Updates for Week of June 23

Seems like a long time since I've blogged. Forgive me for letting things slide.

The July Conference Call will be Saturday, July 26 at 1 p.m. This will be a joint Domestic and Global call recounting some of the adventures of the International Conference. Please let me know if you'd like to attend. I can see if the Library at Christ Church is open for us to gather.

The Diversity Task Force is going to have a brochure and four fact sheets for the International Conference. The brochure details some of the work of the task force and has a sign-up sheet for more information. The fact sheets are similar to the HR 3014 Healthcare Disparities Bill action sheet in that they detail ethnic statistics in four different areas. I will bring copies to the RESULTS meeting on July 21.

We have the go-ahead to start work on our Pilot City project for the Diversity Task Force. I hope to have a meeting with my Native American contact before I go to the conference. We have identified six minority communities in the Cedar Rapids area, as we discussed at our June meeting -- African American, Hindu American, Hispanic, Muslim, Jewish and Native American. I have contacts in each of these communities who can help me set up outreach meetings. What we learn we will share with the rest of the RESULTS community across the country.

Jos and I are going to be lobbying together at the conference. We have appointments with Senators Harkin and Grassley and Congressmen Loebsack and Boswell. Meredith Dodson suggested today that we also make an appointment with Congressman Latham. Jos is going to lobby on Domestic issues such as healthcare for all and child tax credits. I am going to lobby on Global issues. I have a phone appointment with Jenn Mauer for next Tuesday to talk about what global issues would be best for each of these members of Congress.

On the Saturday night of the conference, there is what they call the Parade of Groups. Each state name is called and groups in that state are introduced. Everyone brings something representative of their state. Polly and John Ely once brought an ear of corn. Since there's no corn this year, I'm going to take a bottle of flood mud.

I'm also going to take copies of our op-eds and letters to the editor to hand out to members of Congress and others who might be interested.