Partners and Community Allies

The Episcopal Church

In 2017, The Episcopal Church announced its long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice, called Becoming Beloved Community. They have provided the major grant that helped launch the Beloved Community Initiative. Website

the episcopal diocese of iowa

Our work is also supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, which provides us space in their building, Old Brick, and through grants. Website
 

The sankofa Outreach Connection

The Sankofa Outreach Connection promotes awareness of and appreciation for women of color experiences through activities and events that enhance and strengthen cultural competence. The S.O.C. engenders the need for intergenerational women of color to build connections and provide awareness and information in regards to wealth, health and support through education, cultural and social events and activities. Facebook
 

consultation of religious communities

The Consultation of Religious Communities is an interfaith council composed of more than thirty religious communities and related agencies of Johnson County.  Clergy and lay representatives from each member body meet on the third Wednesday of each month (except July) to conduct business and engage one another in dialogue and mutual support. Website

Johnson County interfaith cOALITION

JCIC is a group of interfaith church leaders committed to work together to build a more just society. JCIC meets monthly at the Beloved Community Initiative on the fourth Tuesday each month and welcomes new partners committed to positive change in our community. Website

GREAT PLAINS ACTION SOCIETY

A collective of Indigenous organizers of the Great Plains working to resist and Indigenize colonial institutions, ideologies, and behaviors. Their homelands are located in the vast grassland of Turtle Island, situated between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River and stretching from the Northern Tundra to the Gulf of Mexico. They are committed to resisting colonial-capitalism, taking climate action, and abolishing white supremacy. Visit their website for information about their campaigns - Truthsgiving, MMIW, Climate Defense, Food Sovereignty, and more.

ICCompassion

Their mission is to engage culturally diverse communities together through hope, opportunities and partnerships. Together we equip people at their point of need to move out to poverty and inspire them to be of service to others. With awareness of the need for low cost legal immigration services in our community, they provide legal immigration assistance with clients in Johnson County and surrounding counties including Cedar, Linn, Iowa, Muscatine, Washington and Scott. Website

CENTER FOR WORKER JUSTICE

The Center for Worker Justice unites low-wage workers in Eastern Iowa across race and immigration status to achieve social and economic justice through education, organization, direct service, and community alliances.We seek to improve Eastern Iowa communities by coordinating projects to address injustices in areas such as: workplace conditions, civil rights, access to education, and the need for affordable housing. Website

iowa city Showing up for racial justice

IC SURJ is a local chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice, a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. While IC SURJ is based in Iowa City, it encompasses surrounding municipalities in Johnson and Linn counties, including Coralville, North Liberty, and Cedar Rapids. Website

black Voices Project

BVP is a vehicle for Black people’s voices to be heard in the Iowa City area; thier work creates a community that supports a thriving black culture. Facebook

HUMANIZE MY HOODIE

The Humanize My Hoodie movement is designed to foster critical conversations about threat perception. With the senseless killing of Trayvon Martin, many conversations spurred about people of color, Black people in particular, and their use of hoodies. We seek to further the discussion with hoodies that seek to dismantle the stigma associated with clothing items. The Humanize My Hoodie movement is an opportunity for people to discuss the ways in which we view threat. This is a nationwide movement started by Jason Sole and Andre' Wright and all merchandise will be exclusively sold on their website.

dream cITY

Dream Cityis a nonprofit, volunteer driven organization that offers transformational programming to individuals of all socio-economic backgrounds. Grounded in the belief of empowerment through education, Dream City is not just a place for individuals, but for the family and community as a whole. Website

Prairielands Freedom Fund

Their mission is to pay immigration bond and pretrial bail to free people from detention. They reject the assumption that imprisonment is necessary or inevitable, affirm the dignity and agency of imprisoned people, and minimize the harm imprisonment inflicts on families and communities. They are committed to acting in solidarity with all movements working to abolish the imprisonment of our fellow human beings. Website