** Online registration has closed, but you can still attend! **

• You can pre-register by calling the CCI Action headquarters at 515-282-0484 before 4 pm on Friday, August 9.

• or by coming to the FFA Enrichment Center from 9-10 am on Saturday, August 10.

It’s our annual event that brings together the CCI community from across the state—rural and urban, young and old, newly activated and seasoned leaders.

Join us to get updates on our organizing campaigns, reconnect with old friends and make new ones, and build the power we need to win. If you’re concerned about CO2 pipelines, public education, clean water and more, this is the event for you. We’ll have issue-based workshops, fearless truth tellers, and tasty, local food!

And, true to form, we’ll have a great line-up of guest speakers who’ll get us energized and challenge us to think big.

Our keynote speaker this year is James E. Ford, Executive Director at the Center for Racial Equity in Education. James is a world history teacher, public school champion, and understands how education has always been the frontline of social change and is a fundamental pillar of a democratic and civil society. He also believes in the power of people to rise up and fight for strong public education systems that prepare students of all backgrounds, races, and identities for their future and our communities.

Other featured speakers include:

• Vanessa Marcano-Kelly A Venezuelan-American who grew up between both countries, Vanessa is board chair of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, a grassroots organization pushing back against politicized attacks on immigrants and new Iowans

• Robert Leonard Featured in national and regional media outlets, Robert is an anthropologist who pulls no punches and speaks truth to power when writing about the politics and culture of rural Iowa

• Sara Hayden Parris Founder and President of Annie’s Foundation, Sara helps lead the fight against book bans in Iowa and a fearless champion for the freedom to read and learn without interference from statehouse bullies

• David Cwiertny Professor and Director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination at the University of Iowa, David is a prominent voice on connecting the dots between corporate agriculture and Iowa’s clean water crisis

The basics:

• Saturday, August 10, 10 am – 3pm (Coffee & registration begin at 9 am)

• FFA Enrichment Center on DMACC Ankeny campus (1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA 50023)

• Ample and accessible parking available

• ** Online registration has closed, but you can still attend! **

  • You can pre-register by calling the CCI Action headquarters at 515-282-0484 before 4 pm on Friday, August 9.

  • or by coming to the FFA Enrichment Center from 9-10 am on Saturday, August 10.

Schedule of the day

9:00-10:00  Check-in & Social Hour                          
Coffee & light snacks, Pie Auction & CCI Merch Sales

10:00  Welcome & Issue Updates

10:45-11:45 Fearless Truth Tellers Panel
Sara Hayden Parris, Vanessa Marcano-Kelly, David Cwiertny
- moderated by Bob Leonard

11:45-12:35 Workshops - choose your adventure!
Public School Strong, Tour Iowa's Water, It's Not Polite to Talk Politics

12:35-1:25 Lunch - Sunflower Chef Catering of Adel
*Pie Auction & Merch Sales close at 1:20*

1:25-2:15 Keynote Address (with Q&A)
James E. Ford

2:15-2:40 Funding the Work Ahead
Lisa Whelan - Executive Director

2:40-3:00 Closing
Pie Auction Results, Next Steps, Group Photo

3:00 Adjourn

Regarding health: Just a friendly reminder that if you are sick, please stay home. 

Pie Silent Auction/CCI Merch for sale: Both will be open from 9:30-1:20. If you'd like to donate a pie, please email katie@iowacci.org. For merch purchases, we prefer cash & check if possible.

Other FAQs:

What to wear: We're a fairly casual crowd, BUT we do suggest wearing layers as it may be hard for us to control temperatures in the space. If you have CCI swag feel free to wear it. We love that!

Dogs? No. :(

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call the CCI Action headquarters at 515-282-0484 before 4 pm on Friday! 

Please join us for our phonebank on Tuesday, November 7 from 4:00-7:30 p.m. at the CCI Office! Election Day is TODAY, so we're making sure people have a voting plan to vote for our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley!

We are holding an in-person phonebank at the CCI Office, located at 2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311! Training and snacks will be provided!

Sign up for in-person phone bank here!

OR

Join us on Zoom here!

Please join us for our phonebank on Monday, November 6 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the CCI Office! We will encourage folks to vote for Chelsea and then help them with their voting plan.

We are holding an in-person phonebank at the CCI Office, located at 2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311! We are encouraging folks to vote for our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2. Training and snacks will be provided!

Sign up for in-person phone bank here!

OR

Join us on Zoom here!

Help us introduce CCI Action's endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley to the community by knocking doors!

CCI Action Fund has an exciting announcement:  we're endorsing Chelsea Lepley’s campaign for Des Moines City Council! You might know Chelsea – She’s been heavily involved in Ward 2, where she's running. Can you commit one door canvassing shift this weekend? Haven’t knocked doors before? No problem! Each shift will start with a canvass training that will get you prepared.

We’ll meet up at the CCI Action HQ

2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines

Sign up for door knocking Nov. 4

CCI Action has endorsed Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2! Help us tell members about it by making calls.

We are calling folks in Ward 2 to let them know about our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2. Training will be provided

Sign up for in-person phone bank here!

CCI Action has endorsed Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2! Help us tell members about it by making calls. We are calling folks in Ward 2 to let them know about our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2. Training will be provided

Sign up for in-person phone bank here!

Help us introduce CCI Action's endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley to the community by knocking doors!

CCI Action Fund has an exciting announcement:  we're endorsing Chelsea Lepley’s campaign for Des Moines City Council! You might know Chelsea – She’s been heavily involved in Ward 2, where she's running. Can you commit one door canvassing shift this weekend? Haven’t knocked doors before? No problem! Each shift will start with a canvass training that will get you prepared.

We’ll meet up at the CCI Action HQ

2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines

Two shifts available for Oct. 21, click on them below to sign up!

10am-1pm

1pm-4pm

CCI Action has endorsed Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2! Help us tell members about it by making calls.

We are holding a virtual phonebank on Zoom! We are calling folks in Ward 2 to let them know about our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2. Training will be provided

Sign up to phone bank on Zoom here!

Help us introduce CCI Action's endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley to the community by knocking doors!

CCI Action Fund has an exciting announcement:  we're endorsing Chelsea Lepley’s campaign for Des Moines City Council! You might know Chelsea – She’s been heavily involved in Ward 2, where she's running. Can you commit one door canvassing shift this weekend? Haven’t knocked doors before? No problem! Each shift will start with a canvass training that will get you prepared.

We’ll meet up at the CCI Action HQ

2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines

Sign up for door knocking Oct. 18

Join us for CCI Action’s Des Moines City Council Candidate Forum with Josh Mandelbaum, Mayoral candidate; Connie Boesen, Mayoral candidate; Rob Barron, Ward 1 candidate; Chris Coleman, Ward 1 candidate; Jason Bennell, Ward 4 candidate.

When: Wednesday, October 11th from 6:30PM-8:00PM

Where: Des Moines Public Library, Central Library Meeting Room #2 1000 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309

Why: At CCI Action, we believe in doing politics differently. We know that change only comes from the bottom up, and that those impacted by the issues we face should be the ones determining the solutions. We will ask all the candidates where they stand on the issues that are important to CCI Action members and the people of Des Moines.

RSVP here!

Help us introduce CCI Action's endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley to the community by knocking doors!

CCI Action Fund has an exciting announcement:  we're endorsing Chelsea Lepley’s campaign for Des Moines City Council! You might know Chelsea – She’s been heavily involved in Ward 2, where she's running. Can you commit one door canvassing shift this weekend? Haven’t knocked doors before? No problem! Each shift will start with a canvass training that will get you prepared.

We’ll meet up at the CCI Action HQ

2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines

Sign up for door knocking Oct. 7

CCI Action has endorsed Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2! Help us tell members about it by making calls.

We are holding a virtual phonebank on Zoom! We are calling folks in Ward 2 to let them know about our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2. Training and snacks will be provided. 

Sign up for the in-person phone bank here!

Can’t be with us in Des Moines? Sign up to phone bank on Zoom here!

Help us introduce CCI Action's endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley to the community by knocking doors!

CCI Action Fund has an exciting announcement:  we're endorsing Chelsea Lepley’s campaign for Des Moines City Council! You might know Chelsea – She’s been heavily involved in Ward 2, where she's running. Can you commit one door canvassing shift this weekend? Haven’t knocked doors before? No problem! Each shift will start with a canvass training that will get you prepared.

We’ll meet up at the CCI Action HQ

2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines

Sign up for door knocking September 30th from 1-4pm.

CCI Action has endorsed Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2! Help us tell members about it by making calls.

We are holding a virtual phonebank on Zoom! We are calling folks in Ward 2 to let them know about our endorsed candidate Chelsea Lepley for Des Moines City Council Ward 2. Training and snacks will be provided. 

Sign up for the in-person phone bank here!

Can’t be with us in Des Moines? Sign up to phone bank on Zoom here!

Register today for our Summer Membership Meeting on Saturday, August 19! It’s our annual event that brings together the CCI community from across the state—rural and urban, young and old, newly activated and seasoned leaders.

Together, we’ll get grounded in the moment, celebrate your work over the past year, get updates on our issue campaigns, and chart our path forward for an Iowa that puts people and the planet first. (And, we’ll be in community after a tough legislative session and eat good food!)

And, true to form, we’ve got a great line-up of guest speakers who’ll get us energized and challenge us to think big. (More on them below.)

The basics:

• Saturday, August 19, 10am – 3pm
  (Coffee & registration begin at 9:30)

• Colby Park Community Center, Windsor Heights, IA
  (6900 School St, Windsor Heights, IA 50324)

• Ample and accessible parking available

• $20 registration fee to help cover food and other costs associated with the event

• Detailed program coming soon

Our Guest Speakers//What we'll dig in on:

• CLEAN WATER & CLIMATE with Silvia Secchi, a University of Iowa professor of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences and Public Policy who calls herself an “informed agitator.” She’s been a fearless truthteller (great on Twitter!) and ally on our clean water and the CO2 pipeline campaigns.

• RACIAL JUSTICE with Lori Young & Harvey Harrison, long-time CCI members who lead Just Voices Iowa, an ally who produces important research and reports on police accountability issues in Des Moines.

• IOWA ELECTIONS with Jon Green, a rural Johnson County Supervisor, and Glenn Hurst, a Minden City Council member (and past candidate for U.S. Senate). They’ll discuss campaigning and governing on a progressive platform in rural Iowa. (Iowa Senator Sarah Trone Garriott had to cancel to attend a funeral.)

• POLICY MAKING with Chris Neubert, Budget Analyst for the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry committee. He’s also a former CCI organizer who served on Sen. Bernie Sanders’s Senate staff. 

• AND, ISSUE ORGANIZING UPDATES with awesome CCI Action leaders from across the state like Berleen, Kim, Veola, Evan, Laural, Zoie, Tom & Cherie. :)

If you’re looking for some inspiration and community—especially after that legislative session we just had? We’d love to have you join us.

When: August 19, 2023 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (registration & coffee at 9:30)

Where: 6900 School St Colby Park Community Center Windsor Heights, IA 50324

Register here!

Have you ever wanted to see where the magic happens at Iowa CCI? Our walls tell a story, and we just had a cleaning day - so we're ready to welcome you in! It's also a great chance to meet and celebrate our new Executive Director Lisa Whelan. 

The staff and board could not be more excited about Lisa’s ability, commitment, and love for Iowa CCI. She's an organizer in her heart and soul. Come to our open house to meet Lisa and check out our power place! We'd love to see you!

Date: Saturday, July 15

Time: 9:30 - 11:30am - Open house style, with a short program

Place: Iowa CCI office, 2001 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, 50311

What to expect: Coffee & pastries (including handmade specialty Laos coffee and tea drinks from a board member!), conversation with Lisa, tour the headquarters, and socialize with CCI folks. 

This event is for CCI members, the community, and anyone interested in building progressive, people-fueled power in Iowa. 

Your RSVP helps us plan for the day. Thank you!

In the wake of a record legislative session of anti-LGBTQ policies and rhetoric, CCI Action is excited to be partnering with One Iowa to bring you their LGBTQ 101 Training.

One Iowa provides education and advocacy to improve LGBTQ lives and One Iowa Action, their 501(c)4 organization, is working hard to promote policies that protect LGBTQ Iowans.

Join us on June 8 at 6pm for a virtual training session where you will learn about:

• LGBTQ identities and terminology

• The social effects of the gender binary

• Best practices for conversations with and about LGBTQ individuals

CCI Action believes that Iowans of all identities, abilities, and backgrounds deserve a place in our state where they feel safe, accepted, and supported.