Asata Tigrai

Asata Tigrai has worked for decades to ensure that communities are informed about projects taking place in their neighborhoods and helping them voice concerns when necessary.  She has raised awareness of how development projects can disproportionately impact vulnerable communities and underscored the necessity for transparent, locally considerate planning.

Community has always been at the center of Asata’s work., and her legacy continues to inspire advocates and policy makers throughout Providence.

At Project BASIC, Asata challenged leaders to address environmental hazards and guided tenant groups through successful advocacy campaigns.

In the 1980s, Asata consulted with the Association of Tenants at University Heights when they sought to protect affordable units within the development.

With her guidance, they organized community meetings, distributed flyers, and met with local leaders.

The Association eventually purchased University Heights, ensuring that the affordable units would continue to be protected.

Asata also expressed early concerns about the proposed development of the former Louttit Laundry site on Cranston Street. When the city proposed building a shelter for families, Asata and Project BASIC cited potential soil contamination and the risks it posed to residents.

Their concerns led to significant remediation of the parcel before its eventual redevelopment several years later.

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