Many of my readers know that I’m a member of Iowa Citizens For Community Improvement (Iowacci.org) An organization dedicated to making Iowa a more equitable and sustainable society for its citizens regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity or social standing. I first discovered the work of Iowa CCI when I returned to Iowa for the summer of 2007.
As an educator in California I read with increasing concern about the precarious situation threatening Iowa’s then-vaunted public schools. 25(!) years later the sad results are readily apparent to anyone who cares to look.
Once I was back in Iowa, I saw that many other issues were weighing on the minds and pocketbooks of ordinary Iowans both rural and urban. Looking in the direction of those who you’d expect to be fighting to reverse these changes (read: Democrats) I saw a surprising lack of cohesion.
In searching for someone—anyone— to be in the fight for a wiser Iowa, I found IowaCCI. Not shy, CCI has gotten a reputation for facing down the forces which threaten the existence of our environment, our family farming heritage and our shared bond of human connection thru racial justice.
The Iowa CCI story, which I discovered after standing with them supporting underpaid fast food workers fighting for living wages, is compelling. Their ongoing efforts to support beleaguered family farmers fighting environmental degradation is work which I think more Iowans would join if they were aware of CCI’s steadfast work.
The cold shower realization of what Kim Reynolds and the Republican-controlled legislature have done to Iowa public education compels more of our friends and neighbors both rural and urban, wanting, no…NEEDING to get involved to turn the tide in the direction of protecting our public assets including education.
Below is an announcement from Tim Glaza, CCI’s special projects coordinator in advance of CCI’s annual convention due to kick off at the FFA Enrichment Center located in Ankeny. He tells the story much better than I so, please, take a bit o’ time to read and consider getting more active in creating a wiser Iowa….
August 10 Iowa CCI Convention
From Tim Glaza for Interested Iowans
I’m excited for our August 10 “People Power is How We Win” summer meeting, and hope you are too. We’ll have great guest speakers, breakouts on our organizing campaigns, and of course some tasty food.
But what I’m most excited about is our keynote speaker, Dr. James E. Ford. I’m going to tell you a bit more why, and then ask that you join me on August 10 in Ankeny.
Across the country, rural, suburban, and urban communities are showing up to school board meetings on a quest for honest, accurate, safe, and fully funded public education. North Carolina is a hot spot and HEAL Together NC is a working coalition to protect public school students and the schools they attend. Operating as Public School Strong, in their first year alone, they’ve organized folks in 61 counties to show up to school board meetings and express their support for strong public schools!
Connecting with people in this movement is how we met Dr. James E. Ford. He founded CREED (Center for Racial Equity in Education) and joined with our friends at Down Home North Carolina as anchor groups to start HEAL Together NC. Dr. Ford believes in the power of people to rise up and fight for an education that prepares students of all backgrounds, races, and identities for their future and our communities.
Want to hear more about this movement building and work to fight for strong, fully funded public schools? Register to join us on August 10 here!
There are many politicians and forces in Iowa organizing against public schools. Moms 4 Liberty, Kim Reynolds, Dean Fisher, McKenzie Snow to name a few. We need to stay vigilant, focused, and connected in our communities. As we all know – we can’t do this work alone. It takes a lot of people and a lot of relationships organized around a common vision.
That’s why I hope you’ll join us on Aug. 10 to learn, be inspired, and build relationships and get plugged into ways for this important movement building.
People power is how we win,
Tim Glaza
Special Projects Director
Join Iowa CCI On August 10. Sign Up Here
The range of topics, perspectives and talents on offer from the roster of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative are an experience you should savor, dear reader.
