The first five people who receive a perfect score will get a complimentary copy of “The Little Book of Pride: The History, The People, The Parades” by Lewis Laney.*
The first five people who receive a perfect score will get a complimentary copy of “On Juneteenth” by Annette Gordon-Reed.*
*You must reside in Iowa City to be eligible to receive either book.
Pride and Juneteenth yard signs available
We still have It’s a Matter of Pride and Juneteenth (very limited quantity) yard signs available on a first come basis. You can pick up a sign at City Hall’s front lobby information desk, 410 E. Washington St., during regular business hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Because of the limited number of signs available, we ask that you take only one of each sign per household, business, or organization.
Your Whole Self Belongs at Work
Although Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs are now standard in the corporate world, some companies are rethinking their approach, reports the New York Times. In the Times article, Irshad Manji, founder of Moral Courage College, says “traditional D.E.I. hasn’t worked well,” because “it all but compels people to stereotype each other.” She offers a personal example: “I happen to be Muslim and a faithful Muslim. But that does not mean I interpret Islam like every other Muslim out there.” Andrew Anagnost, President and CEO of Autodesk, a large software company, agrees. He feels traditional DEI initiatives at his company led to employees fearing to offend each other and defaulting to being either silent or passive aggressive. He pivoted the entire focus of his company’s DEI initiative, renaming it “Diversity & Belonging.”
Building on the concept of bringing your whole self to work, more companies are now adding “belonging” to the DEI structure. According to the Times, “seventy-six percent of respondents [to a Society for Human Resource Management survey] said their organization prioritized belonging as part of its D.E.I. strategy and 64 percent said they planned to invest more in belonging initiatives this year.” Furthermore, “respondents said that identity-based communities, like employee resource groups, helped foster belonging, while mandatory diversity training did not.”
According to the New York Times article, some consultants disagree with the new direction, believing “an abstract focus on belonging allows companies to avoid the tough conversations about power” and is merely “a way to help people who aren’t marginalized feel like they’re part of the conversation.” Others, however, embrace adding “belonging” to DEI. Karith Foster, Chief Executive of Inversity Solutions, told the Times that “as a practical matter, there will be no equity if the people in power … feel excluded from the conversation.” The goal is for everyone to feel secure and supported at work, no matter who they are. Then, as Mr. Anagnost noted, “we can all rise together.” Read the full article here.
You can access the New York Times for free through the Iowa City Public Library at this link.
Save the Date - Celebration of the 33rd signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act
The Office of Equity and Human Rights will host a program presented by Reyma McCoy Hyten.
Hyten will discuss how historically, access to initiatives intended to center people with disabilities has unintentionally created disparities that multiply-marginalized members of the disability community fall victim to. The program will offer an opportunity to discuss how access to necessities like food, housing, healthcare, and transportation are impacted by the degree of underrepresentation an individual experiences and to explore systems-based solutions that can create a more inclusive society.
About the presenter:
After a 20-year career as a helping professional, Hyten's vocation has shifted from serving marginalized people to addressing, through her signature approach, how systems create marginalization in the first place. Hyten's work has been featured in Vice, TIME, The Guardian, and USA Today.
The program takes place at noon on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. Preregistration is required. You can register at this link. The program is part of the Office’s monthly Lens Webinar Series.
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please call 319-356-5022 or humanrights@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Beyond the Land Acknowledgement: Higher Education, the Occupation of Native Nations, and "Land Back"
The Office of Equity and Human Rights will host educator Megan Red Shirt-Shaw at noon on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
Red Shirt-Shaw will discuss how land acknowledgments have become a powerful introduction to convocations, graduations, meetings, and conferences in higher education, but that institutions must challenge themselves to move away from encouraging acts that are just performative into commitments of transformative change.
Red Shirt-Shaw is an educator, writer, and researcher in higher education. Passionate about Indigenous rights issues, college admissions, and a greater Native presence in media and higher education, Red Shirt-Shaw believes in empowering young people to use their voices for the issues they care about in their communities. Her writings have also been featured on Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, Racialicious, Model View Culture, and Last Real Indians.
Preregistration is required. You can register at this link. The program is part of the Office’s monthly Lens Webinar Series.
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please call 319-356-5022 or humanrights@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Apply to Serve on the Iowa City Human Rights Commission
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission is seeking applicants to fill an unexpired term. The vacancy starts upon appointment and ends on December 31, 2025. Service is on a volunteer basis. The group meets at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
The duties of the Commission involve educating the public on civil and human rights, including planning programs and activities to eliminate unlawful discrimination. For example, the annual Youth Human Rights Awards and the Human Rights Awards Breakfast are two programs supported by the commission. The Human Rights Commission also makes recommendations to the City Council on the Racial Equity and Social Justice Grant funding and for any additional local legislation relating to unlawful discrimination.
Applications must be received by 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 3, 2023.
Applicants sought for vacancies on the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has two vacancies to fill unexpired terms ending December 30, 2024.
The TRC is tasked by the City Council to collect evidence of discrimination and racial injustice; provide forums and creative opportunities for those traumatized by racial injustice to share their experiences; and provide opportunities for reconciliation. To learn more about the work of the Commission, visit this link.
The TRC meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Johnson County residency is required. Iowa City residency is preferred, but not required if an applicant offers expertise or representation not available from applicants who reside in Iowa City. Members of other City boards and commissions are eligible to serve on the TRC. Applications are available online.
