Take The Initiative

Imagine a world without in-person conversations. Without being able to sit across from another person and talk to them without a screen between the two of you. Unfortunately, no one has to imagine this reality anymore. Out of all of the negative outcomes of the pandemic, the one that has had the biggest impact on the student body at Iowa State has been an increased state of isolation without the benefit of person to person relation.

This year, amongst many frustrating things, has brought the closing of Iowa State University's Conversations dining center for in-person service. Considering the present circumstances, this move made sense. However, this decision did not come without its downsides.

As a three year resident of the Richardson Court Area(RCA), I can personally attest to how Conversations supports community in RCA. Not having Conversations left a frustrating gap with no in-person continuous service and, for myself, caused RCA to feel more isolated from the rest of campus. Alongside this, ordering to-go from Conversations constantly does not support mental health well. While it sounded convenient, I found that not ordering to-go and instead eating at Seasons(though non-optimal) for that minimum ~15 minutes greatly helped my mood.

As students, we recognize that there are many factors being considered with the reopening of Conversations, but with the return to many more in-person classes it seems appropriate to re-open Conversations. This would make RCA feel much more home-like for the returning students and the many new students. In-person service at Conversations has played a large role in my time at Iowa State. I believe that reopening it would bolster community in RCA and could encourage students to return to on-campus housing in the future. Not to mention, Conversations previously hosted many guests. Sending those guests and all the students to a shortened list of dining centers would only serve to crowd them more. Many long-time students, especially those in RCA(obviously), would call Conversations the best dining center on campus. Sadly, this year's first year students have missed the incredible conversations experience and therefore cannot fully understand the hole that it leaves. Conversations should be given another opportunity to shine brightly again!

After inciting violence that led to the domestic terrorist attacks on the U.S. Capitol, members of the U.S. House of Representatives have drafted articles of impeachment. The resolution calls for immediate removal from office for the safety of the country.

Representatives Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Randy Feenstra of IA districts 1, 2, and 4 respectively, have either not committed or refused to support the impeachment. Let them know what their constituents want by signing this petition.

Derrick A. Hill is a man of God, a loving son, brother, fiancé and stepfather. He is currently serving his 17th year of his 57 to life with the possibility of parole sentence at New Folsom California State Prison for the crimes he committed in September of 2004 under the influence of alcohol and drugs in addition to his state of mind of depression.

Derrick has mature, his soul has become humbled who wishes to help the youth to make better choices. He grew up in a loving Christian family with his parents and sister. In the year 2000 Derrick became a basketball star of his High School by breaking every single record since 1960. Basketball was not his only accomplishment he also led several of his teammates to the Lord; he was voted The County’s Top Male Athlete of the year and he received many awards and recognitions. His whole community and family were so proud of him. Upon completion of High School he attended the local community college and then decided to continue his education at William Penn University in Iowa.

Iowa was when his life started to shift, he returned back home to California and that’s when he started to abuse different types of substances. In September 2004 was when the sad and bizarre crime happened in just a span of a few hours. This was not Derricks character no one could believe he committed this crime. Now returning to the present Derrick has grown so much as a man by acquiring all the tools necessary to rehabilitate and reach out to others in prison and be there to assist other men in their efforts to transform. He has become an exemplary man in New Folsom, he’s driven to succeed by continuing his education. He has achieved his Associates and his bachelors degree. He has many reports from Correctional officers and others showing that he is humble, has a strong faith with God and compassion towards others.

Despite the severity of the charges Derrick has faced and has already serve 17 years of his life. He was only 22 years old and he is very remorseful for what he did and prays for all the victims involved on the day, for them to have healing and peace. In addition please keep in mind he is a black man and his trial wasn’t fair, his attorney did not fight for him and he faced an all white jury. Please help us bring him home by signing, sharing and if you can write Mr. Governor Newsom directly on his behalf.



Governor Gavin Newsom
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-2841
Fax: (916) 558-3160 ( Bring Derrick Home!)

To legalize and recognize rock hunting in and along Iowa's water ways as a true Iowa experience!!

Due to the pandemic outdoor activities have become more popular, easily involving the whole family. At this point it is not legal to hunt for rocks and natural artifacts along Iowa's creeks and waterways. It seems a bit silly to have such a law forbidding the hunt of Iowa's national beauties! For the love of rock hunting, please take a moment to sign my petition and enjoy the hunt!!

Iowa currently does not offer any benefits to disabled veterans in regards to vehicle tags/registration. As a retired Army soldier and disabled veteran who recently relocated to Iowa, I was shocked to learn that these benefits do not exist as they did in the state I relocated from (Tennessee). When I arrived in Iowa, I was driving on a tag that was a permanent disabled veteran tag and had no cost. That tag also allows the disabled veteran to park in handicap spaces, as they should. Currently the only plates offered for military are specialty plates that cost more. I am very disappointed in the state for not offering this to our disabled veterans and believe it is disgraceful to those who have served our country. Will you join me in petitioning for a change?

We want 30 packs of Busch light in central Iowa.

Public education in Iowa has been RAVAGED by the COVID-19 pandemic. Budgets continue to be cut. Rural schools forced to close. Districts needing the funds continue to cut staff and services. Teachers buy their own school supplies.

Now Iowa Republican lawmakers want to give us more “choices” by funding private schools with tax payer dollars. 94% of Iowa’s school children attend public schools and yet Republicans seek to favor the 6% who choose to attend private school. Public schools strive to educate all--regardless of ethnicity, disability, or religious beliefs.

Instead of shoring up our public schools, this bill would contribute to their demise. This is DEVASTATING for Iowa. We support the existence of private education as an option to public education, but we do NOT support funding it with public taxpayer funds. If parents aren't satisfied with public education, they can pay to have their children attend private schools, if they are available. But, in no instance, should public monies subsidize private education.

We, the undersigned, stand for the continued use of public dollars for public schools and NEVER for private schools!!!

Please vote nay for Iowa SF 159.

Governor Kim Reynolds wants to create a voucher program allowing Iowa students to go to private or charter schools. By allowing this open enrollment plan she is taking the tax payers’ dollars from the public schools and basically rewarding parents for removing their student. She says she’s doing this to help improve each child’s education when it actually cuts into the public education budget and hurts even more students.

How will your tax dollars be used? With public schools there is a required financial audit for public record to prove how the money is being spent. Neither private nor charter schools are required to do this.

Public school districts are governed by locally elected officials who must answer to the people. Charter and private schools do not.

Teachers across the country have had a tough year with the (already high) burnout rate increasing. There has been very little guidance for Iowa schools and now instead of being a champion for teachers she is kicking them while they’re down.

Tell Iowa politicians to keep the tax payers’ money in the Iowa public education system!

Xavior Harrelson is 11-years-old and disappeared on May 27th, 2021 from Montezuma, Iowa without a trace. Law Enforcement has no leads and after days of searching, the case seems to be stalling. There's a reasonable chance he's still alive. So let me be clear - each and every person who sees this petition has the power to save a life. This is an opportunity to be part of something amazing, simply by signing and sharing.

Xavior, if you can see this, there is a message for you at the end.

I am making an initial donation of $25,000 to a reward fund that will be used for information leading to Xavior's SAFE return.

The only way to get him back is for this petition to reach whoever may be holding him. This is why it's so important that you sign and share. The momentum created by each signer is exponential!

We have to succeed at two objectives to ensure his safe return:

1. $25,000 will not be enough - we have to raise more. Although it will help, you don't have to donate. If every person shares this petition with ten people and only one of them donates $25, we will raise the reward amount needed to get the attention of the media, and those knowing his whereabouts. But there must be enough incentive for someone knowing his whereabouts to come forward without harming him. That's why it's critical that everyone shares and supports this cause.

2. As noted above, it's critical that we reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

I have reason to believe he is still alive. I can't share specifics, but I can say the information is out there for anyone who knows how to find it. It does take some digging. I have shared what I've found with law enforcement. If Xavior is still alive, we are in a race against time.

Xavior is special. His life has not been easy. He comes from a broken home and he's had to carry more burden than any child should. His life before now has been spent caring for his disabled mother, instead of having a mother care for him. His childhood has been plagued by anxiety and insecurity. He's never had the luxury of a reassuring home life. I know he has dreamed of making a better life for himself and I know he has felt hopelessness. Despite having so much stacked against him, he's managed to cope and remain strong before now. And for what? So someone could just come along and take his dreams from him?

I just can't accept that. Every child deserves a chance to find their way.

I've never met Xavior. I've never been to Iowa. But the lack of attention to his story is tragic. I can only assume he doesn't matter enough because he doesn't come from a life of privilege. He has no advocate pushing the investigation. There's no one with enough money to make people accountable. He has no one.

I'm a single mother of two boys. I provide well for them, but I don't have a dime saved for their college. $25,000 is everything I have, but I'm happy to part with it if it means saving Xavior's life. I may have to take out a line of credit for some of it. I might be judged for it. Some will say I'm an irresponsible mother. My family has no idea (yet) what I'm planning. Their father won't be happy. And I don't know if my boys will understand. But they WILL have a chance to find their way. And I think there's a bigger lesson to be learned here.

I wouldn't expect anyone else to do what I'm doing. But I do hope my sincerity is coming through and I can inspire you to be part of this. It's a chance to see how it feels to care about someone who's no one to you.

Someone who's no one. Let that sink in.

Montezuma State Bank has a reward fund set up for any information leading to his whereabouts - dead or alive. I don't want him returned dead. I want him returned alive. Offering this kind of reward is concerning to me. It essentially motivates someone to harm him. If someone holding him wants the money - and they don't want him to talk - they will murder him! This only puts him in more danger if he's still alive. And I don't believe they have any evidence to the contrary.

I hope people will choose to support this fund - to bring him home safely. I am actively working on getting an Iowa bank to sponsor the fund and trusted local official to provide oversight. Hopefully it won't take more than another week. But make no mistake - if you take me at my word, there IS a $25,000 reward now for his safe return. And I will hand deliver it if I have to.

I'll update this petition with all of the information once the account is all set up. It is my intent that all funds raised will be returned to donors after a specified amount of time, in the event that he is not found.

This is a rare chance to be part of something amazing. I believe that, together, we can move mountains.

Please share this petition with everyone you know. Share it with people you don't know. You can follow the Facebook page for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/findxavior.nohiddenagenda

Let's bring him home.

Xavior, if you can see this, don't be afraid to ask for help. If you're afraid to contact police, you can contact me. I'm just a regular person. You don't know me, but sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. You can trust me. I will come for you, no matter where you are. No one will punish you if you've run away - I won't let them. And half of the $25,000 reward will be yours to keep - even if you ran away. Because I know, if you did run away, there had to be a reason. The whole world can see this. I won't change my mind. And I will keep my promise to you. All you have to do is send a message or call. I'm easy to find. Amanda Marie Baker (Amanda Feldsher)

Climate change is affecting us all. It's affecting young people most of all. I'm Naomi, and I'm 12 years old. And frankly, I'm offended that so little is being done to preserve my future.

Iowa Premium and companies like it keep using corn-fed beef for their cows. This, in turn, greatly adds to climate change!! There is a solution though.

Beef companies can feed their cattle seaweed. This seaweed is actually BETTER for the cows AND the environment. But companies like Iowa Premium don't want to change.

Did you know that cows and sheep make almost 7% of our emissions?!!!! But guess what: We can bring that down to almost 0% if farmers will just feed their cows seaweed and eco-friendly feed!!!!!

Corn itself is also a problem. Corn is bad for both us and the environment, yet we keep producing it for COWS.

There are even more problems with cows, but feeding them something new is a good start.

I know that you may want cows that are fed corn, but I hope that after reading this you realize how harmful that can be.

Please sign this petition!!

If you can't do anything else to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, this petition is a very easy way to.

Sign this, and we're one small step closer to a more sustainable future!!

Here in Iowa, Des Moines (the capital city) we don’t have a black radio station that caters to African Americans. We had one but they only played 90s rap music, but they recently cut that off and turned it into an alternative station. Iowa is a republican controlled state and they control everything and make it extremely hard for minorities to achieve even the smallest things like a radio station. Even in Iowa prisons inmates are given a cable channel that supports their nationality. Please sign this petition so we can get a New (2021 music) hip hop/rap and r&b radio station. Hip-hop/rap and r&b have a bug impact on the world and is supported by every race to the point that they have Hispanic rappers who rap in Spanish only, Jamaican rap, Canadian rap etc. it’s worldwide and Iowa is continually going backwards. It will only take a moment to sign the petition. Thanks

Have you ever had to explain your existence for just being different? Well, we want to educate our fellow Iowans that simply being black, different, or a person of color in a diverse community is not a reasonable cause for suspicious activity. The way we're trying to solve this problem is by bringing a law to Iowa that would make people think twice about falsely calling the police. We would like to change the language in Iowa's code in order to suppress discrimination within our communities. It'll impact the minorities in Iowa, by making them feel safer in their neighborhood and comfortable in their own skin.

I would like to bring my business to Hampton, Iowa. I have been in business for 11 years, in Iowa Falls. I own a smoke shop, I sell tobacco pipes of all types, water, metal, glass, stone, wood, ext. All my items are new and are legal to sell in the state of Iowa. I have been told by our City Council, they put a city ordinance against those items , and I was told they consider them as drug paraphernalia, and I could not sell them in Hampton. These items are not drug paraphernalia, by law they can not be considered that unless they are dirty with a drug substance. With Medical MARIJUNA LEGAL in our neighboring STATEs we need to be able to accommodate travelers from those states, so they can use there medication, they want to. Here is my problem with our Council and Police , they are letting the owner of our local gas station, CROSS ROADS, Sell those same items in Hampton. I have told the City Council and the police and nothing has been done to stop them for the sales, so if they can do it, I should have the same rights. I also sell clothing and jewelry, and much more, this would also bring back BnT payday loans, So if you feel , I should be treated the same, please sign my petition

Back in 2007 Iowa introduced Chapter 216 of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. In this act, Iowa would now include gender identity when questioning discrimination and such. However, the freedoms of being able to use the restroom of one's aligned gender is being brought into question. In the past, the idea was shot down yet this is the For the first time the idea reached the Iowa Legislature. The Bill would require transgender people in Iowa schools to use bathrooms that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates and it won a subcommittee vote in the Iowa Senate. A similar bill was passed in North Carolina, but we need to stop this from happening to other states.
Senator Jim Carlin states, "The intention or purpose behind this bill is not any animus or hatred towards anybody in the LGBT community. It’s important to note that the concern is not so much with transgender individuals likely to be sexual predators but that sexual predators could exploit such laws by posing as transgender in order to gain access to women and girls," Yet, there haven't been reported bathroom-related incidents since gender identity protections were added to the Iowa Civil Rights Act. The bill does not want to get rid of sexual predators, it wants to take away the rights of many transgender folk.
The goal of this petition is to show the Senate and the United States as a whole, that this is not what is desired but the public. The public wants to be able to use the restroom in peace no matter gender identity and don't want laws that impose on the rights of those.

Furries seem ok but if you have ever interacted with one you will soon find out they use the “Furry Fandom” to sexualize animals and act like the “fursonas” they become when they put on these very expensive outfits. I care about this cause because I have seen what furries can do, I have watched these humans in costumes do things like pee in public, pleasure themselves under the costumes and quite literally act like animals, barking, growling and more. Because they are wearing these outfits there is little police can do to serve justice for public indecency.



I hope that my fellow people of Iowa can help me make this state the best state it can be.

Iowa Lakes Community College is taking away the opportunity to have both of our parents and our professors at our graduation ceremony. This isn't a very big school and we are graduating in a huge gym. They have plenty of room for families of the graduates. They are making us choose between our parents and won't even allow our professors to be there to watch us. We have worked so hard to graduate and a lot of us are graduating with honors.

This is an experience that doesn't come around very often, our parents watched us walk at our high school graduations which wasn't as big of a deal as it is to graduate from college. Some of our parents didn't go to college at all and to see their children walk across the stage and graduate from college is a huge accomplishment. The Governor has lifted all of the social gathering bans, and the mask mandates so there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be able to invite more then one guest. The college as a whole is the reason for this, they don't have to require masks anymore, they don't have to enforce social distancing, they don't have to limit the people that come to watch.

I believe that we should be able to invite our families and allow our professors who have been with us every step of the way and have grown to be more of a family then our teachers. They are proud of us too, and I want everyone who cares and everyone who is proud of us to be there as we get our diplomas and go out into the real world.

Turning 18 and becoming independent is scary for any young adult but it is even harder for former foster youth. Living independently, finding a job, and finding a place to live can be a struggle when there is not adequate support. When youth exit the foster care system, they are usually not prepared to live independently. They face higher risks of substance abuse, risky, unwanted pregnancies, homelessness, substance abuse, and incarceration. Raising the age would allow the youths to receive financial assistance from the government, help find access to housing, education, and employment.

The foster care age-out age should be raised to 21 years old because of the risks that these youths face when they age-out. This policy proposal of raising the age to 21 years old will allow these youths to receive the proper services to assist them with successfully living independently. Other states like Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri are providing extended support for the former foster youth.

Former foster youth is a population who does not have enough support. By giving them more support through increased government funding, we can improve communities all across Iowa.

I would not want to have AR because

1. you might get questions wrong

2. I don’t want people to know I don’t really read my book

Please help transgender and non-conforming youth in Iowa! Representative Sandy Salmon wants to create a bill that would ban all kinds of gender-affirming care for trans youth in our state. This would mean that they could never receive any kind of NECESSARY medical care to help them feel safe and comfortable in their bodies, as well as remain healthy, happy and confident. A bill like this would encourage

Our representative believes that transgender youth will outgrow being trans, and this is not true. Gender dysphoria is something that LGBT+ youth struggle with for life, and it can destroy their lives.

We need your signatures now, to prevent such a bill from being put into place. The effects it'd have would be devastating, and would reinforce discrimination and turn Iowa into an unsafe place for children based on something they couldn't even control. No human should be denied medical care based on their identity.

Here's an article on the situation.

Help us out by calling or emailing our representative and demanding that she drop this bill! Her number is 319-987-3021, and her email is [email protected]. Don't let hate become part of Iowa's history, and its laws. We have to do something.

In March of 2020, the profession of teaching was changed. Schools shut down, teachers and students stayed home to learn virtually, and teachers and students had to learn side by side how to do school differently. It is with that, the state of Iowa gave schools the choice on how to teach to best fit their students and their families.

While we all have different professions, the one constant is that we all went to school. We all got an education. Our language and literature teachers taught us how to speak, read, and write. Our math teachers taught how to add, subtract, and how to read graphs. Our science teachers taught us about biology, physics, chemistry, and more. Our art and music teachers taught us the benefits of being creative and how to apply that to other aspects of our lives. The commonality of the school system is what connects us all.


With SSB1064, the state of Iowa risks endangering an important infrastructure. Even though the bill allows families to choose 100% virtual learning, the students that will soon crowd the classrooms across Iowa and will endanger our teachers, staff and administrators. This is compounded by the fact that teachers are in the age range that will affect them greatly and that there is a sub shortage in the state of Iowa. The state of Iowa should make sure our teachers are properly vaccinated, to ensure their safety, before requiring 100% in-person learning. If the state requires in-person learning, schools will no longer be able to follow CDC guidelines to keep their staff and students safe: 6 feet space in-between all people, and making sure all students and staff are properly masked to reduce aerosol emissions. If you take away our teachers, you take away the fundamental mind shapers of the next generation.


There is one point that stood out during Governor Reynold’s Condition of the State address for the reasoning behind having 100% in-person learning: Not being in school negatively affects students and families of color. Though I will agree that making sure our POC population still has access to the education system, students can still carry COVID-19 to their family. With many low-income populations and populations of color are essential workers, this puts unneeded hardship on them: losing hours of pay, increased medical bills, possibility of losing their source of income, and more. It is with those risks that put our POC population in more danger than before. Governor Reynold claims to have the interest of our POC population in mind when this bill will do more harm than good.


It is with this that we ask the state of Iowa to throw out SB1064 to allow schools to continue in an educational modality that will best suit their communities to react to COVID-19.