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…
Individuals and institutions have become more aware of how to support survivors of sexual abuse — but major mistakes remain common, an advocate says. Rachael Denhollander was the first woman to talk publicly about being sexually abused by Larry Nassar, a Michigan State University physician who was also the women’s Read more…
It’s still dark outside when women from the Beacon retrieve bicycles parked at the front of the building or set out for the bus stop, ready to pedal or ride to their jobs that morning and, hopefully, into new lives. The staff at the Beacon sees the effects of complex Read more…
(Editor’s note: Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse former U.S. national team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse, is the Chrysalis Foundation’s 2023 “Inspired” keynote speaker. As part of Fearless’ coverage of Denhollander’s Nov. 13 visit to Central Iowa, I interviewed two Iowa women whose jobs involve making Read more…
I’ve always believed as a physical therapist, I need to set a good example for my patients. I’ve always been active. I’ve gone to the Y, lifted weights, swam. I swam competitively in Masters for a long time. I had started doing some powerlifting. Years ago, I had wanted to Read more…