Stories

Traditional music, arts, dance  and food from around the world was the order of the day during the Celebrating Cultural Diversity Festival at the University of Iowa in Iowa City on Sunday.

Several thousand visitors sampled traditional foods from an array of cultures, tried new dance steps and listened to musical performances. Families were in abundance [...]

The University of Iowa Women’s Resource and Action Center (WRAC) is starting a series of Diversity Dialogue Circles beginning next week.  As part of the University’s Human Rights Week events, WRAC sponsored a one-night preview of the process Wednesday.

“Iowa is becoming more diverse,” noted program coordinator Leslie Leathers.  “This will help build relationships and stronger [...]

City Councilman Mike Eifler says that when many Carroll residents look in the mirror what they see is not the face of a vibrant future workforce.

Speaking during a council-staff retreat session at the Carrollton Centre on Saturday, Eifler said Carroll must work aggressively to diversify the workforce by attracting younger people and minorities.

“Let’s face it,” [...]

For Chief Red Hawk, diversity can be seen as two sides of the same coin.  Where many might see only differences, he believes similarities also play into an understanding of diversity.

Red Hawk was the keynote speaker Monday at Iowa’s Mosaic Diversity Conference in Des Moines at the Polk County Convention Complex.

For Red Hawk, differences and [...]

Take a pinch of Martin Luther King Jr. Add a cup of Zig Zigler. Stir well while waving essence of Oprah Winfrey over the top and you’ll come close to the mixture presented by author and educator Stedman Graham during the Diversity Leadership Conference in Cedar Rapids.

Pulling from his latest book, “Diversity: Leaders not Labels,” [...]

The face of Iowa is rapidly evolving. And, as with any major change, our communities have both challenges and treasures strewn out before them.
Two-thirds of Iowa’s population growth between 1990 and 2005 was fueled by immigration. Latinos are the state’s fastest growing population segment, their numbers increasing by 234 percent in 15 years. It is [...]

While the residents of West Liberty often have their thumbs in the political pie, their town hasn’t always been a traditional stop on the road to the White House. This cycle, however, things appear to be changing.
“It just feels so good to have candidates come here,” said resident Dave Bradley, who made phone calls to [...]

[Commentary] Tomorrow marks 40 years since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Richard Perry Loving vs. Virginia. The decision overturned laws in 16 primarily southern states that barred interracial marriage.
It’s probably the only Supreme Court decision to have culminated in its own series of national celebrations which cross many economic, social and [...]