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The Lens - April 2023
City of Iowa City sent this bulletin at 04/11/2023 10:00 AM CDT
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April 2023 |
The Lens is a newsletter to expand conversations on equity, inclusion, belonging, and access.
National Day of Silence
National Day of Silence, celebrated the second Friday of April, is a
day dedicated to recognizing the effects of anti-LGBTQ+ bullying
and harassment in schools across the nation. The day exists to
create awareness by amplifying the silencing effect LGBTQ+ youth
experience when seeking advocates in the face of harassment.
National Day of Silence began at the University of Virginia (UVA) in
April 1996, the result of an essay written by Maria Pulzetti on
nonviolent protest. Pulzetti suggested a nine-hour moratorium on
speaking to reflect the way LGBTQ+ students are silenced by the
officials to whom they voice their concerns. With the advocacy of UVA student leader Jessie Gilliam,
nearly 100 colleges and universities followed suit. Since 2000, GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight
Education Network) has organized the National Day of Silence.
There are many ways to observe National Day of Silence, beginning with taking a vow of silence in the
spirit of what Pulzetti intended for the day. Other ways to observe National Day of Silence include
getting educated on LGBTQ+ issues, discouraging bullying and harassment, and taking to social
media to voice your support for the cause.
National Day of Silence is about standing in solidarity with the people silenced every day of the year
for just one day, but support doesn’t have to wane once the second Friday of April passes. After all, the
issues LGBTQ+ youth face continue to exist. It’s important to support LGBTQ+ youth all year.
Here are some ways to show support for LGBTQ+ youth throughout the year:
Indicate Support with Signs and Pins
A simple way to promote support of LGBTQ+ people is by wearing pins or bracelets that show your
support. Teachers or people who work in offices might consider posting safe space signs. These are
small visual cues that let LGBTQ+ youth know that you are not only accepting, but also an ally.
Familiarize Yourself with LGBTQ+ Language
If you don’t feel completely sure about what the right words are, don’t be afraid to learn. Language is
constantly expanding and shifting and so, too, are the words used to define LGBTQ+ persons. If you
don’t know where to start, consider looking into terms like “gender identity”, “sexual orientation”, and
“sex assigned at birth”.
Use the Names and Pronouns People Identify With
By using the names and pronouns LGBTQ+ youth identify with, you’re able to show your support and
acceptance. Names and pronouns may seem inconsequential to some, but for a lot of LGBTQ+ youth,
these are some of the first tools they have to begin to define their identities.
7 Ways to Support Fair Housing
The push for fair housing during the Civil Rights Movement resulted in the creation of the Fair Housing
Act of 1968. Over half a century later, fair housing still needs advocates willing to stand for and protect
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it.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits the refusal to sell or rent to a person
or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or
national origin. Fair housing, as well as the racial and economic
integration it encourages, can lead to stronger economic growth,
greater economic opportunity, better education outcomes, and
more efficient housing markets.
The current goals of fair housing advocates include strengthening
the enforcement of fair housing laws, eliminating housing
discrimination, and fostering inclusive communities. Fair housing doesn’t begin and end in courts or
political venues out of reach for the public. Anyone can and should get involved in fair housing
advocacy.
According to Building the Beloved Community, here are seven ways you can get involved in
supporting fair housing:
1. Support proposed fair housing policies and programs. Stay up-to-date on fair housing issues.
Vote for representatives that reflect your fair housing values.
2. Attend a fair housing court hearing/trial to show support to victims. You might even take this a
step further and consider testifying at public hearings or before your local legislative bodies on
fair housing issues. These are great ways to not only show an interest in fair housing, but also
demonstrate the will and ability to support fair housing.
3. Report any housing discrimination you witness or experience. Get involved directly in
ensuring that fair housing policies are enforced by speaking up when they aren’t followed.
4. Ensure your building policy complies with fair housing laws. Familiarize yourself with your
leasing agreement and ensure that what your landlord asks of you as a tenant is legal and
equitable.
5. Sponsor or work on a fundraising benefit for your local fair housing organization. A great
tactic for determining whether local landowners are acting within policy is housing
discrimination testing, but this requires funding that isn’t always available to your local fair
housing organization.
6. Sponsor a community seminar on fair housing or invite a fair housing speaker to your
community. This is a great way to educate your community. These seminars may also allow you
to get to know the people you live among while creating and deepening the sense of
community.
7. Advocate for accessible public spaces and housing. Serve your community by ensuring there
are spaces that welcome all members of your community.
Film screening to commemorate Fair Housing Month
In recognition of Fair Housing Month, the City
of Iowa City's Office of Equity and Human
Rights, the Johnson County Affordable
Housing Coalition, and Iowa Legal Aid will
host a complimentary virtual screening of the
documentary, "A Matter of Place," on
Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Watch the trailer here.
The screening (film length 27:35 minutes) will begin on Zoom at 6 p.m., followed by a panel
discussion.
About the film
The film connects past struggles for fair housing to contemporary incidents of housing bias based on
race, sexual orientation, disability, and source of income, and presents three stories of people who
faced housing discrimination in present-day New York City. They poignantly describe the injuries
inflicted on them during these incidents, as well as their resolve to fight for justice. Through experts,
civil rights advocates, and fair housing testers, the film also recounts our nation’s often overlooked
history of residential segregation and introduces viewers to systemic and pervasive injustices that,
despite the existence of fair housing laws, continue to inflict harm on entire communities and
individuals throughout America.
How to participate
Those interested in the screening and Q&A may sign up here.
For questions or if you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please contact
Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022 or sbowers@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged
to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
Commemorating Arab American Heritage Month
Arab American Heritage Month has been celebrated in April since 2017 when the Arab America
Foundation first launched the initiative. United States Representatives Debbie Dingell and Rashida
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Tlaib issued a congressional resolution in favor of nationally
recognizing National Arab American Heritage Month in 2019.
According to the Arab America Foundation, since Arab American
Heritage Month’s inception, 45 state governors, the United States
Department of State, Congress, and President Biden have issued
proclamations recognizing April as National Arab American
Heritage Month. Some states have also passed permanent
legislation recognizing April as National Arab American Heritage
Month.
There are many ways to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month. Cities might celebrate by
hosting street festivals, seminars, workshops, restaurant weeks, industry events, and award
ceremonies. An organization might consider first acknowledging the month in both internal and
external communications.
Book Talk, "Water Tossing Boulders" to be held May 3
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,
the City of Iowa City’s Office of Equity and Human rights and the
Iowa City Public Library are partnering to host Book Talk: "Water
Tossing Boulders" with Author Adrienne Berard via Zoom on May 3
from noon to 1 p.m.
A generation before Brown v. Board of Education struck down
America’s “separate but equal” doctrine, one Chinese family and
an eccentric Mississippi lawyer fought for school desegregation.
Why isn’t what historian James Loewen called “the most racist
Supreme Court decision in the twentieth century” better known? “Because we lost,” says a descendent
of the plaintiff. Unearthing one of the greatest stories never told, journalist Adrienne Berard recounts
how the Lum family fought for the right to educate Chinese Americans in the white schools of the Jim
Crow South. Using their groundbreaking lawsuit as a compass, Berard depicts the complicated
condition of racial otherness in rural Southern society. Through extensive research in historical
documents and family correspondence, Berard illuminates a vital, forgotten chapter of America’s past
and uncovers the powerful journey of an oppressed people in their struggle for equality.
Adrienne Berard is an award-winning journalist and graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate
School of Journalism. She began her career as a beat reporter for her hometown paper in Western
Massachusetts and went on to work in magazines, television, and digital media. She is currently a
senior research writer at Penn State University, has served as the assistant director for research,
news, and analytics at William & Mary, and was a visiting professor at Delta State University in
Mississippi.
The Iowa City Public Library has "Water Tossing Boulders" available now in eBook and downloadable
audiobook formats for ICPL cardholders living in Iowa City, Hills, University Heights, Lone Tree, or
rural Johnson County at: https://icpl.overdrive.com/search?query=water+tossing+boulders
Register here.
For questions or if you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please contact
Kristin Watson at 319-356-5015 or KWatson@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to
allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
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