Language Line Services Available (Over-the-phone Interpretation Service for more than 170 languages)
تتوفر خدمات خطوط اللغة (خدمة الترجمة الفورية عبر الهاتف لأكثر من 170 لغة)
提供语言专线服务（超过 170 种语言的电话口译服务）
Servicios de línea de idiomas disponibles (Servicio de interpretación por teléfono para más de 170 idiomas)
Services linguistiques disponibles (service d'interprétation par téléphone pour plus de 170 langues)
Huduma za Laini ya Lugha Zinapatikana (Huduma ya Ukalimani kwa njia ya simu kwa zaidi ya lugha 170)
Request a Speaker or Training
Speakers, Trainings & More
We offer a variety of informational presentations and trainings that can be tailored to the audience (adults, youth, employees, etc.) or location (schools, other nonprofits, corporations, etc.). We are able to offer our presentations in person and/or virtually via webinars. You will be emailed a confirmation and a copy of the information you submit.
*As a service to the community, presentations and trainings requested by nonprofits are offered free of charge.
The City of Iowa City will begin accepting applications for the Human Rights Grant program from March 1, 2026, through April 1, 2026.
Organizations that are ineligible for funding:
For-profit businesses or business associations.
Government entities, public schools, private or charter schools, colleges, and universities.
Organizations located outside of Iowa City.
The project must meet at least one of the following criteria:
Build capacity to organize communities around human rights.
Strengthen the ability to mobilize communities in support of human rights.
Educate the public on human rights, such as organizing and facilitating educational public forums that address one or more of the broad range of topics included within the rubric of human rights.
A project will not be considered for funding if:
It is current or preexisting.
It will not take place in Iowa City.
It will be before July 1, 2026, or end after June 30, 2027.
The request is over $20,000.00.
Timeline:
Applications will be available from March 1, 2026, through April 1, 2026.
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission will review all applications and recommend funding to the City Council by May 31, 2026.
A total of $100,000 has been allocated for the 2026 fiscal year.
Grant funds are issued on a reimbursement basis (typically within 1-2 weeks) after receiving proper documentation. Grantees may request exceptions to this funding process, but such requests must contain detailed explanations of why reimbursement is not possible and are subject to approval or denial at the City's discretion. A complete W-9 form is required before any payment is made.
Grantees are required to:
Submit quarterly reports on or before November 1, 2026 and April 1, 2026, providing status updates on the project.
Provide documentation of expenses (e.g., scanned copies of all receipts with a brief explanation of intended use/need) and submit an invoice for reimbursement.
Submit a final report within 30 days following the completion of the project or no later than July 15, 2027.
Document the project through reports, videos, photos, flyers, social media posts, etc.
Adhere to all State, Federal, and Local laws in the implementation of grant-funded activities.
Human Rights Ordinance
Human Rights Ordinance
It is unlawful in Iowa City to discriminate in credit, education, employment, housing, and public accommodation on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, *familial status, gender identity, marital status, national origin, *presence or absence of dependents,* public assistance source of income, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
*Denotes only in housing
It is also unlawful to retaliate against a person because such person has lawfully opposed any discriminatory practice.
Following the filing of a complaint, office staff conducts a thorough and impartial investigation of the allegations in the complaint. To view the Iowa City Human Rights Ordinance, see Title 2 - Human Rights in the City Code.
Report a Concern of Discrimination
Report a Concern of Discrimination
If you believe that what you have experienced or witnessed is wrong, but you do not want to pursue legal remedies, you may report your concern here. We encourage you to report whatever discriminatory or disrespectful behavior you have experienced or witnessed because patterns in these reports can help us determine where we should focus our prevention efforts in the community. If you prefer to speak with someone, please call the Investigator at 319-356-5015 to discuss your concerns over the phone or to schedule a time to meet in person.
In Iowa City it is unlawful to discriminate in credit, education, employment, housing, and public accommodation on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, *familial status, gender identity, marital status, national origin, *presence or absence of dependents,* public assistance source of income, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. It is also unlawful to retaliate against a person because such person has lawfully opposed any discriminatory practice. *Denotes only in housing
Complaints of discrimination must be filed within 300 days after the most recent discriminatory event.
To request a hard copy complaint form to be sent by standard mail, please call 319-356-5022 or email humanrights@iowa-city.org.
Complaints against the City of Iowa City
If you wish to file a complaint of discrimination against the City of Iowa City, including any of its departments or divisions, which would include the Police Department, contact the Iowa Office of Civil Rights at 1-888-457-4416 or file online using the following link:
Fair Housing means the right for a person to live where they choose to, free from discrimination. Iowa City’s Human Rights Ordinance prohibits discrimination based on age, color, creed, disability, familial status, gender identity, marital status, national origin, presence or absence of dependents, public assistance source of income, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation.
Even with one of the strongest fair housing ordinances in the state, discrimination and segregation continue to limit housing opportunities for many residents.
Don't Stand for Housing Discrimination
Fair Housing Procedures
The office investigates complaints of discrimination by interviewing witnesses and reviewing documentary evidence. It uses its subpoena power, if necessary, to compel testimony and the production of documents. Some cases settle or are withdrawn during the investigative stage.
If, after an investigation, the Human Rights Coordinator finds no substantial evidence of a violation, the case is dismissed. If they find that there is substantial evidence of a violation, they may refer the case to conciliation where an independent mediator hired by the office will attempt to help the parties reach a resolution of the dispute. If the parties do not reach an agreement, the case proceeds to a public hearing. At the hearing, both parties present their case to an administrative law judge. After a review of the transcript, the evidence, and the briefs, the administrative law judge sets forth, in writing, findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a proposed decision and order. The proposed decision becomes the final decision of the commission without further proceedings unless there is an appeal, or review on motion of, the commission within thirty (30) days.
Fair Housing Available Remedies
If, after a public hearing, a respondent is found to have violated the Human Rights Ordinance they may be ordered to: cease the illegal conduct complained of; pay actual damages for injury or loss; pay the complainant the cost, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred in pursuing the complaint; pay punitive damages (when the violation was willful, wanton or in reckless disregard of the complainant's rights); and take such other action as may be necessary to make the complainant whole.
Disability and Language: Very Few “Right Answers” But Lots to Think About
What’s the “right” way to talk about disability? Which terms are current, and which should be retired? How can we respectfully learn what labels or language a friend, colleague, or student prefers? And what about common idioms—does it feel awkward to say “See you later!” to a blind friend, or invite a wheelchair user to “take a walk”?
In this engaging presentation, Dr. Margaret Price (she/they)—Professor of English (Writing, Rhetoric & Literacy) and Director of the Disability Studies Program at The Ohio State University—draws on more than 30 years of experience as both a disability-studies researcher and a disabled person (or “person with disabilities”—she doesn’t have a preference). Dr. Price will explore how language, identity, and access intersect in everyday communication, offering insight and guidance for fostering more thoughtful, inclusive interactions.
About the author Dr. Margaret Price (she/they) is Professor of English at The Ohio State University, where she also serves as Director of the Disability Studies Program and co-founder of the Transformative Access Project. Her work centers on disability studies, rhetoric, and the ways access is collectively created and sustained in academic and public spaces.
Dr. Price is the author of two influential, award-winning books: Crip Spacetime (Duke University Press, 2024; open source) and Mad at School (University of Michigan Press, 2011). Her scholarship has been widely recognized for advancing critical conversations around access, inclusion, and the politics of mental disability in higher education. To learn more about Margaret, visit https://english.osu.edu/people/price.1225.
The event date is Jan 29, 2026 12 PM - 1 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this meeting, please contact the organizer in advance at humanrights@iowa-city.org or by calling 319-356-5022. The views and opinions expressed during programs of this office are those of the presenters and do not reflect the official policy or position of the City of Iowa City.
Human Rights Commission
Commemorative Video
Learn more about the history and the first members of the City's Human Rights Commission here.
Human Rights Commission
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
319-356-5022
Duties
Duties of the Commission include:
Educate the public on illegal discrimination and civil rights through forums and outreach.
Recommend anti-discrimination legislation to the City Council.
Collaborate with public and private organizations aligned with the Human Rights Ordinance.
Plan programs to reduce intergroup tensions based on religion, culture, disability, and other identities.
Learn more about the Human Rights Commission here.
Human Rights Awards
The City's Human Rights Awards have been honoring individuals, businesses, or organizations whose ongoing work, service, or contributions have positively impacted human rights either locally or abroad since 1984. Learn more here.
Watch the 2025 Awards Ceremony
Youth Human Rights Awards
Youth Human Rights Awards
The City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission is now accepting nominations for its prestigious Youth Human Rights Awards. This annual event celebrates the impactful contributions of local youth who have advanced human rights causes, whether locally or abroad.
Awards Criteria:
The Human Rights Commission is seeking to honor young individuals who have demonstrated creativity and initiative beyond the typical classroom or pre-organized activities. Nominations should focus on additional efforts made by youth to address human rights issues, and activities that stem from classwork or organized events are welcomed, provided they go beyond what was initially planned.
Eligibility Criteria:
Residency: The nominee must live in Johnson County.
Age Range: The nominee must be between 5 and 18.
Activity Timeline: The nominated activity must have occurred after May 2024, not before.
Personal Endeavors: The achievement must benefit others, not purely a personal goal or achievement.
Prior Awards: The nominee should not have received this award based on the same activity or conduct in previous years.
Nomination Form Issues: The form must be completed and submitted before the deadline.
Nomination Context: The nominee’s achievements should not stem from graded class assignments or activities unless related to service clubs or student organizations.
Nominee's Involvement: The nominee must have actively participated in organizing, chairing, hosting, or presenting for the event or activity.
Deadline for Nominations:
Check back for nomination details in 2026.
For more information, contact Human Rights Coordinator Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022 or email sbowers@iowa-city.org.
Watch 2025 Ceremony
Request for Sponsorship
Sponsorship Request
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission offers sponsorships to support local events that help reduce cultural, religious, or other intergroup tensions. Each year, $2,000 is budgeted to fund community events, with up to $250 available per event and per organizer.To apply for sponsorship from the Commission click on this link.
