Aneesa Afroze is the infectious disease consulting physician, president of medical staff and director for antimicrobial stewardship at MercyOne and is responsible for day-to-day medical staff issues and patient treatment planning. Co-workers describe her as the Dr. Anthony Fauci of the hospital, by which she is flattered, but she says Read more…
By Christina Blackcloud I was asked by Fearless to write about what I learned running for office as an Indigenous woman and some tips for BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] who may want to run in the future. I can’t help but reflect on my own history and Read more…
By Emily Barske, Business Record editor As the 2021 Iowa legislative session kicked off last week, the first four bills introduced in Iowa’s House of Representatives involved child care reform. That was before midday on Jan. 12, just the second day of the session, and before Gov. Kim Reynolds would also Read more…
By Emily Blobaum, Fearless contributing editor To preface, it’s worth mentioning that every issue is a women’s issue. Women are not monoliths, and interests and what’s at stake differ for everyone. But for these purposes, I’ve selected a few key issues that are considered by many to be issues that Read more…
Story by Emily Blobaum, graphics by Lauren Burt Iowa is one of eight states that have gender balance laws for civic boards and commissions, but is the only state where the requirement additionally penetrates down to the city and county levels. The law reads that all appointive boards, commissions, committees Read more…
By Blake Hanson, Ready to Run advisory board member In nine days, America will see its first female vice president take the oath of office. It is about time. Suffragists campaigned for more than 80 years to win enfranchisement, declaring that American women, as men, deserve all the responsibilities of Read more…
Story by Emily Blobaum, graphics by Lauren Burt It’s no secret that women’s representation in political office is unequal. Women make up more than 50% of the population in Iowa, but make up only 29% of the state Legislature. Nationally, women make up 23.6% of the 116th U.S. Congress. The Read more…
By Amanda Shetler, director of development, By Degrees Foundation I don’t have children but I was a child once, and as a child I watched my mother care for her oldest sister, my aunt, during her final year of life. The converging paths of child care and dying-sister-care were not Read more…
Story and photos by Emily Blobaum There is a serious child care crisis in rural Iowa. There’s the issue of availability. Nearly a quarter of Iowa’s population lives in a child care desert, which is an area where the demand for child care far exceeds the availability of providers and Read more…
By Rebecca Wolford, co-founder, Creative Habitat I’ve had the distinct privilege of being a mom for six years and the distinct struggle of finding child care for seven. What I initially thought was my unique challenge to access quality, affordable and flexible child care, I now realize is one of Read more…