HomeMy WebLinkAboutSJRE report Q2 2020 2Social Justice &
Racial Equity
Second Quarter Update
(April–June 2020)
The Communications Division is building photo/video resources to coordinate
with others and help to commemorate the Black Lives Matter Movement in Iowa
City for future years.
The Communications Division created
a Community Connections program
for the Mayor, available on social
media and online for discussions
throughout COVID; inviting diverse
representation to participate in
the show and provide information.
This platform has also been used
to facilitate Black Lives Matters
discussions. Visit www.icgov.org/BLM
for more details.
Iowa City Police Department Captain
(now Interim Chief) Brotherton and
Community Outreach Assistant
Daisy Torres participated in virtual meetings with the Johnson County
Disproportionate Minority Contact Committee and Community Partnership
for Protecting Children/Prevent Child Abuse.
Iowa City Police Department Sergeant Scott Stevens participated in virtual
meetings with The Johnson County Human Trafficking Coalition and the
Domestic Abuse Investigation Team.
The Library conducted a diversity audit of the young adult collection. A
diversity audit assesses Library collections through a diverse lens to assess
gaps in collections and service areas. Once the collection is audited, Library
staff will create a plan to better diversify the collection and address gap areas.
Other collections in the Library will be assessed in the future, using knowledge
gained from auditing the young adult collection.
Staff of Equity and Human Rights participated in “Building Racial Equity:
Foundations,” sponsored by the Government Alliance on Racial Equity.
Equity and Human Rights staff renewed membership in the Government
Alliance on Race and Equity.
Equity and Human Rights staff participated in the League of Human Rights
Agencies of Iowa monthly meetings.
AccountabilityCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
The Police Department continued to provide extra patrol at residents
requests and foot patrols where criminal activity, safety concerns, or
outreach opportunities have been identified. The pandemic continued to
affect the community interactions during these patrols, but as officers were
able to do so safely and within social distancing, these patrols continued.
The Evening Watch conducted 95 documented foot and extra patrols, the Day
Watch conducted 95 extra patrols, and the Late-Night Watch conducted 121
foot and extra patrols.
The Center presented Making Queer History: LGBTQ Life
in Iowa City, detailing the unique history of LGBTQ people
in Iowa City, and describing resources in the University’s
Main Library that document the LGBTQ community’s
history.
Communications created a COVID resource page (www.
icgov.org/coronavirus) on the City website, which features
materials in multiple languages, and aired related video in
multiple languages.
Communications recorded and shared Speak Up; Speak
Out events for the Mayor and other local leaders.
In recognition of Fair Housing Month and to expand
outreach on how to file a complaint of discrimination, the
Office of Equity and Human Rights included a Know Your
Rights: Fair Housing brochure in May Utility Bills.
In recognition of Fair Housing Month and to expand outreach on how to file a
complaint of discrimination, the Office of Equity and Human Rights ran a Know
Your Rights: Fair Housing Ad in the Village Voice.
Equity and Human Rights staff renewed ad in print and online versions of the
Daily Iowan for the summer on Know Your Rights: How to File a Complaint of
Discrimination.
Equity and Human Rights staff issued “Guidance on Fair Housing and
COVID-19” to area landlords and property managers.
The Office of Equity and Human Rights ran an Outreach and Education ad in
the Go Guide from April through June 2020, and created a BLM staff resource
web page on the internal website for education information and training
opportunities regarding the Black Lives Matter movement and equity.
OutreachCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
This photo of the
Gay Liberation
Front entry in the
1970 Homecoming
parade was featured
in the 1971 Hawkeye
yearbook. Image
courtesy of the
University of Iowa
Yearbooks Collection,
Department of Special
Collections and
University Archives, UI
Libraries.
OutreachCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
Neighborhood Response Officer Adam Schmerbach of Iowa City Police
Department participated in the West High Senior Parade to congratulate the
graduation class of 2020.
Three of the Iowa City Police Department Evening Watch officers participated
in a birthday wave for Oliver, who had been a patient at the University of Iowa
Children’s Hospital.
Library Children’s Room staff recorded a set of online Storytime videos to
promote African American culture and celebrate diversity.
Library Children’s Department staff recorded a series of online Storytime
videos with LGBTQIA+ characters and themes. Drag Storytime was also
posted on social media to allow viewers to watch drag kings and queens tell
tales of love and acceptance.
The Library Children’s Department created “crafts-to-go,” allowing families
to register for crafts to be sent to their homes or picked up. One craft involved
making Merpeople, inspired by Jessica Love’s LGBTQIA+ picture book, Julian is
a Mermaid.
Library staff created several “Staff Picks” displays related to social justice.
These included:
• Pride Month of LGBTQIA+ inclusive children’s books
• Black Lives Matter (middle grade list, picture book list, YA list)
• Black Lives Matter for adults
• Pride Month for adults
• Jewish Heritage Month for adults
In celebration of the 50th Iowa City Pride anniversary and Pride month, The
City of Iowa City displayed Pride banners along Washington Street, Wade
Street, and Williams Street in the month of June. A Pride Flag was hung on the
flagpole in front of City Hall for the month of June. The national tradition of
celebrating Pride in June is a tribute to the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, when
New York City police raided a gay bar, sparking six days of protests which are
remembered as the launch of the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. The
following year, the University of Iowa’s Gay Liberation Front participated in the
University of Iowa’s Homecoming parade, making it one of the first student led
organizations to champion for the rights of LGBTQ persons. This historic event
makes Iowa City one of just a few cities across the country to have had a LGBTQ
civil rights movement for 50 years.
OutreachCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
The Library presented several online programs featuring
cultural outreach, including:
• June 3: Make a Cubano. Spanish teacher, Megan
Cleveland, taught children how to make a Cuban
sandwich.
• June 10: Irish Dancing. The Champagne Irish Dance
Academy demonstrated Irish dancing and kids learned
how to do a few moves from Tréa in her studio.
• June 17: Russian Culture Show and Tell. Katya
Boltanova and her family shared Russian stories, art,
and songs.
• June 24: Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. Children’s
librarian, Fang Wang, shared traditions and origami
about the Dragon Boat festival.
• June 25: Drum Safari. Kids listened to and discovered
beats from around the world, including the Caribbean
Islands, Cuba, and Brazil
The Library created several Staff Lists featuring positive
equality messages, including:
• children’s books with LGBTQIA+ characters with a
message of acceptance and positivity
• novels educating tweens about racism and privilege
• LGBTQIA+ titles to teach young readers about family
make-up and gender identity
• heartwarming tales to expose young readers to
African-American culture
Library Staff Picks and Book Lists were shared on ICPL’s website and social
media to support LGBTQIA+ and African American culture, and to shed light
on racism and privilege.
Library staff presented “Introduction to Canva.com: create a graphic for
Pride month.”
Katya Boltanova
Chinese Dragon
Boat Festival
A Black Lives Matter quilt was created by Parks and
Recreation staff and hangs in the lobby of Robert A Lee
Recreation Center.
Library staff shared 144 items related to LGBTQ rights,
Racial/Cultural Equity, and Income Inequality on social
media.
Library staff displayed Black Lives Matter book covers in
windows overlooking Linn street and the Pedestrian Mall.
JusticeCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
ConversationsCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
The Center and staff members of the African American Museum of Iowa
presented a program on the history of Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, Union
Soldiers arrived in Texas and spread the word that slaves were officially free. This
information had moved so slowly through the south that slaves in Texas did not
receive this information until over two years after President Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation. Many communities now celebrate through parades,
festivals, and large community celebrations that highlight this momentous
event while also sharing African American culture and heritage.
Police Department Community Outreach Assistant Daisy Torres participated in a
Zoom Q & A with the Sudanese Community Center.
Police Department Community Relations Officer Travis Neeld joined Community
Outreach Assistant Torres at Mercer Park for a K9 presentation to a group of 15
youngsters.
City staff from City Clerk’s Office, City Manager’s Office, Communications,
Equity and Human Rights, and the Police Department all attended LGBTQ 101
Awareness Training sponsored by One Iowa.
All members of the Police Department completed a three-part online legal
update on Substance Use and Behavior.
Library staff viewed webinars on the following topics:
• Serving older populations
• Unhoused people
• Outreach services in public health crises
• Addressing microaggressions in the workplace
• One staff person was recertified for -University of Iowa’s Safe Zones
(serving LGBTQ+ community)
• Beanstack’s Fireside Chat with Cicely Lewis, creator of the Read Woke
program
• Understanding White Privilege, put on by the UI Center for Human Rights
Equity and Human Rights staff
presented Fair Housing training
to staff of a local real estate
management company.
Equity and Human Rights staff
presented Fair Housing training
to the Iowa City Area Association of
Realtors
Equity and Human Rights staff
attended “Municipal Support for
LGBTQ Older Adults and COVID-19,”
sponsored by the Human Rights
Campaign.
Equity and Human Rights staff
presented on using a racial equity
lens, to the Climate Action Equity
Working Group at the City of Iowa City.
Equity and Human Rights staff participated in “Leadership on LGBTQ Equity,”
sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign.
Equity & Human Rights Staff, City Manager’s Office and Human Resources
launched an Equity and Human Rights Diversity staff committee.
TrainingCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY