Immigration
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Advocates speak out against Iowa’s anti-immigration bills
As far as Cecilia Martinez is concerned, they are very much an Iowan despite what some Iowa lawmakers may think. Martinez, 27, moved from Mexico to Iowa when they were 1-year-old. They were educated in Iowa schools from kindergarten through college and continue to live, work, and advocate for various causes while residing in the…
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‘Scary’: Iowa Latinos concerned about GOP bill to limit access to higher education
Ari Davis of Des Moines serves as a TA and Survivor Services Coordinator for the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, a position that allows her to help survivors of sexual assault and one she would not be in if not for a college education. “If I was not able to get in-state tuition, I would…
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8 Diwali celebrations across Iowa to check out this month
Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is a huge celebration in India and among Indian folks around the world. That includes Iowans of Indian descent, who bring some light into our dark fall nights with celebrations across the state this month. What is Diwali? Briefly, the holiday is a celebration of the legends of…
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Thrane: Day Of The Dead Isn’t Just Mexican Halloween
With Halloween around the corner, I can’t help but think about the other celebration I grew up with: Day of the Dead. For some Latin American cultures, including my own, the celebration has a very different meaning. “El Día de Los Muertos” or Day of the Dead is an ancient tradition that dates to the…
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Padre Fabian Is A Pillar In Des Moines Latino Community
Padre Fabian Moncada impacts the lives of many from the pulpit of Our Lady Of The Americas, the iconic Catholic church on the east side of Des Moines. For decades, the parish has been considered a spiritual home for Latinos, and Padre Fabian, 49, has led the congregations since 2015. My first memory of meeting…
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Thrane: Let’s Make Iowa’s Afghan Evacuees Feel Welcome
The US military planes left Afghanistan on Aug. 30 after 20 years, marking the end of the longest war in American history. It was heart-wrenching to watch the images on TV of thousands of desperate Afghans trying to escape their country. Fortunately, nearly 37,000 Afghan evacuees will resettle in the US as part of the…
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How An Iowa Dreamer Helps Others Feel Like They Belong Here
Alex Vasquez of Sioux Center remembers how excited he was to turn 16 and get his driver’s license. Many of his friends had started to drive and he wanted his chance to get behind the wheel too. When Alex talked to his parents about it, they had to break some news to him: he was…
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Sioux City’s Alarcon-Flory Hopes Her School Board Service Inspires Others
Sioux City School Board President Perla Alarcon-Flory has earned the title of being a trailblazer. In her professional life, the 46-year-old is well-known in the judicial and medical fields as a top-notch interpreter through her business, Perla J Alarcon-Flory LLC. Outside of work, Perla has navigated the Woodbury County political arena since 2009. First as…
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An Iowan Combining Latin Music With Environmental Activism
Artes Latinas director Karin Stein lives the Spanish saying of “trae la música en la sangre,” meaning she has music in her blood. She’s used that spirit to lead Artes Latinas, an Iowa consortium of Latin ensembles and music theatre productions that cover a large variety of musical genres. Karin, a rural Colombia native, and…
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Des Moines Immigration Attorney Fights to Empower Women
When one of the biggest immigration raids in American history took place in Postville, Iowa, attorney Sonia Parras Konrad led a rapid response to try and keep as many families together as she should. She mobilized people to help hundreds of workers and dedicated close to five years of pro bono legal assistance to the…
