Upcoming Events
Starting April 20 - door knocking in Mitchell County!
Bruce Rastetter wants to build hundreds of miles of CO2 pipelines across Iowa, including a new proposal that cuts through Mitchell County. Well, we'll either stop him or make darn sure our communities are protected with meaningful zoning ordinances!
That's why over one week we're going to knock the doors of impacted landowners along the proposed route going through Mitchell County and want you to join us! We'll be talking with folks about their concerns with the proposed pipeline and discuss ways the County Board of Supervisors can pass an ordinance to better protect our land, water, and community.
Join us to help bring residents together and take action for the people and places we love!
Saturday, April 20 at 12:30pm. More info and RSVP here
Thursday, April 25 at 4:30pm. More info and RSVP here
Saturday, April 27 at 10:30am. More info and RSVP here
Public School Strong!
May 14 5:30 - 7pm
Iowa CCI is thrilled to be part of the Honest Education Action and Leadership (HEAL) Together network. HEAL launched Public School Strong, a movement made up of parents, educators, students, and community members around the country who are organizing to strengthen our public schools so that all children can thrive.
Join public school parents, family members and supporters from across the country to learn: - How to show your support for well-resourced and inclusive public schools - What to look for when you observe your school district's school board meeting - How to form a Public School Strong team in your school district - Ways to join a national movement to protect and transform public schools that serve all children.
The next online info session will be Tuesday , May 14 at 5:30pm CDT - sign up to join here!
Let’s go to the movies!
May 16, May 23, and May 30
Iowa CCI is coming to an outdoor theater near you! Please join us for a cinema night where we’ll be watching ‘The Biggest Little Farm’.
The Biggest Little Farm captures how a couple left their city life behind and set out on a mission to grow food for their community while creating a farm that doubles as a functional ecosystem for both people and planet.
Together, we'll learn more about what Iowa agriculture is and could be, meet neighbors, and build community. And we’ll talk about ways we can take action here in Iowa for our water and places we love.
Our screenings are for everyone, so come hang out at the park for this inspiring doc and some CCI-style fun! We'll have good snacks and refreshments waiting for you.
May 16 @ 7pm in Oelwein: info and RSVP here
May 23 @ 7pm in Northwood: info and RSVP here
May 30 @ 7pm in Iowa Falls: info and RSVP here
How CO2 pipelines impact our water
Water permits for Summit Carbon Solutions’ pipeline project would use an estimated BILLION gallons of water per year of Iowa’s precious, public natural resource for private gain.
Join us on April 4 on Zoom or at a local watch party to learn how CO2 pipelines would impact our water?
We will be joined by two Iowa experts. Former research engineer and author Chris Jones will:
Give us the run down on Iowa’s ground water;
Share what Iowa’s aquifers look like and how they work; and
Talk about the causes and consequences of Iowa’s current drought
And Carolyn Raffensperger, environmental lawyer and Executive Director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, will share:
Why Summit Carbon Solutions ‘needs’ our water;
How CO2 pipeline impact our water; and
The impact Summit’s proposed project would have on our state
RSVP to join us at 6:30 for this webinar on Zoom or join us at 6:00 in person at the watch party closest to you:
Oakland Community Center
614 Dr. Van Zee Rd. Oakland, IAAmpersand Taproom
110 S. Frederick Ave, Oelwein, IAIowa CCI Office
2001 Forest Ave. Des Moines, IASouth Square, Room #106
202 S Washington St, Saint Ansgar, IA
Any questions? Email kira @ iowacci.org or call 515-282-0484.
Civic Love
We tried it last year and we’re bringing it back by request. It's a conversational experiment designed to not only help us share things about ourselves but also to listen, without comment, as someone shares with us.
These types of conversations are at the core of how we organize for the people and places we love.
There's a lot of talk these days about what it means to come together and understand where each other is coming from. This is a great way to explore what that can look and feel like for yourself.
All credit where credit is due: Iowa CCI has adapted this Civic Love social experiment crafted by the National Public Housing Museum.
When: February 20, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Where: Online - via Zoom! IA
Description from the National Public Housing Museum
In 1997, psychologist Arthur Aron explored whether intimacy between two perfect strangers could be accelerated by asking each other a set of 36 questions. We adapted his questions for use in a new kind of social experiment, aimed at helping us all fall in civic love.
What is civic love? In her manifesto for 21st century activism, Detroit-based organizer Grace Lee Boggs implored, “We urgently need to bring to our communities the limitless capacity to love, serve, and create for and with each other.” It is from this directive that the National Public Housing Museum created its conception of Civic Love.
Civic Love is one’s love for society, expressed through a commitment to the common good. It is a belief in the idea that we’re all better off, when we are all better off. We manifest Civic Love through all kinds of actions—volunteering, marching, speaking against systemic injustice, making reparations—and always with the love itself is the emotional heart of the work.
Everywhere we learn that love is important, and yet we are bombarded by its failure…This bleak picture in no way alters the nature of our longing. We still hope that love will prevail. We still believe in love’s promise. - bell hooks
We invite you to invest in civic “love’s promise”—asking and answering questions ranging from “What sound wakes you at the start of your day?” to “What law would you change for the betterment of your community?” —to test if we can grow civic love.
How it works - what to expect
You and a partner will each ask each other a series of 25 questions (we cut them down). You should allocate 90 minutes to the process, though previous participants have finished in less time.
Take turns introducing yourself. Continue to take turns, asking your partner each of the 25 questions. You ask a question and your partner answers; your partner then asks you the SAME question and you answer. Repeat using the remaining 25 questions.
Don’t jump around. Answer the questions sequentially, 1 to 25. Though some questions may be difficult — challenge yourself to stay in it, answering all of the questions to the best of your ability. This experiment is designed to not only help us share things about ourselves but also to listen, without comment, as someone shares with us. Make every attempt to listen with curiosity, minimizing distractions and interruptions.
Resist the urge to give feedback on your partner’s response or to ask additional questions about their answers. Allow them the space to simply share and be heard.
People’s Lobby Day
Join Iowa CCI members and allies from across the state for a day of community, action, and putting people before politics, profits, and polluters at the statehouse!
We'll meet together at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden to share some food, stories, and prep ourselves for a day of putting people first at the Iowa Capitol. Then we'll make the short trek to the capitol for meetings with key decision makers, individual and group lobbying, and rally for people-first solutions to the issues Iowans are facing. We'll have a bus(es) from eastern Iowa to help get folks to Des Moines, more details to come, simply email matthew@iowacci.org if you're interested in hopping on a bus to join us!
When: January 23, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Where: 909 Robert D. Ray Dr
Des Moines, IA 50309
Racial Justice Webinar
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
CCI's racial justice team has spent years pushing for changes, especially in Des Moines. After two 3rd party reports, and over 6 years of organizing, city council meetings, and hard work, we're ready to see things cross the finish line!
Join us Thursday, December 14th at 6:30pm to:
Get caught up and re-grounded in our racial justice work,
learn about the history of racial profiling and the history of our work to stop it,
and prepare to head into 2024 with us making some noise!
Legislative Session Preview
Iowa's 2024 state legislative session is just around the corner - Governor Reynolds and lawmakers will convene in Des Moines at the statehouse on January 8 next year.
The 2023 legislative session was a whirlwind of activity, and not all that great for our people and planet. But we're not ones to back down or sit on the sidelines, and we're ready and fired up to make sure lawmakers feel our presence and voice during the upcoming session!
Join other CCI members over Zoom on Tuesday, December 12 at 6pm to:
get grounded in the basics of the upcoming session,
brainstorm ways that together we can make our voices heard (especially on big deal issues like CO2 pipelines, clean water, housing, and public education), and
strategize on how we can make a big impact on January 23, 2024 when we return in-person to the statehouse for our "People's Lobby Day"!
'Dear IUB' letter delivery
In case you missed it, Navigator CO2 cancelled its 1,300+ mile CO2 pipeline! This was a result of everyday people speaking truth to power, organizing, and not backing down despite the odds.
We've collected over 500 signatures on this letter opposing the pipelines. Now it's time for the key decision makers to see it!
Will you join us to deliver this letter on Tuesday, November 14, 12-4pm?
Thousands of Iowans across the state oppose CO2 pipeline projects because they:
are dangerous and potentially deadly,
use technology that has consistently failed to reduce carbon emissions,
would extract half a billion gallons of water per year, and
rely heavily on public money, and put millions of dollars in the pockets of CEOs like Bruce Rastetter.
These decision makers need to do everything in their power to stop these proposed pipelines. We will meet at the Iowa CCI HQ at 2001 Forest Ave. Des Moines, IA. Sign up to join us here!
CCI Book Club: Author Call with Chris Jones
To wrap up our September/October Clean Water Book Club, we are hosting a virtual discussion with Chris Jones, author of The Swine Republic.
Join us on October 26 via Zoom for a chat with Chris Jones, author of The Swine Republic, a hard-hitting collection of essays that tell the truth about Iowa's water quality.
Lunch & Learn Postponed!
This event has been postponed, stay tuned for info about when we reschedule.
Lunch hour training for members and allies focused on the power we can build as voters. Especially with Election Day coming up November 7!
Participation means different things to different people. We’re inviting you to join us as we take a fresh look and deep dive into one important form of participation—voting.
Who is the Power of Participation designed for? Everyone! Whether you are a regular voter, infrequent voter, or not able to vote yet, you’ll get new insights into the history of voting and why it matters even more than you think.
There are 4 sessions in the Power of Participation series. This time we’ll be digging in on Session I — They don't want you to vote! The other sessions cover why your vote counts, the barriers to voting, and the power of representation.
Now that you know what we'll be learning, let's talk lunch! We have 4 brown bag lunch options available to order and enjoy during the session. Or you can choose -none- and bring your own lunch. Either way - we hope you'll be there!
The Power of Participation is designed for you to learn from each other, so it works best with a very diverse group.
Please come for this great community-building event!
CCI Book Club: The Swine Republic Online!
Join us on Zoom on Oct. 18 to discuss the book in advance of the Oct. 26 author call.
Clean Water Forum in Eldora
We will be joined in Eldora by two University of Iowa Professors! Learn more about our speakers below:
Dave Cwiertny has a background in environmental engineering and does research on water issues. He is also a part of the “We All Want Clean Water” podcast - tired of “cropaganda” Cwiertny along with Chris Jones, and Silvia Secchi provide an alternative voice on issues including water quality, agriculture and climate change.
CCI Book Club: The Swine Republic in Des Moines
Join us at Confluence Brewing to discuss The Swine Republic by Chris Jones in advance of the October 26 author call. We will grab a couple tables at the back of the main Taproom.
October 4, 2023 6:00 PM
1235 Thomas Beck Rd
Confluence Brewery
Des Moines, IA 50315
Dubuque People's Housing Forum
We're hosting a open mic housing forum with Mayor Brad Cavanagh, Ward 3 Councilman Danny Sprank, and Ward 4 Councilwoman Katy Wethal.
October 1st we're hosting a housing forum with Dubuque elected officials! Doors will open at 3:30pm and the event will be from 4-5:30pm at St. Luke's United Methodist Church (1199 Main St.).
This is an open mic forum where anyone can ask a question about housing. This is a chance to ask a questions, share a story, or give your thoughts on what needs to improve with housing in Dubuque. We'll also have a update on what we're doing around housing as an organization and how you can get involved.
For the past 11 months Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement has been focused on supporting renters that have unresponsive landlords and forming policy that supports renters and develops affordable housing in Dubuque. We work with tenants to recover stolen security deposits, get their landlord to repair issues with their housing, and prevent evictions.
October 1, 2023 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Location
St. Luke's United Methodist Church
1199 Main St
Dubuque, IA 52001
Films for a livable future: Right to Harm
Community members from 5 different organizations across the United States-- including two of Iowa's very own experts, Diane Rosenburg and John Ikerd--share their stories and experiences living near factory farms in Right to Harm.
This film exposes the health issues and damages to quality of life that surround industrial agriculture and shares how government agencies have failed to regulate factory farms.
Join us on Thursday, September 28th from 7-9PM at Scott County Park to watch and discuss how citizen groups have rallied against Big Ag and industry-loving politicians to fight for clean air, water, and land!
There'll be good snacks and refreshments waiting for you!
Table Mound Canvassing
We're talking to Table Mound residents about their park!
For the past month we've been working with the Table Mound Mobile Home Association to figure out how they can address the issues that have been happening at their park since they were bought out by a Colorado based company in 2017. Since then they've had their rent doubled, been charged endless fees, and have dealt with petty infractions and citations.
On Sept. 10th from 3-6pm we're going to knock every door in the Table Mound park and let people know that on the 17th the mobile home association is going to meet to start identifying current issues and planning next steps to address those issues.
Whether you're a renter, mobile home owner, or a homeowner we're going your support is needed. Come knock with us!
When
September 10, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Location
2604 Garnavillo Dr.
Dubuque, IA 52003
Dubuque City Council Meeting
We're speaking up at the September 5th Dubuque City Council meeting!
It was recently announced that a new development is going to be happening in the Millwork District and CCI members are going to the council meeting to share our thoughts and ask questions! We're going to meet up 30 minutes before hand to talk through the developer agreement and give a chance for people to ask questions.
September 5, 2023 6:00 PM
Location
Historic Federal Building
350 West 6th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Housing Justice Art Night
We're making art to support renters!
Sept. 1st from 6-8pm we're hosting a Housing Justice Art Night at The Spot (356 Main Street, Dubuque, IA)! We'll have all the materials needed.
We're making banners and handheld signs to support tenants right in Dubuque. This is going to be a free, family-friendly, community oriented, and far from professional art making event so no experience is needed! The pieces made will be used at The Dubuque People's Housing Forum on October 1st.
Come as you are and have fun!
September 1, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location
The Spot
356 Main St
Dubuque, IA 52001
Zoom with author Jennifer Wilson
Join us on Aug. 31 via Zoom for a chat with Jennifer Wilson, the Des Moines-based author of WATER, an environmental novel cut through with a steamy romance.
More details to come! Sign up here to stay in the loop.
Rural Cinema: ‘The Biggest Little Farm’
CCI presents: Films for a Livable Future. This month we'll be watching 'The Biggest Little Farm' at West Lake Park in Davenport on August 24th from 7-9PM.
All Iowans are raised hearing the phrase ‘we feed the world’, but the reality is we can’t even feed ourselves—- Did you know that Iowa imports up to 90% of the food we eat?
What if we could do farming differently?
The Biggest Little Farm captures how a couple left their city life behind and set out on a mission to grow food for their community while creating a farm that doubles as a functional ecosystem for both people and planet.
Together, we'll learn more about what Iowa agriculture is and could be, meet neighbors, build community, and plug into ways to take action here in Iowa.
Our screenings are for everyone, so come hang out at the park for this inspiring doc and some CCI-style fun! We'll have good snacks and refreshments waiting for you.
Online book club
Join our online book club! This month we are reading WATER by Jennifer Wilson. If you didn’t get a chance to join one of the in-person options, join us on zoom.
Online Book Club:
On Zoom! - Thursday, August 24
6:00-7:00 pm
RSVP here
In-person book club at Confluence
6:30-7:30 pm
Confluence Brewery Barrel Room
1235 Thomas Beck Rd, Des Moines, IA 50315
RSVP here
Confluence has a great selection of beer brewed on site with non-alcoholic options available. They often have a food truck on site. And the best part, we can bring in our own food/snacks to share! :)
Learn more about the book club at iowacci.org/book
Clean Water Fight: Statewide Meeting
Join us for a statewide meeting on Zoom to learn about CCI's actions against the EPA for not upholding facory farm polluters to the Clean Water Act, identify what problems we face in our local communities, and discuss solutions to empower our communities for clean water.
What: Iowa CCI Clean Water Community Meeting
Who: Anyone who cares about clean water and stopping factory farms
When: Thursday, August 3, 6-7:30
Where: on Zoom!
Say No to Coal: Dinner & Teach-in
Join the Iowa Buffalo Rebellion climate justice coalition for an evening of community-building and climate action inspiration!
We will be presenting on the negative impacts of local coal plants, the benefits of transitioning to clean energy, and ways we can take action to reverse the climate crisis while uplifting our communities.
The event will take place at the Muscatine Library. A free dinner will be provided!
CCI Rural Cinema: A Decent Home
Join us at the Running Deer shelter at Scott County Park on July 22nd from 7:00-9:00 for a discussion on affordable housing and a screening of the 2022 documentary, A Decent Home.
While inflation stays high and wages stagnate, many Iowans are feeling crunched when it comes time to pay rent. For years, manufactured houses have been a solution for low and fixed-income folks, but corporate greed has started to smell money in the places people call home. When lives are on the line, we organize!
A Decent Home follows the lives and organizing efforts of mobile home owners across the country in their fight to protect the communities they live in from large corporations that attempt to purchase the land they live on and raise rent to unaffordable rates in the span of months.
Come hang out at the park for this inspiring doc and some CCI-style fun! We'll have good snacks and refreshments waiting for you. Hope to see you on the 22nd!
When: July 22, 2023 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location: 18850 270th St
Eldridge, IA 52748
Dubuque Housing Meeting
We're meeting July 16th 1pm-2:30pm to share our vision for housing in Dubuque, our plan to get to it, and hear what people think about it! We'll also be hearing from tenants that have benefitted from our organizing and talk about solutions to renter issues at a city level.
When: July 16, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Location: Carnegie-Stout Library
360 W 11th St
Dubuque, IA 52001
Open House & Meet CCI's New Director
Have you ever wanted to see where the magic happens at Iowa CCI? Our walls tell a story, and we just had a cleaning day - so we're ready to welcome you in! It's also a great chance to meet and celebrate our new Executive Director Lisa Whelan.
The staff and board could not be more excited about Lisa’s ability, commitment, and love for Iowa CCI. She's an organizer in her heart and soul. Come to our open house to meet Lisa and check out our power place! We'd love to see you!
Date: Saturday, July 15
Time: 9:30 - 11:30am - Open house style, with a short program
Place: Iowa CCI office, 2001 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, 50311
What to expect: Coffee & pastries (including handmade specialty Laos coffee and tea drinks from a board member!), conversation with Lisa, tour the headquarters, and socialize with CCI folks.
This event is for CCI members, the community, and anyone interested in building progressive, people-fueled power in Iowa.
Your RSVP helps us plan for the day. Thank you!
Say NO to Coal: Sioux City
Join the Iowa Buffalo Rebellion climate justice coalition for an evening of community-building and climate action inspiration. We will be discussing the negative impacts of local coal plants, the benefits of transitioning to clean energy, and ways we can take action to reverse the climate crisis while uplifting our communities. The event will take place at the Aalfs Downtown Library in the Gleeson Room.
5:45 - Doors Open + Dinner (by Indigenous chef Anthony Warrior, owner of Warriors Palate)
6:00 - 7:30 - Program + Discussion
7:30 - 7:45 - Networking
A free meal catered by Chef Anthony Warrior, owner of Warriors Palate and refreshments will be provided. Please register so we have an accurate count for ordering. We will have food and space for the first 75 folks to arrive. The tentative menu is Braised Leg of Bison, Smoked Salmon with Cranberry, Mushroom Wild Rice, Roasted Turnip with Maple Glazed Walnuts, Spring Berry Salad, Chocolate and Dried Fruit Clusters!
Buffalo Rebellion is a coalition of community-based organizations and activists who are growing a movement for climate action in Iowa that centers racial and economic justice. In 2021, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Great Plains Action Society, Des Moines Black Liberation Movement, Our Future, and Sierra Club Iowa Beyond Coal came together to fight back against the colonial-capitalist forces that are displacing communities and destroying Iowa's vital ecosystems.
Council Bluffs Climate Justice
Everyone deserves clean air, clean water, and a habitable environment. Coal-burning power plants endanger those rights for all of us. Especially in the communities where they reside.
Join Iowa CCI and the Buffalo Rebellion coalition in Council Bluffs for an evening of community-building and climate action inspiration on Thursday, June 29th from 6:30-9:30pm at the River's Edge Pavilion.
At this event we'll discuss the negative impacts of coal plants, the benefits of transitioning to clean energy, and ways to take action to reverse the climate crisis.
Here's the agenda:
6:30 Doors Open + Free Dinner (provided by Heirloom Foods, vegan and veggie friendly)
7:00 - 8:30 Program + Discussion
8:45 - 9:30 Live Band (Luke and the End Times)
The solutions to the climate crisis already exist. Now is the time for mass action to protect the people and places we love.
Legislative Session Debrief & Look-ahead
We're not sure how you would describe it, but we think it's safe to say the recent Iowa legislative session was. . . rough. And that would be to put it mildly.
It was a flurry of activity, and the dust is still settling. The aftermath and full impacts of the legislation passed will likely be felt for months and years to come.
But we're not ones to sit back, let alone throw in the towel. That's why we're asking you to join other CCI members for a 'Legislative Session Debrief & Look-ahead' online meeting Wednesday, June 28 at 6:30pm.
We'll come together over Zoom to:
review key legislation that was passed, and unpack how this is part of a long-term agenda pushed by corporate power,
provide space to process what these policies could do to the people and places we love, and
discuss ways we can reach more everyday Iowans, take action locally, and harness the fight-back energy we'll need going into the next legislative session.
Iowa CCI Meetup with Chris Jones
Research Engineer and author Chris Jones knows the importance of clean water. His research interests include water quality and agriculture, water monitoring, contaminant hydrology, and nutrient and sediment transport. Jones has spent years researching and writing about Iowa’s water quality. He just published a book called The Swine Republic: Struggles with the Truth about Agriculture and Water Quality.
Iowa CCI is hosting Chris Jones as guest speaker on Thursday, June 22 for our first Iowa CCI meetup of the summer! We are thrilled to have him join us in the Barrel Room at Confluence Brewing to talk about his work and his new book, and to discuss how important it is for Iowans to speak out about water quality. His book will be available for purchase and signing.
Venue capacity is limited - registration is required.
We are very excited to host Chris Jones and hope you will join us to learn more about water quality in Iowa.
Iowa CCI’s Summer Jamboree
Join CCI and friends for a music fundraiser at Smokestack in Dubuque June 14th from 7:30-10pm! We'll also have free tarot readings provided by Martianlune, informational booths, opportunities to connect, and sunny patios to enjoy on Smokestack's rooftop.
We’ll have music and poetry performances by Dubuque’s very own Dick Hubert, Iowa rock hall of famer Dartanyan Brown, and a rap performance by Young Forgi. We’ll also have a spoken word performance by Christine Baker!
Cover is just $10 and kids 12 and under get in free!
And a big shoutout to our sponsors, Heritage Works Dubuque and the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium for helping us make this happen! Give them a follow!
Food and drinks available through Smokestack for purchase
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