<p>This is a really offensive question… But is there a large amount of racism in Rhode Island? I’ve heard horror stories of people being extremely supremacist and that there was dearth of minorities in the area surrounding Brown University? </p>
<p>I don’t believe this, but I’m really trying to get my parents to allow me to apply.</p>
<p>Rhode Island is literally one of the most liberal states in existence in every sense of the word. Rest assured all rumors of white supremacists or racism are unfounded.</p>
<p>To be fair, I had a classmate who was from one of the rural areas of the state and he said there were people with confederate flags on their trucks (ignore the irony). That being said, obviously those guys aren’t spending their time in Providence and the only reason this ever came up is because we were just talking about where he’s from. Not a factor at all at Brown or Providence which are both extremely left leaning as fourloko said.</p>
<p>There is definitely not a dearth of minorities in Providence. Maybe the rich area of college hill on which Brown sits is is a little whiter than expected but to say there is “a dearth” of minorities in “the surrounding area” would be well beyond exaggeration and is a bold faced lie.</p>
<p>i was scared a bit too about this</p>
<p>my parents are saying its not a good idea to apply?</p>
<p>Ank and fullmetal:</p>
<p>Read the following:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16221038-post85.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16221038-post85.html</a></p>
<p>Your fears of rampant bigotry are extremely misplaced. Brown? You gotta be kidding me.</p>
<p>There’s really no other way to say this but your parents are either idiots or that’s not the real reason they don’t want you to apply.</p>
<p>ok then…</p>
<p>Yeah, I find such a premise extremely bizarre. There is nothing particular about Rhode Island that is different than any other place. The population of the city of Providence is diverse. While the ethnic populations have been Italian, Irish and Portuguese, they now have a reasonably large Hispanic population and about 15% African American and smaller but reasonable sized Asian population.</p>
<p>I suppose RI could have some backwater hick towns, but how often are you going to be there even if they are these supposed hotbeds of racism, which seems extremely slim chances.</p>
<p>The area immediately surrounding Brown is mostly liberal upper middle class white who live in beautiful historic houses. Those are not your supremacists, they are professionals and college professors who drop in at Blue State Coffee for a morning Latte. But there are eclectic funkier neighborhoods at hand too. And one of the Portuguese neighborhoods is walking distance.</p>
<p>I think students are mostly in the College Hill ‘bubble’ on the East Side. There’s a busy life on campus and the student population is diverse. But it is easy to go downtown and most will get to the Providence Place Mall for shopping. Also everyone goes out to Riverfire. I don’t think my daughter got around much except to see bands at Lupo’s and bike the East Bay Bike Trail that takes you through some cute little towns to Newport, which is touristy once you get there. We went to Federal Hill (Little Italy) once for dinner together, which was the furthest she got from college in that direction. She is white, but I bet I would have heard about it if she thought she was in some crazy racist place. (We’re from San Francisco and not used to people like that).</p>
<p>Some students do work and volunteer in the community and likely get down the hill more than my daughter did.</p>
<p>I feel silly even explaining any of this.</p>
<p>No. There is not a lot of racism in Rhode Island. Probably similar to other Northeast states, overall, but not evident at all on College Hill. Good article describing the neighbor hood, FWIW: [History</a> abounds in College Hill](<a href=“http://ireader.olivesoftware.com/Olive/iReader/ProvidenceJournalWithAuth/SharedArticle.ashx?document=TPJ\2013\08\04&article=Ar04101]History”>http://ireader.olivesoftware.com/Olive/iReader/ProvidenceJournalWithAuth/SharedArticle.ashx?document=TPJ\2013\08\04&article=Ar04101)</p>
<p>You can find racism anywhere. I live over in Connecticut, where, yeah, sometimes people can be quite offensive. Occasionally a confederate flag or two, like was mentioned above. But you will find this anywhere you look, especially if you’re willing to venture out to the rural/country type settings. You absolutely won’t find this at Brown, or in Providence for that manner. Basically like everyone else is saying.</p>
<p>I have a biracial couple who are friends of mine, who said they felt more prejudice in Boston than in RI.</p>
<p>^That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.</p>
<p>Prejudice is everywhere and it comes from everyone black or white or hispanic or Asian.
Brown is extremely liberal and doesn’t care one way or another nor do the majority of students or surrounding area. But if you want a comfort zone though and that is a personal choice, just apply to Spelman, Howard, Morehouse, Hampton, Fisk etc. They are great and you won’t have to worry about anything nor will your parents. Many students worry about crime surrounding Yale or U Penn (not the greatest areas safety wise) but love the schools - so apply elsewhere-</p>