Education and Outreach
During this year, the Commission expanded its education and outreach with
an increase in the number of workshops presented, printed materials distributed
and video materials available for loan. Commission staff did 92 workshops,
compared with 53 the previous year. These workshops were on a variety of
subjects, such as overview of the civil rights laws, preventing sexual harassment,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), equal opportunity in employment,
fair housing, and preventing discrimination.
Based on records kept for part of the year, staff fields an average of 260
information calls a month, or over 3,000 in a year. These calls come from
the general public, particularly employers and landlords, seeking information
on civil rights and related topics. (This does not include intake calls
or individual case-related calls.) If staff cannot provide the information
being sought, appropriate referrals are made wherever possible.
Staff distributed over 33,000 pieces of educational materials to the public.
This included two issues of the newsletter, The Communicator, the
Annual Report, Case Reports Vol. XI, brochures on a variety
of topics, and EEO and housing posters. The EEO posters were revised to
include the ADA, and were printed in English, Spanish, and English with
five Southeast Asian languages.
A new 48-page 1992 Fair Housing Guide which includes additions,
deletions and changes to Iowa's housing discrimination laws was printed.
Also published by Job Service of Iowa, with assistance from the Commission
and the Iowa Department of Personnel, was a revised edition of Successfully
Interviewing Job Applicants.
Three brochures were produced in formats for persons with visual impairments
- braille, large type, and cassette tape. The Commission also installed
a teleconununication device for the deaf (TDD); the number is 515-281-8085.
A series of advertisements and articles was placed in the Communicator,
a multi-cultural newspaper published in Des Moines and distributed statewide.
Additional media contacts were made around the state to increase the knowledge
of the agency's services.
Several new video programs have been purchased and are available for
loan. These tides include, Prejudice Dividing the Dream, Subtle
Sexual Harassment Series, The ADA on Video Series, A Different Dance-A
Story About Respecting Others, and Valuing Diversity-You Make
the Difference. The Commission also has copies of Hate Crimes,
a training program from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, and Racism
in Iowa, produced by Iowa Public Television.
"Ask Iowa" Kiosk
The Commission is one of six state agencies
participating in the "Ask Iowa" project, an electronic information
kiosk. The kiosk is an interactive computer and video program through which
individuals can get information about the agencies and their services. The
agencies besides the Commission who are involved are Department of Employment
Services, Department of Transportation, Iowa College Aid Conunission, Iowa
Public Employees Retirement System, and Department of Natural Resources.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held June 3, 1993, at the first kiosk located
in the Hy-Vee Store on Euclid Ave. in Des Moines. Governor Terry Branstad
officially opened the system, and representatives of each agency demonstrated
their sections of the information system.
In the Commission's program, individuals can learn about the legal definition
of discrimination, how to file a complaint, services available from the
Commission, and cn print out an order form for requesting publications.