The Lens, a newsletter that spotlights Racial Equity Initiatives in Iowa City. Recent highlights:
Rosa Parks has her own seat on Iowa City’s buses for Black History Month
December 1, 2020 marks the 65th anniversary of Rosa Parks' arrest in Montgomery, Alabama for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, sparking the citywide bus boycott that became a critical event in the civil rights movement.
For Black History Month in Iowa City, Transit will be saving a seat on each of its 27 buses in honor of Mrs. Parks, who was born on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 1913.
Find time to ride a bus in February and use the QR code located on the commemorative image in each bus to find materials on Mrs. Parks and the civil rights movement that are available at the Iowa City Public Library. Other cities that have done similar transit-related initiatives include Dallas, Milwaukee, and Lexington, Kentucky.
'More Than Just A Game'
Iowa’s athletes have long impacted their teams, communities, and the sports they played.
African American athletes did so while facing off against more than just the opposing team. They fought for the right to equal treatment on and off the field.
A presentation called "More Than Just A Game" will highlight people such as Iowan and Olympian Thomas Hill, Drake University athlete Johnny Bright and his effect on the football helmet, and members of the Buxton Wonders, Iowa’s Negro League team.
This event is perfect for sports enthusiasts, history buffs, and the general public.
It will be at noon Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, in Meeting Room A of the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St. Food and beverages will be provided from Sugapeach Chicken & Fish Fry.
Still Rising: Celebrating 10 Years of the Iowa City Civil Rights Trip
For a decade, a small organization has taken a group of Iowa City students on a trip to the South to learn about our nation's checkered past when it comes to racial equality.
The City of Iowa City's own Media Production Specialist, Jack Brooks, made a documentary, "Still Rising," that followed students on the trip last year. He traveled on the 2018 trip to capture the 10th anniversary and final year with the founder of the trip, Henri Harper.
Learn how this tour of important sites from the Civil Rights Movement, along with visits to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, has helped impact more than 600 students during the span of the trip.
Join us for a viewing at noon on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at the Iowa City Public Library's Meeting Room A. Discussion following the screening will be led by Johnson County Board of Supervisor Royceann Porter.
Preserving Black History in Iowa City: Tate Arms and the Iowa Federation Home
In 2016, the City of Iowa City applied for and received an African American Civil Rights Grant from the National Park Service for a two-part project.
The first step was to nominate two buildings in Iowa City to the National Register of Historic Places. These buildings were associated with providing housing to African Americans when housing discrimination based on being Black was rampant in Iowa City.
The second step was to create educational signage for these two buildings, as well as provide print and digital media educational materials.
The two buildings are the Iowa Federation Home, located at 942 Iowa Avenue, and Tate Arms, located at 914 S. Dubuque Street. Join us at noon on Tuesday, February 25 at the Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A, to learn more about this history. Jessica Bristow, Historic Preservationist for the City will be the presenter.
Spotlight on Discrimination
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was passed over 50 years ago, but ageism is still prevalent in workplaces.
While the federal ADEA protects workers 40 and over who work for employers with 20 or more employees, young people also experience age discrimination.
In Iowa City, our anti-discrimination laws protect people of any age from discrimination in the workplace. Discrimination against older workers, however, is far more common.
A large study involving over 40,000 online job applications for over 13,000 jobs found older candidates were considered far less often than young or middle-aged candidates. Researchers sent three resumes for each job; the only substantive difference was age.
Employers may also attempt to force older workers to retire, often in subtle ways such as changing their duties to less-desirable tasks, reserving training opportunities for younger workers, and leaving them out of meetings or new projects.
If you believe you have faced age discrimination by an Iowa City employer, please do report the discrimination to the Office of Equity and Human Rights at 319-356-5022. Please feel free to also fill out an online complaint form to report the discrimination.
The Office of Equity and Human Rights has handled hundreds of complaints in the areas of housing, employment, and public accommodation. Every complaint received gives the office insight into problems that people are experiencing in this community and helps them to identify and prioritize problems for action.
Fair Housing Training to City Board
In December, Human Rights Investigator Kristin Watson presented to the Housing and Community Development Board at a special meeting.
The presentation on Fair Housing law focused on protected characteristics, examples of discrimination, and reasonable accommodations and modifications for tenants who have disabilities, including assistance animals.
Learn more about United Action for Youth’s PrideCon
United Action for Youth (UAY) will hold its annual PrideCon from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, at Elizabeth Tate High School,1528 Mall Drive, Iowa City.
There will be breakout sessions, performances, art, and plenty of delicious food. This day-long event will be FREE and open to all LGBTQIA+ junior high and high school students in the area.
Parents of LGBTQIA+ youth are invited to a free lunch, followed by break-out sessions; parent components of the program will take place at UAY's Eastdale Plaza offices.
Registration is required for both parents and young people. PrideCon related questions can be directed to tim.grady@unitedactionforyouth.org.
Save the Date for the Youth Job Fair
Are you an employer looking for talent? Do you want to support enthusiastic young people hoping to start their careers?
The City of Iowa City, Iowa Works, and Vocational Rehabilitation Services are seeking employers with positions available in the spring or summer to attend an upcoming Youth Job Fair.
The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, March 5, 2020, in the gymnasium at the Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center, 220 S. Gilbert. The Youth Job Fair is geared towards persons 16 – 21 years of age, but is open to all job seekers.
For detailed information on current trainings, initiatives, or programs, visit icgov.org/SJREinitiatives, and scroll to Social Justice and Racial Equity Quarterly Updates.
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