Events/News
Rhode Island Universities Launch First Statewide Music Festival for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 7, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Shawn Badgley
401-592-7716
shawnbadgley@gmail.com
Providence, R.I. – On April 17, students across four Rhode Island college and university campuses will come together in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, uniting in solidarity to support survivors statewide. In partnership with Day One, a Rhode Island nonprofit dedicated to addressing sexual and interpersonal violence, this unprecedented event marks the launch of One Day for Day One – the first-ever statewide college music festival focused on awareness, prevention, and community action.
The participating colleges and universities in One Day for Day One are Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island. Please note that these events are open to on-campus students, faculty, and staff only.
“One Day for Day One highlights the power of students coming together to affirm that sexual and interpersonal violence has no place on our campuses or in our communities,” said Michelle Loranger, Executive Director of Day One. “We are deeply grateful to our college partners for their steadfast commitment to supporting survivors, and we look forward to strengthening this collaboration in the years ahead.”
For more than 50 years, Day One has provided compassionate, trauma-informed services to victims and survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence, as well as to their families. The organization has long served as a cornerstone of survivor support in Rhode Island, offering hope, healing, and advocacy to individuals impacted by violence.
In addition to direct services, Day One has co-led the Rhode Island Cross-Campus Learning Collaborative for Sexual Violence Prevention for the past decade with the RI Department of Health. This statewide initiative brings together representatives from every Rhode Island college and university to strengthen campus safety, raise awareness, share best practices, and expand access to prevention resources and survivor support.
On One Day for Day One, each campus will host its own unique “stage,” creating a festival-like experience that showcases Day One’s impact across Rhode Island. This collective display of unity is designed to generate support for survivors, raise awareness about what resources are available, and strengthen the Rhode Island community’s commitment to addressing sexual and interpersonal violence.
Day One invites students, faculty, and staff across Rhode Island to participate in this inaugural event focused on engagement and empowerment. Community members are encouraged to join in by spreading awareness, supporting the mission, and donating to help ensure survivors across the state have access to critical resources and support.
About Day One RI
Since the early 1970s, Day One has served as Rhode Island’s not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking. With a mission to provide advocacy, support, and education, Day One offers a range of services, including a 24/7/365 helpline, trauma-informed clinical services, victim advocacy, and prevention/community education training.
For interviews with Michelle Loranger and other press inquiries, please contact Shawn Badgley at (401) 592-7716 or shawnbadgley@gmail.com. To learn more about Day One RI, visit DayOneRI.org
February 10, 2026
Providence Business News
PROVIDENCE – Nonprofit agency Day One has been dedicated to addressing sexual assault and interpersonal violence for half a decade now and is undergoing planning to strengthen the organization for the next 50 years, said Michelle Loranger, Executive Director.
Founded in the early 1970s, Day One provides clinical services, legal advocacy, prevention education, a 24‑hour helpline and emergency shelter for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking.
This will be one of Loranger’s first major steps since taking the post in February 2025, implementing a yearlong strategic planning process for the organization. The process will focus on strengthening the organization through broad collaboration, system assessment and community engagement. She said the plan will aim to ensure “responsive and quality service delivery for all in need.”
Loranger previously served on the Massachusetts Council on Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence, co-chaired its Child Exploitation Subcommittee and spent 14 years leading the Children’s Advocacy Center in Bristol County, where she helped implement a national best‑practice response model for child sexual abuse cases.
“I am honored that the Board of Directors has placed their trust in me at such a pivotal moment in our organization’s history,” Loranger said in a statement. She added that her priorities include innovating survivor services, expanding outreach and strengthening partnerships to build “a more supportive and just environment for those impacted by violence.”
The strategic planning process has already begun with staff participation. Additional surveys, interviews and focus groups with board members, volunteers, funders and community partners will continue throughout the year.
“Michelle’s commitment to excellence for the agency’s treatment, intervention, education, advocacy and prevention services for Rhode Islanders of all ages makes her our best possible choice for executive director,” said Peter Loescher, president of Day One’s board of directors. “She is a proven, dynamic leader who understands our deep history while also demonstrating the capability for collaboration to drive systemic change.”