“Be a guiding light, a safe harbor, a beacon of hope and a solid foundation for those around you.” Willie Stevenson Glanton

Restorative Voting Rights IS Criminal Justice Reform

By IDBC Secretary and Communications Chair, Athena Gilbraith

July 24, 2020

It has been well over a month since our governor officially stated that she would sign an executive order to restore voting rights to convicted felons in Iowa. So far, that promise continues to linger in an anticipatory atmosphere. As Democratic groups across the state quickly work to promote absentee ballot request forms, our paces are being slowed when it comes to this part of Iowa’s population.

60,000 votes are at stake when we say this executive order must be signed. These are former non-violent offenders who are no longer obliged to the state by prison terms. In just two days, the country will be 100 days out from this November’s election, and these people have a right to be heard.

As Iowans we must continue to follow the lead of activists who inspire and advocate for change. When Black Lives Matter Des Moines, as well as our Black state House Representatives and allies pushed the governor for change we saw how a concerted effort can work before our very eyes.

These pushes for reform are not new, however. While our white neighbors are also impacted by the governor’s decision to sign or not sign the executive order, we have come to better understand how race and racism intersects with policing and mass incarceration within the Black population; ultimately leading to disparities within our constitutional voting rights.

Numerous studies have found that we need a more structural analysis to challenge the system. What the last four years of the current presidency, as well as the uptick in police killings has taught us, is that voting remains one of the most fundamental instruments of change that we the people possess. The collateral consequences of challenging the voting rights of the formerly incarcerated after a sentence has been completed, harms communities in ways that are countless.

The inability to choose a city’s District Attorney and Mayor affect everyday living for people. And as some communities throughout Iowa remain segregated racially and economically, it disproportionately affects the Black community.

Research suggests that the more serious, or violent crimes among Black people in the United States is significantly lower than white offenders. And for less serious crimes, the racial disparity is significantly higher. This means that many more Black people will earn their right to vote back as soon as Kim Reynolds signs that executive order.

The fight for criminal justice reform and voting rights restoration is parallel. We must remember that the damages that are done once people come home from imprisonment continues. These effects have been lawful for far too long, hurting the population in regards to housing, education, jobs, and social benefits. Things all applicable to change by voting. We must not let the improvement that some organizations have made towards mass incarceration satisfy the currency on the push for voter restoration. They must remain one in the same– as part of our criminal justice reform agenda.

Many formerly incarcerated Iowans are running out of time as we wait for the signing of the executive order. Until that dotted line is signed, to gain back the right to vote, Iowans must go through a formal process of getting this right back from the governor if she or he has a felony conviction.

Continue to follow the lead of our community leaders in the state as we work towards a better tomorrow in the coming days before the 2020 election. To gain back the right to vote for so many Black Iowans means a better future for our younger generation.

Economic Disparities Facing the Black Community

By IDBC Chair Al Womble

Although African Americans in Iowa make up roughly 5% of the state’s total population they face a disproportionate amount of the economic hardships within the State. They attend schools that are drastically underfunded, have a smaller percentage of their community attending college, face higher unemployment rates, higher rates of poverty, lower rates of home ownership and are arrested at a far higher rate than the rest of the state.

 On average African American children attend larger school districts that receive far fewer funding dollars than their predominantly white counterparts.  Artificially arranged school districts create uneven distribution of wealth.  There are over 13,000 traditional public school systems in the United States, serving an average of 3,500 students. However, the average high-poverty nonwhite district serves almost 10,500 students. Primarily white districts, on the other hand, enroll only 1,500 students on average. White school districts average revenue receipts of almost $14,000 per student, but nonwhite districts receive only $11,682. That’s a divide of over $2,200, on average, per student. 

 Black Iowan’s face higher unemployment rates, 9.3% compared to 3.6% of the state as a whole.  The jobs that employ Black iowans at a higher rate have also experienced a shrinking of their industries.  A higher percentage of Black iowans work in service industry jobs, 25.9% v. 16.2% of the State as a whole.  Black Iowans also make up a larger percentage of the manufacturing industry as well, 23.2% v. 15.7%.  Both industries have seen employment rates drop due to a variety of reasons.  Manufacturing jobs moving out of State or overseas, increased online shopping reducing the need for employees in stores and both industries being deeply affected by automation taking away jobs.  As a result Black Iowans face poverty at 39.6% v. 10.9% for the rest of the state.  This also increases the chance that Black Iowans will be renters instead of homeowners, or the chance that they will face homelessness.

Properly funding public schools and  raising teacher salaries.  A well educated workforce is essential to economic growth and attracting businesses to the community and starts with a good public education.  Having a well educated workforce will give individuals the ability to feel better paying jobs with benefits which will prevent individuals from having to sign up for different forms of social assistance.

Closing the racial pay gap and allowing for raises and promotions that equate with talent or accomplishment.  Creating pay equity will also prevent individuals from having to get multiple jobs, which would allow more time for parents to be involved in their children’s lives, or allow them to pursue continuing education to improve their jobs prospects or performance at their current jobs.   

Combating Discrimination.  To properly fight discrimination we must make sure that we evaluate the current laws and policies in place, find out where the gaps are and adjust accordingly.  We must also sure that we properly staff and fund the different agencies responsible for combating discrimination.  

Economic Development in Iowa’s African American communities must be included in any infrastructure bill passed by Congress. 

There is a phrase that accurately describes what in called for in the immediately preceding paragraphs, “Penny wise, but a pound foolish.”  Properly funding all school districts will create a community that businesses are attracted to, because they will have a well educated workforce.  Workers with better jobs, with equitable pay and benefits, will also be able to more robustly participate in their local economy.  

Creating communities that increase home ownership, reducing renters and homelessness, will create more stable communities and will help reduce crime.  

To create a more equitable, just and prosperous Iowa creating more economic empowerment through properly funding schools, addressing discrimination in the work place and creating more homeowners will empower Black Communites not only to thrive, but will help the State of Iowa reach it’s full economic potential.