Concentration:
Environmental Studies and International and Public Affairs 

Community Engagement through Swearer:
Bonner Fellow

Riley Stevenson ’26, has connected her interest in Environmental Studies and International and Public Affairs on campus with community action and activism in Providence through the Bonner Community Fellowship. As a Bonner fellow, Riley has worked with grassroots activists and statewide organizations to study non-profits and foundations' role in supporting communities in Providence.

Stevenson was interested in community engagement before she came to Brown, so when she received an email from the Swearer Center about the Bonner Community Fellowship, she realized it was the perfect opportunity to get involved.

“I specifically remember getting an email from Swearer [about Bonner] and immediately thinking, ‘I have to do this; it is so up my alley.’ I'm passionate about community engagement, but I was nervous about coming to a place and feeling like I didn't really live there. I was excited about this opportunity to engage in being here and further my understanding about this community. So much of Bonner is about being a resource to community organizations. As opposed to thinking, ‘What can I do? And how am I getting involved?’ I've always thought of it as I'm offering my services to an organization that really matters.”

Last Spring, Stevenson worked with the nonprofit organization The People’s Port Authority to support their mission of achieving environmental justice for low-income communities of color in the highly polluted Port of Providence. As part of her experience, Riley learned about grassroots organizing from Monica Heurtas, the executive director of The People’s Port Authority.

"That was an amazing experience because it was very ‘boots on the ground’ in this specific part of Providence with a specific problem and a community working to fix it. I really appreciated that opportunity to dive into something local to Providence that not many Brown students know about. It's awesome to be supported by Swearer to dive into that.”

This year, Stevenson is working with The Rhode Island Foundation, a philanthropic community foundation that funds grants for non-profit organizations. After working on the grassroots level with The People’s Port Authority, she sees an opportunity for The Rhode Island Foundation to help communities in Providence that are being harmed by air pollution, and Stevenson is particularly excited to work with the RIF on developing a model for engaging in climate and environment work.

Riley hopes to continue her community engagement to help work towards an environmentally safe Providence for everyone.

“Swearer was my first real connection to Brown and the first organization and community that I connected with here. Getting to be part of a program that's trying to help students be part of where they are has been something that I'll keep with me through my time at Brown and beyond.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Bonner Community Fellowship, click here.