An event aimed at battling what organizers call Iowa’s discriminatory legislation has been set for Feb. 16.
The “Iowa is Better Than This” will start at 5 p.m. Feb. 16, and will be held online and at 10 different sites across the state – including at the Scott Community College Urban Campus, 101 W. Third St., Davenport. People may register for the free admission event by going to www.onehumanfamilyqca.org.
The event will be presented by One Human Family of the QCA, the American Association of University Women, the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa & Action Fund, and Progress Iowa.
Event organizers say the “Iowa is Better” gathering is needed to fight Iowa lawmakers’ attempts to “normalize discrimination, reduce voting access and hurt many citizen of this state,” according to a news release.
“The actions taken by the Iowa Legislature and then signed into law by the governor do not represent what so many of us in the state believe in or want in our communities,” said Rabbi Henry Karp, co-founder of One Human Family QCA, in a statement. “It is time to say enough is enough.”
Some the issues to be addressed during the event include:
- Voting rights
- LGBTQ+ issues
- Gun accessibility
- Housing Discrimination
- Education curriculum
- The right to peaceful protest
- Treatment of immigrants
Dale Blesz, education professor at St. Ambrose University and author of a document to be read during the hybrid event, adds in a news release: “It is all aspects of what we hold dear in our state – from voting rights to the right to peacefully protest and the welcoming immigrants, an act that was wonderfully modeled by former Gov. Robert Ray. Legislators are creating an ‘us and them’ atmosphere that isn’t who we are. That is why we are coming together to voice our lament of legislators’ actions. We can’t just sit by and let this happen.”
