Providence Haven: Back in Business
Providence Haven took a hit just like everyone else when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down our weekly gatherings, but that doesn’t mean we’ve been quiet.
We have been producing, interviewing, writing songs and books, meeting the people of Providence and growing our member base. Providence Haven was operating live at Haven Cave (116 Calverly St. Providence) every Monday since the first snowfall of 2019. We were live, in-person with a growing attendance, adding to our roster musicians, artists and authors. Elias Turner aka Tengu, our first in-house producer and musician sparked interest in other local artists to come join us, quickly followed by Jesse Ndifon aka Enare, a producer in his own right and both can be seen on SoundCloud. Our Villagers teamed up with Wesley Evans and Madison Alma for our first Art Walk, one of HavenFestPVD’s winter season events. SmokingCadillacs and Trevor McCabe brought their stringed instruments and played some psychedelic and solid tunes. Some of our musicians came together to produce a powerful moment in shaping Providence Haven; John Kandalaft, Mary Rathier and Thomas Calitri came together to create our very own theme song which has been used during our Monday Livestreams. Musician collabs and art gatherings were our primary ways to invite the Providence public to join, support and work with us. Now, we’re totally digital.
Providence Freedom Fighters is a platform made by those who are ready to have the difficult conversations humanity has postponed.
We are talking about the disparities not just in Providence, but in all of Rhode Island, the USA and our world. We invite you to join us in creating the conversations that will shape and better our world.
When the pandemic struck, our team transformed, solidifying ourselves as a weekly program that can be seen on Facebook live. Providence Haven started growing in new ways, becoming a platform for voices concerned about the well-being our community. Jairson Ascencao and Norman Baker came together with YouTube content creator Nickantony Quach to upgrade Providence Haven from a minor social movement into a fully licensed LLC that aims to implement new social curriculum by first creating a reputation, cataloging every step of the way and eventually producing our own proprietary education workshop. Relevant subjects ranging from reducing incarceration rates by forming Social Education Reform curriculum to analyzing malign practices our housing authorities impose on lower income households and ultimately people of color are constant topics of conversation. Some of these initiatives were brought to Providence Haven by Miranda Grundy, a Brown University graduate with concentrations in Ethics and Urban studies. The quintet of Miranda Grundy, Norman Baker, Jairson Ascencao, Elias Turner and Jesse Ndifon brainstormed, scripted, recorded, edited and produced Freedom Fighter’s first podcast, and ultimately, the first step for Providence Haven in becoming a platform for local Providence social groups and community leaders to unite.
Check out all the links, and if you want to get in contact with us today you can email our group at PVDHaven@gmail.com
