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Steve Ahlquist

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Steve Ahlquist is an American journalist. He previously wrote for the online publications Uprise RI and Rhode Island's Future, founding the former in 2017, and wrote comic books. He is now works independently, reporting on local issues through a newsletter on the Substack subscription platform.

Resources to add to article draft: WP search; CJR; ProJo; local interview

Journalism

Ahlquist wrote for the political blog Rhode Island's Future and went on to found the online publication Uprise RI, for news and opinion, in 2017. He worked as a reporter alongside Greg Brailsford. In 2018, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) was sent a critical letter by American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island after the RIPTA chief security officer told Ahlquist to stop recording at a public meeting, in conflict with freedom of information rights afforded by the state's Open Meetings Act (OMA). He filed an OMA complaint with the state attorney general relating to a 2019 meeting held by the Central Falls Detention Facility Corporation, operator of the privately-run Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility, that was connected to the Immigration & Customs Enforcement detainees that the facility was later found to have held. After one of the George Floyd protests in Providence in 2020, Ahlquist told The Providence Journal that he had gone to almost all protests held in the state in the past seven years.

The Boston Globe characterized Ahlquist as an advocacy journalist — one who is "breaking news, covering events on the ground, and doing it all with a point of view that's plain for anyone to see, including when he occasionally testifies before public bodies." GoLocalProv recognized him in 2022 for his reporting on human rights issues, such as his criticism of the state's policies governing homelessness. Ahlquist left Uprise RI in 2023 to begin publishing a newsletter through the Substack subscription platform. Upon Ahlquist's departure, Brailsford said that Uprise RI would continue investigative journalism but would shift its focus to a service for Rhode Islanders who are in "unfortunate situations and need assistance".

In testimony for House Bill 7967 (2024), which expands protections afforded by the state's 2012 Homeless Bill of Rights, Ahlquist spoke about the reporting he had done on Providence police allegedly targeting homeless people.

Other activities

Ahlquist previously wrote comic books; he worked on the anthology Strange Eggs and created the series Oz Squad.

Ahlquist was a founding member and president of The Humanists of Rhode Island. As president of the organization, Ahlquist organized protests against Hobby Lobby shortly after the 2014 court decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which allows private, for-profit corporations to take religious exemptions from a regulation that its owners religiously object to, and can impact employee health insurance coverage in areas such as birth control and abortion.

Personal life

Ahlquist grew up in Warwick, Rhode Island. His niece, Jessica Ahlquist, was plaintiff in the federal lawsuit Ahlquist v. Cranston, wherein Cranston High School West was directed to remove a prayer banner hung in the building as it violated the Establishment Clause.

References

  1. ^ Amaral, Brian (June 21, 2023). "A big change in the R.I. progressive media landscape". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  2. Andrade, Kevin G. (November 20, 2018). "ACLU chides RIPTA after journalist told to stop recording board meeting". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  3. Andrade, Kevin G. (April 16, 2019). "Wyatt prison's board faces second Open Meetings complaint". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  4. List, Madeleine (June 2, 2020). "Providence protest organizers reflect on intensity, power of rally". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  5. "Steve Ahlquist — 22 Who Made a Difference in 2022". GoLocalProv. December 24, 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  6. Cowperthwaite, Wheeler (March 29, 2024). "RI has a Homeless Bill of Rights. Why advocates say it needs an expansion". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  7. Parkin, John (18 June 2014). "'Strange Eggs,' 'Punch and Judy' writer Chris Reilly passes away". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  8. "RI fans remember comic book icon Stan Lee". ABC6 News. Cranston, Rhode Island: WLNE. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  9. Henry, Sarah (15 February 2019). "Rhode Island AG Withdraws from Bladensburg Case after Pressure from Humanists of Rhode Island" (Press release). American Humanist Association. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  10. Arditi, Lynn (July 5, 2014). "Protesters in Warwick call for boycott of Hobby Lobby". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  11. "Street Stories: Steve Ahlquist". Providence Streets Coalition. August 28, 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  12. "Teen relates hate she endured for contesting school prayer – Jessica Ahlquist". Freedom From Religion Foundation. Retrieved 2 November 2024.

External links