Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxliv, no. 94 | Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891
Values key to homeless issue, panelists say By Mark Raymond Contributing Writer
“Many causes of homelessness can be fixed, but there isn’t the political will to do so,” Hilary Silver, associate professor of sociology, told a crowd of students and advocates in Salomon 001 Tuesday night in a town-hall discussion about homelessness in Providence. Silver and two other panelists, Providence City Councilman John Lombardi and Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Jim Ryczek, focused on the many causes of homelessness and possible ways to address the problem. The three panelists explained that home foreclosures, a lack of affordable housing and the scarcity of jobs were making the already difficult situation of Rhode Island’s homeless even worse during the current economic downturn. “A shortage of housing was a problem before the recession, so now we are facing even greater difficulties,” said Lombardi, who represents Ward 13, which includes Federal Hill and parts of
downtown. Homelessness has increased significantly over the past year, he said, and foreclosures and evictions are causing many more to lose their homes. Political will from both ordinary citizens and the leaders who represent them is a necessary ingredient for change, Lombardi said. “People close their eyes and think it’s going to go away,” he said. “Everyone has to be involved in order to solve this problem, not just elected officials.” Ryczek, the coalition’s director, said he too sees politics as a route to reducing homelessness, but pointed out that there is also need for a change in mindset. “Until we really wrestle with the value system we have in place, we’re not going to be able to deal with this problem,” he said. John Joyce, an audience member who said he was formerly homeless and now ser ves as an advocate, described his experience setting up a tent city within Providence to shelter homeless individuals. “We’re in an economic disaster.
What’s so wrong with putting people in a safe place?” Joyce asked. He said he feels that the step of setting up a temporary shelter can only ser ve as a stopgap solution, and that what is really needed is a strong shift in societal values. “Homelessness is a solvable problem,” he said. “If anyone wants social change, social awareness has to come first.” In terms of practical solutions to the problem, the three panelists all spoke about the need for affordable housing. Silver suggested that the federal government should play a larger role in providing affordable housing to those in need, similar to the way the Roosevelt administration intervened with the National Housing Act during the Great Depression. She said too much emphasis has been placed on personal problems facing the homeless, such as drug or alcohol abuse, and not on the overarching actions that could be taken by government to address the larger issue of homelessness. “We need to work on the struccontinued on page 4
BU M E BU M E P O W
Kim Perley / Herald Alina Kung ’12 and Josh Kopin ’11 perform an improvised dance at the SciLi as other members of Brown University Movement Experiments look on.
Volunteers teach local students to be active citizens By Brian Mastroianni Senior Staff Writer
A student sits lethargically at a table in the back of Tim Ahern’s history classroom at Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School in Providence. His iPod is turned on, and his head is in his hands. His pen rests idly beside a worksheet that he has not touched since it was distributed to him a few minutes ago. While his companions show some interest in their assignment, the boy decides instead to increase the volume of his iPod. Sonia Kim
’11, who takes over Ahern’s class This is Kim’s second semester twice a week to teach U.S. politics helping students in Providence and government, walks over to the high schools understand civics and boy. She leans over him and rests American government. As a mentor one hand lightly on his shoulder. for the Generation Citizen program “How’s it going?” in Providence, Kim is she asks. Her voice is one of 20 students who FEATURE soothingly quiet, yet work in 11 classrooms assertive. “What do you know on across the city, teaching lessons this sheet?” on civics, government and politics The boy stares down at the pa- that culminate in a semester projper and shakes his head. “I don’t ect on an issue the students pick get it,” he says. themselves. She looks him straight in the Kim heard about the fledgling eyes. “I guarantee you’ll know program when she noticed an advertisement for it in her dorm last something on here.”
winter. She said the notice — with its stress on the importance of giving high school students the tools necessary to advocate for causes they care about — spoke to her directly. “Everyone takes history class, but there’s oftentimes that lack of application for the ‘real world.’ For a lot of kids, the history of our government seems like a jumble of acts and laws, and they don’t know how those things apply to them,” she said.
Nick Sinnott-Armstrong / Herald
inside
The BUCC meeting was held at Brown/RISD Hillel Tuesday afternoon.
News.....1-4 Spor ts.....5 Editorial...6 Opinion....7 Today........8
www.browndailyherald.com
The University’s carbon emissions are down 18 percent after two years of a program designed to improve Brown’s energy and environmental impact, according to a sustainability progress report presented to the Brown University Community Council Tuesday. Christopher Powell, director of sustainable energy and environmental initiatives, said the program has seen a reduction that surpasses the goals originally set two years ago by the Energy and Environmental
By Sydney Ember Senior Staff Writer
Rhode Island Superior Court Justice Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson ’73 did not receive full support from the American Bar Association’s Standing
METRO
continued on page 2
Carbon reduction program making good pace, BUCC hears By Caitlin Trujillo Staff Writer
ABA gives nominee Thompson ’73 so-so marks
Advisory Committee, which called for a 4 percent annual reduction in carbon emissions. Powell attributed the reduction in greenhouse gases to improved energy efficiency, fuel switching and a switch to a low-carbon electricity supplier. He said the University received approval for a loan that would enable it to work toward future goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 42 percent below 2007 levels by 2020. Powell said the plan for tackling these goals includes incorporating solar-thermal continued on page 2
Committee on the Federal Judiciary for her nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, casting a shadow on her impending Senate confirmation. The ABA committee rates all federal nominees based on “professional qualifications” including integrity, judicial temperament and competence. Eight to nine members of the 15-person committee rated Thompson as “qualified” or “satisfactory,” while at least five committee members said she did not meet the committee’s standards, according to the Journal. President Obama nominated Thompson on Oct. 6. Despite opposition, Rhode Island Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, continue continued on page 2
News, 3
Sports, 5
Opinions, 7
it’s a plan In case of snow: Weather policies are clarified in University policy
fashionably late The women’s soccer team pulled out a 1-0 victory over Cornell with a late goal
quick and painless A well-structured program improves students’ lives, writes Mary Bates GS
195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island
herald@browndailyherald.com