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- Havdalah #38: Heart Medicine, Steve (our beloved), & Valentine's Day
Havdalah #38: Heart Medicine, Steve (our beloved), & Valentine's Day
18 Shevat, 5785 / February 15, 2025
White Rose RI
February 15, 2025
Their Majesties Octavia (left) and Ursula (right); photo taken by James
Hello all, and welcome to Havdalah #38 —
Well, we’ve officially made it through to the 4th week of Trump’s presidency, and so far the world hasn’t ended.
Woo.
Trying to follow the news has been like trying to drink from a firehose these last weeks. I’ve never had much patience for most social media (thank God) so Facebook and Twitter aren’t causing me issues. But between the newsletters and Substacks and podcasts and AP and Guardian push alerts I’m learning what persistent anxiety feels like. Even when good news — or at least heartening news — happens, it feels like trying to plant my feet in the ocean as a wave goes out; the sand eats away under my feet.
I don’t have any pithy advice here I’m afraid; we’re all trying to find a functional balance over here too, doing what we can without drowning, figuring out what is useful vs. what is performative or just makes us feel better.
Not that feeling better is a bad thing. James, in their Sidebar, has written what he will be mad at me for saying is a very sweet meditation [ed: fuck off] on their relationship for Valentine’s Day. We’ve also pulled together our standard cull of events and links.
Take a breath; one day at a time. We can do this.
Goodnight, and mind how you go —
Katherine (she / her)
PS: We’d like to hear from you! Let us know how we’re doing!
Workers and Renters: Providence General Assembly
When: Saturday, February 15, 12:00pm and every other Saturday
Where: 134 Mathewson Street, Providence, RI 02903
From their Instagram:
Worried about Trump?
Want to defend our communities?
Want a world that works for everyone?
Come to the Providence General Assembly!
Spanish, ASL interpretation and childcare available upon email request
Masking requested and masks will be provided
Direct questions to [email protected]
PSL Training and Organizing Meeting
When: Sunday, February 16, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Where: South Side Cultural Center, 393 Broad Street, Providence RI 02907
From their newsletter:
Join us to learn how to protect yourself and your community against ICE! This training will provide essential information on how to report ICE sightings, defend our communities against ICE & make sure our people know their rights! Following the training, we’ll discuss outreach strategies to ensure this critical information reaches those who need it most. Your presence and voice matter, we need to work together to stop Trump’s racist mass deportation plan! Together, we can protect our communities from ICE terror!
50501 President’s Day Protest
When: Monday, February 17, 12:00pm
Where: Rhode Island State Capitol Building, 82 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02903
50501 is a decentralized movement that more or less sprang into existence a few weeks ago, and put together nationwide protests on February 5th at the various state capitals.
They are apparently putting together another set of protests on President’s Day, once again in every state. As far as we can tell, no one in Rhode Island is actually coordinating the RI protest, and the event infographic is pretty bare bones. Keep your wits about you and your eyes open, but we wanted to let you know about it.
50501 Protest Page (such as it is)
Protesting Links:
Jewish Zine Heart Medicine
When: Saturday, February 22, 7:30pm
Where: Pawtucket, RI
From Ocean State Havurah
“Come make zines, read zines, and nourish your heart with havdalah and community! Bring collage / art supplies if you have them!”
Ocean State Havurah is a pluralistic havurah creating sacred space rooted in Jewish tradition for Jews and non-Jews alike in the Greater Rhode Island area.
ACLU Legislative Advocacy Training
When: Saturday, March 8, 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Jamestown Philomenian Library, 26 North Road, Jamestown, RI 02835
If you want to get involved in the legislative process but don’t know where to start, join the ACLU at their free Legislative Advocacy Training. You’ll learn how to be an effective advocate during the legislative session and how to communicate with your state legislators so that they will listen.
In the training, the ACLU will explain the legislative process, talk about some bills that are being heard this session, and equip you to make your voice heard in multiple ways. Plus, a state legislator will join to provide an inside look at the legislative process, and to answer questions.
Registration is appreciated but not required
Free and beginner-friendly
The event is not endorsed by or affiliated with the Philomenian Public Library
Trump Administration Play-by-Play Tool for Public Education
When: Up now
Where: Online
The Partnership for the Future of Learning is making an online tool available which aims to demystify the Administration’s plans for the coming months. During his presidential campaign, Trump was open about his plans for dismantling public schools. Even as the campaign backed away from Project 2025, he embraced its proposals to roll back civil rights protections and defund and privatize public schools. Following the election, organizations across the progressive education policy space developed important resources on what these plans will mean for schools and communities. The Play-by-Play includes and complements many of these resources with information on how Administration policies are likely to be enacted, and the steps state and local organizations can take in response.
The Womxn Project’s Bodily Freedom Forever Index
When: Up now, updated every Tuesday
Where: Online
The Womxn Project has put together an index of politicians in RI, showing how candidates did in the 2024 election compared to their stance on bodily freedom. TWP will post weekly reports on Tuesdays, highlighting some of their findings from the BFFI.
They’re also welcoming people to come join them as they organize in each district, creating small hubs. With volunteers, they will keep building a more transparent political landscape with data-informed action and strategy. Check them out if you want to get involved!
ACLU Firewall for Freedom
When: Up now
Where: Online
The ACLU Rhode Island has been strategizing around RI’s strengths and weaknesses to create a Firewall for Freedom page. It covers issues including free speech, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigrants’ rights. They lay out some context for where Rhode Island stands, what rights are safe for now, and protections we need to push for. It also explains some of their priorities for the upcoming Rhode Island legislative session. Check it out!
Office Hours with The Womxn Project Team
When: Every Tuesday, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Where: Zoom
Need a little support or just want to know what’s going on? The Womxn Project team will be on a live Zoom to answer your questions or point you in the direction of where to turn.
Continuing Actions for Palestine
Weekly Kaddish
When: Every Sunday, 1:00pm-1:30pm
Where: Michael Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge, Providence, RI 02903
Jewish Voice for Peace RI and allies will be hosting a weekly gathering on Sundays to recite the Mourners Kaddish and communally grieve the Palestinians murdered by the Israeli military. You need not be Jewish to attend; all are welcome to participate.
Power Half-Hours for Gaza
When: every day, Monday through Friday, 3:00pm EST
Where: online
Jewish Voice for Peace is holding Power Half-Hours for Gaza every day — join us as we channel our fury and sorrow into collective action to stop genocide.
News Coverage
As always, especially when getting news from social media, be aware of who is sharing information and why they’re doing it.
Al Jazeera Coverage of the War on Gaza has continued to be a reliable source
Mondoweiss has also provided excellent context and deep dive pieces.
Barrington Library: Documentary & Discussion: Summer of Soul
When: Sunday, February 23, 1:00pm and Wednesday, February 26, 6:30pm
Where: Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806
Join the DEI Committee for Summer of Soul, a powerful and transporting documentary about The Harlem Cultural Festival an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion in 1969.
Free and open to all. Registration recommended.
Tomaquag Museum Lunch and Learn: Surviving Enslavement During the War for New England, 1675-1676
When: Monday, February 24, 12:00pm-1:00pm
Where: virtual
The Tomaquag Museum is excited to invite you to their next virtual Lunch & Learn following the success of their first program of the year!
This session promises to be enlightening, featuring a captivating presentation by Linford D. Fisher, Associate Professor of History at Brown University. He will delve into the profound impact of the War for New England (King Philip's War), exploring the gripping stories of captivity, enslavement, and the trafficking of Indigenous people from Dawnland.
Join them to uncover the remarkable tales of survival that emerged during this tumultuous time.
That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America with Amanda Jones
When: Thursday, March 6, 6:30pm
Where: Salem Family Auditorium, Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806
Five libraries in the East Bay have come together to bring Amanda Jones, author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, to join them for a moderated discussion and Q&A session.
About Amanda Jones
Amanda Jones is an American librarian and anti-censorship advocate. Jones has been heavily involved in anti-book banning movements in the state of Louisiana and throughout the US. In 2023, she was awarded the American Association of School Librarians' Intellectual Freedom Award and the American Library Association's Paul Howard Award for Courage, which honors "an individual who has exhibited unusual courage for the benefit of library programs or services." Her book, That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, is part memoir, part manifesto, the inspiring story of a Louisiana librarian advocating for inclusivity on the front lines of our vicious culture wars.
Amanda will be joining via Zoom, but you will have the option to watch from home via Zoom or join us at the library to watch the livestream in person and engage in a discussion afterwards with your community members.
Better Lives RI Food Pantry - UPDATE
Better Lives RI Food Pantry sent an update we wanted to share:
“Since we shared images of our empty shelves on February 5, you have stepped up in incredible ways:
Over $5,000 raised to support food security in Rhode Island!
500+ pounds of food donated to help our neighbors in need!
Thanks to amazing businesses and community members, more food drives are in the works!
We are deeply grateful for this outpouring of generosity. You are making an impact and the response and well-wishes have truly touched our hearts, and made a direct impact on low-income Rhode Islanders relying on us to stock their pantries.
But the work is far from over. Food is distributed as quickly as it arrives, meaning the risk of empty shelves is always looming.”
So if you want to keep giving, donate right here.
Steve Ahlquist [ed: our beloved] Fundraiser
When: Sunday, February 23, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Where: Comedy Connection, 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914
We try not to boost too many fundraisers (we’re sure you get enough of those in your email boxes already) but we use so much of Steve Ahlquist’s work in our newsletter that we wouldn’t be able to look at ourselves in the mirror if we didn’t pass this on.
From the event description:
Dear Friends,
You're invited to a fundraiser to support Rhode Island's top muckraking journalist Steve Ahlquist!Steve is a journalist covering so many important stories and he needs your help. Schmooze with Steve and fun fellow supporters.
You know you'll meet old and new friends at this party.Cash bar. Light refreshments. Parking available. RIPTA stop nearby.
Please consider subscribing online https://steveahlquist.substack.com
This week, it appears the RI General Assembly’s bill tracker software was just turned on. This means that we only received notice of several hearings for bills being considered on Tuesday, February 11th, an hour after those hearings began! 🤬!!! We are currently playing catch-up at the moment on the bills we’re following. We offer our sincerest apologies and thank you for your patience!
An Act Relating to State Affairs and Government — The Civil Rights Act of 1990
Bill Number: H5455
Summary: This bill would integrate the IHRA definition of antisemitism into the Civil Rights Act of 1990, which conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism. This would almost certainly be used to disproportionately target Palestinians and anti-zionist Jewish activists.
Our Position: AGAINST / IN OPPOSITION TO
Current Status: Referred to the House State Government and Elections Committee
How You Can Help: Please consider contacting the members of the House State Government and Elections Committee to tell them how important it is that they OPPOSE this legislation. Asterisks indicate sponsors of the bill.
Representative Evan B. Shanley: [email protected]
Representative Mary Messier: [email protected]
Representative Arthur J. Corvese: [email protected]
Representative Edith H. Ajello: [email protected]
*Representative Jacquelyn M. Baginski: [email protected]
Representative Jon D. Brien: [email protected]
Representative Katherine S. Kazarian: [email protected]
Representative Brian Patrick Kennedy: [email protected]
Representative Jason Knight: [email protected]
Representative Michelle E. McGaw: [email protected]
*Representative Brian C. Newberry: [email protected]
Representative Christopher G. Paplauskas: [email protected]
Representative Jennifer A. Stewart: [email protected]
Representative Teresa A. Tanzi: [email protected]
If there are bills you’d like updates on, let us know! Email us at [email protected] with the bill number, and we will track it!
James (he / she)
For Valentine's Day this year, I'd like to demonstrate my emotional maturation. And also maybe kvell about my boyfriend. Listen, the world fucking sucks right now, just enjoy the marshmallow homosexuality for a minute.
This writing exercise is called, “Cupid has a gun to my head and if my irony poisons even one of these sweet nothings he swears to God he'll fucking do it.”
My partner is one of the softest, gentlest people I have ever met.
It took me about two months to figure out his eyes are green. I couldn't quite place the color at first: stormy greys and pale blues swirling through earthy flecks. I once earnestly used the phrase hazel thundercloud when talking to a mutual friend. But no, they're allegedly just green.
His laugh is one of the most beautiful sounds: giddy, airy, soaring. When he succumbs to laughter — when it overwhelms him — I am captivated.
He loves his cats, Octavia and Ursula, like daughters: his first priority in everything.
He took me onto my first ship (docked, of course). He cajoled me into riding a Coney Island roller coaster that we quickly discovered had defective restraints. We hatched a plot to steal a gondola but only got as far as the mouth of the river. We got lost in a massive historical cemetery, and a very intimidating old snapping turtle considered eating us for lunch. My first gift to him was a hiking guide to New England ruins that I hope this summer to get some use out of. With him, I feel like an adventurer.
He makes me brave. When I took his hand while we were on the gondola, that was the first time in my life I'd ever made the first move. Turns out, he's good motivation.
I had the cops called on me for using a public restroom. My boyfriend intervened. When I demanded to confront the security guard who was responsible, he helped me track the fucker down. He didn't insist upon a tactical retreat. He was the first person in my life to not talk me down from danger, to believe me when I told him I needed to face it.
My boyfriend is a teacher. Hundreds of people know how to code because of him. By his instruction, I know the principles (if not the practicals) of long division. He's one of the best writers I've ever read. He's an autodidact: he's begun teaching himself chemistry, and has his sights set on physics next. I watch him play strategy games and he makes them look almost simple. He is wise, intelligent, erudite, and yet I have watched this same wonderful man wash down Oreos with Dr. Pepper for breakfast.
We're known by our friend group as the raccoons, a moniker we earned even before we began dating. People ask me why, and I think of the office chair he liberated from work, disassembling and schlepping it through the subway one piece at a time over the course of a week. It's a very good chair.
His shameless love for gossip, providing an eager ear for my incessant chatter. The evenings on the roof, talking about Rear Window. My certainty that, had I walls and windows and blinds through which to peep, he'd be standing beside me with binoculars.
When he passes behind me in the kitchen: his lips on top of my head, his hand between my shoulders or along my back, his arms around my waist. In the subway: his hand always reaching back for mine, his shoulder pillowing my head, our arms linked. The living room: his arm around my shoulders, his lap under my legs, our knees pressed together beneath the desk. When he leaves for work each morning: his lips against my brow, regardless of whether I am awake to feel them. Thoughtless touches, I'm here, you're there, hello.
Videos of summer storms dangled as bait (come visit, we have lots of terrible things here), romantic fantasies of lightning in the night above my bedroom skylight, and yet after waiting months, our first thunderstorm together was on New Year's Eve. We sat in the dark, quiet, listening to the rumble, gasping in delight at the flashes through the windows.
I knew I was going to fall in love with him the first time I visited him, just from the way he said two words: “you're safe.” And from the way I believed him.
It feels like riding a bike without training wheels for the first time. The guiding hand has left my back and I'm sailing along on my own momentum, wobbly and terrified, convinced that the crash is inevitable. The wind through my hair, though, is exhilarating, freeing, new. I don't want it to end even while my body wants to scream for help before I lose my balance, before my knees bleed, before the street scrapes the hide from my palms. But I haven't fallen yet. There's only one thing to do: keep pedaling.
Needle Drop: “Dodi Li”, Deborah Sacks Mintz with The Hadar Ensemble
Proud Boys Attempting to Recruit in RI
Shortly before our last issue went out but after we finished writing it, we received word that Proud Boy recruiting material is again being spread; photographs were posted to Reddit after a Rhode Islander discovered a bag of propaganda in their driveway. Regrettably, photos like this help advertise the hate groups being condemned. The user reported that similar materials had been left in their neighbors’ driveways as well.
As always, if you encounter any far right flyers, thoroughly destroy them before disposing of them. Please do not post pictures on social media of incendiary propaganda. The far right partially relies on the backlash generated by their materials to proliferate through the Internet; sharing images of their materials, even for rage clicks, is still participating in the dissemination of their content. However, we do encourage you to reach out to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Tip Line, Steve Ahlquist [ed: our beloved] and / or our tip line at [email protected] if you do find right-wing ephemera out and about.
News Round-Up: Local
The public had to fight to be heard at the second meeting of the Interagency Council on Homelessness (Steve Ahlquist, February 3, 2025)
An interview with the mother of a transgender child (Steve Ahlquist, February 4, 2025)
Johnston officials intentionally prevented the public from attending a town council meeting (Steve Ahlquist, February 5, 2025)
In an emotional evening, Barrington School District rolls back Title IX protections for trans kids (Steve Ahlquist, February 7, 2025)
Providence Police and Smiley Administration attempted to evict an unhoused encampment in North Providence this morning (Steve Ahlquist, February 10, 2025)
Rhode Island State Council of Churches joins lawsuit against Homeland Security (and others) regarding “sensitive locations” (Steve Ahlquist, February 12, 2025)
North Kingstown rescinds its Title IX policy due to court decision, but continues to stand by trans students (Steve Ahlquist, February 12, 2025)
Chariho School Committee’s leadership prepares to go after libraries, face masks, Title IX, and trans kids (Steve Ahlquist, February 13, 2025)
Deep Dives
The Toll of Cities’ Homeless Sweeps (Asia Fields, Nicole Santa Cruz, Ruth Talbot, and Maya Miller for ProPublica, February 3, 2025)
Shoving at the Thing From All Sides (Margaret Killjoy in Birds Before the Storm, February 5, 2025)
How The Federal Government Fell (Garrison Davis for Shatter Zone, February 9, 2025)
Pod Recs: It Could Happen Here & Weird Little Guys
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #1 (It Could Happen Here, January 31, 2025)
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #2 (It Could Happen Here, February 7, 2025)
An Accidental Nazi Rally (Weird Little Guys, February 13, 2025)
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #3 (It Could Happen Here, February 14, 2025)
