One of EveryStep’s doulas, Jazzmine Brooks, and her client Morghan. Submitted photo BY MACEY SHOFROTH, FEARLESS CONTRIBUTOR Pregnant employees working for EveryStep Care & Support Services now have access to potentially lifesaving pregnancy care on behalf of their employer. The Des Moines-based nonprofit, which provides care for Iowans at various stages of Read more…
By Natalie Mahoney As a public relations professional, I am often behind the scenes writing pieces for my clients. There are few times when I actually get to put my name on the byline and directly share my thoughts. Almost eight months pregnant, I stumbled upon Nicole Grundmeier’s column on Read more…
Compiled by Emily Barske Wood One name came up a number of times in responses to this year’s Business Record survey on gender equity in Iowa: Caitlin Clark. Several respondents noted the University of Iowa basketball star’s achievements among the biggest advancements for women in the last year. It’s not Read more…
BY MACEY SHOFROTH, FEARLESS CONTRIBUTOR Editor’s note: “Victim” and “survivor” are both common terms used for someone who has experienced sexual assault or domestic violence, and they will be used in this article interchangeably. We recognize that folks often prefer one term over another.Sexual assault and domestic violence are pervasive issues Read more…
Before I had a child of my own, I loved bringing lots of baby clothes to new parents when I visited them postpartum. I was making a terrible mistake. I’ve always enjoyed thrifting. And, I’ve always loved baby clothes. I didn’t realize I was essentially bringing new parents a mountain Read more…
BY JODY GIFFORD My parents divorced when I was 6 years old. I still remember coming home from school one day to find that my dad had moved out — his ratty recliner absent from its spot in our living room and his favorite jacket missing from the hook by Read more…
Photo by Bethany Birnie, courtesy of the Coven While some companies are requiring employees to return to the office post-pandemic, some workers, and even their bosses, are pushing back. The push and pull is especially challenging for workers who benefitted the most from work-from-home models – women, caretakers, those with Read more…
I recently interviewed Jerrica Marshall, executive director of the Directors Council, for a Closer Look feature in the Business Record. The Des Moines-based organization she leads strives to address inequities affecting Black community members in Polk County. In a previous role, she noticed the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market vendors did Read more…
By Seeta Lee New Year’s resolutions are hard to avoid. A change in the calendar brings a refreshing opportunity to say, “This is when I finally do the thing!” Sadly, diet culture, fatphobia and the wellness industries are all too aware of this urge to renew ourselves. They latch onto Read more…
For many elementary-aged children in Iowa, one of their first public tastes of inequity comes while staring down at the muddy blacktop while their wealthier classmates play in the snow. I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s in western Iowa. Children who didn’t have snow pants or snow boots Read more…