Blog Archives

Iowa Abortion Access Fund supports reproductive justice

9/29/2026

Support reproductive justice and care in the Quad Cities through the Iowa Abortion Access Fund

A Message to Our Community

The Gender Equity Forum encourages everyone to look into the Iowa Abortion Access Fund by visiting their website. You can support their vital work by making a contribution. Also, let anyone who might need reproductive healthcare know that this resource is available to them.

Alta Price (she/her)

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ICQC legislative visit - Of Interest to our Community

9/26/2026

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Immigration Coalition makes a legislative visit

By Barb Arland-Fye
Immigration Coalition QC
September 25, 2026

Six members of the Immigration Coalition of the Quad Cities met with a representative of U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks in her Davenport office Sept. 17 to express their concerns and to request the Congresswoman’s support on several immigration-related measures.

Allison Ambrose provided a brief description of the nearly 200-member ecumenical coalition, which she facilitates, to Elias Castellanos, a Veterans Fellow serving in Miller-Meeks’ office. Recent news reports concerning immigrant and refugee policy in the U.S. have been of special concern to the coalition, Ambrose said.

Five of the six coalition members present – Allison Ambrose, Barb Arland-Fye, Beth Cook, Loxi Hopkins and Mary Maher – are members of parishes in the Diocese of Davenport. They, along with coalition member David Anderson, shared their belief that immigrants are individuals with equal human rights. They identified specific concerns about the current Administration’s policy practices. Among those concerns:

* A proposed rule to establish a $103,265 fee on every H-1B visa petition subject to the annual cap. H-1B visa workers are immigrants with temporary approval to work in the U.S. Highly educated, they work in Information Technology (IT), engineering and architecture, health care and medicine.

KFF.org, an independent health policy organization, reports that the proposed fee could lead to reductions in the health care workforce, creating barriers to care for people living in lower income and rural areas where these health care workers often are employed.

* Additional detention centers. TIME magazine reported in July that the Administration is “seeking construction companies to build additional immigration detention units in as many as 14 different locations in the United States, documents show—including the Virgin Islands and Guantanamo Bay.

National Public Radio (NPR) reported in March that “The price tag to expand the detention system in dollars is $45 billion, pushed through last summer as part of … the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act.’”

* ICE tactics. NPR reported on Aug. 12 that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to “give its officers high-tech gloves that deliver electric shocks to people they’re trying to detain, according to plans posted by the Department of Homeland Security.” The cost could be as high as $20 million.

*TPS limbo. Salvadoran communities nationwide are in a frightening predicament because of conflicting messages from the Administration regarding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador. The uncertainty about whether and when TPS status might be revoked is already impacting their livelihoods and lives, according to the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. Many Salvadorans were among the first immigrant groups granted TPS, initially in 1990 for those fleeing the country’s civil war and then again in 2001 for survivors of two catastrophic earthquakes. They have become part of the fabric of their communities.

The coalition’s concern led to the following requests for Castellanos to pass on to Miller-Meeks, whom the group had hoped to meet in person. Ambrose had been told last month by other staffers that Miller-Meeks was unavailable to meet with the coalition.

Get involved with a solution, such as sponsorship of S. 4361, which “expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to address the processing of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) and provides supplemental appropriations for related purposes” (congress.gov). The bill “Extends and establishes immigration pathways for Afghan citizens or nationals, including by (1) making certain individuals admitted or paroled to the United States eligible for conditional permanent resident status, and (2) expanding eligibility for special immigrant visas for certain individuals who were injured while supporting the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.”
Support the idea to end construction of or purchase of additional immigration detention facilities.
Support abolishment of the use of gloves by ICE officers that deliver a painful electric shock.
Support the Dream and Promise Act (HR 1589), which would give more than 4.4 million Dreamers, DACA recipients and TPS holders a pathway to citizenship and permanent legal stability.

Dreamers are individuals who were brought to the United States as children and who lack legal status. TPS holders were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and individuals with DED designation have been granted Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED). This legislation aims to help keep family members together and allow law-abiding members of their communities to continue making their economic and social contributions.

The National Immigration Forum reports that this bill would provide temporary protection from deportation for three years and a work authorization document for the 750,000 young adults and other undocumented youths brought to the U.S. as children.
Castellanos assured the coalition he would forward a written report to the appropriate staff member of Miller-Meeks and that the group could anticipate a response.

Subscribe to the Immigration Coalition of the Quad Cities Substack here.

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October 2026 PACG Book Club - The Soul of Civility

9/22/2026

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The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves by Alexandra Hudson
Monday, October 19th at 5:15 pm

Edwards Congregational UCC
3420 Jersey Ridge Rd
Davenport, IA (map)

PACG Book Club

The author of The Soul of Civility spoke at an event for the World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities on September 23rd. I was aware of this event and started reading the book in advance of her speech; we all thought it would be a good read for our book club.

Contact me for the link if you want to come via Zoom.

Alta Price (she/her)

Read more about the book at Goodreads:

Alexandra Hudson, daughter of the "Manners Lady," was raised to respect others. But as she grew up, Hudson discovered a difference between politeness―a superficial appearance of good manners―and true civility. In this timely book, Hudson sheds light on how civility can help bridge our political divide.

From classical philosophers like Epictetus, to great twentieth-century thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr., to her own experience working in the federal government during one of the most politically fraught eras in our nation's history, Hudson examines how civility―a respect for the personhood and dignity of others―transcends political disagreements. Respecting someone means valuing them enough to tell them when you think they are wrong.

It’s easy to look at the divided state of the world and blame our leaders, the media, or our education system. Instead, we should focus on what we can ourselves. The Soul of Civility empowers readers to live tolerantly with others despite deep differences, and to rigorously protest wrongs and debate issues rather than silencing disagreements. A robust public discourse is essential to a truly civil society, and respecting others means telling hard truths. If enough of us decide to change ourselves, we might be able to change the world we live in, too.

Provocative, personal, and acutely relevant, The Soul of Civility is an essential book for our era.

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14th Annual Picnic and Pie Auction After Action Report

9/15/2026

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14th Annual Picnic and Pie Auction After Action Report

Despite occasional light rain and cool temperatures, over 55 people attended PACG's 14th Annual Picnic on September 13th at Longview Park in Rock Island. After Kate Holsen opened with our national anthem, we got to enjoy some really delicious beef, chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans and seven layer salad from our new caterer, A Guy and a Grill. In addition, we heard what PACG has been up to over the past year when our President, David Anderson, introduced our forum leaders, who shared brief accounts of their many and varied progressive events and activities. Some folks stayed and bid on the delicious array of pies in our customary Pie Auction hosted by Auctioneer, Jen Broders.

But perhaps most importantly, we progressive minded folks got to catch up with some old friends and meet some new ones - all to the backdrop of Chris Dunn's lovely, sustaining folk music Overall, everyone seemed to have fun! Pictures will be updated and shared here.

For those PACG supporters who were unable to attend the picnic, we hope you can join us in December for our annual Holiday Party!

Caryn Unsicker,
PACG Board

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Message from our President about PACG Membership

9/15/2026

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A Message from our President about PACG membership

Greetings everyone! It's been an interesting (busy!) year, hasn't it?

One thing your intrepid board members and a couple of other volunteers have been working on has been to figure out what being a member (or perhaps Member, with a capital M) of PACG could and should mean. As announced at the picnic this past Sunday, we will be sending out a survey for people to give us their thoughts and ideas in the near future, so please keep an eye out for it.

David Anderson (he/him)

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Express your concerns about Flock to your city council - Action Alert

9/15/2026

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Please visit your city council and comment

QC Locations

Get the Flock Out QC

Please join the following city council meetings to submit a public comment on your desire to end their contract with Flock, or support those doing so. More information is available here.

Next city council meetings:
September 15, 6:00PM: Moline, 619 16th ST (map)
September 15, 7:00PM: Bettendorf, 1609 State ST (map)
September 21, 6:30PM: East Moline, 915 16th AV (map)
September 22, 6:00PM: Moline, 619 16th ST (map)
September 23, 5:30PM: Davenport, 226 W 4th ST (map)

David Anderson (he/him)

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Women's Equality Day rally After Action Report

9/2/2026

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Women's Equality Day rally After Action Report

Gender Equity Forum

About one hundred people gathered at the Women's Equality Day rally in Vander Veer Park in Davenport on August 26th to commemorate the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote and to bring attention to the SAVE Act that would take the right away from millions of them. Watch this video from WQAD to learn more about the rally and the SAVE Act.

Alta Price (she/her)

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Iowa Abortion Access Fund supports reproductive justice

Support reproductive justice and care in the Quad Cities through the Iowa Abortion Access Fund

ICQC legislative visit - Of Interest to our Community

Immigration Coalition makes a legislative visit

October 2026 PACG Book Club - The Soul of Civility

The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves by Alexandra HudsonMonday, October 19th at 5:15 pm​​​Edwards Congregational UCC3420 Jersey Ridge RdDavenport, IA (map)PACG Book Club

14th Annual Picnic and Pie Auction After Action Report

14th Annual Picnic and Pie Auction After Action Report

Message from our President about PACG Membership

A Message from our President about PACG membership

Express your concerns about Flock to your city council - Action Alert

Please visit your city council and comment

Women's Equality Day rally After Action Report

Women's Equality Day rally After Action Report

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The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves by Alexandra Hudson
Monday, October 19th at 5:15 pm

Edwards Congregational UCC
3420 Jersey Ridge Rd
Davenport, IA (map)

PACG Book Club