Read about QC Pride in the Quad Cities, a new tenants fund in Iowa City, GSA Con in Des Moines, new board members for Cedar Rapids’ Pridefest group, and more.
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(updated 11:30 pm June 16) IOWA — Juneteenth-themed events — some of which are intersectional and overlap with LGBTQ Pride celebrations — are happening from Sioux City to Mason City to Iowa City this year. Communities holding larger-than-ever Juneteenth events to celebrate the formal abolition of slavery in 1865 include Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque and Iowa City. Meanwhile, this week is Iowa City’s mini-Pride (the main festival was rescheduled to October), with a week of activities centered around Studio 13. The mini-Pride starts tonight with a bar crawl that…
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IOWA — With communities like Monticello and Humboldt joining the Pride momentum, and events of all kinds proliferating to more than 70 now, Pride Month in Iowa continues to expand. Big events coming up in the next three days include a Comedy Night and Scavenger Hunt by Capital City Pride in Des Moines; Pride at Bass Street Landing in the Quad Cities, with drag performances, live music and education workshops Friday and Saturday; and a burst of events in Sioux City. Go to the Pride in Iowa link to see…
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Read progressive, LGBTQ-affirming and intersectional news tidbits throughout Iowa and Illinois. HEALTH • The Project of the Quad Cities, which serves Iowa and Illinois residents in a nine-county area, is now offering primary care for LGBTQ+ people. The 40-year-old nonprofit, based in Moline but serving both Iowa and Illinois counties, already has been providing no-charge testing and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections. In addition, The Project is working hard to spread word about its big annual Red Ribbon Gala coming in June, an outdoor affair focused on drawing out people who…
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DES MOINES, IA — Look forward to “30 Days of Pride” from Capital City Pride this June. Its traditional three-day in-person event, typically Iowa’s largest Pride celebration, will convert to a full month of combined virtual and in-person events. The plan gives Capital City Pride room to adapt if social distancing and other guidelines need to change depending on vaccination rates and whether new COVID variants trigger social distancing restrictions anew, the gropu wrote. “People can expect to see almost all of our major Pride Fest Weekend events like Silent…
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Three timely themes define the newly-updated TRM Events Calendar: Women’s History with an intersectional eye, spoken word, and events focused on providing support — which are fast becoming more relevant as we gradually emerge from the COVID pandemic’s extreme isolation. WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH • Short films by four young female playwrights are the treat tonight at “Urban Exposure: Young Women in Film, courtesy of Figge Museum’s Urban Exposure Independent Film Project and Azubuike Arts. You can see “Coming Out Straight,” a short film by Paris Davis that depicts a world…
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FilmScene in Iowa City continues its fun and community-minded Friday program, Kernels for Kindness. Each Friday, you can pre-order a virtual screening and a bundle of snacks, with $5 going toward a community organization. This week’s recipient is the Iowa City Public Library. Click here for more details. The Map Room in Cedar Rapids is seeking “badass kitchen staff.” Positions available are part-time or full-time but do include evening hours. Click here to learn more. Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill in Iowa City is seeking a breakfast cook. Velvet Lotus Tattoo in iowa…
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Catch up on news items about progressive and intersectional groups, businesses and people throughout Iowa and Illinois: Thurgood Brooks is a native Rock Islander challenging fellow native and four-year incumbent Mike Thoms for mayor April 6. Read and watch WQAD’s coverage of Brooks’ town hall and his platform, which includes affordable housing, revitalizing downtown, reaching out more directly to Rock Islanders, a more transparent city government, and more. The Map Room in Cedar Rapids is seeking community groups who would like to collaborate on fundraising through the bar and restaurant’s…
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IOWA The Garden Nightclub continues preparation for its new location at 525 E. Grand Ave. in Des Moines. The Des Moines LGBTQ+ nightclub closed temporarily earlier this year at its old location and is making renovations at its new spot. Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill in Iowa City is seeking a breakfast cook. Velvet Lotus Tattoo in iowa City is seeking a professional tattoo artist. Key City Pride has opened registration for its first-ever LGBTQ Rainbow Conference coming April 22-23. Featured speakers include Keenan Crowe of One Iowa Action in this…
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