This week in Iowa organizing..
Since I'm not the biggest fan of cold weather, I am very much excited about the current warm up we're in and keep thinking about the things I'll be doing outside this week.
But that's not overly helpful to the moment we're in, and since the Oscar's are coming up this Sunday, instead I'd like to share some of Jane Fonda's words from her speech at the Screen Actors Guild awards last night:
"Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. And, by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.
A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way. And even if they’re of a different political persuasion, we need to call upon our empathy and not judge, but listen from our hearts and welcome them into our tent because we are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what’s coming at us.
There will still be beauty, and there will be an ocean of truth for us to swim in."
For empathy, listening, resistance, and beauty,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
At the Statehouse
Approaching the first funnel
We're two working weeks out from the first legislative funnel. Bills must pass out of a House or Senate committee (minus spending bills) to be considered alive after March 7. That means we'll have a much better sense of what policies are really on lawmakers' radar as we approach that date.
Just a reminder, you can find your legislator and their contact information here to reach out to them on the issues that matter to you most. We'll have a rundown of the bills we're following and their status ahead of the funnel next week.
One bill we'd like to see not move forward is House Study Bill 187. Shout out to our allies at the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and others for speaking out and pushing back against this bill!
Take action
Feb 25: Public School Strong orientation
Everyday Iowans know that strong public schools are a cornerstone of our communities and democracy. By organizing in our neighborhoods and at local school board meetings, we can create positive, common sense solutions to address the real issues our schools are facing.
That's why we're part of Public School Strong - a national movement of parents, teachers, students, and community members pushing for honest, equitable, safe, and fully-funded public education. And we're growing the movement all across the state - check out some recent press from Decorah here!
Be a part of Public School Strong! Join our next orientation session on Tuesday, February 25 at 6pm over Zoom. More info and RSVP here.
Feb. 27: phone bank to defeat the Cancer Gag Act
Today we’re sending this letter along with nearly 400 signatures from Iowans across the state to Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver and Speaker of the House Pat Grassley signed by hundreds of Iowans urging them to oppose Bayer’s Cancer Gag Act!
Renumbered as Senate File 394, the bill is headed to the Senate floor for a vote. Based on what happened in the 2024 legislative session, the bill will likely pass out of the Senate - but don't despair!
Last year the bill stalled in the House Ag committee. This year momentum is growing in the House to stop Bayer's Cancer Gag Act again.
Will you join us for a phone bank this Thursday from 6 – 7:30 PM today to help keep the momentum going? We'll call folks who have taken action on this issue and ask them to contact Rep. Pat Grassley as he has the ability to stop the bill in the House.
We’ll spend the first 30 minutes training ourselves up then spend 45 minutes on the phone before coming back together to debrief! Please RSVP here to join us on zoom this Thursday February 27 from 6 – 7:30 PM.
March 4: Des Moines community meeting on policing
Iowa CCI members continue to address the issues of disparate policing in Des Moines. The hiring of new Chief of Police Michael McTaggart provides an opportunity to reset and address the issues many have faced in our community.
That's why we're hosting a community meeting where everyday people can ask questions directly to Chief McTaggart, learn what he is doing to improve policing, and his vision moving forward to build better relationships between police and residents.
The meeting will be Tuesday, March 4 at the Polk County Senior Center, 2008 Forest Avenue starting at 6:30 p.m. You can RSVP here or call 515-255-0800.
Let’s be school board strong!
Iowa’s public schools were once top ranked - enough a source of pride to be on our state's quarter! But we’ve fallen behind because of chronic underfunding and poor leadership - especially from Governor Kim Reynolds.
We need to fight back. And that’s what we’re doing with our community-led Public School Strong campaign. And we're ready to take it to the next level. We're launching a statewide, locally-led petition campaign for fully funded public schools.
The signatures collected will urge your local school boards to pass a resolution calling on the Governor and legislature to fully fund our public schools at a 5% annual increase and to phase out private school vouchers. Learn more and add your name here!
Save the Date
Iowa CCI is turning 50!
We're hammering out the details and don't know much yet. But we know we're turning 50, we've got the Iowa Events Center reserved for July 25 &26, and we know we want to see you there! So please save the date and stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details - it'll be good!
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
We are on the road for democracy and justice [The Guardian]
The second evolution of Black History Month: a call to reclaim, redefine, and expand our legacy [Black Iowa News] by CCI member Antwonette Shade
With Constitution under assault, we need brave bureaucrats more than ever [Minnesota Reformer]
Beef should be labeled with a country-of-origin label [Marshalltown Times Republican] by CCI member John Clayton
What Iowa's legislative leaders don't tell you about how they manage your money [Along the Mississippi]