This week in Iowa organizing…

Written By Guest User

Wow, last week was busy. From Oelwein to Nevada, Sioux City to Dubuque, and here in Des Moines y'all sure took action for our people and planet.

I'm inspired by the community we continue to build, together. And that's what it's going to take to create a state that is welcoming, supportive, and inclusive to Iowans of all backgrounds, identities and abilities.

And we're not stopping so let's just get to it! Read on for more ways to come together this week (including book clubs on water... is it a Clean Water Book Club Summer Fight?) and other ways to take action. Let's go!

Matthew Covington (he/him)
Strategic Operations Director

Take action 

Join us this Thursday (July 20) for CCI's Clean Water Fight! 

We believe clean water is a human right. And it's why we're calling for a Clean Water Fight this summer to highlight the need to crack down on factory farm polluters.

A key part of this fight is getting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce the Clean Water Act (CWA) for factory farms in Iowa. Thanks to members like you who signed onto our letter demanding the EPA meet with us to discuss this issue - we just got news they've agreed to meet with us in mid-August to hear our concerns and the need to hold factory farm polluters accountable.

Here's how you can still take action in our Clean Water Fight:

They dump it, you drink it. We won't stop until they clean it up!

This Saturday - July 22: documentary screening - A Decent Home 

While inflation stays high and wages stagnate, many Iowans are feeling crunched when it comes time to pay rent. For years, manufactured houses have been a solution for low and fixed-income folks, but corporate greed has started to smell money in the places people call home.

Join us at the Running Deer shelter at Scott County Park on July 22nd from 7:00-9:00pm for a discussion on affordable housing and a screening of the 2022 documentary, A Decent Home.

A Decent Home follows the lives and organizing efforts of mobile home owners across the country in their fight to protect the communities they live in from large corporations that attempt to purchase the land they live on and raise rent to unaffordable rates in the span of months.

Come hang out July 22 at the park for this inspiring doc and some CCI-style fun!

July 29 - the Power of Participation 

Participation means different things to different people. We’re inviting you to join us as we take a fresh look and deep dive into one important form of participation—voting.

Please join us Saturday, July 29 from 10:00am to 2:30pm (lunch provided!) as we unpack The Power of Participation, Voting Edition!

Who is the Power of Participation designed for? Everyone!

  • If you’re a regular voter, you’ll get new insights into the history of voting and why it matters even more than you think.

  • If you’re an infrequent voter, you’ll learn more about why voting matters—especially in local elections.

  • If you’re not able to vote yet, you’ll get a great overview of the history, barriers, and power of voting.

The Power of Participation is designed for you to learn from each other, we hope you’ll be there! Please come for this great community-building event.

August 19 - CCI Action's Summer Membership Meeting 

On August 19 you'll want to be in the Des Moines metro for our annual Summer Membership Meeting.

At this day-long event, we'll reconnect with friends and meet other CCI Action members from across the state for a day of information, inspiration, and action. While we'll revisit the distant and recent past, we'll also use our time together to chart our path forward.

And we'll hear from home-grown Iowa talent sharing their perspectives and challenging us to think big and shake things up:

  • Silvia Secchi, a University of Iowa professor, fearless truth-teller and ally on clean water and CO2 pipeline issues

  • Lori Young, a long-time grassroots leader on racial justice and police accountability issues

  • Jon Green, a Johnson County Supervisor working to put people before profits and communities before corporations

  • Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee staff Chris Neubert (a former CCI organizer!)

It's never been more important to be together, especially after the state legislative session we've just had. Join us August 19 to be in community with fellow CCI members to celebrate the victories we've achieved together and make plans for the future of CCI and the state we love so dearly.


Register today to save your spot!

Updates

Clean Water Book Club Summer (and a little Fall)! 

To launch our first ever Clean Water Book Club, we've lined up two brilliant books by two Iowa authors (read more below). First up: In August, we'll read WATER, a novel from award-winning author Jennifer Wilson.

WATER is an incredible introduction to the water issue in Iowa - but packaged in a "sexy thriller" with compelling characters and familiar Iowa story lines. 

Have you wanted a deeper understanding of Iowa's water quality issues, but can't sift through the science words? Do you love a good "beach read," a book you just can't put down? Are you outdoorsy, a farmer, have kids, or love water for recreation? Then this book is for you!

Here's how to participate:

  • Sign up to host or participate at this link. This is the best way to get updates and announcements of all the fun things we have in store.

  • Get the book! As a one-time deal, we'll mail you the book and our Water is Life sticker for $15, or you can pick one up at our headquarters for $10!

Then, we'll do this all over again in September with Chris Jones's hot new book The Swine Republic. If WATER is the intro, Jones's popular collection of essays will give us a deeper understanding of this issue in Iowa - with a healthy dose of humor and derision.

Let us know you're in! Sign up for the book club here.

Volunteers needed! 

Holy cow, the clean water book club is hot! We've sold two cases of books so far and orders continue to come in.

We're looking for a volunteer to help us mail the books and organize books for in-office pick up. It'll be a good fit if you are able to come into the CCI office 1 or 2 times each week through the beginning of August to package books, have decent handwriting to address labels, and like attention to detail to ensure we're getting books to the right people.

Perks include a free copy of the book, friendly CCI staffers to interact with, and whatever snacks we have in the office to share that day! If that sounds like something you'd like to do, please email katie@iowacci.org

What We're Reading

These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!

  • Let Them Swim [New York Times]

  • 'Get Back to the Negotiating Table,' Says Teamsters as UPS Trains Scabs for Strike [Common Dreams]

  • Indigenous farmers hope their knowledge of regenerative practices can influence others [Investigate Midwest]

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