March 24, 2012

New Course Starting Sunday: Developing Consensus Online

Sorry for the late notice, but there's a new class starting up this Sunday, March 25th at Libertalia. Eric is going to be facilitating a discussion on consensus- what it is and how to reach it- in our online, networked world. The group will sketch out what consensus looks like online and will codesign an online tool for coming to consensus. The group will learn together about the different decision-making and consensus methods we apply within our organizations and collaboratively design and build these into online tools that can enhance and complement them. Here's the details one more time: What: Codesigning an Online Consensus Tool When: Sunday April 25th, 1:30 to 3:00, repeating every other Sunday. Where: Libertalia Autonomous Space, 280 Broadway 2nd floor

March 13, 2012

Male-bodied Reproductive Health Workshop Sun 3/18

Emma & Chanelle will be leading a workshop on reproductive health for male-bodied folks this Sunday (3/18) at Libertalia, from 11am to 3pm.  People of all bodies, genders, and levels of knowledge are encouraged to attend!  This will be a general introduction to common ailments that afflict male-bodiede people, and the workshop will look at ways of preventing and treating them herbally.  Email Chanelle (sunfoot@riseup.net) with any questions!

PS There'll be a lunch break, and participants are welcome but not expected to bring a little something for a potluck style meal!

PPS There will be other medical & herbal workshops coming up, including a Street Medic Workshop on 3/23-25 (email sunfoot@riseup.net to sign up) and Female-bodied Reproductive Health Workshop on 4/1! 

March 8, 2012

F-Sex - Female Sexuality Workshop starting Monday 3/12

The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health, a rad organization based in Pawtucket, is facilitating a female sexuality workshop at Libertalia.  Check it out!

F Sex (Female Sexuality Workshop & Discussion)
Mondays 3/12, 3/19, 2/26, 6-8 pm
at Libertalia (280 Broadway 2nd Floor)
led by Daniela (this.contemporary.love@gmail.com) & Deirdre


F-Sex is a workshop pertaining to female sexuality that is open to all people over the age of 18. The workshop focuses on empowering individuals through the creation and maintenance of a safe space in which each participant shares experiences to help them learn and grow with and from one another. F-Sex believes that knowledge is power and aims to spread this knowledge regarding female sexuality throughout the greater Rhode Island community.  Starting with 3 sessions on Monday nights, plans for continuation & expansion based on interest.

March 3, 2012

Poetry Workshop Saturday 3/10

Join us next Saturday (3/10) for a poetry workshop with Robi.  Poets, musicians, writers, and artists of all levels and experience are welcome!  Bring work you've already been working on or come ready to create spontaneously!  More info below, feel free to email us or Robi with any questions!


The Heavy Root of Poetry: Street Theater, Graffiti, Folk Song, Writing and Singing While Walking 
Saturday 3/10, 12-4pm
at Libertalia
led by Robi (rsnyderm@gmail.com)
From Robi: Song and poetry gather the voices and stories of a place, carry them, make them at once a monument and an experience, a ritual, a returning and a rapture, carry what has happened to the people in that place, carry the prophecies of those people in that place. This workshop will involve intensive meditation-based writing; a lecture and discussion on giving and receiving poetry within the physical and social architecture of this country: through the community and publicity and protest of graffiti, street theater, folk songs; through the privacy of writing or singing while wandering.

February 13, 2012

Updated Course Info

Below is some updated info on upcoming workshops & classes (including one this Sunday)! If you have any questions, feel free to email the facilitators or providence@freeskool.org!


Craft Circle 
Every Friday from 3-7 at Libertalia
Contact: touchthethirdrail@gmail.com
This is a weekly gathering for the crafty-minded, and a great place to work on DIY/DIWO projects ranging from sewing and knitting to woodburning and knots. As time goes on, we'll be arranging skill shares and instructional sessions based on participants interest.

RaFa, RaFa - Cross-cultural interaction & diversity workshop 
Sunday 2/19, 12pm-3pm at Libertalia
led by John
Contact: jmcg02908@verizon.net
This is a one-session stimulating group simulation game designed to help you think about cultural differences through your own experience in the game and through listening to the other game players. It's also fun. This game has worked well in the past for those going to or coming from work or study abroad, people entering or leaving college, people changing jobs or work location, people going into new groups, social change activists and community organizers. And many others. This game is perfectly adaptable to high school, jr high and college classes in social studies, sociology, gender studies, diversity studies, cultural studies, management and other areas.  Join us for 2-2.5 hours, actively participate in the game (but it's not a discussion until the last half-hour), have fun, and learn a great deal. Learn through action!
*If you're interested, please email the Free School or John (jmcg02908@verizon.net) and let us know, so we know how many people to expect!


The Heavy Root of Poetry: Street Theater, Graffiti, Folk Song, Writing and Singing While Walking 
Saturday 3/10, 12-4pm
at Libertalia
led by Robi
Contact: rsnyderm@gmail.com
Song and poetry gather the voices and stories of a place, carry them, make them at once a monument and an experience, a ritual, a returning and a rapture, carry what has happened to the people in that place, carry the prophecies of those people in that place. This workshop will involve intensive meditation-based writing; a lecture and discussion on giving and receiving poetry within the physical and social architecture of this country: through the community and publicity and protest of graffiti, street theater, folk songs; through the privacy of writing or singing while wandering.

Male Bodied Reproductive Health Workshop 
Sunday 3/18, 11am-3pm
led by Chanelle & Emma
Contact: cabbiee@gmail.com
A four-hour workshop on the male body. Anatomy, physiology, predicaments, & herbal remedies! ALL BODIES WELCOME & ENCOURAGED TO COME!!!


Female Bodied Reproductive Health Workshop 
Sunday 4/1, 11am-3pm
at 186 Carpenter Street
led by Chanelle & Emma

Contact: cabbiee@gmail.com

A four-hour workshop on the female body. The female body has consistently been misunderstood & disempowered, it is a mysterious yet practical place. We will untangle the anatomy & physiology, discuss various ailments one may encounter, & how to treat them herbally. ALL BODIES WELCOME & ENCOURAGED TO COME!!!

Making Skeletons Dance (Family Memoir Workshop)
Sundays 3/18 - 4/8, 4-6pm
at 186 Carpenter Street
led by Adrian
Contact: adrian.shirk@gmail.com
An exercise-based writing workshop about family myths & folktales. For people interested in memoir, mythology, geneaology, and good story telling, we'll conduct writing experiments, read selections, and come away with lots of new material to work on in the future.


20 Hour Street Medic Training 
Friday 3/23, Saturday 3/24, & Sunday 3/25
at the Blood Drive Coop (745 Branch Avenue)
led by Greg
Contact: cabbiee@gmail.com
Street Medics are folks who go to political protests (marches, occupations, and other direct actions) prepared to provide medical assistance. This is the standard training for folks of all experience levels who wish to identify themselves as Street Medics. This will be a weekend-long workshop, meeting for several hours a day over 3 days. ***The facilitators for this are traveling from Ithaca, NY, and are asking for a sliding scale of $20-$60 to cover their travel costs and supplies. This is the best deal you'll get on this kind of training!***

February 7, 2012

"Schooling the World" to make Providence debut Friday 2/10 at Libertalia


Join the Providence Free School & Libertalia at 8pm on Friday, February 10th, for a screening of the award-winning & controversial 2010 documentary "Schooling the World", about the impacts of modern education on indigenous cultures. Discussion to follow.
All over the world, volunteers raise money to build schools in traditional societies, convinced that education is the only path to a 'better' life for indigenous children. But is this true? What really happens when we replace a traditional culture's way of learning and understanding the world with our own? Does life really get better for its people? SCHOOLING THE WORLD takes a challenging, sometimes funny, ultimately deeply disturbing look at the effects of modern education on the world's last sustainable traditional cultures.
FREE, suggested donation $0 - $5
BYO snacks • Libertalia is a dry space
65 minutes, color, unrated, in English & Ladakhi (w/ Eng. subtitles)
directed by Carol Black, produced by Jim Hurst

The film's producers have created a 50-page (!) discussion guide, which you can download for more background information and discussion prompts: http://ow.ly/8V9SQ

About the film: http://schoolingtheworld.org/
About Libertalia: http://www.libertaliaPVD.org/
About us: http://providence.freeskool.org/

RSVP & invite friends at http://on.fb.me/STWscreening

February 1, 2012

We're Back!

After an early winter hibernation, the Providence Free School is back! There are a bunch of great classes & workshops coming up in the Spring, and more will be posted as time goes on! Here's a first glance:

Craft Circle 
Fridays from 3-7 at Libertalia
This is a weekly gathering for the crafty-minded, and a great place to work on DIY/DIWO projects ranging from sewing and knitting to woodburning and knots. As time goes on, we'll be arranging skill shares and instructional sessions based on participants interest.

RaFa, RaFa - Group dynamics & diversity workshop 
Sunday 2/19, 12pm-3pm at Libertalia
led by John
This is a one-session stimulating group simulation game designed to help you think about cultural differences through your own experience in the game and through listening to the other game players. It's also fun. This game has worked well in the past for those going to or coming from work or study abroad, people entering or leaving college, people changing jobs or work location, people going into new groups, social change activists and community organizers. And many others. This game is perfectly adaptable to high school, jr high and college classes in social studies, sociology, gender studies, diversity studies, cultural studies, management and other areas.  Join us for 2-2.5 hours, actively participate in the game (but it's not a discussion until the last half-hour), have fun, and learn a great deal. Learn through action!
*If you're interested, please email the Free School or John (jmcg02908@verizon.net) and let us know, so we know how many people to expect!


The Heavy Root of Poetry: Street Theater, Graffiti, Folk Song, Writing and Singing While Walking 
Saturday 3/10, 12-4pm
at Libertalia
led by Robi 
Song and poetry gather the voices and stories of a place, carry them, make them at once a monument and an experience, a ritual, a returning and a rapture, carry what has happened to the people in that place, carry the prophecies of those people in that place. This workshop will involve intensive meditation-based writing; a lecture and discussion on giving and receiving poetry within the physical and social architecture of this country: through the community and publicity and protest of graffiti, street theater, folk songs; through the privacy of writing or singing while wandering. 


Male Bodied Reproductive Health Workshop 
Sunday 3/18, 11am-3pm
led by Chanelle & Emma
A four-hour workshop on the male body. Anatomy, physiology, predicaments, & herbal remedies! ALL BODIES WELCOME & ENCOURAGED TO COME!!!


Female Bodied Reproductive Health Workshop 
Sunday 4/1, 11am-3pm
at 186 Carpenter Street
led by Chanelle & Emma
A four-hour workshop on the female body. The female body has consistently been misunderstood & disempowered, it is a mysterious yet practical place. We will untangle the anatomy & physiology, discuss various ailments one may encounter, & how to treat them herbally. ALL BODIES WELCOME & ENCOURAGED TO COME!!!

20 Hour Street Medic Training 
date and location tbd
led by Greg
Street Medics are folks who go to political protests (marches, occupations, and other direct actions) prepared to provide medical assistance. This is the standard training for folks of all experience levels who wish to identify themselves as Street Medics. This will be a weekend-long workshop, meeting for several hours a day over 3 days. ***The facilitators for this are traveling from Ithaca, NY, and are asking for a sliding scale of $20-$60 to cover their travel costs and supplies. This is the best deal you'll get on this kind of training!***