There is nothing enjoyable about waking up and finding an orange parking ticket on the windshield of your car.
As many Providence residents know, overnight on-street parking is outlawed in the Renaissance City. Frustrated by the situation, a group of dissidents banded together as CITIZENS FOR RESIDENT PERMIT PARKING (CRPP) to fight for change. They started a Facebook group, distributed lawn signs, and developed a Web site (crpp-providence.org) to express their views. They organized a fundraiser and encouraged other residents to contact the Providence City Council. As a result of all this, the City of Providence has become a bit more receptive to testing different approaches for overnight parking.
Welcome to the world of activism, an umbrella term for an intentional action to create social or political change. Activism can include volunteering, fundraising, boycotting, lobbying, campaigning, and protesting. The activist’s role, in short, is to catalyze what he or she believes will help bring a better future.
Activism is a central part of the democratic process, because it allows citizens to learn how to identify issues, to build relationships with elected officials, and to assist in constructing changes. Activists can function as community leaders, learning in the process about organizing, public speaking, and strategic thinking. As you might imagine, these skills are also useful in a number of different professions.
Rhode Island is home to a number of activist groups that organize around particular interests — encompassing the environment, social issues, politics, and sexual orientation — and that try to influence the public decision-making process. Such groups often have volunteer opportunities for college students and other young people, offering the chance for budding activists to cut their teeth and gain useful experience.
So if you’re interested in becoming an agent of change — or if you just want some real-world exposure while figuring out what to do with your life — identify a cause close to your heart and connect with one of the groups working on it. (If such an organization doesn’t exist, try connecting with other like-minded individuals, something that’s easier to do than ever with social-networking sites.)
WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
Most activist groups have a mission statement outlining their views and goals. Some have state and local chapters supported by a national organization, while others are more local in scope. State chapters, which can help to coordinate action, also offer a network for recruiting future leaders, as budding activists demonstrate their organizing chops.
For starters, becoming a community activist involves a few simple steps:
RESEARCH Examine different sides of an issue and become knowledgeable about it.
TAKE ACTION Campaign, fundraise, lobby, protest, rally, etc.
COMMUNICATE Tell others about the issue and help them understand how they are affected and why change is important.
ENGAGE Connect with others and encourage them to take action.
CELEBRATE Enjoy the satisfaction of making a difference in the community
Rhode Island is home to hundreds of activist groups that work on behalf of important issues. Getting involved is as simple as contacting an organization to determine its needs for volunteers. Most groups have a Web site with membership information, recent media exposure, a calendar of events, and related info. Many mobilize their members through e-mailing action alerts and other electronic steps.
Here are some examples of activist groups in Rhode Island:
The NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN (rinow.org). The Rhode Island chapter of this national group, like its counterparts in other states, is dedicated to women’s rights and gender equality. RI NOW promotes an aggressive legislative agenda at the Rhode Island General Assembly that includes advancing reproductive freedom, winning lesbian rights, and winning gender equality. RI NOW organizes volunteer and educational opportunities, holds regularly meetings, and organizes networking opportunities.
The SIERRA CLUB (rhodeisland.sierraclub.org) is the local chapter for the Sierra Club, America’s oldest grassroots environmental organization. The Rhode Island Sierra Club works on issues including clean water, forest conservation, and overpopulation. The local chapter is committed to a vision that includes protecting the coastline and broadening the prosperity of local communities. It also advocates for green jobs and affordable clean transportation. The Sierra Club coordinates a variety of activities, from contacting local legislators to leading educational campaigns that raise public awareness about local environmental issues.
Another environmental organization, SAVE THE BAY (savebay.org) is unique to Rhode Island in that it is committed to protecting and restoring Narragansett Bay, one of the state’s top natural resources. Save the Bay’s ongoing volunteer opportunities includes working on beach cleanups and habitat restoration.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF RHODE ISLAND (ppri.org) is dedicated to promoting education about reproductive rights for women, and preserving those rights. On the other side of the issue, RHODE ISLAND RIGHT TO LIFE (www.rirtl.org) advocates for the pro-life point of view.
PROGRESO LATINO (progresolatino.org) works to empower the Latino Community by providing a continuum of services and opportunities for well-being and self-sufficiency. Progreso Latino volunteers work with its members to advocate, fundraise, and to provide critical financial support to the organization.
