Champions of Justice:
2021 Interfaith Action Fund Celebration

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22

6:00-7:00 PM

View the celebration on Facebook: @InterfaithAllianceIA

or YouTube: Interfaith Alliance of Iowa

We're excited to announce our first Champions of Justice speakers! The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, and Rev. Wendy Abrahamson, Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Grinnell, Iowa, will be sharing their stories and empowering advocates to use their voices at the 2021 Interfaith Action Fund Celebration. Bishop Scarfe has served as the 9th Bishop of the Diocese of Iowa since 2002 and has been an outspoken advocate on many social justice issues during his tenure. Serving as St. Paul's rector since 2013, Rev. Abrahamson has been a nonpartisan, unpaid registered lobbyist for the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa for the past five years. Both have focused on issues including gun safety, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health care.

“You cannot be a person of justice and of truth and uphold the dignity of every human being without engaging yourself at some point in the political life of the human race,” Bishop Scarfe has stated. “That’s where the struggle, the collective struggle, happens.”

We look forward to hearing from Bishop Scarfe and Rev. Abrahamson on February 22!

Your support helps us fully fund the 2021 legislative advocacy work of the Action Fund. Multiple sponsorship opportunities available, and as a sponsor you will be recognized during the virtual celebration! Your response is requested by February 18 to be acknowledged during the celebration.

Become a sponsor here.

Thank you for your support to help strengthen our important work and voice for all Iowans!

Moral Mondays IOWA

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Noon – 12:45 PM

Register here to attend

(Upon registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the information necessary to join the meeting.)

Or, watch on Facebook at Moral Mondays IOWA or Interfaith Alliance of Iowa

Iowa: The State That Loves to Hate

Rep. Liz Bennett (Cedar Rapids)

Keenan Crow, Director of Policy and Advocacy, One Iowa

Damian Thompson, Director of Public Policy & Communications, Iowa Safe Schools

The scope of legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community this year is remarkable. We have seen many of the same or similar bills in past sessions, but the “creativity” in which extremists are targeting LGBTQ+ Iowans, particularly adults and children who are transgender, is astounding. Join us for Moral Mondays IOWA on February 15 and learn more about the legislation from Rep. Liz Bennett, Keenan Crow, and Damian Thompson, including how you can use your voice to successfully challenge these attacks.

Moral Mondays IOWA is scheduled for noon. The Legislative schedule is less predictable this year in the scheduling of sub-committees. Please pay attention to email or Facebook in case a change in time is necessary.

Moral Mondays IOWA is a collaborative project designed to highlight the progress at work in the Iowa legislature. A coalition of over 25 progressive Iowa organizations, MMI proactively supports the moral good sought through policies that span a range of progressive issues and works for the advancement of Iowa values like equality, fairness, and justice. Sponsoring organizations:

Please note: The listing of an organizational name does not infer support or opposition to any particular issue or bill but is simply an indicator of the organization’s support of the broader mission of the Moral Mondays IOWA coalition.

Black History Month

The African American Museum of Iowa was founded in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1993 by several members of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. It is the only statewide museum devoted to preserving African American history and culture. Over 30,000 people each year are educated through museum tours, traveling exhibits, research services, youth and adult education programs, and community and fundraising events.

Open for exploration through August 7, 2021, the newest exhibit is Unwavering: 21st Century Activism. There visitors can delve into contemporary social movements from Black Lives Matter to #MeToo and more, examining how these movements are entwined in the lives of African Americans throughout the country, with a special focus on events that have sparked activism in Iowa.

To learn more about this treasure in the heartland, visit https://blackiowa.org/.

The American Purpose: A Web Series

As we weather a pandemic, racial justice uprisings, rising white nationalism, and a new presidential administration, Rabbi Jack Moline, President of the national Interfaith Alliance, is asking crucial questions – where are we headed, and where should we be headed? – in a new Interfaith Alliance web series, The American Purpose.

Starting February 10, join Interfaith Alliance every Wednesday at 1:00 PM ET on Facebook Live as they explore our American purpose. Rabbi Moline will be joined by twelve diverse leaders, beginning with Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), to determine how our nation can move forward in pursuit of democracy, justice, and equality.