Just Voices Iowa

06/17/2026

Rekha Basu’s recent Substack article about Iowa’s latest civil rights legislation signed by Kim Reynolds highlights a pattern we’ve seen throughout American history: Public conversations about rights and accountability often fade long before the real consequences do.

That pattern shows up repeatedly with civil rights:
1. A racial incident happens and the public demands change
2. Lawmakers, leaders, and businesses promise action
3. Public attention fades, momentum slows, and many of those promises quietly disappear when the cameras leave

Some of the most important, and sometimes most damaging, decisions are made after public attention disappears.

Take a look at Rekha Basu’s excellent article 👇

Some political leaders use their last year in office to take care of unfinished business, set up their successors for success or show compassion to people who did wrong, by granting pardons and paroles.

05/29/2026

Today is the last day ⌛️

05/14/2026

Three accountability categories: use of force complaints, discrimination complaints, and alleged crimes committed by police...show no data at all. Not zero incidents. No data reported.

Missing data isn't an accident. It's a choice. You can't fix what isn't measured. Transparency starts with reporting.

Want to be part of the change? Don't hesitate to reach out.

05/08/2026

In Des Moines, 56% of all arrests over the last decade were for low-level, non-violent offenses. Black residents were 4.7x more likely to be arrested for those same offenses than white residents.

Des Moines used more force per arrest than 80% of comparable cities nationwide. The score has also dropped 4% over the last five years. Take a look at the data source. Link is in the comments.

04/28/2026

Did you know every police department in Iowa has a public grade? Des Moines scored a 45%. Here's what that means, and what we can do about it.

Over the next few days we're breaking down the numbers, the gaps, and what a real path forward looks like for our community. Take a look for yourself in the meantime, link in the comments.

04/10/2026

In a recent op-ed, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, retired four-star Army general, and former commander of U.S. Central Command Lloyd J. Austin III emphasized something that’s been central to his entire career:

Post-action review.
What worked? What didn’t? How do we get better?

The People’s History: 2020 Protests in Des Moines is rooted in that same idea: Looking back honestly so we can move forward better.

It’s a standard used in the most disciplined, high-stakes environments in the world, because without honest reflection, mistakes are repeated and trust breaks down.

Our latest op-ed explores how this principle applies beyond the battlefield, and why it matters in our communities.

Link in the comments 👇

04/06/2026

Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson was sentenced to 20 years in prison on January 29, 2026, for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, marking the conclusion of a highly publicized case that has sparked national debate about police accountability. The shooting occurred in July 2024 after Massey called 911 to report a potential prowler. Body camera footage revealed Grayson escalating the situation, ultimately shooting Massey over a dispute regarding a pot of hot water.

Why does this matter? Grayson’s conviction and sentence are seen as a rare instance of law enforcement accountability in cases of police misconduct. His actions were caught on body camera, leaving no room for doubt about the unnecessary violence that led to Massey’s death. While Grayson’s defense team argued for a lighter sentence due to his health issues, the judge imposed the maximum 20-year term, sending a strong message about the consequences of police violence.

For Massey’s family, the sentence is a hard-earned victory, though they vow to continue fighting for justice and may pursue federal charges. This case highlights the ongoing struggle for meaningful reform in policing and the continued fight for accountability when officers cross the line. The stakes? Whether this case will serve as a turning point in the push for greater transparency and justice in law enforcement practices, or if it will remain an outlier in a system that often protects its own.

03/18/2026

As we prepare to publish additional Essays for Volume 3 of The People’s History, we want to be clear about its purpose.

Volume 3 is about protecting our Constitutional rights from militarized policing.

The Essays confront what happened during the 2020 protests and examine how the use of force, authority, and control can challenge the very rights meant to protect the public. This is about more than reflection. It is about accountability.

These stories matter because they document real experiences, real consequences, and real questions that still demand answers today.

Protecting our rights requires more than awareness. It requires truth, transparency, and the willingness to face what happened head on.

Explore Volumes 1-3 and follow along as new essays are released.

Link in the comments.

02/17/2026

New in our Bearing Witness series: 2:43 a.m. at 3rd & Court. A simple moment, absent from the record. Our analysis shows the reporting gaps are significant — and ongoing.

A nonprofit group devoted to fighting racially-biased policing wants to know why the Des Moines Police Department is allegedly missing use-of-force reports from the 2020 George Floyd Protests.

02/05/2026

🚨 URGENT ACTION ALERT – HSB 668 🚨

House Study Bill 668 was dropped tonight and is being rushed through the Iowa House with little notice so the public doesn’t catch it.

Let’s be clear: this bill is a direct attack on civil rights.

HSB 668 would: • Undermine civil rights protections by targeting policies tied to race and equity
• Allow ALL law enforcement agencies to opt out of or completely remove racial and cultural competency training
• Roll back accountability and ignore the lived experiences of marginalized communities

This is being fast-tracked deliberately — speed over transparency — and that should concern everyone.

📍 Where: Iowa State Capitol
⏰ When: Tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m.

Room 103 Supreme Court Chambers

We need people physically present at the Capitol to show lawmakers that Iowans are paying attention and will not accept civil rights being quietly stripped away.

If you can be there, please come.
If you can’t, share this message immediately and stay alert for next steps.

Silence is what they’re counting on.
Presence is our response.