I'm Black in Providence. I've lived here for 12yrs. Still don't know what that weird ass pyramid in Pawtucket is about. But I digress....I've gone to protests where the cops are armed to the teeth. I work in a highly policed area. What I've noticed is a lack of police, honestly. I've called the police for car accidents, etc and if they show up, they take all of their time.

I haven't personally experienced brutality, but I know that it does happen. I'm one person with one set of experiences, but it's been reasonably safe. The colleges here are relatively cheap and well-known. Maybe spend a weekend here and feel out the neighborhood of the colleges you're looking at, then you'd be able to see for yourself if PVD is right for you.