Our Civic Engagement Initiative increases BIPOC political engagement in
Iowa and Nebraska through Indigenous leadership and a decolonial lens.
Civic Engagement Initative
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Great Plains Action Society's Civic Engagement Initiative is centered around integrated voter engagement and, over the years, has focused on legislation such as reproductive freedom, diversity-equity-inclusion, 2SLGBTQIA communities, racist mascots/imagery/monuments, colonial farming practices, climate, water health and more. This imitative is about getting people out to vote on the issues that affect their freedom, health and safety. Through this work, we are building power in oppressed communities by empowering them to show up, speak out, and create change. It is an honor to be a part of the Groundswell Cohort that uplifts women of color, transgender and gender-expansive people of color who come out of grassroots organizing to help us lead and decide what is best for us!
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More Resources are Coming Soon!!!
Civic Engagement Goals for 2024
1. We aim to Increase voter turnout in the Sioux City Tri-state area and surrounding reservations with a general goal of increasing turnout across Iowa.
2. Since the founding of our organization, we have been fighting for Reproductive Liberation. The recent 6-week abortion ban in Iowa was a huge blow to women and folks with uteruses across the state. This year, we are determined to uplift the voices of BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA folks in a campaign that will get folks out to vote on the issue and direct body sovereignty resources to underserved communities.
3. Iowa is one of 18 states that has banned Diversity-Equity-Inclusion programs and other white supremacist, misogynist, trans/homophobic, and ableist laws that affect students from pre-school to university as well as all public offices. We are educating folks on these bills and encouraging folks to vote for abortion rights, AEA, Trans folks and against hate laws, in general, that affect everyone in Iowa.​​
Past Civic Engagement Projects
Demand Change During the First 100 Days of Office
We need legislation that puts an end to white supremacist institutions and policies
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BIPOC the Vote in Iowa
Our BIPOC GOTV video received more than 500k views!
Disrupt. Vote. Disrupt
We handed out hundreds of t-shirts at our events and events we attended
PPE Voter Kits for In-Person Voting
We put together hundreds of kits during COVID. The kits contained a mask, sanitizer, boxed water, poncho, notebook, KIND bar, pen, pencil, stickers and an ACLU Iowa Voting Rights Pamphlet--all in a drawstring backpack with the tag line, "Infiltrate the System. Vote."
Voter Information Booths
Our voter information booths were a regular feature at events we organized and attended in Sioux City, Des Moines and Iowa City. We had Iowa voting info, paper registration forms, a QR code for safe online registration, t-shirts, PPE voter kits and much more.
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Voting Issue Yard and Window Signs
Our yard and window signs on climate and racism were in yards and windows across Iowa City and Des Moines. #yourvotematters
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Events, Rallies, Online Forums, etc
We organized many political engagement events both online and at the frontlines to GOTV. We are particularly proud of our Power to the People online rally held just two days before the 2020 election, to get out the BIPOC vote across Iowa. Go to Youtube to check it out
KEY DATES FOR VOTING
VOTER OUTREACH PARTIES
DIFFERENT WAYS TO VOTE