Americans consume fairy tales from birth. Storytelling is ingrained in our DNA. So it’s no surprise we want Valentine’s Day to be full of rich chocolate, roses and showy displays of affection. Materialism is ingrained in us, too. Take a peek at any social media feed on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, and you’ll find […]
Dana James
Posted inCentral Iowa
From online stores to food trucks, microbusinesses are booming with help from Iowa SBA
Curtis Baugh champions small businesses. He even has an award to prove it. The senior business consultant at the Small Business Solutions Center at the Evelyn K. Davis Center for Working Families has helped thousands of people start and grow their businesses. The Iowa district office of the Small Business Administration (SBA) in May recognized […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘This is your power. You own that power’: Black leaders encourage Iowans of color to vote Nov. 8
The Iowa Legislative Black Caucus hosted the fundraiser Stepping up to Justice on Sept. 22 at Noce in Des Moines. I attended to hear what candidates think voters need to know heading into the Nov. 8 midterm elections. The event supported Black Democratic caucus members who are up for reelection. The state legislators serving on […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Dana James: We were never in the same pandemic
I’ll admit it. I’m ambivalent about this stage of the coronavirus pandemic. Twenty-nine months since it began, Americans have long tired of all things pandemic-related, but I find it difficult to move forward and let go of the habits that have kept my family safe. I still wear N-95 face masks religiously. I don’t dine […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Dana James: State rankings lists are out once again. Here’s where Iowa (actually) stands.
Here we go again. Yet another news company propped Iowa up on a pedestal. Iowa fell a bit this year on the 2022 annual rankings by CNBC, but still ranked No. 12 on a list of America’s best states for business and No. 10 on a list of America’s best states to live. You’ll find […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Dana James: How long can we bear the cycle of mayhem and memorials?
On June 17, 2015, white domestic terrorist Dylann Roof used a .45-caliber Glock handgun to massacre nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. In the barrage of news coverage, I vowed never to forget and memorized each victim’s name. Rev. Clementa Pinckney Cynthia Hurd Susie Jackson Ethel Lee Lance Depayne Middleton-Doctor Tywanza Sanders Daniel Simmons […]
Posted inCentral Iowa, Central Iowa Community/News, Community/News, Uncategorized
Dana James: In the two years since George Floyd’s murder, Iowa lawmakers have prioritized order over reform
George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020 scarred my soul. Watching video of callous white police officers murdering a Black man on a Midwestern street provoked despair and unparalleled anger. But the ensuing groundswell of protesters that summer felt cathartic. Unpopular opinion: While many Iowans fretted over the ensuing chaos during the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Dana James: Unemployment in Iowa has never been a ‘hammock’
I lost my job when the U.S. housing market collapsed in 2008 and unemployment soared, pushing homeowners into foreclosure and the nation into crisis. For the first time in my life, I filed for unemployment benefits, which would keep me afloat for nine long months. A bachelor’s degree didn’t insulate me from financial distress nor […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Dana James: Black hairstyles have consequences
“His hair is disgusting.” “He shouldn’t be allowed to work here with that hair.” “It’s not professional.” As I sat working at my desk, I could hear snatches of my coworkers’ conversation about the new Black employee’s locs. If my former coworkers had worked in human resources, it’s doubtful he’d have ever been hired — […]
