. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Sarah_Doyle_Center/

LGBTQ Resource Center: Room 321, Faunce House. 401.863.3062. http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Office_of_Student_Life/lgbtq/

Third World Center: 68 Brown Street. 401.863.2120. http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/TWC/

Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life: Room 228, Faunce House. 401.863.2344. http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Chaplains/

Center for Environmental Studies: 135 Angell Street. 401.863.3449. http://envstudies.brown.edu/

List of Student Groups at Brown: http://www.brown.edu/web/gab3/

Off Campus:

List of Progressive Rhode Island groups: http://www.progressiveri.org/

American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): The AFSC is a Quaker run organization that brings together people of all beliefs who are committed to nonviolence, justice, and service. The office for Southeastern New England is located in downtown Providence, and focuses on Middle East peace building, demilitarization, and issues of community and justice. Nearby Beneficent Church is ameeting place for many community activist groups. 33 Chestnut Street. 401.521.3584. http://www.afsc.org/sene/

ORGANIZING EVENTS:

Planning to bring a speaker to campus?  Holding a rally?  Organizing direct action?  It helps to know what Brown’s policy is and to understand your rights as a student.  First consider your location:

• Room Reservations:  Most University space must be reserved through Mary Sullivan (401.863.2108).  Contact her as soon as possible to reserve a room suitable to your event.
• Green Space Reservations:  If your event is outside, you need to get in touch with the Student Activities Office (SAO) on the first floor of Faunce.  Green reservations must be made two weeks in advance.  Amplified sound is not allowed if there are classes nearby.

Once you have a location for your event, think about funding:

• Undergraduate Finance Board:  You need the sponsorship of a student group with Category III status to request funding from UFB.  Board meetings are Tuesday and Thursday evenings on the second floor of Faunce.  You should contact your group’s representative before appealing for funding (ufb@brown.edu).
• Supplementary Funding:  Look for sources of funding outside of the UFB.  Academic Departments and Administrators like the Dean of the College have budgets for this sort of thing and will take written requests.  Also consider reaching out to other student organizations that may be interested.  Political and cultural groups, as well as Department Undergraduate Groups (DUGs), may contribute money or logistical support to your event.  A list of student organizations can be found on the Brown website.

As you take care of the logistics of the event, begin promoting and publicizing.  The website www.brown.edu/Administration/Event_Planning gives some good information.  A couple methods of promotion that you might use:

• Posters and Tableslips:  Copies can be made at the Metcalf Copy Center across Thayer from the SciLi.  130 tableslips will cover all the tables for a meal at the Ratty and 90 for the V-Dub.  You need to go around 11:00 for lunch and 4:00 for dinner.
• Promotional Slides:  Flatscreens in the Blue Room and Ratty cycle through slides promoting events.  Check out the website for information on how to get your slide in the rotation.
• Calendars:  Various events calendars are available on the Brown website and on the Daily Jolt—the latter probably having much more visibility among the student body.
• Listservs:  Put yourself on any listserv that you think could be relevant to your interests.  When promoting an event, send a plug out to these group email lists.  Also, start compiling a list of emails for students whom you know share an interest in your politics.
• Brown's Website: You can get an event featured on the frontpage of the website. Read more about the guidelines and who to contact here.

Rights

Now that the event is on, know your rights and be aware of what restrictions the University puts on your activities.

• Partisan Events:  Brown claims that its status as a non-profit, tax-exempt institution is threatened if you hold events “on behalf of an outside individual or an outside organization” with the purpose of “further[ing] the cause of a candidate or political party.”  Appearances of candidates must be of an “educational or informational” nature.
• Protest:  Out of the Brown handbook: “protest becomes unacceptable when it obstructs the basic exchange of ideas.”  This translates to mean that the University will bust you if your demonstration blocks anyone’s path or interrupts a lecture or debate.  Oh, and don’t carry signs made of material that could be construed as hazardous.

Follow these policies and you should be in the clear.  Should you choose to participate in direct action that violates University policy, the Administration reserves the right to press charges if your actions also violate Rhode Island or federal law. Here is the disciplinary report from last year, it has a nice list of possible student offenses.

For more information, check out this website: http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Office_of_Student_Life/randr/conduct/index.html and http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Office_of_Student_Life/randr/policies/protest.html

Change happens through action.  Brown needs more activism on campus—politicize your peers!