The Real MainStream: For Iowa And Illinois

Christine Hawes
Emergency! Iowa’s sundown past of racism is still hurting us
Please help! Some people are in trouble, right now. They’re in danger. Call the first responders. Hurry! Mobilize the support. Nope. A few weeks ago, a group of organizations on the front lines of racial justice declared a “state of emergency for Black Iowans.” They cited numbers, recent events, history … And then we all moved on. There has been little ongoing news coverage. No special projects. Few, if any, follow-ups. Hardly anyone is lifting +
Winter clothing drive, new vegan offerings at Iowa City’s Trumpet Blossom Cafe
IOWA CITY — Trumpet Blossom Cafe and Katy Meyer already reinvented the way they provide all-vegan, all-local food in Iowa City, in response to COVID-19. +
Leash on Life steps up support during coronavirus crisis
IOWA CITY and NORTH LIBERTY — Leash on Life has given back to its communities for 15 years through donations to animal shelters throughout Johnson +

Amanda Green
Since 1998: Love, hate during Coralville resident’s Matthew Shepard pilgrimage
The bar where Matthew Shepard’s murderers lured him to his death was called The Fireside Bar & Lounge. By the time I visited it during a spontaneous roadtrip to Laramie, Wyo., in 2012, the bar had been closed and empty for many years. I could see through one glass panel and was surprised by how small it was. Compared to images I had conjured of Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney lurking in the shadowy background +
Our ‘box full of darkness’ reminds us that after destruction comes rebirth
In the summer of 2018, I trained as a death midwife/doula and home funeral guide. In July 2019, a few months after my cat Henry +
Find many more voices through the new National News Feed, Self-Publish pages
We often say this publication represents voices not often heard. Now, thanks to two new features, The Real MainStream will represent many, many, MANY more +
Poetry: Mount Pleasant activist ponders true meaning of respect
“Often, people try to control discussion through a single word. It sounds logical, until we take a deeper look.” Bob Mueller wrote his poem, “Respect,” +

Christine Hawes
Artwork: Council Bluffs artist reaches new heights during pandemic
Artist Cait Irwin isn't afraid to make statements with her art. +
SOMM Wines stays a step ahead, finds new COVID-aware location during crisis
FAIRFIELD — SOMM Wines’ response to the coronavirus crisis has been like a textbook in “one step ahead.” Before most businesses were even thinking about +
Coralville mom captures the emotion of her teen’s gender transition with “He”
“Basically, I am a gay mom who is also raising a 13-year-old trans guy. Being the parent of a trans kid is a unique experience, +