The Iowa Freedom Riders were voted Best Social Justice Advocate in Little Village’s 2020 Best of the CRANDIC awards. “What do we want?” “JUSTICE!” “When do we want it?” “NOW!” Hearing chants like these in downtown Iowa City became the norm this summer as demonstrations for racial justice became a daily or weekly presence. Leading […]
Anjali Huynh
Posted inCommunity/News
‘Trump needs us’: People of color at Trump’s Des Moines rally talked about why they support him
Andrew Rohde had many things in common with the almost 4,000 other supporters of Donald Trump at the president’s reelection rally at the Des Moines International Airport last week. But he differed in one key way: the 18-year-old was born in Mexico. “This is the greatest nation in the world, nothing’s better, and Donald Trump […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Police interactions with youth, the homeless discussed at final Iowa City Council listening posts
Last week, the Iowa City Council concluded its series of listening posts to gather feedback from residents on issues related to community policing, including police interactions with young people and people experiencing homelessness. During Monday’s listening post at Chauncey Swan Park, representatives from Shelter House, CommUnity Crisis Services, United Action for Youth and the Jail […]
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‘A part of me is gone’: Family and friends mourn Makeda Scott during memorial service on the Pentacrest
Speeches and music filled the air in around the Pentacrest on Friday night, as more than 100 people gathered to mourn Makeda Scott. Organized by Scott’s mother, Simmone Spencer-VanGorp, and the Iowa Freedom Riders (IFR), the memorial aimed to celebrate Scott’s life, and reinforce calls for justice. “I’m mad at her for leaving me, and […]
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1619 Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones discusses Waterloo schooldays, ‘reckoning’ with slavery and hopes for the Biden presidency
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones spoke to the University of Iowa community about her renowned 1619 Project in a free livestream hosted by the University Lecture Committee Tuesday evening. Originally published in New York Times Magazine in August 2019, the collection of essays, poetry, short fiction, photos, podcast episodes and classroom curricula that make […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘We need to do better’: Iowa City Council holds listening post to discuss mental health and police reform
The Iowa City Council held the first of six scheduled listening posts to get public input regarding community policing reforms at Mercer Park on Wednesday evening. Approximately 50 community members attended the event, which focused on how situations involving mental health, crisis intervention and addiction should be handled. As part of the resolution passed on […]
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Iowa Freedom Riders return to the streets of Iowa City demanding more action from the city council and justice for Makeda Scott
On Friday night, the Iowa Freedom Riders led marchers through the streets of Iowa City in their first protest since early July. IFR organizers — joined by five members of Des Moines Black Lives Matter, who had been in Cedar Rapids earlier to deliver donated items to help people affected by the derecho — led […]
Posted inCOVID-19
An Iowa City woman’s months-long fight against COVID-19 was marked by fear and frustration
When COVID-19 first took root in the United States, Iowa City resident Nora Boerner joined many nationwide in staying home as much as possible to keep her husband and four children safe. However, these precautions weren’t enough to prevent her from contracting the disease in mid-April. “Because of when I got sick and the journey […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘Justice 4 Floyd’: Protesters in the Twin Cities set an example for the nation
“Be careful, and stay safe.” As I sat on my 42-minute flight from the Eastern Iowa Airport to Minneapolis-St. Paul, I replayed these words said in the days leading up to my trip. Everyone from my parents to the Little Village news director seemed to think I was entering a warzone by visiting the Twin […]
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Disabled individuals, many at high risk for COVID-19, also face additional challenges while social distancing
When Kim Downes first explained to her daughter Haley that many people were getting sick and dying due to a virus, Haley asked, “Can we send them flowers?” As a 28-year-old with multiple disabilities, Haley interprets the pandemic’s severity through disruptions to her routine, like missing her beloved Special Olympics activities and not attending church […]
Posted inCommunity/News
From grades to wi-fi access, ICCSD Superintendent Stephen Murley outlines changes to online learning for high school students
The Iowa City Community School District sent an email to staff and parents on Friday informing them it is “moving from Voluntary Educational Enrichment Opportunities to Required Learning Opportunities at the high school level.” For younger students, the at-home learning opportunities the district offers will remain voluntary. The change will go into effect on Monday, […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Shelter House continues serving the community while COVID-19 forces changes and funds run short
Everyone is being told to stay home to help limit the spread of COVID-19. But what does that mean for people experiencing homelessness? And how does social distancing work in emergency shelter? Those are questions Shelter House had to quickly answer after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in Iowa on March 8. Shelter […]
