New Board Members

Refugees & Immigrants in Iowa Educational Programming

Iowa City Foreign Relations Council Iowa City, IA Events: December 2021 – August 30, 2022 icfrc.org/events-calendar.html

six Percent oF Iowa residents were born in another country, and five percent are nativeborn Americans who have at least one immigrant parent. This group of Iowans comprises one out of ten residents working in the computer and math sciences and one of six production employees. Thus, immigrants in Iowa play an important role in our economy, just as their experiences and backgrounds add diversity and vibrancy to our state’s culture. Understanding more about their stories—who they are, why they came to Iowa, what they need, and what they add to our state—is crucial and timely.

To explore these issues and opportunities, the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC) is offering six public programs over the coming months—all of which are free, live streamed, and available online after airing. These six events will engage audiences and bring together scholars, artists, and representatives of ethnic-based community organizations, to discuss issues that affect refugees and immigrants across Iowa.

These programs aim to raise the voices and share the stories of refugees and immigrants who have come to Iowa. ICFRC hopes these programs will help our communities better understand and connect with each other; foster social justice and equality; and develop more informed, thoughtful, empathetic citizens.

The six programs: • Life in Iowa as a refugee and immigrant, including the challenges of job-seeking,

Wednesday, January 19th noon–1:30 pm • How Covid-19 has impacted refugees and immigrants in Iowa, Wednesday, February 9 noon–1:30 pm • Area refugees and immigrants in pursuit of higher education, Wednesday, March 23 noon–1:30p • Writing and reading about the refugee and immigrant experience, Wednesday, April 13, noon–1:30 pm • How raising the voices of refugees and immigrants can lead to more effective public policy, Wednesday, May 4, time: TBA • Afghan resettlement in Iowa, [Occurred in

December 2021, watch online soon.]

ms. treyla m. lee is a native of Sioux City, IA. Treyla has a Masters Degree in Education from Wayne State College in Wayne, NE, and is currently employed as a Recruiter for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids/ Dave Thomas Foundation/Four Oaks Family & Children’s Services.

Ms. Lee serves on several professional and community boards and organizations. In addition to working as Program Director for The First Tee of Siouxland, Ms. Lee is Vice President of the Omaha Graduate Chapter and the 2019 Mid-Western Regional Conference Chairman of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., which is the First African American Sorority. It was founded in 1908 and helps alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature. Ms. Lee is also Vice Chairman of the local NAACP chapter and is a former Miss Black Iowa. treVor harVey is an associate professor of instruction at The University of Iowa with a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology/ Musicology from Florida State University. His research centers on participatory musical cultures and community construction through collaborative, recreational musical practices. Trevor has conducted fieldwork-based research projects within multicultural and multinational Internet communities, the virtual world of Second Life, Appalachian dulcimer communities, and informal old-time jam sessions. He is an active member of the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) and serves as editor and producer of "Ethnomusicology Today,” the SEM podcast.

Trevor is a frequent collaborator and volunteer with a variety of local arts and community organizations. He currently serves as president of HTLIC Media, Inc., an Iowa City-based non-profit organization committed to supporting the diverse voices of local artists in the creative development and production of socially-engaged, multimedia musical projects. He is also a co-founder and coorganizer of the Iowa City Front Porch Music Festival.