Are you interested in volunteering to serve in the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs? 

The commission has the following duties under Iowa Code:

1. Study the opportunities for and changing needs of the Latino population of this state. 

2. Serve as liaison between the Department of Human Rights and the public, sharing information and gathering constituency input. 

3. Recommend to the Iowa Human Rights Board the adoption of rules as it deems necessary. 

4. Recommend legislative and executive action to the Governor and General Assembly. 

5. Establish advisory committees, work groups, or other coalitions as appropriate.

Click here to apply!

Many outstanding Latinos helped shape Iowa and continue to contribute their talents and skills to improve the quality of life in this state.

To recognize and honor these achievers and to provide visible examples for tomorrow’s Latino leaders, the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs established the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame in 2017 with the goal of ensuring that the efforts of Latino leaders are honorably recognized and celebrated. 

The Iowa Latinx Leadership Award and the Robert D. Ray Award for Equity & Justice were added in 2018. The LGBTQIA Leadership Award for Iowa's People of Color was added in 2020.

Deadline: July 1, 2021

AMES, Iowa –The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound and lasting effect on the mental health and wellbeing of people across Iowa and around the world. Now that vaccinations are becoming widely available, many individuals are feeling a sense of relief that may be unfounded, said David Brown, behavioral health specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“The warmer spring weather has improved our moods and we are able to enjoy the outdoors and become more active. Unfortunately, history has shown that significant mental health concerns continue long after a pandemic resolves,” Brown said.  

“May is Mental Health Awareness Month and is a good reminder that we still need to stay focused on our mental health and resilience as we continue to battle to end the pandemic,” said Brown.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has several recommendations to build resilience during a pandemic.

• Recognize the signs of stress you or others may be experiencing, such as sadness, anxiety, loneliness, irritability, increasing substance use or routinely having trouble sleeping.  
• Spend time outdoors, being either physically active or just relaxing.
• Connect with others through phone calls, texts, mailing letters or video chats.
• Take breaks from watching news, including social media.
• Keep a regular sleep schedule.  
• Take breaks from work to stretch, exercise or check in with supportive colleagues, family members or friends.
• Do things you enjoy during non-work hours.

“We must remain vigilant and make an effort to follow these recommendations to help maintain resilience,” Brown said. “The underlying issues of isolation, lack of connection, economic concerns and general uncertainly will likely continue to affect mental health and substance usage for many months. We also need to be prepared to help others access mental health care and be ready to seek out resources for ourselves as well.”   

 More Resources

Iowa Concern, offered by ISU Extension and Outreach, provides confidential access to stress counselors and an attorney for legal education, as well as information and referral services for a wide variety of topics. With a toll-free phone number, live chat capabilities and a website, Iowa Concern services are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week at no charge. To reach Iowa Concern, call 800-447-1985; language interpretation services are available. Or, visit the website, www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/, to live chat with a stress counselor one-on-one in a secure environment. Or email an expert regarding legal, finance, stress, or crisis and disaster issues.

COVID Recovery Iowa offers a variety of services to anyone affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual counselors and consultants provide counseling, family finance consultation, farm financial consultation, referral information and help finding resources for any Iowan seeking personal support. Iowans of all ages may join groups online for activities and learn creative strategies for coping with the effects of the pandemic. COVID Recovery Iowa will announce upcoming programs on the website and via all social media to help Iowans build coping skills, resilience and emotional support. To request support, go to www.COVIDrecoveryiowa.org.
 
National Alliance on Mental Illness of Central Iowa inspires to better the lives for central Iowans affected by mental illness. NAMI works to achieve this goal through support programs, educational outreach, and advocacy on local, state and national levels. Learn more at https://namici.org/about/.

New organization strives to create an inclusive and welcoming Iowa for immigrants and refugees

American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Iowa and Iowa Justice for Our Neighbors (Iowa JFON) have merged to become Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ).  The merger came as a result of looking to resolve unmet and urgent needs for direct services while building a stronger movement for immigrants’ and refugees’ rights within the state of Iowa and the region.

Iowa MMJ’s mission is to “build a movement for justice led by immigrants and refugees in Iowa by providing high-quality legal services and community empowerment through organizing.” The dual-program organization focuses on the following core values that lead their justice work: community leadership, investment, collaboration and justice.  The organization is also an affiliate of the National Justice for our Neighbors Network.

Both AFSC Iowa and Iowa JFON have paved the way for organizations state-wide on what it looks like to provide low-cost legal, education and advocacy-based services for immigrants and refugees.  Staff from both merged organizations have a combined total of over 35 years in legal services and 15 years in providing programming initiatives. They are looking forward to bringing their resources together and build on the work to empower immigrant and refugee communities collaboratively.

Iowa MMJ will be having a virtual launch celebration on Friday, April 23rd, from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm CST.  If you would like to be present or learn more about the organization’s mission, vision and team, please visit https://www.iowammj.org/  for more information.

If you want to know that the information on your report is accurate. And if it’s wrong, you want to make sure someone didn’t steal your identity.

Here’s what you can do (from the Federal Trade Commission): 

• Order your free credit report. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 877-322-8228. Until the end of the pandemic, everyone in the U.S. can get a free credit report each week from all three national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
• Read the reports carefully. Do you recognize the accounts? Do they list credit applications? Did you apply for credit at those places?
• Spot mistakes. Fix anything that looks wrong (read more about how). But if it looks like someone else is using your credit, go to IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get a recovery plan.
• Spot a credit repair scam. If a credit repair company asks for money up front, or tells you not to contact the credit bureaus yourself, that’s probably a scammer

The Iowa Supreme Court has approved $195,695.03 in grants to non-profit programs that provide legal assistance to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems. The court awarded grants to eleven different organizations throughout Iowa. The grants are funded by the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account (IOLTA) program. With this year's grants, the supreme court has awarded more than $25 million in IOLTA grants since the program began on July 1, 1985. 

For more information, click this link.

The Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Literacy Council are pleased to announce the  Iowa Adult Education and Literacy Summer Virtual Conference! The conference will be held July 20-22, 2021.  The three day conference will include a half-day pre conference, state and national presenters, keynote speakers, time to network, and an amazing opportunity to learn about innovative practices in adult education. 

If you are interested in presenting at the conference, please complete the Call for Proposal Form. Proposals will be accepted through June 7, 2021.  

Registration will open in May.  Registration and additional details will be located on the Iowa Department of Education website and http://yourfuturestartshereiowa.org/.

For additional information please contact Elizabeth Johnson at elizabeth.johnson2@iowa.gov.