Social Justice Event

Nothing About Us Without Us: Youth and Community Perspectives on Education and the Providence School Takeover 

I arrived at this event with no expectations whatsoever, but after attending I can honestly say it was an inspiring experience. Three groups came to speak about their experiences in the Providence School District and their efforts to make a difference. I was excited to hear their perspectives because I feel the topic of inner city school issues is so relevant to what we have been learning in class. The three groups attending were Youth in Action, Providence Student Union, and ARISE.

            Youth in Action is a safe place for young people to share their values, cultures, and identities. This group produces youth-led work that strives to make a difference in communities. They provide in-school and after school programming, as well as having youth travel across New England to different workshops that focus on undoing racism, identity, and student activism.

            ARISE (Alliance of Rhode Island South East Asians for Education) follows the belief that all people should have equal opportunity to education, regardless of their ethnicity, social class, or gender. Their focus is to help the South East Asian community reach their full potential by being socially engaged members of society and by fighting for equity in education. Speakers of this group also included some eye-opening statistics on South East Asian people in the United States, specifically how they struggle from long term poverty, language, and literacy issues.  

            Providence Student Union attended as well, which I took the most interest in. This group is all about student advocacy in the Providence School System. PSU unites youth across Providence School districts in an effort to increase education quality. The speakers provided a video of students sharing their experiences in Providence schools, and they did not speak highly of their conditions. They shared how schools are run-down, filled with toxins, mold, and unclean water. They also spoke out on how student resource officers made them feel discriminated against, and unsafe while carrying loaded guns. Furthermore, I was blown away by the work they have done to fight against such issues. They formed a gun control walk out, after the Parkland shooting, which consisted of most Providence school students walking to the State House in protest (which is A LOT of walking for some students). They also founded “Walk in Our Shoes” which meant giving bus passes to Providence school students who live further than 2 miles away from school; providing transportation to those students whom might not have been able to afford it.