I am proud to inform you that our “RISD: The Musical” weekend was a huge success. Not only did the play foster community among its members and RISD at large, but it was able to raise awareness about the recent crisis in Haiti. A special thank you goes out to the 70 plus students that made the show possible. The RISD community came out in droves – it was wonderful to see our 500 plus seat auditorium packed for both nights of the performance.

This was truly a collaborative effort. Money was raised through ticket sales, students selling shirts that they screen printed in their ‘Two Legged Print’ winter-session class, and ‘Cakes For Quakes’, the baked goods selling initiative started through Ginnie Dunleavy, Director of Dining and Retail Operations and a few students who love to bake.

All of these efforts came together on the nights of the show. We ended up raising $9,042.52 in less than a week. The Entrepreneurs Foundation Help Haiti Fund, an investment foundation sponsoring the Partners In Health “Students For Haiti Challenge,” will match $50,000 of the money that was raised by all schools. Large and small schools alike have rallied support for Haiti throughout the country. Over fifty schools have raised $110,682 in one week, of which $50,000 will also be matched by the foundation totaling $160,682. RISD is one of the smaller schools involved in this effort but this did not stop us from being one of the larger contributors.

This coming Saturday, RISD will host a, ‘Draw/ Paint for Haiti’ event where students will be sponsored for each hour that they draw. On March 13th there will be a RISD Haiti Teach-In. Highlights of the day include a keynote address by Anthony Bogues, Harmon Family Professor of Africana Studies, Brown University, and round table discussions, film screenings, and a possible guest speaker from Partners In Health.

On May 8th there will be a spring weekend event with concerts, art auctions, parties and many other events. This entire weekend will be dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Partners In Health (PIH).

The events of the past weekend have only re-affirmed my belief that RISD is a campus of social responsibility. So much awareness has been raised in such a short amount of time. I am incredibly proud to be a RISD student right now.

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this great effort.

Best,
Andreas Nicholas
F/A/V 2013
Partners In Health, RISD Rep.
Local/ Global Engagement Committee, Student Rep.

Note: To get involved in any of the below initiatives or to start one of your own, please get in touch with:

• Peter Hocking, Office of Public Engagement, phocking@risd.edu
• Tony Johnson, Office of Multicultural Affairs, ajohnson@risd.edu
• Natalie Hogan, Office of Student Life, nhogan@g.risd.edu
• Latrelle Rostant, Black Artists and Designers (BAAD), lrostant@g.risd.edu
• Jensin Wallace, Black Artists and Designers (BAAD), jwallace@g.risd.edu
• Oshi Akhigbe, Black Artists and Designers (BAAD), oakhigbe@g.risd.edu
• Ale García, Alliance of Latin American Students (ALAS), mgarcia@g.risd.edu
• Andreas Nicholas, Student Liason to Partners in Health, anichola@g.risd.edu

Upcoming and ongoing programs:
Look out for “Cakes for Quakes,” a decorate-your-own cupcake sale for charity.

The Black Artists and Designers, Student Gallery Board, and Students Helping Students are organizing a silent auction of student work in April. A call for entries will be put up in the near future.

The Programming Board is running a spring concert on May 8th. More details here: http://risdtakeabreak.com/

Over the weekend I spoke with Providence Mayor David Cicilline, who has established a civic priority to mobilize efforts for Haiti. Other global networks in which RISD plays an important role are also galvanizing around this cause. I have connected with the presidents of the California College of the Arts and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and we are leading an effort with our sister AICAD schools to share ideas about how we artists, designers and citizens might best offer our assistance.

More broadly, Cameron Sinclair’s Architecture for Humanity group is connecting architects, designers and artists who want to pledge their creative support in the eventual rebuilding of Haiti. And the Davos World Economic Forum (of which I am a member) is refocusing its main themes to address how we all might support Haiti during this crisis.

The response has truly been inspiring, both internationally and here on our own campus. As one example, our Residence Life student staff organized a fundraiser where students raised $1,000 in 40 minutes through $5 contributions. Students who wish to participate in ongoing efforts should contact the Office of Student Life in Carr House. There is also an active conversation for the entire community on two.risd.edu (note: you must have a RISD login to access this site) about ways to participate. Finally, the first meeting of the Local/Global Engagement Working Group (part of our Strategic Planning process), led by Dean Patricia Phillips and Museum Education Director Sarah Ganz, will also discuss our response to the situation in Haiti.

Another role individuals may want to play, as part of this global community of engaged citizens, is to make a monetary contribution to help fund relief efforts. There are several links listed on this site for international organizations like the Red Cross and Partners in Health, which are leading the relief effort on the ground. Mayor Cicilline has also suggested we direct support to two local Haitian organizations, The Elmwood Church and La Providence.

As the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us, our own individual efforts can create a meaningful impact in what is sure to be a long-term endeavor. I continue to be inspired by RISD’s long-standing tradition of humanitarian action, and know that it will help us make a real difference for Haiti and its people.