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getting involved in the Iowa Democratic The Heat is On Senate race by endorsing Theresa Greenfield just three days after she announced her candidacy; Senate Minority Leader Chuck The Black liberation movement in Iowa has a fierce advocate in local politics. Schumer went so far as to say “we don’t need BY IZABELA ZALUSKA a primary” to nominate a challenger to Joni Ernst. Walker, a supporter of the more pro

Amonth out from the 2020 Witching is,” Walker said. “Instead, it will be one more gressive candidate Kimberly Graham, called Hour festival, presenter Stacey story out of many that deserve to be told.” out the DSCC, saying they’d engineered “a Walker isn’t exactly sure what he Among the topics Walker wants to discuss primary contest that was already heavily will say to attendees. But that’s are dog whistle politics, white privilege and skewed in favor of one candidate.” not for lack of something to say. why addressing racism is difficult. Walker often uses his social media ac

“As a Black man, as an elected official, “You have the president of the United counts on Twitter and Facebook to draw atas a person who has been involved in racial States, quite frankly, stoking the fire saying tention to these various issues and criticisms. justice politics for my entire life, I know that there are good people on both sides of this “Some days it feels like the heat is turned I have a lot to say,” Walker told Little Village. debate. You have all of these things workup because I am so visible,” Walker said. “I “I know that my perspective will be just one ing against the intellectual arguments of the think people are placing me in a position as a of many different perspectives about what’s Black liberation movement,” Walker said. “I leader in this Black liberation movement here happening, and I really, really want to get want to talk about that and talk about why in the state—a position I don’t take lightly, into what I think is next and where we ought something that should be easy—addressing I’m humbled by it—but you know, there’s to head with this movement not just here in racism should be easy. I think most reasonsome, there’s some negativity that comes Iowa, but where we should be headed as a able people would say, yeah, racism is bad. with that.” national—now international—movement.” But that is why it’s hard. You have all these “It’s difficult but I feel grounded. I feel

The Linn County Supervisor is one of very supported by friends the headliners for this year’s Witching Hour and loved ones, and I feel festival, which is being held virtually from “I HAVE NO PROBLEM CHALLENGING supported knowing that I Oct. 30 to Oct. 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival, which is presented by PEOPLE WHEN I THINK THEY’RE WRONG am another foot soldier in this long struggle that exthe Englert Theatre and Little Village, is dedAND WHEN I THINK THEIR BELIEF isted well before I got here icated to exploring the unknown and presentSYSTEM IS GOING TO HARM VULNERABLE and will exist well after ing work from individuals who are pushing boundaries. PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR.” I’m gone, and it’s an honor to know that.”

Writer Danez Smith, artist Beatrice Walker plans to close Thomas and musician Black Belt Eagle Scout out his Witching Hour are among some of the other presenters who forces working against them, distorting the presentation by addressing the questions of will engage audiences during the two-day argument in the work.” “Where are we headed?” and “What’s next event. As an elected official of color in Linn for the movement?”

“It’s incredibly interesting, and it has County, Walker isn’t immune to racism. Predicting what’s next is tricky, he added, this quality about it that really allows the Walker said he’s become a target because because part of being a politician is “making imagination to sort of take off and take you of how public and outspoken he is about his sure people can hold on to hope as we navito weird, interesting, stimulating places,” opinions and his willingness to call out other gate these tricky times”—but he also knows Walker said of Witching Hour. politicians, even if they’re in his own party. the road ahead is going to be difficult.

Despite not knowing exactly where his pre“I have no problem challenging people “I know the work is not going to be finsentation will go, Walker has ideas on how he when I think they’re wrong and when I think ished probably in my lifetime. I’m a relawants to tell the story of Black liberation. He their belief system is going to harm vulneratively young guy in the movement, but that’s envisions a presentation set to music, photos ble people, people of color,” Walker said. how it’s always been, since the first people and videos, with him being the narrator. Walker previously told Little Village that of color arrived on the slave ships to the New

Walker said he’s drawing inspiration from he would get calls from state leaders and World, although there were people of color the end of the Malcom X film that pairs political consultants telling him he was “bewho were already here. Every generation Ossie Davis’ eulogy for the civil rights icon coming radioactive” because of his public since we’ve had to pick up where the other with various clips and photos. Another video comments about race, criticism of other generation left off, and we’re still in it. We’re Walker is looking at is will.i.am’s “Yes We Democrats and support of Bernie Sanders. still in it, and I’m hopeful that we’re gonna Can” that features different artists singing (Walker was Sanders’ Iowa campaign coget to a better place, but it’s gonna take time.” parts of Barack Obama’s concession speech chair.) On the local level, the Cedar Rapids City in the New Hampshire presidential primary Like Sanders, Walker hasn’t been afraid to Council is continuing to move forward with in 2008. criticize the Democratic Party establishment. the seven demands presented to the city by

“This is not a definitive story nor will it be Last year, Walker voiced his frustration with the grassroots group Advocates for Social able to encompass all that Black liberation the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee Justice, which Walker has been involved with

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PHOTO: TAYLOR FISER PHOTOGRAPHY since the beginning.

The council unanimously backed the group’s seven demands for reform in June. The main focus has been on establishing an independent citizens review board. Council is scheduled to receive updates on how that process is going at the two October meetings.

During the council’s Sept. 22 meeting, councilmembers received an update on three demands that city staff did more research on, including decriminalizing minor marijuana crimes and other low-level offenses.

Police Chief Wayne Jerman and councilmembers expressed their support for lessening the charge of marijuana possession from a serious misdemeanor to a simple misdemeanor. The change would “eliminate taking the individual into custody and permit that the subject be issued a citation instead,” Jerman said during the meeting, adding that the authority to make this change lies with the Iowa Legislature.

“The city is committed to working with our legislators, as directed by the City Council, to encourage legislation which is consistent with the views of our community,” Jerman said.

Iowa has some of the worst racial disparities for marijuana arrests in the country, an ACLU report found earlier this year. A Black person in Iowa is 7.26 times more likely to be arrested than someone who is white.

That disparity is even larger in Linn County, where someone who is Black is 9.65 times more likely to be arrested.

The fact that the city council is even discussing decriminalization, Walker said, is something he wouldn’t have thought would happen, which speaks to the power of grassroots organizing.

“At the end of the day, nothing is real until it happens, and so I’d like to think that their word means something. I think right now, the movement here in Cedar Rapids is just at a position where we are encouraged, but we’re waiting. We’re waiting to see if they pull the trigger on a lot of this stuff.”

Being an elected official himself, Walker said he knows how slowly government works, which is why it’s a victory that conversations about racial justice are being held.

“People like me and most others involved in the racial justice movement want sweeping change, and it can’t come soon enough—that’s our standard, that’s our mission, but we’ll take these little victories as they come,” Walker said.

Izabela Zaluska is a staff writer at Little Village.