Earlier this month in WUN “Voices”, I shared my thoughts about David W. Blight’s recent op-ed in the New York Times on the heels of the current president’s devastating executive order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The imperious language used in the order, and its dire consequences, which are being felt already, feel akin to a blacksmith wielding a hot iron on the backs of those of us who are trying to right history’s wrongs and move forward together.
Charles L. Roberts: How the current political landscape is affecting Rhode Island’s fledgling non-profit organizations
For this week’s “Voices” submission, I interviewed two of my non-profit peers, whom I respect greatly, to ask them how they are experiencing and navigating these choppy waters and traumatic diversity and equity rollbacks.
AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the U.S. government that engages more than 5 million Americans in volunteer work programs. It was created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. This month, like so many other worthy institutions, it has been “gutted” under the direction of DOGE.
Carlon Howard, AmeriCorps Alum and Community Leader in RI, shared these thoughts with me, “As a two-time AmeriCorps alum, the recent actions at the federal level are deeply alarming. The sudden dismantling of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps and the administrative layoffs impacting the vast majority of AmeriCorps agency staff have immediate and far-reaching consequences. While current RI AmeriCorps members remain in service, the broader implications for our state’s fledgling non-profits and the future of national service are significant.”
Howard added, “The closure of AmeriCorps NCCC, a vital partner in our disaster response and community development efforts, and the administrative layoffs impacting the Northeast Regional Office, signal a severe reduction in capacity and expertise. This will undoubtedly delay the awarding of future grants, jeopardizing the innovative work of emerging non-profits, many of whom are dedicated to serving marginalized communities. As stewards of AmeriCorps in RI, we are vigilant and will continue to advocate for the critical role national service plays in strengthening our state. We must collectively voice our concerns to ensure these vital programs are not further eroded.”
Victoria Johnson, known by everyone in this community as Mrs. Johnson, is a native Newporter who has served as a coach, teacher and principal for more than 40 years. Upon retirement, Mrs. Johnson co-founded the Newport Middle Passage Port Marker Project and is actively involved in dozens of community organizations, including the Newport NAACP, the Newport Women’s League, and the Newport Hospital Board of Directors, to name a few. Last year, Johnson was honored to receive the Civic Leadership Award from the Rhode Island Foundation. In an interview with Newport This Week, Johnson recalled, “As young kids, we were all together and we didn’t think about race. It took me a long time to realize there was segregation in Newport. Division Street was our playground. All the kids from the neighborhood played there, and we were all very good friends.”
Mrs. Johnson’s tireless work on behalf of the Middle Passage Project has seen its share of fits and starts, but she is determined to see it through, and for this, I applaud her efforts.
After reading the article, Johnson shared with me, “Dr. Blight’s article is a commentary on how USA history needs to be unearthed, revealed, and rewritten to align with the historical background of all citizens. Our country should highlight and collect all achievements, crises, contributions, and memories tied to the word “UNITED” in our name. Our local Middle Passage Project is striving to reach those principles, throughout the state. We are part of a nationwide movement to mark every port and, to date, have identified over 90 ports. Newport ships carried over 100,000 Africans, more than any other city. Our site will celebrate and honor the lives of those who survived the passage and were brought, enslaved, to Newport. The hard work, creativity, and gifts of those enslaved people and their descendants helped create our city and culture.”
Johnson added, “Our alliance with the Newport Historical Society, and our collaboration with RI Slave History Medallions, the Battle of Rhode Island Association, and the Newport Public Library are just a few organizations that have engaged in our mission to increase awareness of Black History in Newport County: Together, we’re helping African American history to come alive.”
As the founder of RI Slave History Medallions (RISHM), I’m proud to work closely with these civic leaders to support their work, and ask for their help – and your help – in supporting the goals and missions of these vital organizations.
This week, regardless of your beliefs, we ask Rhode Islanders not to turn a blind eye to the ruinous effects of these latest mandates and cutbacks. Won’t you consider getting involved in a mission that is close to your heart, by supporting the organizations and people who are dedicating their entire careers to helping others and educating our community? We thank you and wish you a heartwarming and hopeful spring season.
Charles L. Roberts is Executive Director and Founder of Rhode Island Slave History Medallions, www.rishm.org. He can be reached at charles@rishm.org.
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