A sign with a rainbow background and the phrase 'It's a matter of Pride Iowa City' is shown.

Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride month in Iowa City

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 - 11:00am
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

June is Pride Month across the globe. The City will be celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with events and more throughout the month.

The annual Pride parade and festival, organized by the local nonprofit Iowa City Pride, will be hosted Oct. 1 and 2, 2021. This is traditionally a June event, but was delayed due to the pandemic. For more information on Iowa City Pride, visit their website .

Throughout the month of June, the Pride Flag will be flying above City Hall and City Park Pool. Banners celebrating Pride will...

A graphic that reads "Jewish American Heritage Month."

Mayor Bruce Teague will proclaim May as Jewish American Heritage Month in Iowa City

Friday, May 28, 2021 - 8:30am
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

Mayor Bruce Teague will proclaim May as Jewish American Heritage Month in Iowa City during the Tuesday, June 1, 2021 City Council meeting. The full proclamation can be read on our website .

According to the Library of Congress , the first Jewish people arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654, long before the city became New York and the country became the United...

A graphic that reads 'what is Juneteenth' with the date '6/19' also shown.

Why Iowa City celebrates Juneteenth

Wednesday, May 26, 2021 - 8:00am
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

For the first time in its history, Juneteenth will be celebrated as an official City holiday in Iowa City.

Though the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States has been celebrated for decades in Iowa City and beyond, the City declared Juneteenth an official City holiday in late 2020, replacing Presidents' Day.

The official holiday is celebrated annually on June 19. Since that date falls on a Saturday this year, the City will observe the holiday on Friday, June 18, when City Hall and other facilities will be closed. The City will announce all closures...

Iowa City Human Rights Commission presents 'White Privilege 101: Getting in on the Conversation’

Monday, May 24, 2021 - 4:00pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

What does white privilege mean and how does it impact all of us personally, professionally, and systemically? This program consists of a film that compiles personal interviews and presentations by experts, followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. and small group discussions. Join the Johnson County Chapter of the United Nations Association, and the Iowa City Human Rights Commission to screen White Privilege 101: Getting in on the Conversation.

This virtual event will be held via Zoom from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, June 3, 2021.

How to participate...

A sign with a rainbow background and the phrase 'It's a matter of Pride Iowa City' is shown.

Iowa City Pride yard signs available for free at City Hall

Monday, May 24, 2021 - 9:00am
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights
Note: The City is currently our of Pride signs. This will be updated when new signs arrive.

June is Pride Month, so the City’s Office of Equity and Human Rights is offering free Pride yard signs available for Iowa City residents for pick up at City Hall. Please be advised that City Hall offices are still closed for regular business, but signs will be available at the front lobby information desk.

The reusable sign is waterproof, making it perfect for any home or business outdoor space. Display your Iowa City Pride by simply inserting the included H stake into the...

Racial equity tracker available for businesses

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 - 9:00am
Equity and Human Rights

The past year has seen an unprecedented focus on equity. Between disproportionate effects of the pandemic on People of Color and shocking cases of brutality against Black Americans and Asian American Pacific Islanders, a renewed national conversation regarding systemic racism has begun. Corporate leaders, especially, have become increasingly aware that the way they do business can either promote or hinder racial equity. But how do leaders and consumers know if a business is driving change or taking a back seat? JUST Capital, a platform for measuring corporate performance, has launched an...

Join us for a book discussion of “On Juneteenth”

Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - 12:00pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

In honor of Juneteenth, the Johnson County Juneteenth Planning Committee invite you to participate in a book discussion featuring “On Juneteenth” by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Texas native Annette Gordon-Reed.

Weaving together American history, dramatic family chronicle, and searing episodes of memoir, "On Juneteenth" provides a historian’s view of the country’s long road to Juneteenth, recounting both its origins in Texas and the enormous hardships that African-Americans have endured in the century since, from Reconstruction through Jim Crow and beyond....

A graphic that reads Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Mayor Bruce Teague proclaims May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Iowa City

Wednesday, May 5, 2021 - 3:30pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

Mayor Bruce Teague proclaimed May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Iowa City during the Tuesday, May 4, 2021 City Council meeting. The full proclamation, which can be read on our website , celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

In 1977, Congress passed, and President Jimmy Carter signed, a joint resolution designating the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week. This ten days was...

A graphic for the Power, Privilege, and Leadership virtual training.

City offers free virtual training on power, privilege, & leadership

Friday, April 30, 2021 - 8:00am
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

The City's Office of Equity and Human Rights will be hosting an online training addressing the issues of privilege from 1 p.m. -4 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, 2021.

This interactive, informational, and challenging session will examine and explore issues related to power, privilege and leadership. It’s imperative that those promoting equity and diversity “get in on the conversations” about systemic change and progress. Participants will leave the session with the skills and knowledge necessary to begin addressing issues of privilege, power and leadership comprehensively.

This is...

A graphic that reads: April Is Arab-American Heritage Month

Mayor proclaims April as Arab-American Heritage Month

Friday, April 9, 2021 - 1:00pm
Contact: 
Stefanie Bowers
Equity and Human Rights

Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague has proclaimed the month of April as Arab-American Heritage Month in Iowa City.

According to ArabAmerica.com , It was first celebrated in the 1990s, primarily in school districts. Since then, it has grown to be recognized increasingly by states, cities, and school districts across the country. In 2017, Arab America, a media and educational resource organization dedicated to portraying the Arab community in the United Sates, began an initiative to designate the month as a national holiday.

Arab...

Pages