A group of 23 pro-Palestinian Rhode Island School of Design students and one University of Rhode Island student have sequestered themselves in RISD’s Prov-Wash building, where they spent Monday night. The students are calling on their school to be transparent about its investments, and to divest from any companies with ties to Israel. RISD president […]
Olivia Ebertz
Olivia Ebertz comes to The Public’s Radio from WNYC, where she was a producer for Morning Edition. Prior to that, she spent two years reporting for KYUK in Bethel, Alaska, where she wrote a lot about how the warming climate is forcing local Indigenous communities to change their traditional lifeways.
Prior to her career as a journalist, Olivia worked in film. Her documentaries have screened at festivals worldwide.
Olivia likes to pursue stories inspired by questions from community members.
Ella habla español, lei parla italiano, и она говорит по-русски.
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk
Brown University professors accuse administrators of ‘intimidation, threats, and harassment’
Some professors at Brown University are accusing the school’s administration of surveilling and harassing faculty members who attended a pro-Palestinian encampment at the school’s Providence campus. In a statement put out by Brown’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, or AAUP, the professors specifically take issue with letters sent to several faculty members […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Stories
Student protesters, administrators at Brown University reach deal to clear encampment
Brown University has reached a deal with the group that launched a pro-Palestinian encampment last week, Brown Divest Coalition. In exchange for students clearing the encampment by 5 p.m. Tuesday and promising not to engage in unauthorized protests through the rest of the semester, administrators have agreed to bring a divestment proposal to a vote […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Stories
Negotiations on a deal to end Brown University encampment to continue Tuesday
Student protesters are negotiating with Brown University administrators over terms that could end a pro-Palestinian encampent at the school’s Providence campus and meet some of the activists’ demands, according to several students familiar with the discussions. On Monday at 3 p.m., a group of six student activists met with two administrators to discuss an offer […]
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Brown University issues warning to student protesters
Brown University has set a deadline for Monday at 5 p.m. for about 180 students identified during ID checks at a Pro-Palestinian encampment on campus to either accept responsibility for their alleged violations of the code of student conduct or face an administrative hearing that could result in “separation” from the university, a university spokesman […]
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Pro-Palestinian activism ramps up at Brown University campus
At Brown University, a pro-Palestinian encampment is growing, as the campus community puts pressure on the university’s president to take action on divestment, and to ask for charges to be dropped against students who were previously arrested while protesting on campus. Beyond the Brown Campus, activists in downtown Providence gathered to put pressure on Senator […]
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Pro-Palestinian encampments at Brown University grow
As of 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, no arrests at the encampments had been made, although Brown University had promised it would take disciplinary action against students who break school policy while protesting on campus. Students with the group behind the encampments, Brown Divest Coalition, say the number of students participating in the encampment grew from about […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Politics
Highlights from Smiley’s balanced budget
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley unveiled his proposed budget for 2025 on Wednesday evening, proposing a 3% increase from last year’s budget of $598.6 million. Although the budget, which the mayor says is balanced, will look fairly similar to last year’s, the mayor is proposing several notable changes, including funding the Providence Public School District at […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local, Metro Desk
At Angelo’s, traditions old and new mingle to keep the 100-year-old restaurant alive
Over the weekend, Angelo’s Civita Farnese restaurant on Federal Hill in Providence held its 100th birthday party. During the Friday kick-off for the weekend’s festivities, the restaurant was jam-packed with politicos, as it has been for decades. Both U.S. senators, the speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, and the mayor of Providence mingle […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Transportation
Providence’s City Council, hundreds of residents oppose mayor’s plan to remove bike lanes
More than 100 members of the public poured into Providence City Council chambers Thursday night to oppose Mayor Brett Smiley’s plan to remove bike lanes from South Water Street and replace them with an extra lane of car traffic. Smiley believes the change will alleviate congestion caused by the westbound Washington Bridge closure. The city […]