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Locate & Organize
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“Community organizing is a democratically-governed, values-driven process that catalyzes the power of individuals to work collectively to make the changes they want to see in their communities. Community organizers honor and develop the leadership potential in everyday people by helping them identify problems and solutions, and then by supporting them as they take action to make those solutions a reality. In so doing, organizing challenges the existing power structure.”
—Catherine Crystal Foster and Justin Louie, Grassroots Action and Learning for Social Change
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Uprising Magazine
Uprising Magazine exposes a variety of fashions, art, and cultures to inspire readers. In the past couple of years, Uprising has dedicated efforts towards enacting social justice through sharing stories and engaging in causes on campus. Published once per semester, Uprising creates impressions through artistic design, articles, photographs and cultural news. Uprising Magazine serves as a facet for Fashion, Journalism, Graphic Design, Art, Photography, and Social Justice at UNI. Uprising is where students of various backgrounds come together to showcase their talents and passions.
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Cedar Valley Fashion, Art, and Culture Expo
The 2021 Virtual Cedar Valley Fashion, Art, and Culture Expo, is a display of local cultural talent and artistic energies. This video “celebrates black creatives and innovators”, and showcases Black arts through music, clothing lines, dance, and more. A touching tribute to the Black art community of Waterloo, especially during these socially distanced times. Full of rich colors, patterns, styles, beats, and voices, the expo features positive messages and powerful activism. With messages from Mayor Hart and local community members, this expo fully captures the diverse expertise of the Cedar Valley. (Video length: 39:51)
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Fortepan Iowa
Fortepan Iowa, a project led by UNI Professor Bettina Fabos, features curated photos taken by ordinary Iowans over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The photos represent the personal, whimsical, poetic, significant, and accidentally artistic moments of everyday Iowa life, and tell a rich story of Iowa’s great diversity and complexity, and deeply reflect on who we are as a State. We are actively pursuing collections that portray the non-white Iowa experience. Our aim is to save and digitize evocative archival photographs taken by everyday Iowans and organize them into an easily searchable visual chronology. We invite you to View, Tag, or Download any Fortepan Iowa image you care to engage with. They are for you. They are for all of us. They represent a “public park” of Iowa images, an Iowa commons of shared public history. We recognize the broad range of images that we have curated into this archive, including images that may be offensive or portray negative stereotypes and are important for the overall conversation about who we are as Iowans. They provide a fuller understanding and representation of different time periods in Iowa’s history. All images should be viewed in the context of their time periods. Fortepan Iowa does not endorse the views represented in such images.
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The Toughest Mission
Chiquita Loveless is the Associate Director of MVSS and Retention Initiatives at UNI. Loveless, who is a retired U.S. Navy Warrant Officer, also runs the UNI Veterans Association. Military veterans, many of whom belong to minority communities, are an underrepresented group, especially in academia. According to data from the 2014 Veterans Population Projection Model, 22.6 percent of veterans in the United States and Puerto Rico were minorities. Veterans often get no training for the transition to post-service life and face added challenges when returning to school after discharge. The UNI Veterans Association is dedicated to assisting veterans in the transition to civilian and student life by working with them one-on-one or in groups.
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Momentum
Momentum is a six-week workforce development program and life skills program that mines talents in urban communities. In fall 2020, Momentum was launched in Waterloo. Through this program, valuable individuals who have employment barriers are connected to high-level training and careers. The goal of Momentum is to help the participants become employed, but the focus of the program is to help each person become a whole person again. Visit Momentum to apply, partner, or volunteer.
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UNI CIEP
The UNI CIEP (Culture and Intensive English Program) has been contributing to the UNI diversity, equity, and inclusion institutional goal through service, programming, and class offerings. From providing scholarship opportunities to newcomers in the community to enroll in academic English courses to connecting the world with synchronous online courses for international students, CIEP is involved in several diversity-building actions. Additionally, CIEP works with volunteers from the campus community to offer cultural exchange and exposure to citizen diplomacy through education. Visit the CIEP website to learn about their services, offerings, or to volunteer. Also, watch this short video about how CIEP helps students make connections. (Video length: 1:59).
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A Little Buzzed
In this video, owner of the Waterloo salon A Little Buzzed, Shar Roorda discusses the connection between hair and identity for those with African heritage. She talks about the importance of racial sensitivity when it comes to hair and shares information about services offered at her salon that are tailored specifically to those with Black and/or multiracial hair. Make an appointment for services. (Video length: 23:34).
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Iowa African American Heritage Trail
Led by Charles Pearson, The Iowa African American Heritage Trail preserves African American history and provides residents and tourists the opportunity to learn more about African American heritage throughout the Cedar Valley. The project’s vision is to provide maps with marker designations and interpretive trail panels for self-guided walking tours of historic landmarks in northeast Iowa. Follow project updates at facebook.com/aahtiowa. Learn more by watching this video and make donations here. (Video length: 4:06).
Implicit Bias Workshops
In this short video, Professors Sue Hill and Brittany Flockstra describe their workshop Implicit Bias: What It Is, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do. Listen to them explain why they engage in this work and how you can participate. (Video length: 15:43).
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The North End Update
Visit Facebook every Friday at 4pm for a live update on “Cedar Valley good news with a North End perspective” from co-hosts Joshalyn “Rocki” Hickey Johnson and Cheryl “Chaveevah” Banks Ferguson. They feature a variety of accomplished guests and are a fantastic source of information on local events and programs. Read more about The North End Update in this news article or visit their website.
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The Waterloo Career Center
The Waterloo Career Center provides students with the opportunity to explore careers with hands-on experiences, helping them develop a competitive advantage to live the lifestyle they want. In this video (linked below), listen to Joy Briscoe, Kristin Kruse, and Britni Perkins discuss a variety of entrepreneurial initiatives underway in the Cedar Valley. Then read Iowa Starting Line’s article Waterloo Program Empowers Students of Color to be Young Entrepreneurs. Joy Briscoe is SHIPHT (pronounced “shift”) Founder and Talent Acquisition and Outreach Specialist at Waterloo Schools & Career Center. Kristin Kruse is Executive Logistics and Operations Manager for Infinity Enterprises. Britni Perkins is the Confidential Secretary for Student Services for the Waterloo School District and the Fashion Director for the Cedar Valley Fashion, Arts, and Culture Expo. (Video length: 14:35).
UNI's Office of Institutional Research
In this video, UNI's Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness discusses the process of identifying equity gaps through a process called data disaggregation. They explain equity gaps, how the disaggregation process has been used at UNI, and how predictive modeling can aid in student success. If you are interested in developing a more equitable culture and would like to review program or departmental data, the Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness will work with you . Contact Ericka Gonzalez-Smith (ericka.smith@uni.edu) to get started. (Video length: 7:57).
Support Local Black Businesses
When you shop local businesses, your purchasing power strengthens economy. Click on the link below to locate Black beauty/barber, dining, media, retail, and service.