HomeMy WebLinkAboutSJRE report Q1 2020Social Justice &
Racial Equity
First Quarter Update
(January–March 2020)
January—March, Parks and Recreation staff worked extensively alongside
students and staff of the pilot Iowa City Community School District ‘Seal of
Bi-literacy’ program to plan, implement and translate special event materials
in order to encourage diverse groups to attend Parks and Recreation
events, programs and facilities. How to address common barriers, including
language and accessibility, was a common topic of discussion.
January 23—Equity & Human Rights issued Guidance on Public Assistance
Source of Income protection for area landlords, to assist them in treating
tenants who receive public funds fairly.
February—Pronoun pins are now available for City staff members or volunteers
who wish to display their preferred pronouns. Why is this important? Using
a person’s chosen pronouns is not only a basic courtesy, but a necessity of
self-respect and identity. Allowing a person to self-identify their pronouns in
the workplace instead of being perceived to belong to a particular pronoun
removes embarrassment and hurt feelings over being misgendered.
February 29—Equity & Human Rights staff attended the LGBTQ Career Expo,
held at Kirkwood Community College. The event was a safe space for college
students to meet with representatives from employers and educational
institutions committed to providing supportive environments for LGBTQ
people.
February 29—Equity & Human Rights provided financial support for
PrideCon, United Action for Youth’s summit for LGBTQ+ youth and parents.
Sadie McDowell, of the Iowa City Fire Department, was a presenter.
AccountabilityCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
March 4—Equity & Human
Rights staff attended the
Inclusive ICR Iowa. A quarterly
coalition of local employers
and organizations working
together to support and grow
diversity and in inclusion in the
workforce.
March and throughout 2020—
Five new City departments will
be joining those already using
a racial equity toolkit to guide
their policies and procedures.
They are Public Works and
Engineering, Transportation, the
Center, Communications, and
the City Clerk’s Office.
During the week of January 16-22, Parks and Recreation partnered with a
number of Iowa City area groups and organizations to provide opportunities
to highlight and celebrate the life and legacy of the Dr. Rev. Martin Luther
King Jr.. Parks and Recreation staff spearheaded the collaboration, which
consisted of a variety of inclusive, multigenerational events and activities.
Attendance reached over 400 and provided entertainment, activities and
service projects. Service projects were planned with a focus on serving some
of Iowa City’s most vulnerable populations. Transit also provided free bus
service to and from the celebration.
February – Parks and Recreation was a host site for the African American
mobile museum and displayed information that highlighted historical
moments in African American history. These displays were used as part
of a scavenger hunt for students who participated in Teen Dynamics. Topics
from the displays encouraged the students to do more extensive research
on individuals of color who have impacted the world of sports, science and
inventions.
February 5—In partnership with Johnson County, Equity & Human Rights and
the Iowa City Public Library presented “Preserving Black History in Iowa
City: Tate Arms and the Iowa Federation Home.” Jessica Bristow, Historic
Preservationist for the City, detailed the rich history of these two buildings,
which provided homes for African American students who were admitted to the
University of Iowa, but denied the opportunity to reside on campus from 1847
to the 1950’s.
February 6 – The Center, in partnership with Humanities Iowa, presented a
program titled “Beyond Race, Celebrating the Missouri Compromise of
1820 and Iowa’s African-American History.” Created by Humanities Iowa
Speaker’s Bureau member, Hal Chase, on the 200th anniversary of the Missouri
compromise, this program focused on the impact of the Compromise on Iowa’s
African American History.
February 7 – The Center presented a program on Iowa City in the Civil War.
When the call for war came in 1861, Iowans overwhelmingly agreed to serve
as soldiers and in other capacities. Two training camps were situated on the
outskirts of Iowa City and one regiment was comprised of mostly Johnson
County soldiers. Participants learned about what made Iowa unique among all
the states, both Union and Confederate, and how its troops served the Union
cause.
OutreachCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
OutreachCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
February 11 – In partnership with the African-American Museum of Iowa and
Johnson County, Equity and Human Rights and the Iowa City Public Library
presented “More than Just a Game,” tracing the history of African American
athletes’ struggle to be treated fairly both on and off the field.
February 18 – In partnership with Johnson County, Equity & Human Rights
and the Iowa City Public Library presented a showing of “Still Rising” a
documentary by City Channel 4’s Jack Brooks. The documentary celebrates
10 years of the Iowa City Civil Rights Tour started by Henri Harper. The
presentation was followed by a discussion led by Johnson County Supervisor
Royceann Porter and former Council member Rockne Cole.
February 20 – Retired UI Theatre Professor Tisch Jones gave a talk at The
Center tracing her personal journey as a Black girl coming to Iowa City
in 1964, the year of the passing of the Civil Rights Act. Her presentation was
based on a chapter from her memoir in progress, titled I’m No Accident. In
the national struggle for civil rights, Tisch was arrested seven times, and this
experience helped shape her commitment to theatre as a venue for social
justice.
February 21 – The Center presented a program titled, “A Tale of Despair
in Africa, 1885-1960 and Beyond.” In the late 19th century, there was a
“Scramble for Africa,” in which European nations divided various regions of
Africa for occupation and exploitation. This presentation explored the history
of the Congo and its colonization by Belgium, telling a tale of great woe and
pillage that has ramifications to this day.
February 21 – Parks and Recreation hosted the Black History Trivia Night.
Participants were challenged in a variety of categories in a trivia game that
highlighted the many contributions of African American men and women.
Participants reported that they were unaware of many of the featured
contributions. Staff plan to continue hosting trivia nights to highlight other
cultures and areas of interest in the future.
February 28 – Tom Schulein presented “The Underground Railroad in
Iowa and Iowa City” at the Center. Escaping from slavery to freedom in the
movement known as the “Underground Railroad,” many brave individuals
found their way across Iowa. Mr. Schulein told the story of both the oppressed
and their helpers, and explored Iowa’s role in this effort, with information
specific to Iowa City included.
OutreachCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
February – The Center displayed the traveling exhibit “Products of a Creative
Mind,” courtesy of the African American Museum of Iowa, in its lobby for
the month of February. The exhibit educated viewers on African American
inventors and innovators who have impacted the ways we eat, move, live, and
stay healthy.
Feb-March – Parks and Recreation sponsored 70 children from Grant Wood
Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (50) and Fifth Ward Saints (20)
for 5 weeks of American Red Cross swim lessons. Grant Wood children
participated in lessons 3 days per week and Fifth Ward Saints children
participated in lessons once per week. Scholarship funds were used to cover
the cost of staffing and incidentals such as suits and towels for students
that needed them. A donation from the John Geerdes Memorial Fund covered
$3,000 in transportation costs for Grant Wood to participate at the Robert
A. Lee Recreation Center. Fifth Ward Saints was able to provide their own
transportation. Parks and Recreation was scheduled to repeat this lesson
and transportation arrangement for a second five-week session at the end
of March but had to postpone due to facility closures due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
March 1—Equity & Human Rights provided “Know Your Rights” brochures to
the University of Iowa Pride Alliance Center, to serve as resource materials for
students.
March 5—Equity & Human Rights and Parks and Recreation, together with Iowa
Rehabilitation Services and Iowa Works, hosted a Youth Job Fair, at which
employers offered opportunities specifically for job seekers between the ages
of 16 and 21.
February –April – The Center, in partnership with AARP, offered its annual free
tax-preparation program, targeting low- to moderate-income and older adult
taxpayers.
February 18 – The City Council approved seven applications for funding
through the Social Justice and Racial Equity Grants, which provide financial
assistance to local organizations for building capacity to address social justice
and racial equity concerns in the Iowa City area.
March 3 – The Center, in partnership with Humanities Iowa, hosted a talk by
Drake University Political Science Professor Debra L. DeLaet, titled “Human
Rights in the Everyday.” Professor DeLaet discussed how human rights,
and the fight to bring the same rights to everyone in the world, is something
we all engage with every day. The talk sought to broaden the vision of what
constitutes human rights and social justice.
February - For Black History
Month in Iowa City, Transit saved
a seat on each of its 27 buses in
honor of Mrs. Parks, who was
born on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 1913.
Other cities that have done
similar transit-related initiatives
include Dallas, Milwaukee, and
Lexington, Kentucky.
JusticeCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
ConversationsCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
February 8 – Parks and Recreation held a Youth Summit, which provided
opportunities for students to share their thoughts on the current climate of our
world. Participants discussed ways to improve upon current conditions and were
provided opportunities to discuss injustices, policies, and practices that may be
beneficial to some, but burdensome to others.
February—Black community
leaders were asked to reflect
on what Black History Month
means to them. Their comments
were published on the Equity and
Human Rights Instagram page @
ichumanrights to remind all that
Black history is not just a month,
but all year long.
ADULT SERVICES
• Teen Center display—Celebrating
Black History Month
• Three events with the City of Iowa
City Equity and Human Rights
Department:’
• More Than Just A Game—
African American Athletes in
Iowa
• Still Rising: Celebrating 10
Years of the Iowa City Civil
Rights Trip
• Preserving Black History in
Iowa City: Tate Arms and the
Iowa Federation Home
• Black History month Film
Screening of the film Toni
Morrison, The Pieces I Am
• January display about Martin
Luther King, Jr.
• February display about Black
History Month
CHILDREN’S SERVICES DEPARTMENT
• Black History Month Display
• Outreach storytimes at public
school sites and Head Start sites
with high population of free/
reduced lunch qualifying students
• Special Access Browsing (Winter
Fun)
• Storytime: Snowy Day
• Black History Family Storytime
• Black History Short Film Fest
• More than Just a Game (African
American Athlete Program)
• Women’s History Month Display
• Family Night: Champagne Irish
Dance Performance
COMMUNITY & ACCESS SERVICES
• Fairweather Lodge book group met and decided on a book to read for
a meeting the end of February. The Book Group gives an opportunity
for FWL residents to find some escapism in their routine as they try and
navigate society with new perspective and promotes the joy of reading
• Urban Conservation display helped educate the community on
responsible building practices as well as the importance of proper
drainage and integrity of “clean” runoff
• World religion day display and list helped introduce people to different
spiritual traditions or deepen their own practice
• Tales & Travels visited Bickford and Oaknoll Health Ctr talking about
New Year’s traditions
• Tech Help at Legacy educated residents on how to solve various
technology related gripes in their lives
• Delivered ICPL information to local international grocers
• Picked up and set up “Behind the Beat” Pop-Up Exhibit for Black
History Month from the African American Museum of Iowa which
informed and displayed the importance of African American influence
on music. A nearby book display featured books written by African
Americans.
• A-5 Project (Awesome, Autism, Art, Awareness, Acceptance) displayed
art from the neuroatypical community
• Women’s History Month exhibited five different displays: fiction
by women authors; women musicians; strong female characters on
film; nonfiction works by women; a display commemorating the life of
Katherine Jackson, a NASA mathematician, an African American woman
who made huge contributions to the field of astrophysics and space travel.
Iowa City Public LibraryCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
BOOKMOBILE
• The Bookmobile visited Atrium Village Retirement Living Facility to
connect with community members who experience mobility limitations.
During the Spring 2020 schedule period, the ICPL Bookmobile will visit
this location monthly.
• The Bookmobile continued regularly scheduled stops at Grant Wood
Elementary, Alexander Elementary, Breckenridge Estates, and Mark
Twain Elementary to serve children from diverse backgrounds.
• Pre-School storytime and Bookmobile targeted visit to Pheasant Ridge
Pre-School continued.
• The Bookmobile began weekly stops at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
to provide services for children participating in Fifth Ward Saints North
After School Program, which serves at risk youth in our community.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Documentation of participation in any event, attended or presented, by a
Department member to a community member or organization.
34 officers and COA attended 104 events in the first quarter of 2020
for a total of 110.5 hours of involvement. Events included school visits,
attending festivities on MLK Day, reading at the library with K9 Luke, Diversity
Networking Night at UI, pizza lunches with Officer Neeld and K9 Luke,
International Women’s Day, Book Madness, Coffee with a Cop, and Citizens
Police Academy. More events are highlighted on our Facebook, Twitter and
Newsletter ICPD Newsfeed!
COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS
Documentation of any participation in a community presentation by a
Department member.
10 officers and COA participated in 35 community presentations in the
first quarter of 2020, totaling 57 hours of involvement. Presentations
included the following topics/groups:
• De-escalation
• Crisis Intervention
• Refugee and Migration Issues in the Indo-Pacific with CIVIC
• Police Careers – University of Iowa Center for Diversity & Enrichment
• ALICE – various locations
• Human Trafficking
• K-9 Presentations
• Dignitary Protection to Council for International Visitors to Iowa City
• Family Violence
• Culture Competence and Mental Health
• Underaged Drinking
• How to Identify Fraud – Senior Center
• Law Enforcement Career and Duties to 5th Ward Saints
Iowa City PoliceCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
Officers had the opportunity to
serve food and mingle at the Soul
Food dinner at the Robert A Lee.
Rec Center back in January.
Officer Neeld and COA Torres
introduced themselves to
community members at the
Sudanese Community Center in
hopes to partner on future events.
Officer Jay got to read a story and
lead a poem at Reading on the
Rug, a program the UI Museum
of Natural History puts on once a
month. We were their first guests
of the decade!
Officer Neeld and Officer
Nicholson from Coralville PD
brought Coffee with a Cop to the
residents of Bickford Cottage.
CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING
Documentation of any training received by a Department member involving
cultural competency. Cultural competency training refers to training directed at
the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures, ethnicity and
socio-economic backgrounds.
• 5 Officers/COA attended Unconscious Bias Training
• 2 officer/COA attended a screening on Cracking the Code in Social Justice
• All members of the ICPD completed an online legal and law update on
Substance Use and Behavior
• Officers Schmerbach and Neeld participated in a circle group discussion about
police interactions and relationships with West High School Students
PUBLIC EDUCATION EFFORTS ON RIGHTS
Documentation of any participation at an event, attended or presented by a
Department member, to a community member or organization where the focus
is education on an individual’s rights.
There was no activity this quarter
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Documentation of any partnership between the Department and another
community organization.
The Department worked with community partners that led to attendance at 28
events by 8 officers and COA who spent 49.5 hours engaging with community
members. Below are some highlights and noteworthy outcomes from those
partnerships.
• Downtown Liaison Officer Fowler is a member of the Local Homeless
Coordinating Board which celebrated the opening of Cross Park Place that
provides housing to the chronically homeless.
• DLO Fowler is also on the Winter Extreme Temperature (WET) Shelter sub-
committee. This shelter provides an option for the homeless who are
intoxicated or otherwise ineligible to receive housing at Shelter House
during the winter months. The WET shelter opened in December and
closed in March.
• COA Torres continues to work with the Friendship Community Project in
assisting with class activities while answering questions they may have
about local law enforcement.
Iowa City PoliceCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
Officer Neeld got an aerial view of
the crowd before they head out
to lead the MLK march kicking off
the activities for MLK Day.
Sgt. Stevens, Victim Services
Coordinator Ann Thompson and
COA Torres attended the UI’s
Social Work Practicum Fair to
search for our new VSC. Whoever
we choose next will have some big
shoes to fill!
Captain Brotherton and COA
Torres attended the Refugee and
Immigrant Association’s first
International Women’s Day
event. We ate delicious food and
made a small friend pictured in the
gray hat.
• The ICPD continues to collaborate with the Iowa City Bike Library to
repurpose abandoned bicycles impounded by the Department.
Instead of being auctioned or recycled as scrap metal, the Iowa City Bike
Library refurbishes some of the bicycles which are then lent out through
their organization. The remaining bicycles are collected by Working Bikes.
Working Bikes is a non-profit that rescues discarded bicycles and gives
them new life by redistributing them in global communities. 120 bikes went
to these two organizations. The Downtown Liaison worked with staff
and the City Manager to amend City Code and worked towards repurposing
unclaimed bicycles by turning them over with disadvantaged youth and
adults. During the 1st quarter, a total of 3 abandoned bicycles were turned
over to the homeless.
• The Nighttime Downtown Liaison Officer, Andy Farrell, continues to work
with the Partnership on Alcohol Safety group to increase education
efforts and outreach.
• Community Outreach Officer Neeld continued to provide ICPD presence in
planning the Citizens Police Academy. A program that has members from
UIowa PD, Coralville PD, North Liberty PD and the Johnson County Sheriff’s
Office. The program had 34 participants this year that learned the ins and
outs of what our local law enforcement officers do every day.
• Additional activities, meetings and events took place within the following
community partnerships: NAACP, FBI, US Attorney’s Office, Johnson
County Attorney’s Office, Johnson County Disproportionate Minority
Contact Committee, City Manager’s Diversity Roundtable, Iowa City
Downtown District, Iowa City Community School District, University of Iowa
Off Campus Advisory Board, Special Olympics of Iowa, Safety Village, Elder
Abuse Task Force, Johnson County Human Trafficking Coalition, United Way
Social Services Work Group, 4 Oakes Youth Shelter, Johnson County Drug
Task Force, Sexual Assault Investigation Team, The Dream Center, Broadway
Neighborhood Center, Domestic Violence Intervention Program, Johnson
County Suicide Prevention, United Way Social Services Work Group, Prevent
Child Abuse-Johnson County and Emergency Services Camp for youth.
The Department continues to provide extra patrol at citizen’s requests and
foot patrols where criminal activity or safety concerns have been identified.
These patrols have resulted in over 1,000 documented citizen contacts.
The Evening Watch conducted 187 documented foot and extra patrols, the
Day Watch conducted 106 extra patrols, and the Late Night Watch conducted
38 foot patrols in the Downtown, including making multiple bar checks
resulting in contact with hundreds of people in the Downtown district. The
ICPD Community Outreach Officer spent 2 hours on foot and extra patrols.
The Daytime Downtown Liaison Officer was on bike/foot patrol during 57 days
of this quarter, totaling 230 hours and conducting 133 business checks.
The Nighttime Downtown Liaison Officer conducted 57 foot patrols and 25
business checks during the 1st quarter of 2020.
Iowa City PoliceCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
UIPD invited us to present to CIVIV
on how we handle the protection
of dignitaries and political
figures when they come into town.
Our Citizens Police Academy
had 34 participants this year. The
jointly organized program teaches
community members the ins and
out of law enforcement. Here
they’re learning how to dust for
fingerprints.
Officer Faulkcon gave a K9
presentation to a pre-law UI
rhetoric class. K9 Rakker taught
them some cool stuff they can’t
learn from a textbook.
February 6 and March 12 – Staff of Equity & Human Rights presented “Iowa’s
Civil Rights History” to a University of Iowa Introduction to Human Rights
Course and Introduction to Legal Careers respectively. The office offers
Know Your Rights, Fair Housing, and Civil Rights History presentations to the
community as part of its educational outreach. To request a presentation email
humanrights@iowa-city.org or call 319-356-5022.
February 25 – Staff of Equity & Human Rights, Human Resources, Parks and
Recreation, Communications, Neighborhood and Development Services,
City Manager’s Office participated in “Overcoming Unconscious Bias and
Creating a Fearless Organization” sponsored by Johnson County. How do
you overcome unconscious bias at your organization? Here are three tips 1.
Frame Your Bias (own-it!) 2. Challenge Your Bias (see if it is true) 3. Set It Aside
(look through a new frame). Success comes in CANS not CANNOTS!
February 26—Shanté Weston, Civil Rights Specialist from the City of Dubuque,
spent a day with Equity and Human Rights. Ms. Weston, a former Federal
investigator, was particularly interested in how parties to a discrimination
complaint required different interviewing techniques than those involved
in security-clearance background checks.
February 27- Staff of Equity & Human Rights participated in the Human Rights
Campaign webinar on Municipality as an employer.
March 26 – Staff of Equity & Human Rights participated in the Human Rights
Campaign webinar on Municipal Services.
TrainingCITY OF IOWA CITY : SOCIAL JUSTICE & RACIAL EQUITY
January 15 –Equity and Human
Rights participated in “Race:
The Power of an Illusion”
in a learning exchange that
brought together professionals,
volunteers, and community
members to have conversations
about the intersections of race,
equity and child welfare. The
purpose was to build capacity
to reduce disproportionality
and disparity by providing
participants with a safe
environment in which to explore
and challenge their own beliefs
and attitudes about race, to
practice better ways of talking
to one another about sensitive
topics, and to begin to have
courageous conversations
with one another about how
the notion of race affects our
attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.
The event was sponsored by the
City of North Liberty.