We made it to Friday!

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our Rural American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) training and the Waterloo Women’s Roundtable this week! We have some more exciting trainings coming up next week too!

Next Tuesday, May 17th, Progress Iowa is hosting an ARPA Letter-to-the-Editor training at 7 p.m. You can register for that event here: Crafting Letters to the Editor. And on Thursday, May 19th, our team is hosting a training on inclusive activism at 7 p.m. You can register for that event here: Making Activism Inclusive.

Once you’ve registered for those events, check out today’s top story:

1. ADVOCATING FOR BLACK WOMEN’S HEALTH: The COVID-19 pandemic forced into light the countless health disparities experienced by Black Americans. A group in Des Moines is working to address some of these issues and disparities between Black women and White women’s health in the state of Iowa.

Black Women for Healthy Living is working to improve medical care for Black women across the state and encouraging women to speak up when they are having pains. Join us and share this message of encouragement:

Click to tweet: It’s time to end the health disparities between white Iowans and Black Iowans, especially when it comes to maternal health! We need our elected leaders to work on solving real issues & ensure quality healthcare for ALL. #Iowa

After you share that message, let’s take a look back at some of our top stories from this week:

2. WE MUST PROTECT PUBLIC EDUCATION: Though we’ve passed the 100th day of the 2022 Iowa Legislative session, lawmakers in Des Moines haven’t finished their work yet. Governor Reynolds is still pushing for school vouchers as the end of Iowa’s legislative session grows closer. These vouchers will take public, taxpayer money and direct it to private institutions that are not held to the same standards or accountability as public schools. We believe all Iowan students deserve access to a fair and quality education, regardless of their income status, skin color, or zip code, and that’s what our public school system provides.

You can use the Iowa State Education Association toolkit today to reach out to your Representative and tell them to vote “No” on school vouchers.

3. GRASSLEY AND ERNST VOTE AGAINST WOMEN’S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT: Unfortunately, Republican Senators like Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley voted Wednesday against a bill, introduced by Democrats, that would have put the impact of Roe v. Wade into law. This law would have codified access to abortion services and a person’s right to privacy. Overturning Roe v. Wade strips individuals of their fundamental rights. We must hold Senators Grassley and Ernst accountable and advocate for comprehensive healthcare. Join us and share this message below.

Click to tweet: I believe that no matter our income or where we live, Iowans deserve the freedom to access safe and legal abortion protected by #RoeVWade! BTW a majority of Iowans agree @ChuckGrassley @SenJoniErnst #Iowa

4. CORPORATE PRICE GOUGING IS HURTING IOWANS: Iowans work hard every day. But the things that cost and matter the most — a roof over our heads, childcare for our kids, healthcare for our families — have long been put out of reach, so wealthy corporations and billionaires can pay us less than they owe and rake in record profits. This week’s report proves that President Biden’s policies are working. Inflation is slowing down and the U.S. unemployment rate remains at a near historic low. We must demand that our elected leaders here in Iowa follow in the President’s footsteps and act to reduce the cost of housing, childcare, prescription drugs and healthcare, so we can afford all that we need for our families.

5. REYNOLDS CIRCUMVENTS LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD: Last week, Governor Reynolds and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson attended a private meeting with parents in the Linn-Mar school district, a meeting that was closed off to the press and caught the majority of the school board by surprise. Now, the school board members are questioning why this meeting happened and why they weren’t informed of it. What we know about the meeting is that Governor Reynolds used it as an opportunity to push for her extreme school vouchers bill, which would take taxpayer dollars away from public schools and provide a lower quality education for our public school students.

Want to hear more from our team? You can go to our online news blog, Potluck, to hear from Iowans and leaders around the state. Want to help progressive messaging and policy in the state of Iowa? Sign up at ProgressIowa.org to volunteer, donate, and hear more from our team!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll get back with you Monday for another Hive Five!

– The Progress Iowa Team

Progress Iowa | P.O. Box 548 | Des Moines, IA 50302