DREAM Iowa Times
JULY
Hello friend,
DREAM Iowa hopes to keep our allies informed of important happenings across the state through this monthly newsletter.
Updates:
We have a Youth Leadership Summit date, keep scrolling to find out more information!
Save The Date!
DREAM Iowa is proud to announce that the Youth Leadership Summit is coming back on Sunday, November 7th at Iowa State University. The annual YLS unites immigrants from across the state once a year to empower with knowledge, skill development, civic engagement, and strategy for growth. This yearly summit shares pathways for leadership and involvement and showcases the aggregate voices of our community. Talented individuals share their life and business experience to a captive audience of hungry bilingual learners. Panelists and speakers demonstrate essential skills to grow into leadership roles.
Save the date, we are excited to see you there!
In order to attend this event, make sure to fill out the following form:
Follow updates closely through:
Did You Know?
DREAM Iowa collaborates with local community partners in order to bring interactive & bilingual financial seminars to towns across Iowa. Recently in Marshalltown, DREAM Iowa partnered with locally trusted immigrant professionals from Great Western Bank, Lennox Employee Credit Union, Premier Real Estate, and Transamerica to bring financial education to Latino immigrant families. The Financial Independence seminars are offered in the language spoken by the immigrant group in order to increase learning ability. The information is presented by immigrants with experiences similar to the community in order to maintain a culturally competent curriculum.
During six weeks, immigrant Iowan families had the opportunity to learn about basic banking services, money management, credit, loans, mortgages, financial planning, and everything in between. We would like to thank Latina Leadership Initiative (LLI) volunteers Ruby Murillo, Tania Fonseca, Cristina Munoz De La Torre for helping organize such a successful seminar in Marshalltown.
To know more, head to the following link:
Financial Capability, Marshalltown
Young Leaders Sphere!
The Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs is looking for volunteers! Through this volunteer experience, you get to:
1. Study the opportunities for and changing needs of the Latino population of this state.
2. Serve as liaison between the department of human rights and the public, sharing information and gathering constituency input.
3. Recommend to the board the adoption of rules pursuant to chapter 17A as it deems necessary.
4. Recommend legislative and executive action to the governor and general assembly.
5. Establish advisory committees, workgroups, or other coalitions as appropriate.
If you are interested in volunteering to serve in the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs, apply through the following link:
In The News . . . !
Under the new policy, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers generally will not detain or arrest people who are pregnant or nursing, or who had a baby within the previous year. The language in the policy will be gender-neutral, acknowledging that transgender men can give birth — another departure from past directives.
Since 2016, ICE has arrested undocumented pregnant immigrants more than 4,000 times, according to internal government data shared with The Times. The number in custody has fallen more recently, partly because of measures to reduce the number of people in congregate settings who are at greater risk of contracting Covid-19. There are currently fewer than 20 such immigrants in custody, staying for an average of three days.
If you would like to know more about this, head to the following link:
Biden Will End Detention for Most Pregnant and Postpartum Undocumented Immigrants
Stories of Immigrant Iowans
Kristen doesn’t know the exact reason her family immigrated to the United States but thinks it is likely they immigrated due to the approach of World War 1. This was a time of turmoil in Europe and a lot of people left to find better lives.
Kristen feels lucky that she could be so connected to her great grandmother because it taught her about her heritage and where part of her family came from. If it weren’t for her great-grandmother, she probably wouldn’t have these strong ties and the pride for her heritage that she does.
If you want to read more about her story go to the following link:
Our vision is to DREAM Iowa’s vision is to convert Iowa into the epicenter for immigrant success.
DREAM Iowa’s mission is to stimulate and carry forward the gradual shift from generational poverty to generational wealth for immigrant Iowans.