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STATE OF EMERGENCY - Black Iowans discuss boycotts, Black history, DEI and life in 2025

A panel of Black Iowans, assembled by Black Iowa News, unpack the year so far, and it's heavy.

It’s not just about the attacks to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It’s not just about Iowa lawmakers' gleeful removal of gender identity protections from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. It’s not just about a hostile and power-hungry administration's onslaught of executive orders and demands. It’s not just about the constant shredding of democracy and shackling of our freedoms. It’s not just about the overt actions to erase Black people’s history and contributions to this country. It’s not just about the clawing away at women’s rights, immigrants’ rights and human rights. It’s not just about a subset of loud white men who err in believing they have a sovereign right to rule — and rule in perpetuity. It’s not just about the crumbling of our illusions.

It’s E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G all at once.

A panel of Black Iowans who regularly attend Black Iowa News’ Weekly Virtual Statewide Call gathered on Feb. 28, during the day of the Economic Blackout, for a livestreamed discussion. Hear what this panel of Black Iowans think about the issues of the day — their frustrations, observations and hopes.


Editor’s note: Every Wednesday, Black Iowans hop on a Zoom call with Black Iowa News. I dubbed it the Weekly Virtual Statewide Call. It’s open to anyone, but a core group of Black Iowans have attended the weekly hourlong call this year.

I host the call to be accessible to Black Iowans across the state, to hear about our communities and provide a safe place to talk. We meet at noon on most Wednesdays via Zoom. Preregister for the call to join us. Scan the QR code below.


The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

From our founder, Julie Gammack:
“We do not accept advertising. We are linking readers directly to Iowa writers. Our columnists are most appreciative to those of you who have the ability to become a paid subscriber of their work.
Des Moines Metro
  • Chip Albright: Chip Happens, Des Moines

  • Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers, Des Moines

  • Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life, Des Moines

  • Jane Burns: The Crossover, Des Moines

  • Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines

  • Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts, Des Moines via Bloomfield

  • Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa, Des Moines

  • Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker, Des Moines

  • Julie Gammack: Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji

  • Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics, Clive

  • Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area, Ankeny

  • Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice, Ankeny

  • Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines

  • Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories, Des Moines

  • Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines

  • Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective, Des Moines

  • Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines

  • Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap, Bondurant

  • John Naughton: My Life in Color, Des Moines


North Central
  • Suzanna de Baca: Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley

  • Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County

  • Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames


Northwest
  • Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man, Jefferson

  • Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson

  • Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake

  • Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts, Storm Lake

  • Nicole Baart: This Stays Here, Sioux Center

  • Taylor Decker: Taylor’s Millennial Mindset, Sioux City

  • Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts, Okoboji

  • David Thoreson: Northwest Passages, Okoboji

  • Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll

  • Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural, Calhoun County


Northeast
  • Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest, Decorah

  • Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up, St. Ansgar

  • Larry Stone: Listening to the Land, Elkader

  • Pat Kinney: View from the Cedar Valley, Waterloo

  • John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall, Oelwein


East
  • Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential, Iowa City

  • Chris Jones: The Swine Republic, Iowa City

  • Michael Judge: The First Person, Iowa City

  • Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions, Iowa City

  • Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take, Iowa City

  • Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime, Marengo

  • Carol Montag: Monday’s Music, Cedar Rapids

  • Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers, Cedar Rapids

  • Alison McGaughey: Out Here n the Fields, Davenport

  • Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport

  • Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat, Quad Cities

  • Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona

  • Mary Swander's Emerging Voices: Emerging Voices, Kalona

  • Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC, North Liberty


Southwest
  • Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County

  • Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis, Winterset

  • Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor, Winterset

  • Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist, Earlham

  • Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker, Creston

  • Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston


South Central
  • Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilia

  • Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey

  • Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative, Norwalk


Iowa at Large
  • Iowa Writers Collaborative: Roundup

  • Hola Iowa: Iowa

  • Black Iowa News (Dana James): Black Iowa News

  • Letters From Iowans: Letters From Iowans

  • Nik Heftman: The Seven Times, Iowa

  • Iowa Capital Dispatch: Alliance with IWC


Out of State
  • Romen Borsellino: Romen Borsellino, Hollywood, CA

  • Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

  • Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

  • Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, U.S.


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