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My heart is heavy… I write today as a mother, a teacher, a legislator and an aware citizen. My heart is heavy, as is most of yours, in the wake of our most recent school shooting. I so desire to hug all the parents of the 19 children who were killed and I want to […]
I am the mother of a very disabled child. One of my best friends is also the mother of a child with a disabiliy. Both of our children are now grown men, age 38, and dependent on us, their mothers, for so much of their existence. She and I often share our similar stories of […]
More Needs to be Done to Help Struggling Iowans May is Mental Health Awareness Month and more Americans are struggling with their mental health than ever before. The ongoing pandemic, isolation, and limited access to mental health providers have caused Iowans to struggle to get the help they need for their mental health issues. Iowa […]
Earth Day in Iowa Today is the 52nd annual celebration of Earth Day, and many Iowans are expressing the need for swift action to address climate change and to protect Iowa from the devastating effects that climate change-affected weather patterns have on the state. “I have four young grandsons, the oldest is nine. And I […]
Black Journalists in Iowa A call from a local news reporter brought to my attention how challenging it is to be a black journalist in Iowa. Recently, Lauren Johnson, KCCI news reporter, was asked to leave an Ankeny school board meeting. The meeting included a discussion of the need for hiring a diversity specialist for […]
Celebrating National Public Health Week Over the last two years, many have become very familiar with local, state, and national public health departments as we looked for guidance from our elected leaders to navigate an unprecedented pandemic. And today, we kick off the celebration of National Public Health Week. Every year, the United States takes […]
An ordinary, Sunday award show I must admit that the Academy Awards is one of the highlights of early Spring for me. My background is in the Dramatic Arts and I love movies, so since my son was elementary school age, we have routinely watched the Awards each year. Last Sunday night we sat down […]
Contributor Column: Gaines Reflects on 75 years of Life With each birthday, I reflect about my life and how quickly time has passed. I celebrate my 75th birthday today, March 25th. I think about my southern roots and my childhood visits to rural North Carolina. I was young but I was aware of the […]
Calling for action after last week’s tragedy Earlier this week I was honored to be invited to speak at a Press Conference that was organized by one of my former East High Students, Rev. Dr. Frantz Whitfield in response to the shooting at East High School in Des Moines, where I taught for 40 years. […]
Good Park, Des Moines Driving by Good Park on 17th and University on the west side of Des Moines, always brings back beautiful memories of summers I spent there. “The Park” as we called it back in the day, was always full of black folks. On any given day “the Park” displayed various celebrations […]