LOOKING THE STORM IN THE EYE

March 31st - April 6th 2008
(Monday through Sunday)

Full schedule with workshop descriptions at bottom of page
Check out this video to see what this is all about!

What would happen if a Katrina hit Providence?

What are the unnatural disasters already happening in your community, in your life?

What are the connections between prisons, gentrification, ICE raids, environmental racism, and global warming?

We will dissect the disasters and weave our dreams together with the solutions that live amongst us.

Looking the Storm in the Eye features:

the first-ever unveiling of Climbing PoeTree's production
"HURRICANE SEASON: The Hidden Messages in Water"
a multi-media two-womyn show
about unnatural disaster and a great shift in universal consciousness.

Saturday April 5th at 7:00 pm
Rites and Reason Theatre, 155 Angell St.
Attend any of the workshops to reserve a free seat for Saturday!

Saturday will be a monumental evening, the first-ever unveiling of "Hurricane Season: the hidden messages in water." Climbing PoeTree has been pouring their heart, soul, love, sweat, and dedication into this two-womyn show, their most monumental endeavor. Alixa and Naima will be performing selections of this work-in-progress, interweaving spoken word poetry, sound collage, shadow art, dance, film and animation - this is a performance that seeks not to captivate audiences, but to liberate them.

"Hurricane Season" is a powerful tale of resistance, resilience, creativity, and survival. And we all are part of this story.

Looking the Storm in the Eye will culminate in a Folk Thought forum on Sunday April 6th. Alixa and Naima of Climbing PoeTree will be joined by special guest Sallome Hralima to host a "solutions cipher" - turning the passion generated in the show into action manifested in the community.

This project is supported in part by a grant from the Creative Arts Council with additional support from the Department of Africana Studies at Brown University, Rites and Reason Theatre, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, the Sarah Doyle Women's Center, The Office of the Dean of the College, and the Queer Alliance

DARE and PolyPhonic Kick-Off

7pm Monday March 31st
At The Black Rep (276 Westminster)

DARE and PolyPhonic Kick-Off Event
DARE workshop followed by PolyPhonic Open-mic with spoken word, short films, and a DJ.

DARE is excited to host a workshop kicking off the "Looking the Storm in the Eye" week of events. This workshop will include:

* Lessons learned from our collaborations with organizing groups in New Orleans, through the national Right to the City Alliance and Grassroots Global Justice Alliance;

* Black/ Brown Unity and connections between people affected by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, those affected by Tropical Storm Olga in the Dominican Republic, and people of color organizing in Providence

* Interactive activities examining the way that gentrification and displacement are taking place here in Providence, and how our communities can learn from the front lines of gentrification and displacement taking place in New Orleans

* An opportunity to contribute to the efforts of our sister organization there, Safe Streets, Strong Communities, and a collective vision to continue organizing in solidarity with the peoples of the Gulf Coast

We hope to see you there!

Just a Step Productions and Farmacy Herbs

Tuesday April 1st:
6pm at DARE (340 Lockwood St)
Just a Step Productions and Farmacy Herbs present:

An interactive/role playing workshop on social power structure and disaster relief access.

What would you do if… would you be chosen for rescue…are you sure?

Please wear comfortable clothing you will be moving around and sitting on the floor.

Food provided

The Peculiar Patriot

Wednesday April 2nd
7pm at Rites and Reason (155 Angell St)

An affiliated event
Africana Studies and Rites and Reason Theatre presents:
Liza Jessie Peterson as
The Peculiar Patriot

A satirical one woman theatrical performance which examines how love navigates and survives through barbed wire.

Free and open to the public

Railroaded in Rhode Island

Thursday April 3rd:
6-8pm at O'Ville (239 Oak St)
(behind Wes' Ribs House in Olneyville)
** Note: the address printed on promo materials is WRONG!! 239 Oak it is **
coffee and snacks provided

"Railroaded in Rhode Island: The saga of 2 innocent brothers behind bars."
workshop by Bruce Reilly, artistic director of 1000lbs Guerilla Theatre



This teach-in will take you into the real case of Mike and Tommy Brennan, two Irish boys railroaded for the murder of an Italian man in Federal Hill. They have been incarcerated at the ACI since 1984. Bruce Reilly was a jailhouse lawyer in RI, and took Mike's case all the way to the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court. He will explain what happened, and what he is ready to do now.

"It is time for artists and activists to organize ourselves. As Nas said, 'All I need is one mic.' Sometimes one microphone is all we're ever gonna get. What will you do when I pass the mic? You ready?"

Conquistando el Miedo / Conquering Fear

Viernes 4 Abril 2008, 6pm
En la oficina de ONA (Asociacion de Vecin@s de Olneyville)
122 de la Manton
(donde está el flea market - entra por la torre derecha)
Habrá comida ligera
Llama al 228-8996 o 575-2846 si necesitarás guarderia de niños
interprete - español/inglés

Conquistando el Miedo: Lecciones de Oaxaca, Mexico, por la lucha de l@s inmigrantes en los Estado Unidos
¡Enterate lo que hacen l@s inmigrantes para organizarse en Providence!

Alfonso Perez y Eric Larson van a hablar sobre los efectos de la migración hacia los Estados Unidos en las luchas de indígenas en Oaxaca, México, y como los modelos de organizarse de la organización indígena CIPO-RFM (Consejo Indígena Popular de Oaxaca – Ricardo Flores Magón) son pertinentes a las luchas locales de inmigrantes aquí.

Con la presentación muy esperada del documental DETENIDO (DETAINED), que trata de la redada de ICE en New Bedford en 2007. En marzo les detuvieron a más de 300 inmigrantes, y much@s de ell@s eran mujeres y niñ@s.


Friday April 4th, 6pm
ONA office (122 Manton Ave)
(where the flea market is - enter through the right side tower)
Snacks provided.
call 228-8996 or 575-2846 if you need child care
interpreting - english/spanish

Conquering Fear: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico, for the immigrant struggle in the United States
Find out how immigrants in Providence are organizing themselves!

Local community members Alfonso Perez and Eric Larson will talk about how migration to the U.S. affects indigenous peoples' struggle in Oaxaca, and how organizing models and strategies from the indigenous organization CIPO-RFM (Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca -- Ricardo Flores Magon) could apply to local immigrant struggles here.

Featuring a screening and discussion of the award-winning documentary DETAINED, which follows the lives of New Bedford immigrants after the ICE raids in 2007. Of the 300 arrested many were women and children.

Folk Thought Forum and Solutions Cypher

Sunday April 6th
12 - 5pm, at Rites and Reason Theatre (155 Angell St)
Folk Thought Forum and Solutions Cypher
A Stencil-making workshop and vision sharing session!

This is the culminating event of Looking the Storm in the Eye.
With presenters and participants from the week of workshops, we will come together to highlight the solutions that already live amongst us: brainstorming ways to dissolve the nightmares behind the floodwaters and turn our dreams into realities.

We will make stencils throughout the day and paint a banner with the images of our dreams!

RSVP to reserve a space! Email gina.ritesandreason@gmail.com