About Us
COURAGEOUS RI is a media literacy program to reduce the hate that leads to violence by building a coalition of empowered people who recognize, analyze, and resist harmful forms of expression and communication.
The program is an initiative of the Media Education Lab, whose mission is to improve the practice of digital and media literacy education through scholarship and community service.
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The University of Rhode Island received a grant for COURAGEOUS RI from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, opportunity number DHS-22-TTP-132-00-01.
The Courageous Journey
COURAGEOUS RI is a three-part initiative over two years, during which time we will aim to reduce the hate that leads to violence by building a coalition of empowered people who recognize, analyze, and resist harmful forms of expression and communication. That coalition will be built through:
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Courageous Conversations: Community dialogues that bring people together to advance media literacy and deep listening.
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Professional Development Program: Lesson plans and a supportive online community for educators who help students apply media literacy competencies in civic education.
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Youth Media Contest: A youth multimedia contest that offers prizes to high school and college students for their creative and inspiring media messages.
In the Press
Boston Globe. In Push to Counter Misinformation, RI to Launch Conversations to Foster Media Literacy.
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WPRI. Community Focus: Media Education Lab's Pam Steager.
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Providence Business News. URI Media Education Lab Launching Courageous RI Initiative to Combat Disinformation, Propaganda.
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The Providence Eye. Courageous RI: Teaching Us to Talk (and Listen) to One Another
Cranston Herald. CHSW Student Places in Courageous Youth Media Contest
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Valley Breeze. Local Courageous RI Winners Speak their Peace.
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The Republic. IU Professor and Students Recognized for Media Awards
Leadership Incentives
Courageous Rhode Island includes opportunities designed to develop leadership in the use of media literacy and active listening strategies as a "whole-of-society" method to prevent the fear and hate that leads to violence.
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The Ripple Effect
You can replicate a Courageous Conversations program for a school, library, church, workplace, or another community context. Participants who implement one discussion program get a $50 stipend and receive $50 for every subsequent session, up to a maximum payment of $300.
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Community Bloggers
Write a blog post about a topic or issue relevant to Courageous Conversations. If your work is accepted for publication, you will receive a $250 stipend.
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Courageous Rhode Island Professional Development Program
We select 50 middle school, high school, or college educators to participate in a 10-hour online PD program (consisting of 6 one-hour online programs plus independent reading, viewing and other work. Participants receive a $500 stipend and are expected to implement at least 1 learning activity with their students.
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Courageous Youth Voice Student Media Contest
Courageous Youth Voice is a student media contest that awards $7,000 in prizes, including a $1,000 grade prize award.
GOLD STAR 3
Cleo Allen
Polly Allen
Caroline Budnick
Paul Cook
Bobbie Eisenstock
Craig Evans
DeWolf Fulton
Phoebe Hall
Joanne Harris
Barbara Harrison
Karen Henninger
Charles Hensey
Bobbi Houllahan
Lisa Iannucci
Caroline Inlow
Pat Jaehnig
Anchal Jain
Colleen Kenyon
Sum Kung
Emily Le May
Jennifer Lima
Pamela Mann
Lauren McClanahan
Cameron McKinley
Grace Pigozzi
Elyse Rhodes
Jennifer Romans
Samanthe Sheffer
David Sok
Sochan Sok
Jennifer Stich
Camilla Streeter
Claudia Summer
Gregory Thompson
Cornelia Trahan
Amber Wessies
Christine Williams
Gold Star Members
131 people from across Rhode Island, the United States, and around the world became Courageous Leaders by partticipating in this program in 2023.
GOLD STAR 4
Donna Alvermann
Laurie Gaddis Barrett
Ramona Bass-Kolobe
Michael Bilow
Elayne Burke
Karen Henninger
Barbara Holtzman
Mary Mazza
Jeffrey Perrone
Sarah Trudeau
Christine Williams
GOLD STAR 1
Carissa Anderson
Brittany Barbato
Christopher Barton
Diane Q Beltran
Alan Berry
Dawn Brew
Robert Burns
Carol Byrne
Karl Charles
Jeffrey Crawford
Laura Davis
Shawn Domgaard
Laura Hosley
Cedric Huntley
Kathleen Jackson
Jessie Kingston
William Kimes
Martha Kuhlman
Madeline Labriola
Rachel Lawrence
Laura Laurence
Maureen Mann
Carissa Moglia
MJ Moriarty
Luisa Murillo
Amy Neilson
Mary O’Connor
Steffanie Padilla
Fernando Oliveira Paulino
Carrie Perez
Annalisa Raymer
Catharine Reznicek
Avelina Rocchio
Tara Ronda
Melanie Roy
Jacqueline Schulz
Fidelia Sok
Morgan Sowers
Ardian Shajkovci
Cheryl Space
Rosemary Smith
Fran Sterling
Jennifer Stevens
Natalie Velez-Millan
William Yang
Perizat Yelubayeva
Etta Zasloff
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GOLD STAR 2
Jordan Abelson
Hakim Coggins
Sue Ellen Christian
Amy Crawford
Cheryl Crowder
Sneha Dhakan
Katie Dosch
Tricia Driscoll
Michelle Freeman
Abbey Greene
Ash Gopalani
Wendy Gustavel
Jos Howles
Mary Ellen Iatropoulos
michelle l
Kent Lenci
Karen Martell
Katie McNamara
Susan Morettini
Pamela Morris
Ruth Ristich
David Robinson
Michelle Schillinger
Ginger Sharbel
Lindsay Wesner
Mia Whitfield
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Small Group Discussion
Facilitators
Rachel Balaban
Lee Clasper-Torch
Shawn Domgaard
Betty Finn
Elizaveta Friesem
Carolyn Fortuna
Charles Hensey
Renee Hobbs
Pat Jaehnig
Yamaya Jean
Colleen Kenyon
April Leach
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Shane Lee
Karen Markin
Mary Moen
Jess Michelson
Catherine Morris
Dawens Northecide
Nancy Richman
Tori Saia
Pam Steager
Julianna Soscia
Bob Van Oosterhout
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Team Members
Renee Hobbs
Pam Steager
Catherine Morris
Yamaya Jean
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Mary Moen
Julianna Soscia
Dawens Northecide
Boris Hrncic
Wendy Gustavel
Benjamin Thevenin
John Palella
Kent Lenci
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In the News
Renee Hobbs on Courageous RI, WPRO News
Join Our Coalition
A motivated coalition of Rhode Islanders can step beyond an us-vs-them mentality, work to develop a common understanding of pressing social problems, share the skills to critically analyze media messages, defuse hate, and prevent extremist violence.
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Is your organization ready to join our coalition?
Contact Pam for more information: