Iowa

Moms Clean Air Force honors Indigenous Peoples’ Day with members of the Navajo, Meskwaki, and Ojibwe Nations.

On October 12, 2020, Iowa field organizer Karin Stein moderated a moving conversation about motherhood and our connection to the Earth from the perspective of three Indigenous mothers: Shaina Oliver, Navajo Nation member and Moms Clean Air Force Colorado organizer; Stephanie BadSoldier Snow of the Meskwaki Nation in Iowa; and Great Grandmother Mary Lyons of the Ojibwe Nation in Minnesota. The women discussed how motherhood changed them, how motherhood is celebrated in their communities, and how they work to protect the Earth for future generations.

Prompted by open-ended questions, Shaina, Stephanie, Mary, and Karin shared a free-flowing exchange of memory and culture. The exchange was brimming with wisdom and potential for healing.

Iowa Moms join Moms Clean Air Force members from across the country to demand EPA protect our families from dangerous smog.

On August 30 and September 1, 2020, Moms Clean Air Force Iowa joined more than 50 Moms Clean Air Force staff and volunteers from 14 states and DC to deliver testimony at the EPA’s virtual public hearing on ground-level ozone, or smog. Smog is a widespread and largely preventable form of air pollution that is a powerful lung irritant and asthma trigger. In July 2020, in the midst of a global respiratory pandemic, EPA chose to keep the standards for smog the same—in spite of strong evidence showing significant health harm at levels below the current standards—and opened a public comment period that would be considered notably short even if we were not in the midst of a global respiratory pandemic. This continues a disturbing trend at EPA, led by Administrator Andrew Wheeler, of sidelining science, ignoring environmental injustice, and stifling public participation in the rulemaking process.

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa organizer Karin Stein and a volunteer from Cedar Falls offered testimony.

Iowa Moms host an important conversation about environmental justice.

On August 30, 2020, Moms Clean Air Force Iowa hosted a panel discussion about environmental justice moderated by Rekha Basu, columnist for the Des Moines Register. Panelists included Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate and Community Revitalization for the National Wildlife Federation; Joe Henry, President of the League of United Latin American Citizens Council (LULAC) #307; Manny Gálvez, Owner and Editor of El Trueque Iowa; and Catherine Garcia Flowers, Texas organizer for Moms Clean Air Force.

Iowa organizer Karin Stein convened the panel to discuss the environmental justice pillar laid out in “Solving the Climate Crisis,” an important report released by the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in June 2020. The panelists brought a wealth of perspectives on and experiences with environmental justice issues and had an engaging discussion of how pollution, climate change, government regulation, and workplace safety conditions affect communities of color, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iowa Moms join members of Moms Clean Air Force across the country to demand stronger protections against deadly soot.

In May 2020, Moms Clean Air Force Iowa joined more than 65 Moms Clean Air Force staff and volunteers from 18 states and DC to deliver testimony at the EPA’s virtual public hearing on PM 2.5, or deadly soot. In April 2020, Trump’s EPA proposed to retain the current standards for particle pollution, ignoring science and putting thousands of lives at risk. Even in the midst of a national public health emergency from COVID-19, moms participated in the public hearing in record numbers. It’s one of many ways Moms Clean Air Force Iowa is continuing to engage in serious and consequential advocacy and outreach during the coronavirus pandemic.

Iowa organizer Karin Stein offered testimony, as did two Moms Clean Air Force members from around the state.

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa sends a strong, musical Earth Day message.

For the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, Moms Clean Air Force Iowa reached thousands of families with the music video, “Clean Air and Water.” The video, produced for Moms Clean Air Force by Latin duo Calle Sur, highlights Iowa children urging the state to take action on climate.

Iowa Moms and Ecomadres march to demand climate action.

On February 1, 2020 Moms Clean Air Force and Ecomadres members from across the state of Iowa marched in the Climate Crisis Parade with over 50 environmental, civic, justice, and faith groups in downtown Des Moines to spotlight the urgent need for action on climate. Read more about the parade here.

Ecomadres

Launched in September 2018, the Ecomadres program brings Latina moms together to address issues of clean air, climate, and toxics that affect the health of Latino children and families. Ecomadres is a collaboration between GreenLatinos and Moms Clean Air Force.

The program provides comadres with reliable information and solutions through online resources, articles, action tools, and on-the-ground events. Our inclusive community empowers and lifts up the voices of comadres for the benefit of our families and communities. Ecomadres has a vibrant network of state-based field teams and allies across the country.

We host cafecitos around the country that provide opportunities for the communities to discuss air quality and climate change.

Moms & Mayors

Our Moms & Mayors program connects moms with their mayors and local leaders to improve children’s health and build resilient communities. We educate, empower and mobilize Moms in their hometowns to work with their local elected leaders to implement clean air strategies, reduce toxins in the community, and take action on climate change. We also train Moms to join boards and commissions and urge them to run for office.

Community Rx

Moms Clean Air Force is committed to exposing environmental injustices in the African-American community by taking a stand against environmental discrimination, holding legislators accountable for lack of resources, educating communities on their rights and their issues, standing with impacted communities, and fighting for clean air and climate solutions to promote healthy children and healthy communities.

Through our environmental health justice program Community Rx, our goal is to advocate, educate, and amplify through partnering with impacted communities and environmental justice organizations on events and resource development. We hold Table Talks around the country, casual gatherings that organize, motivate, and activate volunteers, partner with churches to use our “Breath of Life” Bible Study, and provide information on environmental health issues in African-American communities.

Baby Power

Our Baby Power program educates and engages expectant and new moms on our issues with the message that every baby has the power to make you want to change the world.

In the fight against dangerous warming, there is a lot at stake for Iowa.

Without drastic climate action, scientists predict that Iowa will have 85 days over 90 degrees each summer by the end of the century, compared to the current 22 days per summer. Iowa will also have over a month of days with temperatures over 100 degrees. These rising temperatures put Iowa families at risk from heat-related illness and death, especially outdoor workers, older adults, and young children who are more vulnerable to extreme heat.

Iowa’s 86,104 farms are also at risk. Iowa ranks second in the country for exports of agricultural products, and rising temperatures could cripple this important industry. Increased heat both threatens crops as well as allows pests to live longer each season.

We are transitioning to renewable energy.

One third of Iowa’s electricity generation is powered by wind– the second highest share of any state in the country. With two fifths of Iowa’s electricity powered by renewable resources, largely wind supplemented by solar and biomass, Iowa’s renewable energy future is bright.

Despite this progress, Iowa still relies heavily on coal. 45% of the state’s electricity is powered by coal, the state’s largest energy source. As one of the top five states in energy use per capita, transitioning to renewable energy would drastically reduce dangerous climate warming greenhouse gases.

Past Events

December 2020

In December, members of Moms Clean Air Force and EcoMadres Iowa met with their members of Congress to encourage bold climate action in 2021. Iowa moms had meetings with Sen. Joni Ernst, Sen. Chuck Grassley, and Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03).

November 2020

On November 1, Iowa field organizer Karin Stein was featured in a Facebook Live conversation with National Wildlife Federation Iowa organizer Tyler Granger about the importance of voting in the 2020 election and the potential impact of the election results on environmental policy. Watch the replay.

October 2020

To celebrate the second anniversary of our EcoMadres program, we hosted a special event with music, conversation, and highlights of the amazing work EcoMadres across the country have been doing to educate and mobilize Latino families on the impacts of air pollution and climate change. The bilingual broadcast on October 29 was co-hosted by two Latinas, Nevada organizer Cinthia Zermeño Moore and Iowa organizer Karin Stein. This celebratory program featured brief interviews on topics including the impact of wildfires on Latinos and the importance of the Latino vote, interspersed with Latin music, most notably the premiere of the song “EcoMadres,” featuring dozens of organizers and members of the EcoMadres team. Watch the replay.

On October 27, we invited Indigenous leaders from Colorado, Alaska, Iowa, and New Mexico to join a conversation about the power of voting in tribal communities. Panelists included Renée Millard-Chacon, Dínéh/Mexica; James Skeet, Dínéh; Louise Brady, Tlingít; and Stephanie BadSoldier Snow, HoChunk and Meskwaki. The conversation was moderated by Colorado field organizer Shaina Oliver, Dínéh. Watch the replay.

On October 22, our Ecomadres hosted a powerful discussion on the passion and practicalities of voting in the Latino community. The event was moderated by Iowa field organizer Karin Stein In the first segment of the event, Arizona field organizer Columba Sainz, Nevada field organizer Cinthia Zermeño Moore, and Florida field organizer Yaritza Perez shared stories with Nicole Randall of Corazon Latino about voting and empowering others to vote. In the second segment, EDF’s Esther Sosa and Fair Fight Action’s Jose Morales offered resources and advice for planning your vote and making sure it’s counted this election and in every election. Watch the replay.

Moms Clean Air Force celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a moving conversation about motherhood and our connection to the Earth from the perspective of three Indigenous mothers. The discussion featured Colorado organizer and Navajo Nation member Shaina Oliver, Stephanie Badsoldier Snow of the Meskwaki Nation in Iowa, and Great Grandmother Mary Lyons. Our Iowa organizer Karin Stein moderated. The women talked about how motherhood changed them, how motherhood is celebrated in their communities, and how they work to protect the earth for future generations. Watch the replay.

September 2020

On September 29, Iowa field organizer Karin Stein presented a virtual luncheon program to the Iowa Farmer’s Union about clean air, climate change, the importance of voting, and how it all relates to regenerative farming practices. Watch the replay.

Iowa organizer Karin Stein hosted a webinar with members of the Meskwaki Tribe in Iowa to introduce them to Moms Clean Air Force, find out about their environmental concerns, and encourage them to vote and get others to vote. Colorado organizer Shaina Oliver shared her work as an Indigenous Rights Advocate in Colorado.

Iowa organizer Karin Stein joined El Trueque Iowa’s Manny Galvez to talk about how important it is for Latinos to fill out the 2020 Census and how the Census relates to environmental and social justice issues. Watch the video of this important conversation here.

On September 3, Pennsylvania organizer Vanessa Lynch hosted a very special bilingual Moms Read for Our Future with Iowa organizer Karin Stein. Vanessa and Karin read Senorita Mariposa in both English and Spanish and led a bilingual singalong activity. Watch the storytime here and the singalong here.

Iowa moms joined Moms Clean Air Force members across the country to testify in EPA’s virtual hearing on its proposal to retain the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone. Moms Clean Air Force Iowa organizer Karin Stein and a volunteer from Cedar Falls urged EPA to follow the science and strengthen the existing rule.

August 2020

On August 30, Iowa organizer Karin Stein hosted a webinar moderated by Rekha Basu, columnist for the Des Moines Register, on the environmental justice pillar of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis report. Panelists included Mustafa Santiago Ali, Joe Henry, Manny Gálvez, Karin Stein, and Catherine García Flowers. Bringing a wealth of perspectives and experiences that intersect with environmental justice issues, the panelists discussed how pollution, climate change, government regulation, and workplace safety conditions affect communities of color, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the video here.

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa welcomed Edgar East, Moms Clean Air Force volunteer, parent, and teacher, and Professor Catherine Zeman of the University of Northern Iowa, who serves on the Blackhawk County Board of Health, for a discussion about the complexities and dilemmas surrounding the beginning of the new school year. Watch the Facebook Live video here.

July 2020

On July 18, Iowa organizer Karin Stein hosted a bilingual cafecito with Professor Catherine Zeman, University of Northern Iowa, on toxic chemicals that people are exposed to every day and how these toxins are regulated. Watch the Facebook Live video here.

June 2020

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa joined Environment Iowa and Physicians for Social Responsibility to organize a panel discussion that considered the relationship between transportation and community health. Speakers explored environmental justice implications of vehicle electrification and helped us understand how policy decisions can affect communities differently. Attendees learned how Iowa is addressing electrification of city buses, school buses, and mail trucks or could do so in the future.

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa hosted a webinar on asthma in Iowa and how air quality and environmental deregulation affect our most vulnerable.

Iowa radio station, La Q Buena, featured field organizer Karin Stein on their program to discuss the importance of Latino participation in the Census. Watch the interview here.

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa and Corazon Latino hosted a virtual summer concert by Calle Sur. Calle Sur is an acoustic Latin duo featuring Moms Clean Air Force Iowa organizer Karin Stein and her partner Ed East. Together they perform a wide range of musical styles from Latin America and the Caribbean, from mellow to upbeat, from traditional to contemporary.

On June 11, Iowa field organizer Karin Stein co-hosted a webinar on electric buses with Environment Iowa and Physicians for Social Responsibility. Karin spoke briefly about EPA’s deregulatory agenda and introduced a presentation by Daphne Dixon, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Live Green in Connecticut (livegreenct.org). Ms. Dixon spoke about the toolkit her organization developed to help school districts take a step-by-step approach to the daunting task of electrifying school bus fleets.

May 2020

Iowa Moms joined Moms Clean Air Force members across the country to testify in the EPA’s virtual hearing on its proposal to retain the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter. Iowa organizer Karin Stein and two Iowa supermoms testified in favor of following science and strengthening the existing rule.

April 2020

On April 22, Ecomadres and Corazón Latino hosted a virtual Earth Day Cafecito: “Clean Air, Coronavirus, and the Latino Community.” Moderator Karina Martinez spoke to Iowa organizer, Karin Stein, Arizona organizer, Columba Sainz, and Nevada organizer, Cinthia Moore about coronavirus, the Latino community, and how advocating for strong protections from air pollution has changed during the pandemic. Watch the video here.

For the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, Latin duo Calle Sur produced a music video for Moms Clean Air Force about the importance of clean air and water. Watch the video here.

March 2020

On March 9, Iowa Organizer, Karin Stein, presented about the Ecomadres program at the “Latino Day on the Hill 2020” at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.

On March 8, Iowa Organizer Karin Stein as part of Latin duo Calle Sur hosted a concert for International Women’s Day in Waterloo, Iowa.

February 2020

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa hosted two panels during the weekend of February 15th– Regenerative Farming and Carbon Sequestration in Fairfield, Iowa and Climate Change and Health Care in Des Moines, Iowa.

On February 1, Moms Clean Air Force and Ecomadres members from across the state of Iowa marched in the Climate Crisis Parade with over 50 environmental, civic, justice, and faith groups in downtown Des Moines to spotlight the urgent need for action on climate.

January 2020

Iowa Field Organizer, Karin Stein, attended a town hall with Cindy Axne.

December 2019

Moms Clean Air Force/Ecomadres hosted a cafecito in Des Moines. Staff from the office of Cindy Axne attended the event.

Iowa Field Organizer, Karin Stein, participated in a panel focused on climate change at the annual Iowa Farmers Union convention.

November 2019

Moms Clean Air Force/Ecomadres tabled and spoke at a musical Dia de Los Muertos program to celebrate the arrival of monarch butterflies in Mexico and to underscore the importance of fighting against climate change.

October 2019

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa tabled at the Called to Climate Action Statewide Gathering– an Interfaith Gathering for Climate Action with keynote speaker Dr. Katharine Hayhoe.

Moms Clean Air Force hosted a tour of Singlespeed Brewery in Waterloo, a sustainably run Iowa business. Attendees discussed the importance of transitioning to 100% clean energy across the entire economy and about what their communities are doing to become more sustainable.

On October 17, 2019, Iowa Field Organizer, Karin Stein, and Ed East hosted an Environmental Workshop at Latinx Youth Summit. Through a drum circle and South American panpipe activity, participants explored the interconnection of issues and brainstormed the ways in which we can all work in favor of clean air and against climate change in our communities.

Members of Moms Clean Air Force Iowa met with the staff of Senator Grassley to discuss the importance of transitioning to a 100% clean economy to protect the health of Iowa’s families and children.

On October 7, 2019, Iowa Field Organizer, Karin Stein, hosted a read-in of Señorita Mariposa at the Newton Public Library with Iowa Congressman Wes Breckenridge.

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa attended the University of Iowa Extreme Weather Symposium in Des Moines.

September 2019

Iowa Ecomadres tabled at Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival in Des Moines.

Iowa Moms and Clean Air Kids from around the state supported the Global Climate Strikes on September 20th in Des Moines, Iowa City, Fairfield, and Vinton.

August 2019

Moms Clean Air Force Iowa hosted an Ecomadres cafecito in Des Moines.

Iowa Field Organizer, Karin Stein, hosted a booth at the Iowa State Fair to discuss the work of Moms Clean Air Force and the Ecomadres program.

July 2019

Members of Moms Clean Air Force Iowa attended the sixth annual Play-In for Climate Action on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

2020

• Des Moines Register, How the derecho can lead Iowa to a more resilient future
• Muscatine Journal, STEIN: COVID-19 puts a disproportionate burden on Black and Latino Iowans
• El Trueque, El CENSO y el VOTO: Las herramientas más importantes del 2020
• Indianola Independent Advocate, Indianola groups to participate in Climate Crisis Parade
• Press Advisory, Media Availability with Climate Crisis Parade Marchers Ahead of the Iowa Caucuses

2019

• Des Moines Register, This mom wants us all to take a deep breath
• Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, Guest Column: Children deserve clean air
• Newton Daily News, Bilingual book reading, musical event for families Monday at NPL
• Press Release, IA Parents Join Members of Congress on Capitol Hill as Part of Sweeping Movement for Climate Solutions
• Newton Daily News, We can’t afford climate change: Our legislators must act
• Iowa Public Radio, Has Your Doctor Talked To You About Climate Change?
• Public News Service, Iowa Mom Tells EPA: “Keep Mercury and Air Toxics Standards