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The Lens - September 2025
City of Iowa City sent this bulletin at 09/03/2025 12:00 PM CDT
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September 2025 |
The Lens is the City’s bimonthly newsletter to expand conversations on access, belonging, and
engagement.
"No Place to Grow Old" Film Screening and Panel Discussion
*The views and opinions expressed in connection with Office programs are those of the presenters
and participants and do not reflect the official policy or position of the City of Iowa City.
Don’t miss a special screening of No Place to Grow Old, followed by a panel with experts and
community voices. No Place to Grow Old is a powerful and intimate exploration of aging, resilience,
and belonging in a rapidly changing world. The film follows older individuals confronting displacement,
isolation, and the search for dignity in places that no longer feel like home, blending documentary
realism with poetic storytelling to reveal lives too often overlooked.
Across the United States, American adults are aging into homelessness at unprecedented rates. Older
adults (55+) are now the fastest-growing population entering homelessness nationwide, with numbers
projected to triple by 2030. The film shines a light on this escalating crisis through deeply personal
stories, exposing the human cost behind the statistics.
Visually striking and emotionally resonant, No Place to Grow Old asks urgent questions about
community, identity, and belonging in the twilight of life. With compassion and unflinching honesty, it
challenges audiences to reconsider how society treats its elders and how each of us envisions our
own path to aging.
About the event
When: Noon to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025
Where: Meeting Room, Water Treatment Center, 80 Stephen Atkins Drive
This event is free; however, preregistration is required. Register here beginning Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.
The event is limited to 40 seats and lunch will be provided.
This screening is sponsored by the Office of Human Rights, Iowa City Housing Authority, Iowa City
Senior Center, and Iowa Legal Aid.
October Lens Webinar Series with Brian Goldstone
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We’re excited to announce that the October Lens Webinar Series will feature journalist and
anthropologist Brian Goldstone, author of There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in
America.
Goldstone’s groundbreaking reporting illuminates the hidden struggles of working families
experiencing homelessness in the United States. Through vivid storytelling and on-the-ground
research, he challenges common assumptions and underscores the urgent realities behind this
national crisis. His work reveals the economic forces driving families into precarious living conditions
and the resilience and humanity of those navigating them. This vital program will provide a powerful
opportunity to examine the intersection of labor, housing, and inequality in America today. Don’t miss
the chance to hear directly from one of today’s most insightful voices on the realities of housing
insecurity and its impact on working families.
About the Speaker Brian Goldstone is a journalist and cultural anthropologist whose work has
appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Atlantic, The New Republic, and other leading outlets. His
reporting focuses on inequality, labor, and housing in contemporary America, combining deep
ethnographic research with compelling narrative storytelling.
Register through the event's Zoom page.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration
Join us on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, from 2–5:30 p.m. at the Terry Trueblood Recreation Center for a
community-wide Indigenous Peoples' Day Celebration.
This special event will honor and celebrate the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous
peoples. Together, we’ll recognize the history and ongoing impact of Indigenous communities while
creating space for connection, learning, and celebration.
All are welcome — come share in an afternoon of stories, culture, and community.
Sponsors are Great Plains Action Society, Iowa City Parks and Recreation, Office of Human Rights.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and it will be celebrated with a special
community event:
ADA Works! Inclusive Employment for All
Friday, Oct. 10, 2025
12:30–3:30 p.m.
Iowa City Pedestrian Mall
An afternoon of connection, resources, and celebration of inclusive employment opportunities. This
event highlights the importance of building workplaces where everyone can contribute and thrive.
Employers, service providers, and community members will come together to share information, foster
dialogue, and recognize the vital role of inclusive employment in strengthening our community.
Sponsored by the Iowa City Area Disability Service Committee.
Soul Train Block Party at the Iowa City Senior Center
Get ready to groove! The Iowa City Senior Center will host the Soul Train Block Party on Saturday,
Sept. 20, 2025, from 6–9 p.m. outside the Center at 28 S. Linn St.
Enjoy music by DJ Storm, dance in Soul Train lines, snap photos in the booth, and savor delicious
food from Island Vybz and Willie Ray’s Q Shank food trucks.
Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations for the Simple and Free Pantry
Exchange or give a $10 suggested donation (cash or QR code). If it rains, the party moves indoors
to the Assembly Room.
For more information, call 319-356-5220 or visit the Iowa City Senior Center.
Nominate a Changemaker for the Human Rights Awards!
Do you know someone who is making a real difference in promoting human rights in our community?
Now’s your chance to shine a spotlight on them!
The Human Rights Awards celebrate individuals and organizations whose work inspires, transforms,
and uplifts those around them. This is your opportunity to recognize bold leaders, fearless advocates,
and everyday heroes making a tangible impact.
Don’t wait—submit your nomination today and help honor the people shaping a stronger, fairer
community for all.
The awards honor individuals, businesses, and organizations whose work has made a lasting impact
on human rights locally and beyond. Nominations are open in six categories, each named in honor of
community leaders and advocates:
Isabel Turner Award – Recognizing advocacy for fair treatment or outstanding community
volunteerism.
Linda Severson Award – Honoring outstanding contributions to human rights by an individual
in a service organization.
International Award – Celebrating significant contributions to human rights in the global
community.
Bill Reagan Award – Recognizing a business or organization advancing human rights.
Rick Graf Award – Honoring long-term commitment to a specific cause or community.
Kenneth Cmiel Award – Recognizing a college or graduate student actively working in the field
of human rights.
Nominations are due by Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Submissions can be made quickly and easily online.
To submit a nomination or learn more about the nomination process, awards, and past honorees, visit
the Human Rights Awards homepage.
Commissioners Out and About
(L-R) Commissioners Kelsey Paul Shantz, Viana Qadoura and Elizabeth Mendez-Shannon host the
Commission’s first GrantNet meeting on Aug. 6, 2025. GrantNet is a special convening hosted by the
Iowa City Human Rights Commission that brings together past and current recipients of the City’s
Human Rights Grants—creating a space for connection, sharing of experiences, and community
building.
Commissioner Kelsey Paul Shantz at Party in the Park, Frauenholtz-Miller Park, July 31, 2025.
(L-R) Commissioners Viana Qadoura and Mark Pries at Party in the Park, Willow Creek Park, July 24,
2025.
Questions or accommodations
If you have questions or need disability-related accommodations to participate in any of our programs,
contact the office at 319-356-5022 or humanrights@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly
encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Questions?
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