FRIDAY, MAY 17
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
4126 Ingersoll Ave, DES MOINES

in-person and virtual options

A Lifetime of Achievements

Honoring Representative Ako Abdul-Samad

Non-profit director, school board member, legislator, community leader, and so much more. Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad has been a leader in Iowa in so many different ways. As he steps down from his role as state representative, no doubt he will continue his legacy of standing up for justice and those who are on the margins.

Join us for Crossroads as we honor Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad’s lifetime of achievements and Ako honors us by sharing his story and his hopes and dreams for the future.

There are three ways to attend Crossroads. Registration is required for all three:

• Attend in person (with lunch) by clicking here. Four bag lunch sandwich options are available for $15 (new price): turkey, roast beef, ham salad, and vegetarian. You must pre-order and pay for your lunch by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, May 15. Late orders or walk-in requests for lunch will NOT be available.
• Attend in person (no lunch) by clicking here. There is no cost for this option, but we do need your RSVP to ensure we have enough seating.
• Watch via YouTube by clicking here. This virtual presentation will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

Crossroads is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Des Moines.

Balancing religious freedom with protecting individual civil rights. Reproductive rights. LGBTQ rights. Racial justice. Public education. Gun violence prevention. All of these and many more are the issues on which Interfaith Alliance of Iowa & Action Fund works every day. And they are the issues Executive Director Connie Ryan discussed with the Democratic candidates for US House of Representatives 3rd District in one-on-one conversations.

You can watch the conversations with Melissa Vine and Lanon Baccam on our website.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6
5:45 PM reception | 6:45 PM dinner & program
THE MEADOWS EVENT CENTER
1 Prairie Meadows Drive, ALTOONA

We are at full capacity. ‍JOIN THE WAITLIST and we’ll let you know if a place opens up for you.
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If you already made a reservation and need to make payment, PLEASE CONTACT KRISTIN by May 17 for instructions.

We are ecstatic to share our 2024 event will feature HEATHER COX RICHARDSON in conversation with Rekha Basu! Heather Cox Richardson is an author and historian, and has a huge following of more than one million subscribers from across the country for her daily take on all things politics. She could not be a more perfect person to delve into this historic moment in our democracy.

We are also thrilled to announce the following as our Faith and Freedom awardees this year: Joy Corning Public Leader Award – Rob Sand, Iowa Auditor of State; and Partner Organization Award – League of Women Voters of Iowa.

Interfaith Alliance of Iowa has taken on deeper organizing around Christian nationalism on top of our already full roster of work. We are the only statewide progressive voice for people of faith and no faith protecting religious freedom while ensuring religion is not misused to discriminate, championing individual rights, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism.

We must continue growing our progressive voice in communities big and small. If you are unable to attend but would like to support our important work, will you consider a sponsorship or donation today?

Thanks to all the presenters, attendees, and helpers who made this year's Intersections so spectactular! A special note of gratitude to the people of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids; their radical hospitality was phenomenal.

Programming will return in September. Stay tuned for a great lineup of speakers for our 2024-25 season!

Intersections is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.