Little Village issue 323 - November 2023 by Little Village Magazine

A L W A Y S

ISSUE 323 November 2023

F R E E

TA K E O N E !

Local Nonprofit & Retail Spotlight 2023 This box fights fascism P. 34

Every book banned in schools (so far) P. 40

Breweries collab to cure blindness P. 50

Annie’s Foundation defies SF 496 P. 54

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INDEPENDENT IOWA NEWS, CULTURE & EVENTS Since 2001 LittleVillageMag.com

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6 From the Newsletter 8 Ad Index 12 Letters & Interactions 15 Fully Booked 23 Film Review 26 GIVE GUIDE 32 Contact Buzz 34 Little Free Library 38 Guide to SF 496 40 Banned Book List 42 Animal Rescue League 44 Ken's Magic Shop 46 Prairie Pop 48 Matthew 25 50 Bread & Butter 52 A-List: Urban Exposure 54 A-List: Annie's Foundation 57 Events Calendar 75 Dear Kiki 77 Astrology 79 Album Reviews 83 Book Reviews 86 Reader Survey 87 Crossword

Take a Book, Share a Book

Little Free Libraries are a nonprofit antidote to book bans.

The Hiawatha Lyz Lenz Wizard Says

SAVE, SHARE OR RECYCLE

Iowa's only brick-and-mortar

Banning a book about abuse

magic shop is in Linn County.

doesn't protect kids, but abusers.

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MAVIS THE WAR STAPLES AND TREATY Saturday, December 2 / 7:30 p.m. / Hancher Auditorium

10 STUDENT & YOUTH TICKETS

This is a double bill of vocal powerhouses whose roots run deep.

Mavis Staples is an R&B singer, a soul singer, a gospel singer, and the very definition of a legend. Her records, both with the Staple Singers and as a solo artist, have provided a soulful soundtrack to decades of American life. In the last decade, she has enjoyed a resurgence with a string of albums produced by Jeff Tweedy, M. Ward, and Ben Harper.

Adults $55 / $45

Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter—the husband-and-wife duo known as The War And Treaty—were named by 2022 Duo/Group of the Year by the Americana Music Association—a tribute to their stellar songwriting and captivating stage presence. The War And Treaty was a featured guest at Staple's 80th birthday celebration and is, like many artists, an inheritor of her profound legacy.

TICKETS

College Students / Youth $10

Order online hancher.uiowa.edu Call (319) 335-1160 or 800-HANCHER Accessibility Services (319) 335-1160 HANCHER EVENT PARTNERS Edward & Linda Dykstra Bruce Gantz

Gregg Oden & Lola Lopes Michael W. O'Hara & Jane Engeldinger

 LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS AT HANCHER.UIOWA.EDU Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Paris Sissel in advance at (319) 467-4849 or at paris-sissel@uiowa.edu.

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INDEPENDENT NEWS, CULTURE & EVENTS Since 2001 LittleVillageMag.com

EDITORIAL

PRODUCTION

Publisher

Digital Director

Issue 323, Volume 2

Genevieve Trainor

Drew Bulman

November 2023

genevieve@littlevillagemag.com

drewb@littlevillagemag.com

Editor-in-Chief

Production Manager

By Sid Peterson

Emma McClatchey

Jordan Sellergren

Thanks to The Haunted Bookshop

emma@littlevillagemag.com

jordan@littlevillagemag.com

Arts and Culture Editor

SALES & ADMINISTRATION

volunteers are fixing houses,

Isaac Hamlet

President, Little Village, LLC

feeding neighbors, rescuing dogs,

isaac@littlevillagemag.com

Matthew Steele

producing student films, brewing

matt@littlevillagemag.com

beer for a cause and fighting to

ON THE COVER:

Across Iowa, organizers and

News Director

protect kids' freedom to read.

Paul Brennan

Advertising

paul@littlevillagemag.com

Genevieve Trainor, Joseph Servey, Matthew Steele

Art Director

ads@littlevillagemag.com

Jordan Sellergren jordan@littlevillagemag.com

Meet this month’s contributors: Alyssa Cokinis is a writer/theatre

Kristen Holder is a creative writer

Creative Services

artist from the Des Moines area,

living in Cedar Rapids.

Website design, E-commerce,

currently residing in Oregon.

Photographer, Designer

Publication design

Sid Peterson

creative@littlevillagemag.com

sid@littlevillagemag.com

Lily Wasserman is a student at Drake Avery Gregurich is living and writing at

University and the features editor at

the edge of the Iowa River in Marengo.

the Times-Delphic.

CIRCULATION Multimedia Journalist

Distribution Manager

Benjamin Jeffery is a writer based

Meggie Gates is a freelance writer in

Courtney Guein

Joseph Servey

in Des Moines. He has opinions on

Iowa City. Their work has appeared in

courtney@littlevillagemag.com

joseph@littlevillagemag.com

music and film.

Instyle, Vulture and Cosmopolitan. You

Calendar/Event Listings

Distribution

Chris Burns lives in a state of uncertain-

calendar@littlevillagemag.com

Sam Standish, Andersen Coates,

ty between Iowa City and the Quantum

can find them at Bingo on Wednesday at 2 Dogs Pub.

Joe Olson, Patrick MacCready,

Realm. In between fluctuations he

Rob Cline is a writer and critic who

Corrections

Courtney Guein, Joseph Servey,

writes weird stories and plays music

would gleefully give the current state

editor@littlevillagemag.com

Heber Martinez, Sarah Dirks

with the Shining Realm.

of things a negative review.

distro@littlevillagemag.com November Contributors

John Busbee is a creative project

Rob Silverman Ascher is an Iowa

Ali Peters, Alyssa Cokinis, Anne

OFFICES

developer and host/producer of The

City-based writer and dramaturg.

Wilmoth, Ben Smith, Benjamin Jeffery,

Little Village HQ,

Culture Buzz. He served for six years on

You can read his other writing at

Casey Maynard, Chris Burns, John

LV Creative Services

his community’s library board.

robturg.com.

Busbee, Justin Medinger, Kembrew

623 S Dubuque St

McLeod, Kristen Holder, Lauren Halde-

Iowa City, IA 52240

Julia DeSpain is a part-time freelance

Robert Lindsey Nassif is a composer/

man, Lily Wasserman, Maggie Gates,

319-855-1474

illustrator and full-time creative di-

lyricist/librettist who has worked on

rector for Iowa Valley RC&D. She lives

Broadway, off-Broadway and region-

in Iowa City.

ally with Hal Prince, Stephen Sond-

Malcolm MacDougall, Max Adams, Robert Lindsey-Nassif, Rob Silverman

Little Village—Des Moines

Asher, Sam Locke Ward, Sarah Elga-

900 Keosauqua Way, Ste 253

tian, Victoria Hernandez

Des Moines, IA 50309

heim, Arthur Miller, Carol Burnett and Justin Medinger is a teacher at Lis-

Disney Feature Animation.

bon Middle School.

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From the Newsletter Four of the top stories featured last month in the LV Daily, Little Village’s weekday afternoon email written by Paul Brennan. Subscribe at littlevillagemag.com/subscribe

Report: Black Iowans are incarcerated at nine times the rate of white residents (Oct. 3) Iowa’s overall rate of incarceration is “higher than almost any democracy on earth,” according to the Prison Policy Initiative. What’s more, racial disparities in the state’s prison and jail population are among the worst in the nation. “The cards are stacked against Black Iowans in our legal system every step of the way,” said ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Mark Stringer.

Iowa Dept. of Education doesn’t know how much the new school choice program will cost this year, but it’ll exceed estimates by millions (Oct. 13) A total of 18,893 applications for Gov. Reynolds’ new school-voucher-style education savings account (ESA) program were approved this year. That’s far more than the enrollment estimate provided to lawmakers when the bill creating the program to divert public school funds to private schools was under consideration in the Iowa Legislature.

Mercy Iowa City sale stalls as Mercy and the Texas-based auction winner disagree over terms (Oct. 20) Last week, it seemed Mercy Iowa City’s bankruptcy had been resolved. One of its principal creditors, Preston Hollow Community Capital, had won the auction of Mercy’s assets on Oct. 10. At issue now, though, is how “operating losses” should be defined in the deal between Mercy and Preston Hollow.

‘More than 1,000 books’ removed from Iowa schools, as districts work to comply with new state book ban; Scholastic apologizes for book fair ‘bigot button’ (Oct. 25) The impact of the book banning provisions in SF 496, signed by Gov. Reynolds in May, is becoming clearer as the Des Moines Register continues to update its database of books pulled from classrooms and school libraries. Meanwhile, Scholastic is apologizing for segregating diverse books into an excludable category for school book fairs.

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DISCOVER FREEDOM SAT NOV 18 7:30PM / SUN NOV 19 2:30PM CIVIC CENTER GRAMMY-NOMINATED PIANIST JOYCE YANG PLAYS GRIEG’S FAMOUS PIANO CONCERTO. WORKS BY GLINKA AND FLORENCE PRICE PRECEDE SHOSTAKOVICH’S SYMPHONY NO. 9, A CRITIQUE OF THE OPPRESSION EXPERIENCED IN STALINIST SOVIET RUSSIA. Joseph Giunta, conducting Joyce Yang, piano GLINKA GRIEG PRICE

Ruslan & Lyudmila Overture Piano Concerto in A Minor Andante Moderato from String Quartet No. 1 SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major

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THANK YOU TO THIS ISSUE’S ADVERTISING PARTNERS This issue of Little Village is supported by: Adamantine Spine Moving (12) Arnott & Kirk (87) Baker Paper & Supply (33) Ballet Des Moines (69) Bartertown Toys & Collectibles (33) Broadlawn's Mental Health (43) Bur Oak Land Trust (77) Catch Des Moines (20) Coralville Center for the Arts (43) Coralville Public Library (82) Crooked Path Theatre (33) Des Moines Art Center (49) Des Moines Metro Opera (49) Des Moines Performing Arts (56) Des Moines Playhouse (59) Des Moines Symphony (7) FilmScene (37) Full Court Press (9, 19) Goodfellow Printing, Inc. (74) Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (33) Grinnell College Museum of Art (22) Hancher Auditoium (4, 61, 65, 73) Historic Valley Junction (51) Honeybee Hair Parlor & Hive Collective (14) House of Glass (51) Illuminate Healing Studio (74)

Indian Creek Nature Center (53) Iowa City Communications (53) Iowa City Community Theatre (14) Iowa City Public Library (55) Iowa Department of Public Health (71) Iowa Nonprofit Alliance (85) Independent Cedar Rapids (80) - NewBoCo - Goldfinch Cyclery - Next Page Books - Cobble Hill - The Daisy Independent Downtown Iowa City (10-11) - The Green House - Merge - Fix! - Release Body Modifications - Mailboxes - Critical Hit - Basic Goods - Beadology - Record Collector - Yotopia - Reviva - Prairie Lights Bookstore & Cafe - Hot Spot Tattoo & Piercing Independent Highland Park / Oak

Park Neighborhood (20-21) - Des Moines Mercantile - Bill's Window and Screen Repair - The Collective - The Slow Down Independent Northside Marketplace (38-39) - John's Grocery - Oasis Falafel - Marco's Grilled Cheese - Russ' Northside Service, Inc. - Pagliai's Pizza - R.S.V.P. - George's - Artifacts - Press Coffee - Dodge St. Tire Jethro's BBQ (63) KRUI 89.7FM (7) Kim Schillig, REALTOR (17, 19) Mailboxes of Iowa City (77) Martin Construction (25) Micky's Irish Pub (7) Musician's Pro Shop (16) New Pioneer Food Co-op (84) Nodo (7) Obermann Center (55) Optimae Home Health Services (22) Orchestra Iowa (23)

Orchestrate Hospitalilty (9) Phoebe Martin, REALTOR (2) Polk County Conservation (64) Primary Health Care (18) Public Space One (75) Randy's (45) Raygun (24) Resilient Sustainable Futures Iowa City (25) Riverside Theatre (18) Science Center of Iowa (64) Shakespeare's Pub & Grill (12) Splash (43) Summer of the Arts (88) Table to Table (43) Ten Thousand Villages (74) The Club Car (12) The Englert Theatre (78) The James Theater (74) The Wedge Pizzeria (77) Theatre Cedar Rapids (76) Varsity Cinema (62) Vino Vérité (67) West Music (21) Wheatsfield Co-op (80) Wig & Pen (74) Wildwood Saloon (76) xBk (47)

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Letters & Interactions LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere. ARMISTICE DAY REFLECTION IS NECESSARY

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With wars bellowing in Europe, Asia and Africa, and with violence at home at a frightening level, it is time to remember the joy of ending war and to rededicate ourselves to peace, with justice. Veterans For Peace #161 has for the past 13 years sponsored the only Armistice Day observance in the state of Iowa. This year’s observance will be held at the Iowa City Ped Mall, Weatherdance Fountain Stage and will begin at 10:45 a.m. with the bugling of Assembly by Ross Porch. Bells will be rung 11 times at 11 o’clock. The observance is being held to commemorate the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. David Swanson will be the guest speaker. He is co-founder and executive director of World Beyond War. Swanson’s books include War is a

Lie. He is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and was awarded the 2018 Peace Prize by the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation. His speech, “The World Needs an Armistice Day,” will be short and memorable. The observance is free and open to the public. For further information, consult the website vfp161.org. ––Ed Flaherty, Secretary of VFP #161 LV ASKED: Were you among the lucky 715 to attend Refocus Film Festival’s Werner Herzog talk Sunday, Oct. 15 at the Englert? If so, what was your greatest takeaway? His love for Lotte H. Eisner, when he shared that he owes her his confidence. —Betsy M.

F U T I L E W R A T H

S A M LO C K E WA R D

HAVE AN OPINION? Better write about it! Send letters to: Editor@LittleVillageMag.com He had kind words about the midwest as being part of the Heartland of America and how important we are! —Fiona His idea for how he could voice a car’s GPS in the creepiest way possible. —Spike D. Not a Romantic! —Trevor J. His take on psychoanalysis and bit on “the culture of complaint.” That, alongside his tales on growing up severely poor in a war torn country, all while having a lovely childhood. He was everything and more. —WUIC Read! —MB Report: Black Iowans are incarcerated at nine times the rate of white residents (Oct. 3) Seven states maintain a Black/white disparity larger than 9 to 1: California,

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 13

I N T E R AC T I O N S

MOMBOY

Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. —OG Self-styled ‘Iowa witch’ Kari Lake is hoping her MAGA mission from God will lead to D.C. (Oct. 3) Kari Lake is from Iowa?! Gross. —Elle MS Omg I can’t get away from her. She lost and threw a huge tantrum, and shortly after we moved to Iowa (unrelated reasons). AND NOW SHE’S HERE. —How N. Make no mistake, there are very few of the voters in Arizona that want any more to do with Kari Lake, unless it’s a mud match with Kirsten Sinema on her old TV station. —IO And now be gone, before someone drops a house on you. —Lizi M. Gross. She’s not welcome in my coven. —WY

Sponsored by Hills Bank For tickets or more information, visit our website, www.iowacitycommunitytheatre.com, or find us on Facebook. A Christmas Story is produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

LAUREN HALDEMAN

Fully Booked

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Little Village is a community supported monthly alternative magazine and digital media channel offering an independent perspective on Iowa news, culture and events. The magazine is widely available for free, with a distribution focus on the state’s cultural centers of Iowa City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ames, Cedar Falls/ Waterloo and the Quad Cities. Scan here to find which one of LV’s 800 distribution locations is nearest to you >>

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eens are notoriously difficult to buy for, and with the holiday season just around the corner, don’t overlook a book! There should be at least one title below that appeals to the young reader on your list. (Books recommended for ages 14+ unless indicated otherwise.) For the cold-blooded horror lover, give Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers. Part fantasy and part horror, these short stories are told through a Cherokee lens and follow an extended family tree over two centuries. There are classic hybrid horror elements and fascinating Cherokee symbols. For the sassy rom-com lover, get Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert. This may seem like a classic friend-to-enemyto-something-more love story, but it’s novel and fresh. Reading a Hibbert book is like having a cup of coffee with your bestie and she has authentically captured high-school England in a very real way. This is pithy, relatable, funny and even comes with a glossary of terms for “translatability” in the beginning. For time travel fiction fans, check out The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch. Trigger warning: this book tackles heavy subject matter including sexual assault, toxic masculinity and the tragic loss of a loved one. Rest assured, Finch handles them all with tact and grace. The characters are so believable and the prose is never preachy—Finch gives us space to do our own processing. For fairytale fans who love books in verse, try We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride, where folklore meets meditations on mental illness. The protagonist, Whimsy, is a character you root for. Trigger warning: this book addresses clinical depression and suicidal ideation. The text is sparse but so vivid and beautifully written. There is real darkness and honesty in this book, but there is light in the weight of her truth. Finally, for a reluctant reader age 13 or older, give the Sheets graphic novel series by Brenna Thummler. Sheets, Delicates and Lights are wonderful underdog tales and well-loved by middle-schoolers. You will fall in love with Wendell, the dead boy dressed in a sheet longing for a friend (and to be freshly pressed), and Marjorie, the girl trying to piece her life back together and find herself. This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, but you’ll be so glad you took the ride! —Victoria Hernandez

distribution location,

Annual Arts and Craft Bazaar, Iowa City Public Library,

contact:

The Book End’s Winter Book Sale, ICPL outside Meeting

distro@littlevillagemag.com

Sales from both events benefit the ICPL Friends Foundation

Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Free Room A, Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Free

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 15

“Dear Kiki, I just feel kind of weird and gross about it. Is this normal? What can I do?” Read the answer on pg. 75.

Submit. You’ll love it. Totally anonymous sex, love and relationship advice. littlevillagemag.com/dearkiki

I N T E R A C T I O N S

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The 148-year-old building that’s home to Pagliai’s Pizza is up for sale; Iowa City officials to consider granting it landmark status (Oct. 10)

I like that idea, but there might be beer caves under that lot. —EDJR

I hope the city council sees clear to grant it Local Landmark Status. It is a great building with an important history in the city. Don’t let it go… —Michael B.

With this, The Hamburg being mismanaged by a previous owner wrecking it, and the owner of the building Iowa River Power Company is in, shows how easy it is for owners to mess up a good thing. —Randy P.

I used to live in a studio above this. They better preserve it! —Maritza S. Is their parking lot across the street part of the sale? If so, keep the building and develop the parking lot. —BRH

No might. There are. —Duke

To me, a big part of Pagliai’s Pizza is the building, at least in my mind. It’s such a cool old building with that unique roof! Gives the place real character and it

S T R E S S F R A C T U R E S

JOHN MARTINEK

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/LittleVillage READER POLL: What’s your favorite way to deal with long, cold nights? TV, couch, blankie Food

67%

Dress warm, go outside

15%

Drug/alcohol-fueled stupor

11% *from 138 votes

would be such a shame to tear it down for something modern I think. —Fawnda Time for the City to step up and preserve our cultural heritage, particularly this building. —Kevin B. As I understand it (and things may have changed) but changing windows is a huge no-no for historic status. —Anne D.

P E R S O N A L S Have a soft spot for shy guys? Cobalt is one such husky mix. The ice-blue-eyed young buck wouldn't make eye contact or leave his kennel when he first arrived at the Iowa City Animal Center. After patient care in a foster home, Cobalt has wiggled out of his shell, making friends with people, dogs and cats alike. This 1-year-old is ready to hang. Are you? Inquire at 319-356-5295.

Send your personals for consideration to editor@littlevillagemag.com with subject line “Personals.” LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 17

I N T E R AC T I O N S That is a landmark, and worthy of preservation. —Jim K. Save it ! Never knock down old buildings unless they are about to collapse. —Jeff C. Back when the Pagliai’s building was originally an opera house, the laundromat next door was the carriage house for the patrons. —Thomas S. I know nothing will happen to the restaurant but if it closes you will have close to 9876543210 million customers coming to the restaurant in one day to save it and another 9876543211234567890 people that do not live in Iowa that will do the same thing. —Max S.S. Just because a building is old does not make it special. Pagliai’s I consider to be a landmark. It by all appearances has been a well maintained building by the Skarda family. When selling a building you do want to list all options.. Why don’t 50 or 100 of the people who want to “save” this property get together and make it your IRA investment?. You can charge a fair rent to future leaseholders and get a return on your investment and save the building to your satisfaction level. Oh and don’t forget that buildings that are that old may have asbestos problems and be required to have sprinkler updates if you start “restoring” it. —Joe M.

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Mercy Iowa City bought in bankruptcy auction by Texas-based finance company (Oct. 11) Hopefully they stay the same small town hospital! —Mary A.

LittleVillageMag.com I so much appreciated a real community hospital. It doesn’t give me major panic/ anxiety attacks and disabling vertigo. Felt more like “home”. —Amy J.F. I thought everyone wanted a non-UIHC option. Be careful what you wish for. —Crystal F. I really feel nervous about how this went and the future of all the hard working employees. Looking at Mercy’s tracking record, they have not been that stellar at making good decisions. The last two companies they signed with only drove the hospital further down the rabbit hole. Praying this will turn out well! —Cathy N. All I need to see is “Texas based” for me to worry about this. —Carol E. Good luck with this. The three issues I see are “Texas,” “Finance,” and “Company.” —Paul R. Mercy patients will be taken care of because the nurses care, but will Mercy nurses be taken care of? —Barb P. Now I really fear for my pension being paid! —Cathy N. UIHC is hiring come on over! —Afton A-B I believe it will continue to be Mercy and a not for profit hospital under this purchase if I read correctly and I am happy for that. It’s good to have a choice and I had read that UIHC was going to change it from a hospital to a mental health facility. I’m hopeful Mercy will live on with this acquisition. —Robin E.W.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 19

I N T E R AC T I O N S I almost died 3 yr ago and had been in many hospitals in my years. I was sent to mercy from Muscatine the first time I had been there. Was the best hospitals had ever been in. Doctors and Nurses was absolutely to have love and compassion for me. Hate to see this going on with this hospital. Absolutely sad what is going on. —Charlene S. How about a little perspective? Healthcare is a business, you can’t and won’t be able to change that. Iowa City is not that big of an area and not a major enough area to support how much health care is already here. Health care around here needs to get smarter. —Brian W. The healthcare here in Iowa City is serving the whole state plus. I work in a clinic. Not only do our patients come from all over Iowa, it’s common to get patients from IL, MO, and even NE. It’s not just local folks. —Stephenie L. The staff at Mercy, nurses, techs, and everyone else should NOT have to be facing this uncertainty, about their current jobs, pay, and retirement investments. The staff at Mercy has given my family excellent care for almost 40 years. The new owners of Mercy should realize that a large part of the reason people like my family have sought care there for so long is because of the staff. —Anne T.F.

WE DUG DEEP SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO. catchdesmoines.com/desbest

PHOTO GALLERY: Dozens attend demonstration on Cowles Commons in support of Palestinians suffering in Gaza: ‘End the occupation now!’ (Oct. 12) It takes incredible courage to stand against colonialism especially in light of

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LittleVillageMag.com present optics - we in America should know better than anyone the significance of defeating settler colonialism. Our country is what it looks like when settlers win: our Palestine has been almost entirely eradicated, sequestered onto the poorest, most dismal reservations, eternally incapable of fighting back. Anyone who maintains that “both sides are evil” and seeks peace at any cost must know that is what their peace will look like - eradication of the colonized people. —B.Y. Iowa Dept. of Education doesn’t know how much the new school choice program will cost this year, but it’ll exceed estimates by millions (Oct. 13) Here in CR the private school families put stickers in their window to proclaim their allegiance to the local Catholic school system. I guess that’s sorta “tax dollar oversight” since I can watch my tax dollars drive by? It’s really the only oversight we’re going to get, I guess. —I. Ducker Everything would be so much easier if they just stopped pretending they are providing any kind of public services. We should just stop all government programs but the military and police. Then we can simply make payments to each billionaire every month. Like a reverse universal income. Just hand the tax money from poor people directly to them and forget about services. —HV It’s fine, they’ll take it out of those secular prole schools. The kids who don’t have access to education anymore can work the packing plants. —Louie T.

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I N T E R AC T I O N S Always need more workers in the packing plants, there is high turnover due to frequent on-the-job injuries. Young Shane can’t keep up on the cutting line with only 1 hand… —Iowegan State rankings are out for the high school girls’ volleyball tournament. Shocking how many private Christian schools are atop those rankings. Private schools recruit the best athletes from public schools under “scholarship” when those kids’ families can not afford the tuition. The voucher program is a Republican, socialist, program for said purpose, among others. Welfare for the rich. —Jim FI They said they going to dip into the rainy day fund. Refuse to pay any $$$ to help people. But can easily spend for the rich. —Yng C. Meanwhile Governor Reynolds is taking a dip in her piles of cash she stole from COVID relief funds. —Kendal L.

September 15 – December 10

STEPHEN APPLEBY-BARR CORRESPONDENCE

Above: Stephen Appleby-Barr, Nimco, The Dissertation, 2022. Oil on linen, 36 x 30 in. Grinnell College Museum of Art Collection (2022.060)

Also on view

OLD FRIENDS AND PSYCHOPOMPS

FOR UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS VISIT GRINNELL.EDU/MUSEUM

Letter to the editor: I’m a Kari Lake fan, and leftists like you are ruining our country (Oct. 16) Well bless her little red heart! May she be measured by the company she keeps. —Barb A. Oh good she’s praying for you. I was worried she’d not add that cliche. —Matt M. Wow. I don’t know that I would have gone that public with my support of well documented conspiracy theorists considering she owns a local business. I guess it goes to show the sheer narcissism and lunacy of these people…. —Genny F.

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ORCHESTRA IOWA MASTERWORKS III

Film

Sounds of the Flower Moon From Cannes to Des Moines, violinist Geneviève Gros-Louis is making sure Killers of the Flower Moon audiences hear the Osage story. BY BENJAMIN MCELROY

Mountain Air

featuring

M I KO KOM I N A M I

PIANO

NOVEMBER 18, 2023 Paramount Theatre

NOVEMBER 19, 2023 Coralville Center for the Performing Arts

ORCHESTRAIOWA.ORG

• 319.366.8203

he occasion, as stated on the Varsity Cinema marquee, was the Des Moines premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon, another hefty, late-period offering from Martin Scorsese. Yet the night, and each of the 235 seats in the sold-out theater, belonged to Geneviève Gros-Louis, a Huron-Wendat Nation composer who played violin in the Des Moines Symphony for more than a decade under the last name Salamone. On Oct. 20, Gros-Louis stood before the still-blank screen at 7 p.m., her NS Design CR5 electric violin in hand. The solid-body violin (with a “flame maple face” that could be seen at a distance) was the same instrument she recently used to score season three of National Geographic’s Life Below Zero: First Alaskans. Her role in a parallel telling of the Reign of Terror—which is what the Osage people call the tragic period of the 1920s in which Scorese’s film is set—started with an Instagram DM from Dante Biss-Grayson, a multi-hyphenate from the Osage Nation known for his fashion brand Sky-Eagle Collection. Of the at least 60 Osage people who were murdered or went missing during the Reign of Terror, Biss-Grayson’s great-great-grandfather Henry Roan was one of the relatively few depicted in Killers of the Flower Moon. When Biss-Grayson arrived on the set of the $200 million motion-picture recreation of the Reign of Terror, it brought to mind a poem he had written a couple years before production began. He sent a spoken-word performance of the poem to Gros-Louis who, over the course of three months, composed music set to the poem that would become their collaborative EP, Flower Moon: Honoring the Osage. For the violin parts alone, Gros-Louis ended up scoring and sampling herself 200 times. “The reason why I wanted to do that was because I wanted to have the strength of a village,” Gros-Louis said in an interview before the event. “I wanted to feel the weight of this story.” She also sampled Biss-Grayson’s Osage regalia bells, traditionally worn during ceremonies, to create the percussion library for the EP. (You can hear another member of the Des Moines Symphony on the record, Jesse Nummelin, who laid all the cello parts.) Gros-Louis shared this background with the audience at the Varsity, same as she did at the Cannes Film Festival in May and the Santa Fe Indian Market in August. Her compositions, cinematic in style and ambition, simply make sense in a theater setting. After she performed on Oct. 20, Biss-Grayson’s voice addressed the Des Moines crowd through the monitors. “The greed is in the air,” he said, setting the stage for the film and punctuating the musical performance that preceded it. “This is how an Osage member actually sees it, through my lens, then you’re seeing it through the lens of Martin Scorsese as well,” Biss-Grayson said of Flower Moon: Honoring the Osage.

Cont. >> on pg. 76 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 23

I N T E R AC T I O N S Nobody reads it she said, having read it. —Ofer S. Iowa City Community School District releases list of 68 books it’s removed (so far) to comply with the new state law (Oct. 17) Why does our Republican government in Iowa continue to take away our rights? The system was fine before. If a parent had a problem with a reading assignment in school, the teacher would simply pick another book for that student. What’s the issue that these Republican politicians believe they have the right to force their personal beliefs on all of us? This is a free country and we ALL should have the right to decide what we, and our children read. —Bill R. Mercy Iowa City sale stalls as Mercy and the Texas-based auction winner disagree over terms (Oct. 20) Mercy will fight tooth and nail to keep that foundation money out of the deal, believe that! Mercy employees are being paid, and still providing excellent care to patients. I’m so sad to see things turn this way! —Alicia W. Mercy turned down a 605 million dollar offer from UI Healthcare in 2022. —Todd V.

HAVE AN OPINION? Better write about it! Send letters to: Editor@LittleVillageMag.com 24 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

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NONPROFIT

n April, John Pappajohn passed away at the age of 94. The enterprising businessman, who emigrated with his family from Greece when he was 9 months old, grew up in Mason City and settled in Des Moines, but made his mark across the state of Iowa. In a remembrance of him, the University of Iowa Center for Advancement quoted an interview in Forbes from the 1990s, when Pappajohn told the magazine that his goal was to be “the greatest philanthropist in the history of Iowa.” Little Village can’t aspire to that just yet. But together, we can make meaningful change for our local nonprofits, as well as lifting up the entrepreneurial small business community that Pappajohn championed, which keeps our state economy strong and forward-thinking. In that spirit, LV once again brings you the Give Guide: our yearly advertorial round-up of passionate, community-minded organizations worthy of your attention.

Bur Oak Land Trust

conduct thousands of hours of fieldwork each year), the org works to permanently protect and restore natural areas like prairies, woodlands and water corridors. Free events and programs like preserve tours, Crayfish Crawl and more help local residents foster a deeper connection to nature. March 28, 2024 will mark Bur Oak’s 39th Prairie Preview, a free summit that brings more than 30 organizations and the community

together for a greener Iowa. Volunteers can plug in by assisting with events like seed harvests and bioblitz surveys. This spring, Bur Oak will hold three bioblitz days on May 25, June 15 and Aug. 3 — perfect engagement opportunities for lovers of community science projects!

CommUnity Crisis Services builtbycommunity.org Iowa City, est. 1969

Bur Oak Land Trust

Over the past fiscal year, CommUnity served over 90,000 Johnson County residents in crisis across the org’s three key support areas. The CommUnity food bank offers both walk-through shopping and home delivery services. Financial support is available for education and work enabling items, housing and utilities assistance, vouchers for clothing, temporary mailing

buroaklandtrust.org Iowa City, est. 1978

Conservation nonprofit Bur Oak Land Trust serves as eastern Iowa’s stalwart champion for biodiversity. Through the efforts of five full-time staff and about 10 members of AmeriCorp (who 26 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

These are not editorial picks. Placement in our Give Guide is paid for by our trusted partners, many of whom you also see in our pages as year-round advertisers. We keep the barrier to entry low, as our way of helping to expand the reach of these invaluable assets to our community. Stand-alone rates for the 2023 Give Guide were $475 for nonprofits and $275 per item for retailers. (Email ads@littlevillagemag.com to be included in next year’s Guide at these rates.) We're not picking our personal favorites or judging which are best. We just want to provide a platform to connect our

CommUnity Crisis Services

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readers and these community resources in a more intentional way. The Give Guide aims to inspire you to direct your yearend giving and spending right back into the work happening around you. Our priority continues to be strengthening our Iowa community. Visit littlevillagemag. com/give any time of the year to access the nonprofit and retail partners for the most recent Give Guide.

addresses, transportation assistance and more. And their crisis helplines offer nonjudgmental emotional support, via phone or text at 988 or over chat at 988lifeline.org/chat. They also offer a Mobile Crisis Response, which dispatches to homes, schools, emergency rooms or public places where a mental health crisis is occurring (call 1-855-581-8111 and ask for Mobile Crisis). In 2024, CommUnity, in partnership with United Action for Youth, will offer a new youth crisis

illage tle V / Lit in a p DeS Julia

stabilization program: a therapeutic place for youth to stabilize for up to 10 days or an extended 21 day stay for unhoused, trafficked or runaway youth.

Coralville Community Food Pantry coralvillefoodpantry.org Coralville, 2009

Anti-hunger nonprofit Coralville Community Food Pantry provides emergency food assistance to individuals and families in Coralville and Tiffin five days a week, offering both in-person shopping and home delivery services. In addition to fresh and non-perishable staples, they stock non-food items including diapers, menstrual products, condoms, soap, shampoo, toilet paper and pet food. Last fiscal year, CCFP provided Coralville Community Food Pantry

$1.2 million worth of food to more than 4,000 community members. Volunteer drivers are always needed for the home delivery program, which averages over 100 drop-offs per week. (Contact Loyal Ulm at delivery@coralvillefoodpantry.org to express interest.) The CCFP vision is to build a stronger, healthier and hunger-free Coralville community. As living costs continue to rise in Iowa, the org is dedicated to joining forces with advocates from across the state to push for policies addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty.

Make a contribution to your favorite nonprofit at littlevillagemag.com/give For more information about our Give Guide program, contact ads@littlevillagemag.com LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 27

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Domestic Violence Intervention Program

to courses on funeral pre-planning and long-term care. The org’s main goal is to raise funds to support the ICSC’s mission to enhance quality of life by creating opportunities to support wellness, social connections, community engagement and lifelong learning for a diverse and growing older adult population. In the past fiscal year, the org has served 5,000 seniors. Next year, the Friends of the Iowa City Senior Center looks forward to work happening on the historic preservation of their building. On the National Register of Historic Places, the structure was built in 1904 as Iowa City’s post office.

The Domestic Violence Intervention Program provides support for victims of intimate partner violence and their loved ones across much of southeast Iowa, in Johnson, Iowa, Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Lee, Van Buren and Washington counties. Services are available to any person affected by domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and human trafficking. DVIP’s staff and volunteers engaged nearly 2,500 people last fiscal year, and the org generates an economic impact on the community of around $2 million. The current Finding Shelter, Building Hope campaign is raising funds for a new emergency shelter that will double the capacity of the current building (built in 1993). That current shelter is at capacity 365 days each year and has been every day since the organization began. The new building will feature private suites for families, communal spaces and a variety of resources to meet the needs of victim-survivors and their children.

Indian Creek Nature Center

dvipiowa.org Iowa City and Burlington, est. 1980

Friends of the Iowa City Senior Center icseniorcenterfriends.org Iowa City, est. 2003

A fitness center. Free and Simple food pantry. SHIIP Medicare. These are just some of the ways the Friends of the Iowa City Senior Center supports the region’s over-50 population through the ICSC, and that’s before you even get to the classes and programming! This month alone, they have numerous opportunities, from twice monthly Queer Elders meetings and language classes 28 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Indian Creek Nature Center indiancreeknaturecenter.org 1973, Cedar Rapids

Indian Creek Nature Center celebrated 50 years last month, but the org has always had its eyes fixed firmly on the future — a more sustainable future. ICNC works towards that vision by nurturing individuals through environmental education, providing leadership in land protection and restoration and encouraging responsible interactions with nature. Between 50,000 and 70,000 people were reached through ICNC’s children’s educational program, exhibits and event rentals in its beautiful facility and other initiatives. ICNC’s estimated annual economic impact is nearly $5 million. In 2024, Indian Creek Nature Center will focus on increasing

The Iowa Children's Museum

access to nature by improving the trail system and providing new resources that will bring nature within reach of every body.

The Iowa Children’s Museum theicm.org Coralville, est. 1995

The Iowa Children’s Museum celebrates the kickoff to its 25th year at Coral Ridge Mall on Thursday, Nov. 16. That Saturday will see the grand reopening of the Take Flight exhibit, with new flight simulators and an aviation career corner. That sounds like a busy month, but, much like the young children the museum nurtures, the ICM is seemingly indefatigable when it comes to play. The ICM endeavors to spark children’s curiosity and creativity through interactive exhibits and programs and create kid-powered play spaces that encourage families to have fun together. The museum’s 18 exhibits are designed to provide open-ended, self-directed experiences, giving kids the freedom to explore their interests, solve problems and build important life skills such as confidence, critical thinking and communication. A variety of educational programs and events are also available throughout the year, including the family workshops that will be offered during winter break. They served 160,000 patrons last fiscal year, reminding families of the Power of Play.

Iowa City Community Theatre

iowacitycommunitytheatre.org Iowa City, est. 1956

Non-professional youth and adults with a love of live theater can find a

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home at Iowa City Community Theatre, a nonprofit community org staffed entirely by volunteers, dedicated to promoting theater arts in the Iowa City area. Productions draw performers and audiences not just from Iowa City, but from Johnson County and up the I-380 corridor and from surrounding areas as far as the Quad Cities. ICCT strives to provide an open avenue for individual creative expression through participation in all aspects of producing high quality amateur theatrical productions. Additionally, ICCT is committed to increasing community interest in the performing arts, providing educational and recreational opportunities and creating an organizational environment which encourages the participation of community members from all age groups and interest levels. ICCT reached about 3,000 theater lovers over the past fiscal year, and generated approximately $65,000 in economic impact on the local community. Their next production will be A Christmas Story, opening Dec. 1.

Iowa City Free Lunch Program iowacityfreelunch.org Iowa City, est. 1983

An open door, a full plate, no questions asked. Operating on that philosophy, the Iowa City Free Lunch Program served 39,438 meals in fiscal year 2023. Using the numbers of national

average meal costs, that saved FLP guests an estimated $119, 102.76. The org’s three part-time employees, along with a cadre of volunteers, provide free midday meals to everyone who comes into the FLP dining room every Monday through Saturday, noon to 1 p.m. Aspiring volunteers can email icfreelunchvolunteers@gmail.com or find a SignUp Genius at iowacityfreelunch.org/ support. FLP is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary of serving free, nutritious meals to the community.

Iowa Nonprofit Alliance

success and to be instruments of change in struggling neighborhoods. The org operates pay-it-forward eatery Groundswell Cafe; a corner store, urban farm, market and youth development program all under the Cultivate Hope name; summer food camps at the urban farm; a school garden network, in partnership with the Cedar Rapids Community School District; and Transform Week, when volunteers are paired with homeowners to take on maintenance and repair projects the homeowners can’t to do on their own. Matthew 25 also owns and manages 20 rental homes, all of which have been refurbished before making them available for rent at an affordable rate, and a tool library of supplies available to community members and organizations for maintenance and improvement.

iowanonprofitalliance.org Statewide, est. 2022

The newest organization on this list is actually in service to them all! Iowa Nonprofit Alliance makes it possible for nonprofits to achieve more. It offers Iowa nonprofits high-quality and affordable resources, educational opportunities, an organized network of nonprofit professionals and volunteers and a unified voice on issues impacting nonprofit organizations. INA engaged over 1,500 Iowans last fiscal year, all witn no full-time paid staff, only contractors, and with no physical office presence. The best way for volunteers to plug in is to serve on the Board of Directors or on a committee. The INA conference, Reunited and It Feels So Good! A Summit for Iowa's Nonprofits, is coming up this month in Ankeny, Nov. 13-14.

Matthew 25 matthew-25.org Cedar Rapids, est. 2007

Matthew 25’s programs focus on neighborhood revitalization through the pillars of food, housing, education and community building, giving people the tools they need to work towards

Public Space One publicspaceone.com Iowa City, est. 2002

Public Space One is an artist-led, community-driven contemporary art center that works to support artists, create and maintain creative community spaces and create arts opportunities for any and everyone. PS1 produces exhibitions, performances, workshops, artist residencies and projects, along with two festivals, and provides community-access spaces for studio work, public presentation and gatherings. This past fiscal year, around 5,000 “artists, art-lovers and the LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 29

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NONPROFIT & RETAIL

expanding the types of stories told — and who gets to tell them. The theater engaged 10,000 patrons over the last fiscal year, and generated an economic impact for the community of over $1 million. For those looking to get involved, volunteer ushers are always valued and welcomed. Riverside’s next production is the American premiere of Brontë: The World Without, by Jordi Mand, opening Nov. 30. Published in 2020 by Playwrights Canada Press, it explores five days over a three-year span in the lives of the Brontë sisters, at a time when they were both writing their most enduring works and grappling with their father’s illness.

Riverside Theatre

art-curious” from Iowa City and beyond passed through one of PS1’s three sets of welcoming doors. The org operates PS1 Close, which houses the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, the Media Arts Co-op and various community organizations; 225 North Gilbert, home to the Iowa City Press Co-op; and a gallery space at 229 North Gilbert. This December brings an entirely new version of last year’s popular inaugural Surreal House immersive installation. PS1 is also opening a DIY publishing studio at the ICPC.

(either on an acute or a chronic basis), through a 70-bed emergency shelter, an additional 45bed winter overnight shelter from December through March, two apartment buildings with 60 permanent supportive housing apartment units, four houses located within the community, a rapid rehousing program, eviction prevention and diversion programs, street outreach that brings services directly to individuals who are sleeping outside, and myriad other supports and services. Nearly 25,000 nights of shelter were provided last year to a population that was 16 percent children. Ten percent of the adults served were veterans; 57 percent of shelter guests self-report one or more disabling conditions; and 31 percent of the women served reported a history of domestic violence (with 11 percent actively fleeing domestic violence). Through shelter and housing, advocacy and supportive services, the mission of Shelter House is to prevent and end homelessness in the local community.

Stanley Museum of Art

Riverside Theatre

stanleymuseum.uiowa.edu Iowa City, est. 1969

Shelter Riverside Theatre serves patrons of all ages, rac- House riversidetheatre.org Iowa City, est. 1982

es, creeds, genders and abilities. “A great city deserves serious theater,” its mission statement reads, and Riverside aims to make great stories accessible for all. The theater is committed to

shelterhouseiowa.org Iowa City, est. 1983

Shelter House serves individuals and families experiencing, at risk of or exiting homelessness

Prairie Kitchen Store 160 N. Linn Street, Iowa City Est. 2020 Do you ship: No Website: prairiekitchenstore.com Item: The Oliva Elite knife collection from Messermeister 30 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art houses one of the most important university-owned art collections in the U.S. The museum’s collection of nearly 18,000 objects includes a renowned collection of African art as well as Abstract Expressionism, works on paper, textiles and ceramics and paintings by modern masters.

Price range (subject to change): $89-189 Our favorite German steel knives with olive wood handles, this collection does not disappoint! Elevate your kitchen prep and experience, with one or more of these exquisite knives made from the best quality steel in Solingen, Germany. The Oliva Elite full collection includes: 8" Chef, 7" Santoku, 6" Chef, 6" Utility, 6.5" Nakiri, 5" Cheese/ Tomato, 3.5" Spear point paring, 8" Off-set bread, 9" Scalloped bread. Stop by the Prairie Kitchen Store and let us help you select a knife, or put together a custom set, for the perfect gift!

Cedar Ridge 1441 Marak Rd, Swisher Est. 2005 Do you ship: In select markets (shipping not available in AK, AL, HI, ID, MA, MI, MS, OK, PA, UT) Website: CedarRidgeDistillery.com

LITTLE VILLAGE GIVE GUIDE 2023

Varsity Cinema

Table to Table

Stanley Museum of Art

Established in 1969 as the University of Iowa Museum of Art, the museum opened its new doors as the Stanley in August, 2022 and has welcomed more than 65,000 visitors since. The Stanley works to remain an inclusive and welcoming resource for transformational art experiences. In May, 2024, the Stanley will open “To my Friends at Horn: Keith Haring and Iowa City,” an exhibition celebrating Keith Haring’s visits to Iowa City in 1984 and 1989, when he completed a mural at Horn Elementary School.

its fleet of seven cargo vans and one straight truck to pick up food from donors (including grocery stores, warehouses, farms and processors) and deliver it immediately to local agencies. Most food makes it to local homes within six hours of T2T’s daily deliveries. As of this year, T2T has rescued more than 30 million pounds of food. From its central office in Iowa City’s South District neighborhood, T2T served over 25,000 people in need through partnerships with 46 local social service organizations over the past fiscal year.

Table to Table

Varsity Cinema/ Des Moines Film

table2table.org Iowa City, est. 1996

Table to Table bridges the gap between abundance and hunger by redistributing surplus food that would otherwise go uneaten, reaching people through partnerships to create a more just and less wasteful food system. The food rescue org operates on a route-based model, leveraging

face-to-face. Varsity Cinema also acts as an inclusive space that sparks discussion and meaningful dialogue — where the broader community can experience new, sometimes challenging, ideas on screen. The org engaged 45,000 patrons last fiscal year, and it looks forward to expanding programming in 2024 with more special guests and events, as well as added film education programming and more.

varsitydesmoines.com Des Moines, est. 2015

Make a contribution to your favorite nonprofit at littlevillagemag.com/give

The Varsity is Des Moines nonprofit, community-focused, art house cinema. It provides a home for the Des Moines film community — both film lovers and aspiring filmmakers — to connect

For more information about our Give Guide program, contact ads@littlevillagemag.com

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Mainframe Studios 900 Keosauqua Wy, Des Moines Est. 2005 Do you ship: check with individual studios Website: mainframestudios.org Find artist information at mainframestudios.org/artists Stop by Mainframe’s holiday

shopping events to support local artists, discover unusual treasures and soak up the creative atmosphere! Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25, 1 p.m.; Last Call, Dec. 16, 1 p.m. Item: Houseplant Dangles Studio: Clay and Slay (#347)

Price: $25 Adorable handmade clay houseplant earrings Item: Earrings Sankofa & Mosaic Agate Studio: Piedras Haseya LLC (#406) Price: $16

Lovely mosaic agate earrings made by hand Item: The Essential Budget Planner Studio: Lunita Planners (#336) Price: $20 Cutest budget planner to organize your finances!

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Community

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The Right to Read Hate fomented by a few extremist groups has an outsized impact on our nation. Just look at book bans. BY JOHN BUSBEE

“Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you’re going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don’t be afraid to go in your library and read every book ...” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower

n its current, divisive state, Americans are doing a lot of talking at one another and very little listening on issues that need attention. One fundamental freedom is our freedom of speech, including access to books. This right is now being eroded, especially on the community level. Banning, as a concept, has a poor historical track record. Banning the human rights of enslaved people, banning the rights of women to vote, banning access to alcohol in the early 20th century. Now this cyclical trend rears its head again in modernity, banning local, public access to information. The book banning battle is consuming a great deal of oxygen, as both sides express moral disgust with the other. But the paradox of small-government advocates pushing for laws that limit First Amendment rights in schools demonstrates how disingenous the conservative notion of free speech can be. It is up to parents and guardians to filter content for those whose lives they are responsible for, and it is not up to self-proclaimed gatekeepers of morality to determine what others can and cannot read. Efforts to restrict books are among the flagship causes of the rightwing organizations Moms for Liberty, No Left Turn in Education and MassResistance—founded in 2021, 2021 and 1995 respectively—which then filter down to local Facebook groups, where the conflation of LGBTQ+ books with “pornography” and nonwhite stories with “wokeness” feeds the hysteria. “These groups probably do not necessarily represent a range of beliefs from our democracy,” said Jonathan Friedman, the director of free expression and education programs at PEN America and author of a report on the issue. “So, they’re having an outsized impact in a lot of places on what it is that everybody gets to read. And that, I think, is what’s most concerning.” PEN America estimated that at least 40 percent

32 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

of the bans are linked to political pressure exerted by state officials or elected lawmakers. PEN America, Annie’s Foundation and the American Library Association are leaders in protecting America’s freedom of speech rights. Libraries, especially on the local level, are being impacted, with boards often becoming

A 1741 woodcut illustrates the examination and burning of Don Quixote’s library. Public Domain

The media has evolved into presenting flashpoint news, favoring events that will yield clicks and capture viewers’ attention. Does this headline-grabbing strategy allow the deep pockets

Libraries, especially on the local level, are being impacted, with boards often becoming weighted with members that place political, prohibitive agendas above community needs. This has resulted in severe consequences for the libraries, including restricting funding, firing directors and staff who won’t comply with controversial mandates and, of course, banning books. weighted with members that place political, prohibitive agendas above community needs. This has resulted in severe consequences for the libraries, including restricting funding, firing directors and staff who won’t comply with controversial mandates and, of course, banning books. “What we started to see was a picture of not just book banning, but a movement behind it,” Friedman said. “In a huge number of cases, these were not individuals who were responding to just a book their own child brought home, but they were people who had lists of books they had gotten online.”

funding extreme right groups to focus on more self-serving issues? Perpetuating media frenzies such as book banning often hide actions these power brokers would rather the public not notice. It’s Stage Magician 101. Perhaps we’ll read about the consequences someday, but I’d rather be part of the writing and editing process. To do that, I need complete access to whatever I want to read to form my opinions. I want my future American culture to be as diverse, gritty, bold, accepting and empathetic as it possibly can. To do so, I need my First Amendment rights.

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Little Boxes, None the Same An interview with Margret Aldrich, the Iowa native tasked with spreading the Little Free Library gospel. BY LILY WASSERMAN

34 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Forest Ave, Des Moines Annick Sjobakken / Little Village

LittleVillageMag.com

argret Aldrich’s childhood was spent on a farm west of Ames reading books, often to her dog. “I lived in a very rural community, but my dad always took time to take me to our small-town public library once a week so I could stock up on books,” Aldrich recalled. As an adult, she works for thousands of libraries at once—libraries that don’t require cards, catalogs or even a building. Aldrich is the director of communications and media relations for Little Free Library (LFL), a nonprofit network of volunteers based out of Minnesota’s Twin Cities that encourages reading fans around the world to use, stock or build their own book-exchange boxes. Before she joined the staff at LFL, Aldrich wrote the book on it—literally. In 2014, as the world speculated whether e-readers would make print books obsolete, she penned an article for the Atlantic headlined “The Low-Tech Appeal of Little Free Libraries” while working as a freelance journalist. Shortly after, the nonprofit Minneapolis publisher Coffee House Press approached her with the idea of expanding the article into a book. “I was thrilled to be able to learn more about

Juli aD eSp ain

builder Rick Brooks in 2010, and it became a registered 501(c)(3) in 2012. In her experiences with LFL, Aldrich has seen boxes designed in all sorts of ways. The standouts were a rocket ship, a cow, a Victorian mansion and a giant sunflower. “People who build their own Little Free Libraries and then register them with the organization get completely creative,” she said. Eschewing the avant garde, as many LFL stewards do, Aldrich made her own box using a kit supplied by the nonprofit. She installed it in her neighborhood and immediately saw the impact. “When we put up our Little Free Library, within five minutes, we had people walking down the street, crossing the street to come and see what it was,” she said. “I met neighbors who I’d never talked to before.” In 2020, LFL had more than 100,000 sites registered around the world. These boxes took on new importance during the COVID-19 pandemic while schools and public libraries were closed. “Folks were feeling isolated and a Little Free Library was a way to feel connected again with your community,” Aldrich said. At the same time, a rightwing movement to

“I think that everyone should be able to make their own decisions about the books they read. I don’t think that it’s OK for a single person or a single entity to make that decision for everyone. I want to keep the freedom to read alive and well.” ––Margret Aldrich

it and to speak with Little Free Library stewards all over the world,” Aldrich said, recalling an interview with a young man in South Korea who, after Googling the word “library,” fell down a research rabbit hole and discovered LFL and its “treasure map” of locations. After realizing there were no Little Free Libraries in South Korea, he built his own and became a steward himself. The Little Free Library Book came out in 2015, featuring stories from LFL’s volunteer stewards around the world. The next year, Aldrich joined the organization herself. The original Little Free Library was a mini model of a one-room schoolhouse built in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin in honor of his mother, a teacher. He posted it in his neighborhood for anyone to take a book or share a book—a policy that inspired LFL’s slogan. Bol co-founded the organization with community

ban books—in particular books about Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ and other minority experiences—began to take hold across the U.S., including states like Florida, Texas and Iowa. LFL took notice. “When we’re not able to read a wide variety of perspectives and experiences it really makes our world smaller and makes our world less understanding and less inclusive,” Aldrich said. “... We helped expand access to banned books, especially in states where it’s becoming more and more of an issue.” For the past two years, LFL has been a part of the coalition that presents Banned Books Week every fall, partnering with HarperCollins for a Morningside Dr, Iowa City Sid Peterson; Peridot Dr, Marion Jordan Sellergren; 1st Ave NE, Waverly Emma McClatchey LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 35

Community

North 1st Ave, Winterset, NW 73rd St, Johnston Annick Sjobakken / Little Village

Support your local banned book library. Stewards of these LFLs have promised to stock banned and challenged titles. E. June Solt-Wishman

LFL was created by Jake

reads her obituary in the

Free Banned Book Library

Sahr and Pascha Morgan,

Des Moines Register. “We

302 Morningside Dr,

co-founders of the local

encourage you to read

Iowa City

Out of the Box Initiative,

a banned book, or buy

“My Grandma June had

which seeks to improve

one for a friend, in her

been a librarian in Iowa

educational outcomes

memory.”

for 25+ years. So, it makes

among minority students.

sense to name it after her,”

It was named for Harriet

NOT PICTURED

wrote Mitchell Lingo, who

Curley, the first Black

Charlie & Tucker’s Library 713 Kimball Ave, Iowa City

built this LFL with his wife

teacher in the Des

Ellie, in a June tweet. “The

Moines Public School

book ban law would have

District, and stocked with

Little Free Library

her rolling over in her grave.

books by people of color.

2310 Poplar St, Coralville

Living next to Iowa City

Note: Hours are limited.

High School, we decided to

For more info, email

Little Free Library

doubly honor Grandma by

theoutoftheboxinitiative@

401 Hansel St, Manchester

making this a ‘free banned

gmail.com. Little Free Library

book’ library for local students to have access to

We Stand with the Banned

banned books of the past,

615 N 1st Ave, Winterset Jeremy’s Comic and

present, and future.” “Read Banned Books”

Banned Book Library

Gemstone’s Little Library

9083 NW 73rd St,

4213 87th St, Urbandale

3964 Peridot Dr, Marion

Johnston This LFL was built by

The Sweetest Little Library

Little Free Library

loved ones of Stephanie

3613 6th Ave, Des Moines,

417 1st Ave NE, Waverly

Bakalar, who died on

bfrostshank@gmail.com

Feb. 14, 2022. “Her last

36 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

806 S 2nd St, Fairfield

Harriet Curley Library

Facebook profile picture

Forest Ave & 13th St,

was a list of books that

Des Moines

have been banned in

This super-sized, walk-in

public libraries or schools,”

Map of LFLs around the world

LittleVillageMag.com

book giveaway and Penguin Random House on redecorated ice cream trucks that would travel through the American South giving away banned and challenged books. The spirit of free access and education behind Banned Books Week fuels public libraries year round, as well as LFL. Because those water-tight book boxes are “open” 24/7, anyone can visit at any time, including night shift workers, students or people who don’t live near a library or bookstore. “I think that everyone should be able to make their own decisions about the books they read,” Aldrich said. Parents and guardians should guide children towards age-appropriate material, but, “I don’t think that it’s OK for a single person or a single entity to make that decision for everyone,” she continued. “I want to keep the freedom to read alive and well.” Nearly a quarter of Americans do not regularly read, according to the Pew Research Center, and due to a range of systematic issues, rates of literacy are disproportionately lower among low-income and minority communities. LFL has three initiatives to promote reading in a more equitable way: the Impact Library Program, providing no-cost LFLs to communities where books are scarce; the Indigenous Library Program, working to place LFLs on tribal lands, where childhood reading rates are lowest; and Read in Color, an effort to promote diverse books, and a pledge stewards can take to keep their boxes stocked with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ stories. A steward may also pledge to welcome banned and challenged book titles in their box. Roughly a thousand stewards have registered their LFLs as banned-book-friendly so far, including 12 in Iowa. In March, an LFL dedicated to banned books was placed inside the Minnesota State Capitol. “This Little Free Library is one way we’re doing our part to ensure books remain accessible to teach, tell our story, and inspire the next generation of readers in Minnesota,” Gov. Tim Walz said at the unveiling ceremony. For resources on banned books, Aldrich recommended the Banned Books Week website and the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. To see a map of Little Free Libraries around the world, you can download LFL’s free app or visit littlefreelibrary.org/map. “I hope that people will read a book that expands the world for them,” Aldrich said, “that helps them understand the different perspectives around them, and ultimately brings us all a little bit closer.”

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ICFILMSCENE.ORG/TEN Julia DeSpain / Little Village

Community

LittleVillageMag.com pain DeS Julia

Why is Iowa Banning Books? A brief guide to SF 496 and its impact (so far). BY PAUL BRENNAN

AND EMMA MCCLATCHEY

ov. Kim Reynolds signed SF 496 into law in May, after it was pushed through the Iowa Legislature with only Republican votes. Among the bill’s provisions is a requirement that school districts remove all books with “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act” except for approved science or health class texts. It also prohibits “any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion or instruction” referencing sexual identity or gender orientation in primary schools. It was obvious in discussions of SF 496 during this year’s legislative session that the bill was aimed at banning LGBTQ books, but it was crafted in a broader way to avoid legal challenges. Although Republicans settled on a very large scope for their ban, they did include an exemption to make sure the Bible and other religious texts would not be removed from schools for any references to sex. During the State Board of Education’s meeting in August, Board President John Robbins said “there’s a lot of confusion” about what those bans cover, and which books need to be removed from school. There’s only one more scheduled meeting of the board this year. The agenda for that Nov. 15 meeting has not yet been published, so it’s not clear if the board will address SF 496. The Iowa Department of Education hasn’t helped resolve the confusion. It has not issued any guidance for districts as to what books are to be removed. The uncertainty has forced local school officials to be extremely cautious, resulting in wide-ranging bans. The department has until the end of December to begin the rule-making process to create regulations for administering SF 496, which means that long process may not begin until just days before SF 496 begins to be enforced at the start of the new year. As this issue of Little Village went to print at the end of October, over 1,000 books had been 38 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

INDEPENDENT removed from classrooms and libraries because of the new law, according to data collected by the Des Moines Register. That total is far from complete. Only 39 of Iowa’s 326 school districts have so far responded to the paper’s open records requests about removed books. Districts have until Jan. 1 to finalize their lists, before teachers or administrators face possible penalties for violating SF 496. As predicted, many of the titles commonly flagged are by, or depict, LGBTQ+ people. None are pornographic by any commonly held or reasonable definition. In late July, Annie’s Foundation published the list of books flagged for removal by the Urbandale Community School District. The Johnston-based nonprofit, formed last year to oppose book bans, obtained the list through an open records request. It was the first such list to be published, and the stunning total of 374 titles on it made national headlines. Urbandale subsequently reduced the list to 64. In August, Mason City’s school district invited comparisons to sci-fi dystopias when it employed ChatGPT to help identify unlawful library content. “It is simply not feasible to read every book and filter for these new requirements,” the district’s assistant superintendent Bridgette Exman said in a statement defending the use of AI.

It was obvious in discussions of SF 496 during this year’s legislative session that the bill was aimed at banning LGBTQ books, but it was crafted in a broader way to avoid legal challenges. Iowa City’s school district shared a list of 68 books they’d had pulled from shelves last month, among them A Thousand Acres by University of Iowa graduate Jane Smiley. Some districts, including Urbandale, are going so far as to post disclaimers on Little Free Libraries located on campus, clarifying the boxes are “not funded, sponsored, endorsed or maintained” by the administration or school board. Despite the fact 527 different titles have been culled—a number that’s likely to inflate, since only 12 percent of districts had reported their removal lists as of print time—Gov. Reynolds insists there is no book ban in Iowa. She boasted about the impact of SF 496 at her largest annual fundraiser on Oct. 14, claiming “we got porn out of the classroom and the libraries.”

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The 527 books banned in Iowa schools (so far)

As of Oct. 26, 39 of Iowa’s 326 school districts—or about 12 percent—had responded to the Des Moines Register’s request to share a list of books they’ve removed from classrooms and school libraries in response to SF 496. Some districts flagged just a few titles, while others (including Winterset, Norwalk and Iowa City) have listed dozens; and then there’s the Nevada Community School District, which has targeted a whopping 239. In total, districts so far have pulled more than 1,000 books and 527 different titles from Iowa schools. #famous by Jilly Gagnon 101 Questions about Sex and Sexuality by Faith Brynie 1984 by George Orwell The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie The Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Across the Universe by Beth Revis Adjustment Day by Chuck Palahniuk Afterworlds by Scott Westerfield All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover Almost Flying by Jake Maria Arlow Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Sndowsky Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Sndowsky And Tango Makes Three by John Richardson and Peter Parnell

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison Animal Farm by George Orwell Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Announcing Trouble by Amy Fellner Dominy Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell Archenemy by Paul Hobin Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Asking For It by Louis O’Neill Assassination Classroom 1-5 by Yusei Matsui Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher Away We Go by Emil Ostrovski Beach Read by Emily Henry Beauty and the Besharam by Lillie Vale Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings Being You by [Unknown] Beloved by Toni Morrison Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown Black Witch by Laurie Forest Blankets by Craig Thompson Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Book Lovers by Emily Henry Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan Boy Toy by Barry Lyga Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall Boys I Know by Anna Gracia Brave Face: A Memoir by Shaun David Hutchinson Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer Breathless by Jennifer Niven Breathless by Jessica Warman Bridge From Me to You by Lisa Schroeder Burned by Ellen Hopkins Burned by P.C. Cast Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman Can We Talk About Consent by Justin Hancock Caprice by Coe Booth The Cardboard Kingdom (graphic novel) by Chad Sell The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley Cave in the Clouds by Susan Elizabeth McClelland and Ahmed Badeeah Hassan The Cellar by Natasha Preston Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher Chlamydia by Amy Breguet The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier Choke by Chuck Palahniuk Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare City of Bones by Cassandra Clare City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare City of Glass by Cassandra Clare City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin Class Act by Jerry Craft Collateral by Ellen Hopkins The Color Purple by Alice Walker Coming Up for Air by Nicole B. Tyndall Confess by Colleen Hoover Corn Goddess by Stephanie Dickenson The Cost of Knowing by Brittany Morris Court by Tracy Wolff Covet by Tracy Wolff A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

40 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas Crank by Ellen Hopkins Crave by Tracy Wolff Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas Crush by Tracy Wolff Damsel by Elana Arnold Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers Date Rape by Mary E. Williams Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor Daughters of Eve by Lois Duncan Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor Days of Infamy by Lawrence Goldstone Dear Martin by Nic Stone Deep Dark Blue: A Memoir of Survival by Polo Tate The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan Demon Tide by Laurie Forest The Difference Between You & Me by Madeleine George A Different Season by [Unknown] Doing It: Let’s Talk about Sex by Hannah Witton Doomed by Chuck Palahniuk Drama by Raina Telgemeier Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi Dreaming in Cuban by Christina Garcia Dreamland by Sarah Dessen The Duff by Kody Keplinger Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer Edge of Ready by L.B. Tillit Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas Endometriosis by Stephanie Watson Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone Every Summer After by Carley Fortune Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon Evil Queen by Gena Showalter Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney Fallout by Ellen Hopkins Family of Liars by E. Lockhart Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Feed by M.T. Anderson The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis Feminism by [Unknown] Find Me by Tahereh Mafi Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover Fire by Kristin Cashore Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah The First Part Last by Angela Johnson Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, Tobias Iaconis Frankly in Love by David Yoon Flamer by Mike Curato Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Forever by Judy Blume Forrest Gump by Winston Groom Frankie & Bug by Gayle Foman Frequently Asked Questions About SameSex Marriage by Tracy Brown Friday Night Lights by Buzz Bissinger Furyborn by Claire Legrand Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin Gay & Lesbian Parents by Juliana Fields Gender Equality by Marie Des Neiges Leonard Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe Genital Herpes by Greg Saulmon The Gift by Danielle Steel Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena Girl, Unframed by Deb Caletti Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson The Giver by Lois Lowry

Glass by Ellen Hopkins The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin Going Bovine by Libba Bray Going Viral by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc The Good Girls Revolt by Lynn Povich Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Gonorrhea by Christopher Michaud Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky Graceling by Kristin Cashore The Gravity of Us by Phillip Stamper Grendel by John Gardner grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters Grown by Tiffany Jackson Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Handmaid’s Tale (graphic novel) by Renée Nault Happy Place by Emily Henry The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas The Haters by Jesse Andrews Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk Having Young by Kimberly Jane Pryor He Said, She Said by Kwame Alexander Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins Heartstopper (graphic novel) by Alice Oseman Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas Heroine by Mindy McGinnis Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Hopeless by Colleen Hoover House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas The House of Hades by Rick Riordan House of Night series by P.C. Cast How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vazquez Gilliland Human Trafficking by Kathryn CullenDuPont I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou I Was Here by Gayle Forman I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers Icebreaker by Hannah Grace Identical by Ellen Hopkins If I Stay by Gayle Forman If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi Impulse by Ellen Hopkins In the Key of Us by Mariana Lockington Inexcusable by Chris Lynch Infinite in Between by Carolyn Mackler The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle Inisile Monsters Remix by Chuck Palahniuk The Insiders by Mark Oshiro Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison The Iron Flower by Laurie Forest Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins It by Stephen King It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover It’s Not Me, It’s You by Stephanie Kate Strohm It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by Lev A.C. Rosen Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julie Scheeres Just One Day by Gayle Forman Just One Year by Gayle Forman Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard Kingsbane by Claire Legrand Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor The Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake Layla by Colleen Hoover Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen Let Me List the Ways by Sarah White Let’s Talk About It by Erika Moen Life is Funny by E.R. Frank Light Mage by Laurie Forest Lightbringer by Claire Legrand Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart The List by Siobhan Vivian Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen The Long Walk by Stephen King Looking for Alaska by John Green The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare The Lost Boy: A Foster Child’s Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Loveboat Taipai by Abigail Hing Weng The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry The Luckiest MILF in Brooklyn by Lynn Melnick Lucky by Alice Sebold Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk The Magic Fish by Le Nguyen Trung Making Sexual Decisions by L. Kris Gowen Marco Impossible by Hannah Moskowitz Marriage Rights and Gay Rights by Barbara Hollander Maus (graphic novel) by Art Spiegelman Maybe Not by Colleen Hoover Maybe Now by Colleen Hoover Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews Melissa by Alex Gino Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden Middle School’s a Drag by Greg Howard Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur A Million Junes by Emily Henry A Million Suns by Beth Revis The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily Danforth Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson Monster by Walter Dean Myers The Moon Within by Aida Salazar More Helpful Than Not by Adam Silvera Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino Muted by Tami Charles My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer My Mom’s Love Me by Anna Membrino

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult Native Son by Richard Wright Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher New Kid (graphic novel) by Jerry Craft New Moon by Stephanie Meyer Night by Elie Wiesel The Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan Night Road by Kristin Hannah Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult No Ashes in the Fire by Darnell Moore Not That Bad by Roxane Gay The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks November 9 by Colleen Hoover Now and Forever by Susane Colasanti The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed Obie is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar Odd One Out by Nic Stone On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong One Child by Torey Hayden One Life by Sarah Durand Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir by Nikki Grimes Online Pornography (Opposing Viewpoints) edited by David Nelson The Opposite of Innocent by Sonya Sones Opposite Sex by Sarah Miles and Eric Rofes Ordinary Hazards by NikkI Grimes Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pèrez Pablo by Julie Birmant The Pants Project by Cat Clark Paper Towns by John Green People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Perfect by Ellen Hopkins The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky Pet by Akwaeke Emezi The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Plan B by Charnan Simon Playing by the Rules by Monica Murphy Playing Hard to Get by Monica Murphy The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover Pretty Lies by Blake Blessing, illustrated by Jay Aheer Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders Prince and Knight by Daniel Haack The Privilege of Youth: A Teenage’s Story by Dave Pelzer The Project by Courtney Summers Protests & Riots by Michael V. Uschan Puddin’ by Julie Murphy Pulse by Ellen Hopkins Pumpkin by Julie Murphy Push by Sapphire Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas A Queer History of the United States by Michael Bronski Rainbow Revolutionaries by Sarah Prager Rant by Chuck Palahniuk Rape and Sexual Assault by Rebecca T. Klein The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang Rape edited by Mary E. Williams Ready or Not by Meg Cabot Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Reflection: A Twisted Tale by Elizabeth Lim Regretting You by Colleen Hoover Reminders of Him with Colleen Hoover Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert Rick by Alex Gino Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson Round House by Louise Erdrich

Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra Saga by Brian K. Vaughan Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen Salvage by Alexandra Duncan Saving Montgomery Sole by Mariko Tamaki A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo Send Pics by Lauren McLaughlin September Girls by Bennett Madison Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Sexting edited by Stefan Kiesbye Shades of Earth by Beth Revis Shadow Wand by Laurie Forest Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Shine by Lauren Myracle Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli A Sin Such as This by Ellen Hopkins The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson Slammed by Colleen Hoover Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut Smoke by Ellen Hopkins Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti So This is Ever After by F.T. Lukens Sold by Patricia McCormick Solitaire by Alice Oseman Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison Sophie’s Choice by William Styron Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas Speak by Laurie Halse Handerson Speech Sounds by Octavia Butler Stardust by Neil Gaiman Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten Sula by Toni Morrison The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han The Summer of Lost Things by Chantele Sedgwick The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass Sweet Treats & Secret Crushes by Lisa Greenwald Syphilis by Adam Winters Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker A Taxonomy of Love by Rachael Allen Teen Sex by Christine Watkins Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum Tender by Belinda McKeon That Summer by Sarah Dessen The Testaments by Margaret Atwood Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli There’s a Hair in My Dirt by Gary Larson These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson This Day in June by Gayle E. Pittman This Girl by Colleen Hoover This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Three Little Words by Sarah N. Harvey Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi Tilt by Alan Cumyn Tilt by Ellen Hopkins Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Traffick by Ellen Hopkins Triangles by Ellen Hopkins Tricks by Ellen Hopkins Trust Exercise by Susan Choi ttfn by Lauren Myracle The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen Twilight by Stephanie Meyer Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan Two More Days: An Anthology by Colleen Hoover Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover Ugly Truths by Blake Blessing Ulysses by James Joyce Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson Unite Me (Shatter Me) by Tahereh Mafi Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi Untamed by P.C. Cast Urinary Tract Infections by Krista West Verity by Colleen Hoover A Very, Very Bad Thing by Jeffrey Self Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen Vincent by Barbara Stok Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti Wake by Lisa McMann War Storm by Victoria Aveyard Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen We Are the Ants by Shaun Savid Hutchinson We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones What Was Stonewall? by Nico Medina What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler What’s Gender Identity? by Katie Kawa When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago When We Collided by Emery Lord Where She Went by Gayle Forman Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha Whisper to Me by Nick Lake Who Was Harvey Milk? by Corinne Grinapol Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler Wildman by J.C. Geiger Wicked by Gregory Maguire Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan Winter’s Promise: Book One by Christelle Dabos Winterkeep: Book Four by Kristin Cashore Without Annette by Jason B. Mason Without Merit by Colleen Hoover Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan YOLO by Lauren Myracle You & Me at the End of the World by Brianna Bourne You Don’t Know Me by David Klass Zenobia by Lisa Bunker

Jul ia D eSp ain

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Community

LittleVillageMag.com

Both Ends of the Leash A Q&A with the head of the Animal Rescue League, which is getting ready to open a new facility “in the heart of the city.” Jordan Sellergren / Little Village

BY PAUL BRENNAN

he Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) is as much a part of life in Polk County as the Des Moines Water Works. It’s served the Des Moines metro community since 1926, growing into the largest nonprofit animal shelter in the state. ARL has provided all of the City of Des Moines’ shelter services since 2005, and does the same for some of the other smaller cities in Polk County. It cares for about 11,500 animals during the course of a year. And not just the dogs, cats, birds and rabbits you’d expect to find at an urban animal shelter. Currently, ARL has in its care horses, chickens, sheep, miniature donkeys, a pot-bellied pig and a Hereford steer. Tom Colvin has been the nonprofit’s CEO since 1995, but his career in animal welfare goes back even further than that. He started working for the Humane Society in Waterloo in 1974, before joining ARL in 1993. Colvin spoke to Little Village about ARL, its new shelter facility that is nearing completion, a new effort to address wider issues around animal abuse and what he’s seen change of the course of his 49-year career.

going to a very nice adoption location at the new building, something that’s not possible at the current building. We’re also going to be able to offer so many of the community outreach programs, like the vaccination clinics and the pet pantry. We do those things now, but primarily in the driveway. We’ll be able to offer them better and more frequently at the new facility, because there will be simply more space. Another very important component to this is the location that the city picked. City animal shelters used to be put out towards the sewer plant or the city dump, on the outskirts of a community. This one is not. This one is going to be in the heart of the city. It’s going to be within walking distance of the East Village, and next to a landing for the Water Trails.

The Animal Rescue Leagues helps thousands

You’ve recently talked about ARL making

of animals every year, but a lot of people only

use of the work done by the National Link

hear about it when large numbers of dogs or

Coalition, a North Carolina-based nonprof-

cats need to be taken out of a harmful envi-

it that researches the connection between

ronment, and you provide care and shelter. Can

people engaging in violence against animals,

you talk a little about what ARL does beyond

or neglecting them, and then engaging in vi-

those emergency situations? We want to be a

olence against other people. Why is ARL in-

shelter for animals that truly need to be sheltered, but if somebody has a pet and they just need a low-cost spaying or neutering or vaccinations or access to a pet pantry or any of a number of situations, we want to meet that need as much as we can to help people keep their pets, keeping them out of shelters. There’s a new facility for ARL under construction. It’ll be almost 22,000 square feet, which is about double the space at your current shelter building. How will that change things? It’s going to have a huge impact on our programming. From a facilities standpoint, we’re trying to do too much with too little right now. We’re 42 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

terested in this, and how do you see it being incorporated into your work? When it comes

to the Link, it has done extensive studies on the connection between human and animal violence. We want to take advantage of that very valuable resource, and bring it to central Iowa. We can do that in a number of different ways, whether that is partnerships with law enforcement or mental health professionals, or any partnerships we can bring together that look at the connections between human and animal violence. That doesn’t mean we think every animal neglect situation is connected to someone who will go on to commit acts of violence. Absolutely not. But there are some indicators that can be spotted by mental

health professionals who can help address a situation. We’ve shared this information before, but now we’re actively trying to pursue partnership with professionals who deal with human behavior. Right now, we’re trying to get people to the table, professionals on both sides, so we can learn from each other. You’ve worked to help people and pets, and to care for strays and neglected animals, for almost 50 years. What kind of changes have you seen during your career? When you think about the relationship that people have had with pets from the ’70s through 2023, you’re looking at lightyears of change. Thinking back to those times in the ’70s, spaying and neutering was something that some people did, but hardly anybody saw the importance of it and the impact it has on our society, so it was seldom done. It was also a time before rescuing pets, or adopting from a shelter, was considered kind of a cool thing to do. That was hardly popular at all back in the ’70s, but, of course, it is now. Those changes have had profound effects on animals, people and society. Those are the two big changes I’ve seen, but there’s been a lot of others, more subtle ones. There weren’t near the number of humane societies and rescue groups working to help animals back in the day, and frankly they were pretty isolated, making it harder for them to work together. Now in 2023, national and local organizations work together, sharing resources. There was also a kind of a feeling among shelters way back that you just focus on the animals in the shelters. But now we have a model looking at health issues for people and animals, thinking about the two ends of the leash and trying to help the ones on both ends succeed.

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Den of Wonders Determined to keep mystical traditions alive in Linn County, Ken Marlin operates the state’s only dedicated magic shop.

BY ROBERT LINDSEY-NASSIF

rom the ancient oracles who conjured voices and visions in Greek temples to the latest illusionist on America’s Got Talent, the art of magic only endures if its secrets are shared with the next generation. That intergenerational legacy is on full display at Ken’s Magic Shop in Hiawatha, where the shop’s owner, 73-year-old Ken Marlin, shares the joy and wonder of prestidigitation with his customers and his associate salesperson, 16-year-old budding magician Alex Garcia. Marlin’s love of magic started as a 10-yearold boy in Ottumwa, when he witnessed a magician performing apparent miracles on The Ed Sullivan Show in the ’50s. Marlin sent away for a beginner’s magic kit, and has been a student of the impossible ever since. Until recent years, Marlin was employed as a Security Supervisor and Correctional Officer at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, where, no doubt, his magical skills of commanding attention while creating a distraction were useful. In retirement, he worked at a magic store in Marion and became an active part of the Cedar Rapids magic community. But when that store closed as a result of pandemic downturns, Marlin decided to open his own shop, so local magicians would still have a place to hang their top hats—not to mention a venue to host monthly meetings for professional and amateur magicians. Ken’s Magic Shop is stocked floor to ceiling with an astonishing array of magic tricks and supplies for magicians of all ages, from beginners to professionals: kits, magic books, jokes and gags, puzzles, juggling equipment, puppets and ventriloquist supplies as well as a mesmerizing variety of playing cards—some gimmicked for magical effect, others that are

artwork in their own right. To help run the shop and demonstrate magic tricks, Marlin hired Garcia, an up-and-coming magician. In one of his feats, Garcia unwraps a Life Saver hard candy, spins it, causes it to levitate in midair and eventually float into his mouth! Customers can purchase this trick for themselves and, like all tricks in the shop, Garcia or Marlin will teach them how to perform it. A magic shop, after all, sells secrets. Like his employer, Garcia’s love of magic began as a child. “My grandpa made a coin appear and disappear behind my ear. It fooled me,” Garcia recalled. “He knew some rope tricks, too, and showed me where to learn more tricks on YouTube.” Garcia is a junior in high school, where he is known as “Magic Man.” He carries a deck of cards with him at all times and often amuses fellow students at lunch time or in the hallways with his tricks. Last summer, he won a scholarship to a magic camp in Pennsylvania, where he spent a week at Bryn Mawr College (which looks the part of a wizarding school—the 138-year-old institution features stately stone buildings containing great halls and majestic vaulted ceilings).

SHOP LV MERCH

Totes, tees and more.

littlevillagemag.com/shop 44 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Alex Garcia and Ken Marlin display tricks behind the counter at Iowa’s only brick-and-mortar magic shop. Robert Lindsey-Nassif / Little Village

There, he was tutored by older, established magicians, who passed along wisdom. Now, he’s developing his skills through reading magic books, attending magic conventions and absorbing occasional advice from Marlin. And this is exactly why Marlin opened his den of wonders in Hiawatha. While Marion’s Iowa Magic Shop lives on as an online and pop-up store, Ken’s is the only brick-and-mortar magic shop left in Linn County—and the state of Iowa. “You never know when you might spark an interest in magic in someone that will stay with them for life,” Marlin said. “Someday some youngster will grow up and remember that guy in the magic shop.” Robert Lindsey Nassif is a composer/lyricist/librettist who has worked on Broadway, off-Broadway and regionally with Hal Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Miller, Carol Burnett and Disney Feature Animation.

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Culture

LittleVillageMag.com Prairie Pop

Righteous Anger Newly banned essayist Lyz Lenz says Iowa Nice cannot fix cruel and unconscionable laws.

BY KEMBREW MCLEOD

rowing up in a conservative evangelical family, Lyz Lenz internalized Old Testament proverbs, like, “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.” She was conditioned to believe that anger was a bad emotion, especially if you were a girl or a woman. As an adult, Lenz came to realize that it was OK to get mad, and she used her anger as a cocoon when she decided to walk away from an oppressive marriage. These events inspired her to write “All the Angry Women,” an essay included in Roxane Gay’s 2018 edited collection Not That Bad. The essay chronicles Lenz’s gradual escape from the shackles of a faith that required forgiveness for abusers and which ostracized women who wore their frustration and rage on their sleeves. Embracing anger also gave her the courage to speak out about the sexual abuse that one of her sisters endured as a child. After years of being a people pleaser, and with her sister’s permission, she poured those feelings into her contribution to Gay’s book.

to help these kids succeed, not a damn distraction on a nasty pornographic book that should never, ever be in a classroom.” Much of the political messaging around the book-banning legislation revolves around the trope of “protecting children,” a position that is undermined by the cold, hard outcomes of the policies enacted by Reynolds and the state GOP. Lenz has spent the past couple years researching and writing about the inadequacies of Iowa’s civil and criminal statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases. She has also studied the ways that the privatization of Medicaid has led to the closure of maternity wards and how the rollback of SNAP benefits negatively impacts children and mothers. “I know that if this state was actually serious about protecting children, it would feed them, give them and their mothers reproductive care and pass laws that protect them from abusers,” Lenz said. “This state is doing nothing of the sort. Instead, it’s banning books that are designed to give people the tools to have a voice and name their abuse. Not That Bad is a book that at its core is about human beings finding a way to talk about abuse and injustice. Taking away a book like that doesn’t protect children, it protects abusers. It perpetuates harmful silences.” Lenz pointed out that evidence-based studies have demonstrated that when kids are given access to material that talks honestly about sex and abuse, they are less likely to be abused. It is also true that if they are exposed to readings about gender identity and sexuality, it gives them a better framework for understanding themselves and the world around them. “Silence always benefits power, because power relies on our compliance, our laziness, our c o m p l a c e n c y, our exhaustion, to continue to oppress. The challenge to power is to be loud. To tell your story. To share stories. To give those stories to children. To give language to children. It’s powerful to read a study that says if children can name their genitalia they are less likely to be abused. To me that says, ‘When you have the language you can fight abuse.’ You can talk about what happened to you. “Queer kids, marginalized kids, are already at a structural disadvantage in a cis-heterosexual world that views them as deviant,” Lenz continued. “To further criminalize and pathologize those identities doesn’t make them go away, it simply invites violence and oppression. It makes kids feel unwanted. But I’ve met these kids and it’s gonna

“I know that if this state was actually serious about protecting children, it would feed them, give them and their mothers reproductive care and pass laws that protect them from abusers.” “My family was furious at me for years because of that essay,” Lenz said. “But it helped me reclaim my voice and my story. And it helped my sister, too. It helped a lot of my sisters. And I’ve heard from so many other people that it’s helped them too. I think being able to be furious is the first step in naming injustice and taking action. Even if that action is just reclaiming your narrative and your rights over your own body.” Sadly, Not That Bad is one of many books banned in Iowa schools after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a sweeping bill (Senate File 496) into law earlier this year. “Our kids and our teachers deserve better,” Reynolds claimed during an October press conference, “they deserve the tools 46 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Not That Bad (Roxane Gay, ed.), which includes Lyz Lenz’ essay “All the Angry Women,” is one of many books currently banned in Iowa schools.

take more than a few book bans to get them to shut up. These kids have more guts and language than most of our elected officials, Republican or Democrat.” When Lenz learned that Not That Bad made the list of titles banned in the Iowa City and West Des Moines school districts, she didn’t actually feel anger. It was more a feeling of quiet resignation in the face of what she characterizes as the cruel capriciousness of Iowa politics. “What makes me angry isn’t really the book ban,” she said. “What makes me furious is when I read news outlets in the state and other politicians from the opposite party framing the book bans as ‘ways to protect children’—that is what I find morally vacuous and unconscionable.” While these book bans are not surprising for Lenz, what disappoints her is the behavior of those who use mealy mouthed language to appease a power structure that takes knowledge away from children in the name of benevolence. So, in the face of what feels like insurmountable odds, how can we find our way out of this dystopia? “GO REGISTER PEOPLE TO VOTE, I SWEAR TO GOD, IOWANS,” Lenz exclaimed. “Stop sitting around hoping that some white male politician will save you with his tweets. No one is coming to save you. Get out there. Register people to vote. Join organizations that advocate for trans Iowans and reproductive justice. Stop playing ‘Iowa Nice’ games and shout. Get loud. Get mean. Because if you haven’t already noticed, it’s nasty out there. And we are playing for keeps. “OK,” Lenz added, “I guess I am a little mad.” Kembrew McLeod is angry af, too.

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Community

Food & Shelter Matthew 25 has the tools to serve Cedar Rapids, and they’re happy to loan them out. BY MEGGIE GATES

“W

hatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” reads Matthew 25:40 in the NIV Bible. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” It’s a message heard loud and clear by the Cedar Rapids nonprofit Matthew 25, whose mission includes uplifting the most vulnerable in and around Iowa's second-largest city. “The whole idea started with this philosophy of asset-based community,” explained Executive Director Clint Twedt-Ball, who founded Matthew 25 with his brother Courtney Ball. “We’d go into a neighborhood people would typically deem as low income, low performing education, high crime, and say, what are the awesome things about this community that we can help preserve?” Matthew 25 has been a staple in the CR community since 2006. Starting in the basement of Trinity United Methodist Church, the organization began by offering reading assistance to Taylor Elementary students. Today, they grow and collect affordable food through their Cultivate Hope Corner Store, provide pay-whatyou-can meals at Groundswell Cafe, and educate kids and adults alike about gardening, cooking and eating through classes and Food Camps, among other projects. “The most rewarding part of this work is connecting people with needs to a path that helps them figure out their future,” said Brenner Myers, the Neighborhood Building Director for Matthew 25. “We’re helping people get assistance on difficult issues they might not know how to tackle and helping them improve their homes at no cost.” The organization’s strength comes from locating what a hurting community needs. Following the Aug. 10, 2020 derecho, when an inland hurricane with winds up to 140 mph took out 70 percent of Cedar Rapids’ tree cover, Matthew 25 implemented the PATCH program to coordinate repairs for 200 homeowners affected by the devastation. “We jumped into the PATCH program because there was a huge need and not many nonprofits

48 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

were doing that,” Twedt-Ball said. “We helped get it up and running with initial coordination and are now back to doing core neighborhood revitalization as the city takes over.” Through PATCH, contractors were able to tarp, patch up and aid with roof replacement for derecho victims on a fixed income with help from the city and Housing Trust Fund for Linn County. Though Matthew 25’s involvement in PATCH has winded down in recent years, their dedication to providing, maintaining and increasing the availability and stock of affordable housing has not.

Clint Twedt-Ball, executive director of Matthew 25, poses in front of the Cultivate Hope Corner Store produce refrigerator. Malcolm MacDougall/ Little Village

with expensive, ongoing costs—a fact that isn’t lost on Matthew 25. If locals want to make a repair on their own but don’t have the tools, they can rent them from Matthew 25’s Tool Library for little to no charge. “We get a lot of tools donated to us and then those tools are loaded into the system My Turn so we can rent those tools,” explained Frank Ditiri,

“The whole idea started with this philosophy of asset-based community. We’d go into a neighborhood people would typically deem as low income, low performing education, high crime, and say, what are the awesome things about this community that we can help preserve?” ––Clint Twedt Ball “We have 18 affordable rental units we do property management for with the hopes of adding more,” Myers said. “We maintain those and rent them out at our affordability limits then buy homes that need work and rehabilitate those new buildings with the intent of rolling them into our rental profile.” “We’re constantly scanning the neighborhood for homes falling in disrepair or may not be the highest quality rentals and if we can purchase those and put money in to make them higher quality we do that alongside our Tool Library,” added Twedt-Ball. Home improvement is an uphill battle filled

a volunteer of two years with the Tool Library. “We process the tools, make sure that they work and determine if we can use them in our rental pool. Otherwise we sell them and use that money to help maintain and replace tools.” The Tool Library, run mostly by volunteers, has been open since 2008. Renting out small tools, hand tools and large tools to anyone in need, the library also provides safety training on said tools when necessary. Tools are sold or loaned either online or in person, and the inventory is endless, including everything from drywall jacks and ladders to tile saws and rakes. “It was right after the flood and some friends

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of ours who were pastors in Michigan called us up and said they had loaded a truck with tools they’d bring over to neighbors,” said Twedt-Ball. “Almost that exact day someone said they had a warehouse that had been cleaned up by their church after the flood. They said it would be used by God for something and that was what became the Tool Library.” “A lady came devastated after someone broke in and stole the toolbox we provided her,” said Ditiri. “We were able to get her a toolbox through donations and she had tears in her eyes thanking us for what we do. It’s so rewarding seeing such a positive impact.” And that’s only one way volunteers get involved throughout the year. Their budding volunteer program extends beyond the Tool Library to planting vegetables at the Urban Farm and aiding with home construction during Transform Week in June. During that week, more than 300 volunteers assist with various home repairs, including gardening, painting and other landscaping needs. Applications are available now for those seeking Matthew 25’s services in 2024. “Volunteers put together a description of tools needed for each house and then we start pulling tools and putting them into kits for them to take to the job site and do the work,” Ditiri explained. “We all do our part and make sure everybody has what they need to accomplish during Transform Week.” “Our Transform Program is geared towards getting people in their homes to stay in their homes,” Myers added. “We want to maintain them so more houses aren’t lost from the stock that’s available.” Matthew 25 is still finding new and thoughtful ways to strengthen the four pillars of their mission—education, housing, food and community building—especially ahead of the chilly holiday season. “We’re returning to normalcy a bit after 2020 and it’s cool to see the lots we’ve staked out to start digging out basements and building houses,” Myers said. “We’re really hoping to expand affordable housing and start construction on that before it gets cold out.” Cedar Rapids has seen its fair share of disasters in the past two decades, but Twedt-Ball said these challenges have only made Matthew 25’s resolve stronger. “We’ve had times when funding was tight, we’ve had to shut down the cafe in the pandemic, we had the roof of our building blown off, and it just takes grit,” he said. “We just feel called to this and are passionate about work that is bigger than us.”

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LECTURE

2023

HANK WILLIS THOMAS

IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. KELLY BAUM, JOHN AND MARY PAPPAJOHN DIRECTOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14 6:30 PM Reservations at desmoinesartcenter.org

This is the 33rd lecture in the series made possible through generous gifts by Lois and the late Dr. Louis Fingerman. Additional support is provided by Krause Group.

PHOTO: JAI LENNARD

“Don’t tell anyone, but Des Moines has good opera.” THE NEW YORK TIMES

2024 FESTIVAL SEASON June 28 - July 21 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE Rossini SALOME R. Strauss PELLÉAS & MÉLISANDE Debussy AMERICAN APOLLO Geter/Palmer | World Premiere

dmmo.org | 515-961-6221 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 49

Bread & Butter LV Recommends

Beer Goggles A northwest Iowa microbrewery and a southeast Iowa research center share a vision for the future.

BY JUSTIN MEDINGER

lenty of Iowa breweries go out of their way to support charitable organizations, but only one, it seems, was founded with the express goal of supporting a humanitarian cause. That brewery is Blind Butcher Brewing, and that cause is the cure for hereditary blindness. In 2009, Rob Hage was diagnosed with a hereditary disease of the eye known as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), which breaks down the cells in the retina and causes vision loss over time. His eyesight was gradually tunneling and he could no longer drive, which was a necessity for his job in the Information Technology industry. With no cure for RP and limited treatments available, Hage’s doctors in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics—a five-and-a-half-hour drive from his family farm in northwest Lyon County, Iowa—informed him in 2017 that there was nothing more they could do to save his vision. Three years later, Hage would finally get some positive news. In an online seminar in December 2020, Hage’s doctor Edwin Stone, director of the UI’s nonprofit Institute for Vision Research (IVR), announced they’d developed a pathway to a preventive treatment and even a cure for many causes of blindness, including some of the rarest forms of RP. To Hage and his family, this breakthrough was nothing short of a miracle. Ready to go all-in to advance and promote IVR’s work, they reached out to the nonprofit with an idea: open a tiny brewery in their middle-of-nowhere farm with the sole purpose of creating awareness and funding for IVR. In September 2021, Blind Butcher Brewing was born, located inside a remodeled machine shed on Hage’s family farm in Inwood, Iowa. “All of the tips we make at the brewery are donated to IVR,” explained Hage, who was a hobby craft brewer before going professional. “Our initial goal was to hit $50,000 in three years, and we just had our two-year anniversary and we are at $89,000. “People that are battling this are not aware that there is a cure and so awareness is of the utmost importance. We don’t want to put a dollar sign on it, but just want the public to be aware and realize how big of a news story this really is.” 50 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

via Backpocket Brewing’s Instagram

in prevention; and to “raise funding to make the delivery of these treatments both possible and remarkably more affordable than what big pharma would charge.” The first brewery to back Brews for Blindness was the Coralville-based Backpocket Brewing. “We decided to partner with this great cause after meeting with Robert and his wife in our taproom a couple of years ago,” said Backpocket Managing Partner Aaron Vargas. “In the brewing community, we are very close and when we have the opportunity to help, we will.”

LittleVillageMag.com/Dining

In late spring of 2023, Backpocket brewed and canned a beer in collaboration with Brews for Blindness called Sight for the Blind—a hazy India pale ale brewed with citra, vista and azacca hops. “I knew our brewery wouldn’t be able to produce enough of the beer to sell in retail, and Backpocket has that capacity to do so,” Hage explained. “I talked with Aaron about this and he was immediately on board.” “Our collaboration with Brews for Blindness is one way that we can help by doing something we know how to do and working with our partners to produce a beer that not only brings awareness to the cause but raises money as well,” Vargas continued. “Our suppliers have been a great resource and have donated some of the raw materials for this brew, which allows for some money to be raised for research.” Among the materials donated for Sight for the Blind were malts from a family-run malt farm in Wisconsin called Briess Malt and Ingredients Company and hops from Hollingbery Hop Farm in Yakima, Washington. There may be another Backpocket x Brews for Blindness release coming in the spring of 2024, so stay tuned to social media for announcements. This is also not the last brewery collab in the nonprofit’s future—Hage said he’s talked to roughly half of the breweries in Iowa so far, and all 50 or so said they were interested in participating in some way. The IVR lab and production facility, where these cutting-edge treatments will be delivered to patients like Hage, is currently under construction on the UIHC campus—right next to Kinnick Stadium, where Backpocket beers are sold on game days. “Rob’s efforts to raise support for, and awareness of, the IVR is truly inspiring,” Dr. Stone said in a statement of support for Brews for Blindness. “To see a patient do so much to help others with inherited retinal diseases further energizes me and my colleagues to continue working to make these treatments available for all who need them.” The institute’s research relies on private support, and the Blind Butcher is one of their biggest contributors. “We will achieve our mission to eradicate blindness; of that we have no doubt,” IVF promises in the statement. “It is not a question of if, but only when.” “This is a huge story,” Hage observed, “and we are only three years into it. Some day history will write ‘The cure for blindness was made in Iowa, and craft beer has played a huge part in making this happen.’”

UPCOMING EVENTS Sip & Shop Nov. 2 Running of the Reindeer & Small Business Saturday Nov. 25 Jingle in the Junction Nov. 16, 30, Dec. 7, 14

valleyjunction.com

Shop. Dine. Celebrate. Local.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 51

Culture

A-List: Eastern Iowa

Fade In Over the past nine years, Quad Cities students with the Urban Exposure Independent Film Project have amassed a filmography equivalent to a small studio. BY ISAAC HAMLET

ver the past nine years, Quad Cities students with the Urban Exposure Independent Film Project have amassed a filmography equivalent to a small studio. “I think that we have 30-something films that we’ve made,” said Gaye Shannon Burnett, co-founder of the Azubuike African American Center for the Arts. “The kids that go to film school usually go with the film, and it puts them ahead of the game because—you’d be surprised how many people enter undergraduate film degrees with no films.” The main function of Urban Exposure is its annual Summer Film program, the main public showcase for students’ short films is Urban Exposure Film Night. The event celebrates the student filmmakers fostered by the nonprofit. Typically scheduled for November, this year’s Film Night is now set for Davenport’s Figge Art Museum on Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. Another change is that, rather than premiering multiple short films, this year’s batch of students will focus their time on one project. 52 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

“You’ll only see one new film this year, but we’re also showcasing a few previous years— especially a few of them that didn’t get as much exposure because we were just coming out of COVID,” said Shannon Burnett, noting the changes for this year as mostly having to do with the readiness of the scripts. As of reporting, students are still in the pre-production stage for the new short film. Still, Azubuike African American Council for the Arts (the organization Urban Exposure is subordinate to) will still have a November event at the Figge. The organization will screen *Standing Strong: Elizabeth Catlett* for free on Nov. 9. This Davenport screening will invite the filmmakers for a talk back. The film, which reminisces on the life and impact of the first Black woman to earn an MFA at the University of Iowa, has another showing at the Des Moines Art Center on Nov. 19. This past summer, Urban Exposure also launched its very first film festival: The Pulling Focus African American Film Festival of the Quad Cities. “We thought it was just going to be regional, at best, and it ended up being international,” said Shannon Burnett. “We got films from all over the place. One girl flew in from Columbia. People came down from New York and Atlanta.” The goal of the new festival is to spotlight shorts from filmmakers of the African Diaspora for local audiences. This year’s inaugural festival showed 35 short films. Shannon Burnett said she’s already in the process of arranging the 2024 festival, and hopes

Scenes from a 2023 Urban Exposure shoot. Courtesy of Urban Exposure Independent Film Project

Standing Strong: Elizabeth Catlett, Figge Art Museum, Davenport, Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m., Free Exposure Film Night, Figge Art Museum on Dec. 19 at 5 p.m., Free

LittleVillageMag.com

to partner with the Last Picture House—the soonto-open downtown Davenport cinema owned by filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods—sometime in the future. “We’re going to talk to them about being a venue maybe for something to do with the film festival as well and just seeing where that fits with their schedule,” she said.

THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON BEGINS

DECEMBER 2

“We thought it was just going

to be regional, at best, and it ended up being international. We got films from all over the place. One girl flew in from Columbia. People came down from New York and Atlanta.”

SCAN TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN FIND HANDMADE EVERGREENS, WREATHS, AND BAKED GOODS WHILE SUPPORTING A GOOD CAUSE!

–– Shannon Burnett

It’s not just festivals and student programming that Shannon Burnett is planning. She’s also been gradually laying the groundwork to make sure that the program can exist beyond her. She recalled Nate Lawrence, the Quad Cities jazz musician who passed away earlier this year at the age of 80. During his life, Lawrence co-founded Polyrhythms/Quad City Jazz Festival and kept programming running through the end of his life. “I’ve been knowing him for 50 years and he was here at my studio that Saturday before he passed,” she remembered. “We think it was a heart attack, it was terrible. So I’m hoping that’s not going to be my story. It was sudden and it left the organization scrambling because he was [the only one] running it and managing it…. “I’m trying to distribute some of the weight so the organization can remain healthy and it’s time for me to look toward the future and make some kind of plan so that it won’t just dissolve or disappear.” Though her son Jonathan Burnett is the program founder and creative director for Urban Exposure, he’s also an independent filmmaker currently based out of Los Angeles. Shannon Burnett’s hope is that, in the next five years, she can hire someone to step into the role of executive director full time. Then her marquee project, which has survived a flood and a global pandemic, can persist. To find out more about the Urban Exposure Independent Film project, visit azubuikearts.org. Those interested in viewing the short films created in previous years through the project can find them on Urban Exposure’s YouTube channel. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 53

Culture A-List: Central Iowa

The Givers and Takers Des Moines-area nonprofit Annie’s Foundation wants to end book bans. They have their work cut out for them.

BY KRISTEN HOLDER

BAN NE D

he aim of Senate File 496 is not to clearly define what is considered problematic. Rather, the law is meant to scare educators into over-censoring the books in their care. Teachers and librarians will be facing harsh penalties after Jan. 1, 2024 if any “questionable” materials are available and under their control. Some zealous school districts have already interpreted the vague rules in SF 496 for themselves and released lists of titles for teachers and librarians to remove. These lists have included everything from James Joyce to Toni Morrison to Margaret Atwood—from soapy romances and graphic (as in illustrated, not especially graphic) novels to nonfiction books on history and human biology. The silencing of important pieces of literature is being mostly driven by fear from administrators and educators afraid of losing their livelihoods. This is by design, but Iowans don’t need to accept the prospects of this grim future without a fight. On Saturday, Nov. 9, a local nonprofit called Annie’s Foundation will peacefully challenge the ethos of the new law with a Pop-Up Banned Wagon Giveaway, conducted in partnership with the Norwalk Easter Public Library. From 10 to 11 a.m., Annie’s Foundation will distribute free copies of titles banned within the state. This giveaway will take place within the bounds of the Norwalk Community School District, which is a community directly affected by a

district-driven book ban. “A parent does have the authority to override a minor’s First Amendment rights as it pertains to reading material,” acknowledged Sara Hayden Parris, the founder and president of Annie’s Foundation. “However, that is for their child only, and not their child plus 10,000 other students within their school district, or throughout the state.” Part of the reason Parris created Annie’s Foundation in 2021 is because she has two sons in school directly affected by the book ban, which makes the effects of curtailing reading materials available in schools a personal mission. She herself also had a life changing experience in high school when she first encountered her personal favorite banned book, The Giver by Louis Lowry. “Reading that book was one of the most

Annie’s Foundation Pop-Up Wagon Giveaway, Norwalk Easter Public Library, Nov. 9, 10-11 a.m., Free

meaningful things I did in school—it changed me,” she stated. “A book I read in school had a profound impact on my life—why are we trying to keep other children from having that same joyous experience? We should be celebrating these stories and sharing them with as many people as possible!” Parris keeps her latest reading choice in the signature of her email when conducting professional correspondence for Annie’s Foundation. Her current book on display, as of reporting, is Jodi Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes. The book, which is about a New Hampshire high school shooting and its aftermath, is one of many titles included on Urbandale Community School

THE WEEKENDER YOUR WEEKLY EDITOR-CURATED ARTS COMPENDIUM, A.K.A.

st uf f to do IN YOUR INBOX EVERY THURSDAY LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe

54 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

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District’s banned book list. “I am only about halfway through but have not encountered any content that I would deem more graphic than what is readily available on TV, and Picoult’s character development has me experiencing a lot of different feelings as she tells the story through the eyes of different characters,” said Parris. “This is nothing high schoolers can’t handle.” Conservatives want parents to believe their children are at risk of exposure to graphic sex and other materials that violate age appropriateness. However, Parris was quick to point out that it’s important to “remember … that this new spate of book banning isn’t born out of a true concern for protecting kids from pornography—of course, no one thinks children should have access to that. Rather, it is about trying to shield their children from the truths which make them uncomfortable, which often includes anything outside of vanilla, heteronormative sex.” There is a long-standing separation of church and state that should be upheld in public schools, and yet religious texts like the Bible are not questioned materials in book-banning circles—and even have an exception carved out for them in SF 496. Parris addresses this contradiction. “Book banners know this is hypocritical because they refuse to address it,” she said. “They know it’s indefensible … I’m fairly certain we can all think of a few passages from the Bible that are far more graphic than that scene in All Boys Aren’t Blue that the other side likes to read at school board meetings.” The upcoming Pop-Up Banned Wagon Giveaway is an opportunity for Annie’s Foundation to bend the ears of those who need more information on the importance of free access to all books in schools and, as Parris stated, “Ensure the kids you love have access to diverse reading material.” The event will be held at the Norwalk Easter Public Library, and it will also coincide with a used book sale and cat adoption event. The library’s director, Jean Strable, suggested a coalescence of these activities to drive more foot traffic to all of the organizations that will be in attendance. In addition to the free books being handed out, organizers from Annie’s Foundation will be answering questions concerning the censored materials in Iowa school districts. It’s the perfect opportunity to show local support to an organization dedicated to the well-rounded education of the entire Iowan student body—especially if you want to help the unfolding banned book crisis but don’t know where to start.

9/28

STRIKES! Robin Clark Bennett Director, UI Labor Center

H. Shelton Stromquist

Local labor leaders

UI Emeritus Professor, History

Nov. 28, 4–5:30 pm obermann conversations Iowa City Public Library obermann.uiowa.edu/conversations

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 55

COMING TO THE TEMPLE THEATER ALL SHOWS ON SALE NOW!

2023-2024

KAKI KING Monday, Oct. 16, 2023

DAMN TALL BUILDINGS Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023

IRISH CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA December 7-8, 2023

SUZANNE VEGA

AN INTIMATE EVENING OF SONGS AND STORIES April 20, 2024

MOSTLY KOSHER Sunday, Mar. 19, 2024

MARTHA REDBONE Friday, Apr. 12, 2024

20123-2024

GET IN on the

February 27 - March 17

November 14 - 22

April 30 - May 5

IT’S EASY TO ORDER

DMPA.org · (515) 246-2300 · CIVIC CENTER TICKET OFFICE

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR

PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

EDITORS’ PICKS: November 2023 Planning an event? Add it to littlevillagemag.com/calendar! Please include event name, date, time, venue name/address, admission price (or range) and a brief description (no all-caps, exclamation points or advertising verbiage, please). Contact calendar@littlevillagemag.com with any questions.

MUSIC CRANDIC Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. FEaST Festival: Claire Rousay, Zoh Amba, Chris Corsano, James Theater, Iowa City, $25100 Thursday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. Hey Buddy, I’m Bill, UI Main Library, Iowa City, Free Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. FEaST Festival: Drew McDowall and Jairus Sharif, James Theater, $25-100

Pisse, via the artist

Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. FEaST Festival: Laurel Halo and Kalia Vandever, James Theater, $25100 Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Mike Doughty & Ghost of Vroom, Gabe’s, $25 Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. FEaST Festival: Bill Orcutt and El Khat, James Theater, $25-100 Saturday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. FEaST Festival: The Sun Ra Arkestra w/Theon Cross,

Pisse, God’s Hand, Pest Heaven, James Theater, Iowa City, Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m., $15 German punk band Pisse is making their way to the James mid-month on their November

U.S tour. They’re well-known throughout Germany within the punk scene despite their little internet presence. Musically, Pisse can be described as having “rough, characteristic vocals, fast tempo, (and uses) the synthesizer and theremin.” Accompanying Pisse is God’s Hand and Pest Heaven, two bands immersed in Iowa City’s hardcore scene. The show is presented by Feed Me Weird Things. Tickets are $15.

Englert Theatre, Iowa City, $23-42 Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. 28

Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Signs

The Del Mccoury Band, Englert

Days Later: Album Release,

Invisible Cartoon w/Funkatude,

of the Swarm w/the The Last

Theatre, $20-62.50

Gabe’s, $10

Ideal Theater, Cedar Rapids, $15

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. Lucy

Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. Aaron

Kaplansky, CSPS Hall, Cedar

Dandelion Stompers: Record

Kamm & The One Drops w/

Rapids, $20-25

Release and Swing Dance,

Fishbait, Gabe’s, $15

Ten Seconds of Life, Wildwood Saloon, Iowa City, $17 Sunday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m.

James Theater, $10-15

Screaming Females w/Rodeo Boys & Lip Critic, Gabe’s, $18

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Takács Quartet, Englert Theatre,

Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. Damn

Cobras: Album Release w/Joe

$10-40

Tall Buildings, CSPS Hall, $20-25

and Vicki Price, Ideal Theater, $15-18

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 57

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR

PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Sen Morimoto w/KL!NG, James Theater, $15-18 Saturday, Nov. 11 at 8:30 p.m. Kiss the Tiger w/Early Girl + Worst Impressions, Gabe’s, $14 Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. Family Folk Machine, Englert Theatre, Free w/donations Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Midori The Japanese House, courtesy of Wooly’s

and Festival Strings Lucerne, Hancher Auditorium, $10-75 Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. Thursday Songwriters Showcase, CSPS Hall, $12-15 Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Roomful of Teeth and Gabriel Kahane, Hancher Auditorium, $10-25 Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. BcJsPs and M Denney, Public Space One Close, Iowa City, $10 Friday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Chat Pile, Gabe’s, $20 Friday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Zora w/Sarahann Kolder and YXNG RASKAL, James Theater, $15-18 Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Rocky Athas, CSPS Hall, $25-30

The Japanese House w/quinnie, Wooly’s, Des Moines, Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m., $22

Fans of Wolf Alice and the 1975, be sure to catch the Japanese House, aka indie pop UK musician Amber Bain perform at Wooly’s on December 1. Before headlining her own tours, she toured with the Dirty Hit labelmates mentioned above, and first gained popularity upon releasing ‘Still’ in 2015. In the End It Always Does is the Japanese House’s most recent, second studio album, and it was released in June 2023. The album leans more into the pop realm and features Katie Gavin from MUNA, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, and help from Matt Healy and George Daniel of the 1975. quinnie, a 22-year old folk artist from New Jersey is supporting the Japanese House on the upcoming tour.

Saturday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. Bell Rangers, CSPS Hall, $15-18

DSM

Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 8:30 p.m. Ben Levin

Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. Barbaro, xBk

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Pieta Brown and

Band w/Saul Lubaroff and Aron Levin,

Live, Des Moines, $12-17

Chastity Brown, xBk Live, $20-25

Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. DSM

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Steve Hackett,

Soundcheck, xBK Live, $10-15

Hoyt Sherman Place, $35-85

Gabe’s, $15-20 Friday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. Irish Christmas in America, CSPS Hall, $30-35 Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. Emo Orchestra w/

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Royal & the

Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m. Open D3cks,

Hawthorne Heights, Hoyt Sherman Place,

Serpent w/Carlie Hanson and Baby Fisher,

Gabe’s, $5 donation

Des Moines, $35-70

Wooly’s, $20

Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. Susan Werner, CSPS

Friday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. Not Quite Brothers,

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. Emblem3, xBk

Hall, $20-35

Wooly’s, $15

Live, $20-300

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Mavis

Friday, Nov. 3 at 9 p.m. Great Lake

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Damn Tall

Staples and The War and Treaty, Hancher

Swimmers, xBk Live, $15-20

Buildings, Temple Theater, $20-45

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. Abraham

Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Rayland Baxter w/

Alexander w/Harper O’Neill, Wooly’s, $20

Flyte, Wooly’s, $25

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. Kendra Morris,

Friday, Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. Kiss the Tiger, xBk

xBk Live, $12-17

Live, $10-15

Auditorium, $10-55 Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Deb Talan, James Theater, $12-15

58 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

EDITORS’ PICKS: November 2023

Seussical, TYA 2023-24 Season

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. Nevada Nevada, Everything Had Teeth, Pyrrhic Victories, Maggie’s Rumble Room, Des Moines, Free Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Elaine Dame, Noce, Des Moines, $25-65 Saturday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. Ax and the Hatchetman w/Post Sex Nachos and Social Cinema, xBk Live, $15-18 Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. Sparks, Caspe Terrace, Waukee, $30

DMPlayhouse.com

Sunday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. Sarah Tonin: EP Release Show, xBk Live, $10-15 Sunday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. Lake Street Dive, Hoyt Sherman Place, $39.50-90 Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. A Motown Christmas, Hoyt Sherman Place, $44-64 Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Croce Plays Croce, Hoyt Sherman Place, $34-79 Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. Yam Haus & Sawyer w/Lady Revel, Wooly’s, $18 Thursday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. Mystery Skulls, xBk Live, $18-22 Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Rathbones, xBk

Once 2023-24 Season

ON STAGE THIS MONTH

Seussical TYA Oct. 27-Nov. 05, 2023

COMING SOON All is Calm Dec. 1-17, 2023

A Charlie Brown Christmas Dec. 2-17, 2023

Live, $20-25 Saturday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. Lil Darkie and the Collapse of Modern Society, Wooly’s, $35 Saturday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. Halloween Episode w/Wave Cage and Halfloves, xBk Live, $10-15 Sunday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. VENDED w/Dose, The Curse of Hail, False Providence, Wooly’s, $18 Sunday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. Speedy Ortiz, xBk Live, $16-18 Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. 5th Annual PostTurkey Day Dipsos Blowout, xBk Live, $10-15 Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Dylan Marlowe, Wooly’s, $15 Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. Alana Springsteen, xBk Live, $15-20

GET TICKETS AND GET INVOLVED:

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR

PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

Jerry Craft, Sidekick Coffee & Books, Iowa City, Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., Free

Jerry Craft is traveling to Iowa City for three events on his upcoming tour. Sidekick and Clear Creek-Amana Community School District have collaborated to make these events happen with the goal of promoting children’s love of reading in and outside of the classroom. They’re passionate about educating children on topics discussed in Craft’s books, including bullying, racism and inequities. All ages are welcome to join Craft at Sidekick on Thursday evening. Books can be purchased online on Sidekick’s website prior to the event.

FIND MORE EVENTS! Thursday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. Otis

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30

Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

Julius: Pizza Party Tour, xBk

and 4. Mic Check Poetry Fest,

p.m. Evening w/Clara McKenna,

Wendy Call, Prairie Lights, Free

Live, $20-70

Various Venues, Iowa City, Free-

Marion Public Library, Free

LITERATURE

Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.

$85 Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

Bennett Sims, Prairie Lights,

Monday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. Jeff

John J. Waters, Prairie Lights,

Free

Wilson, Prairie Lights, Free

Free

Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. Carol

Douglas Kearney, Iowa

Jeremy Norton, Prairie Lights,

Elizabeth Metzger, Julia Anna

Spaulding w/Sam Chang, Prairie

Nonfiction Writing House, Iowa

Iowa City, Free

Morrison, Catherine Pond,

Lights, Free

City, Free

Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Timmy

Sunday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.

Brittany Means, Prairie Lights,

Straw and Sara Nicholson,

What’cha Reading Book Club,

Free

Prairie Lights, Free

Craft’d, Cedar Rapids, Free

CRANDIC

Thursday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.

Prairie Lights, Free

Book Club 802,

Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Ted Wheeler w/Mary Helen Stefaniak, Prairie Lights, Free

Beaverdale Books, Des Moines,

DSM

Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m., Free

Meet the Author: Liz Cooney,

Join the African American Museum of Iowa for their new book club, Book Club 802, at Beaverdale Books. Book Club 802 draws from Iowa House File 802, legislation that bans Iowa governmental entities from teaching “divisive concepts.” This legislation includes public schools and colleges. Book Club 802’s goal is to continue talking about race, racism and systemic oppression and they invite all who are interested to join them. This month, they’re reading Wake: The Hidden History of Women Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall. 60 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Beaverdale Books, Free Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. Meet the Author: Margaret Renkl, Franklin Avenue Library, Des Moines, Free

GET YOUR TICKETS: THEATRE.UIOWA.EDU/EVENTS

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Hancher Box Office in advance at 319-335-1158.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 61

Courtesy of TCR

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The Wizard of Oz, Theatre Cedar Rapids, Opening Friday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m., $18-52 TCR’s The Wizard of Oz is kicking off right as the holiday season begins, so recruit your family, friends, or treat yourself to one of the most beloved, classic tales of all time. The fulllength musical will feature Oscar-winning songs from the movie including “We’re off to see the Wizard” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” It’s a show well-suited for all ages, and the perfect activity for a November or December evening. Tickets range from $18-52.

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. Author Afterparty:

Friday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. Snippets: A Writers’

Jamel Brinkley, Louisa Hall, Joe Milan Jr.,

Workshop for Shorter Works, Central Library,

Storyhouse Bookpub, Des Moines, $8

Des Moines, Free w/registration

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the

Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. Poetry Open Mic

Author: Linda Robbins Coleman, Beaverdale

Night w/Kelsey Bigelow, Beaverdale Books,

Books, Free

Free

Monday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the

Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. Meet the Author:

Author: Clara McKenna, Beaverdale Books,

Jerry Harrington, Beaverdale Books, Free

Des Moines, Free Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the

Author: Theodore Wheeler, Beaverdale

Author: Dan Hunter, Beaverdale Books, Free

Books, Free

Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the

PERFORMANCE

Author: Mark Guarino, Beaverdale Books, Free

CRANDIC

Thursday, Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. Meet

Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 2-5. Chicago: The

the Author: Lori Erickson, Plymouth

Musical, Ballantyne Auditorium, Cedar

Congregational Church, Des Moines, Free

Rapids, $5-10

Thursday, Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. Meet the

Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Nathan Timmel,

Author: Lori Erickson, Plymouth Church, Des

Ideal Theater, Cedar Rapids, $20

Moines, Free

EDITORS’ PICKS: November 2023 Friday-Sunday, Nov. 3-5. The Sound of Waves Crashing on an Island of Broken Glass, ArtiFactory, Iowa City, $16 Saturday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. Comedy: Daniel Van Kirk, Lucky Cat Comedy & Events, Cedar Rapids, $15-20 Saturday, Nov. 4 at 8:30 p.m. Smoke & Mirrors III: Alter Egos, Ideal Theater, $20 Saturday, Nov. 4 at 9:30 p.m. Jared Porter, Joystick Comedy Arcade, Iowa City, $5-10 Closing Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. The Trip to Bountiful, Riverside Theatre, Iowa City, $15-39 Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Ari Shaffir, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, $21-61 Monday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Broadway at the Paramount: Pretty Woman, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, $58-88 Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. The Rapids: An Improv Soap Opera, Mirrobox Theatre, Cedar Rapids, $15 Friday-Saturday, Nov. 10-11 at 7:30 p.m. Dance Gala, Hancher Auditorium, $5-20 Friday-Saturday, Nov. 10-11 at 9:30 p.m. First Date Comedy Show, Joystick Comedy Arcade, Iowa City, $5-10 Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. Comedy: Sam Hirchak, Lucky Cat Comedy & Events, Cedar Rapids, $15-20 Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Sal Vulcano, Paramount Theatre, $42.75 Friday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. UI Dance Company Home Concert, Iowa City Public Library, Free Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Comedy Night w/ Tony Deyo, Giving Tree Theater, $26 Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland, Paramount Theatre, $38.50-116.50 Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nutcracker Tea Party, James Theater, Iowa City, $15-25

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 63

Courtesy of DMPA

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Contra-Tiempo, Des Moines Civic Center, Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m., $15-61 Los Angeles-based

Join | Support | Volunteer SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA | WWW.SCIOWA.ORG

activist dance theater company, CONTRA-TIEMPO, will be in town for one-night-only at the beginning of November as part of Des Moines Performing Arts’s Dance Series. The company combines Salsa, AfroCuban, hip-hop and contemporary dance with theater, compelling text, and original music to “bring dynamic multimodal experiences to the concert stage.” CONTRA-TIEMPO is made up of professional dancers, artists, immigrants, educators, activists, organizers in L.A, and across the country.

Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. The

Cat Cohen, Hancher Auditorium,

Adventures of Tortoise and

$10-30

Hare: The Next Gen, Des Moines Civic Center, $10-20

Opening Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Brontë: The World

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 4 and 8

Without, Riverside Theatre

p.m. Nurse Blake, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $42.50-87.50

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 9:30 p.m. Brittany Brave & Friends,

Closing Sunday, Nov. 5.

Joystick Comedy Arcade, $5-10

Seussical TYA, Des Moines

DSM

Community Playhouse, $14-19

Friday, Nov. 3 at 10 a.m and

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7:30

1:30 p.m. The Little Red Hen,

p.m. Puddles Pity Party, Hoyt

Des Moines Community

Sherman Place, $35-129

Playhouse, $6 Thursday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. Monica

Panic! at the Burlesque, xBk

Nevi: Stand-Up Comedy,

Live, Des Moines, $20-30

Teehee’s Comedy Club, Des Moines, $15-20

Friday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, Des

Opening Friday, Nov. 3 at

Moines Civic Center, $25-51.50

7 p.m. Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, CAP Theatre, Altoona,

Opening Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:30

$10-16

p.m. Wicked Queen, Tallgrass Theatre Company, West Des Moines, $10-20

64 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Photo: Tim Schoon

DANCE GALA Friday & Saturday, November 10 & 11 / 7:30 p.m. Hancher Auditorium / Hadley Stage / Auditorium Seating Co-produced by the University of Iowa Department of Dance, Performing Arts Production Unit, and Hancher Auditorium The Department of Dance presents a rich program of both new and restaged works by faculty members and creative collaborators as well as a work by distinguished guest choreographer Aaron Samuel Davis. Davis is an African American choreographer, performer, and teaching artist who has worked with David Rousseve/REALITY, The Limón Dance Company, David Dorfman Dance, Kyle Abraham/A.I.M, Raja Feather Kelly/ The Feath3r Theory, Nicholas Leichter Dance, Giorgia Maddamma, Ben J. Riepe, and 10 Hairy Legs. He currently works as a performer with dance company Unusual Symptoms in residence at Theater Bremen and is a cast member in the acclaimed immersive theater work Sleep No More.

TICKETS: HANCHER.UIOWA/2023-24/DANCE-GALA

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 65 participate in this program, please contact the Hancher Box Office in advance at 319-335-1158.

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PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

Once I Loved: The Experimental Films of Edward Owens, FilmScene— still from Remembrance: A Portrait Study

Chauncey, Iowa City, Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m., Pay-What-You-Can, $10 FilmScene’s monthly

series Out of the Archive: Envisioning Blackness presented by the African Diaspora Committee continues with four short experimental films made by filmmaker Edward Owens. The films were restored in a joint project by the Chicago Film Society, The New American Cinema Group, and John. M. Flaxman Library at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. All films will be presented in 16 mm and include Autre fois, j’ai aimé une femme (Once I Loved a Woman), Tomorrow’s Promise, Remembrance: A Portrait Study and Private Imaginings and Narrative Facts. Tickets are pay-whatyou-can (students are encouraged to pick $0).

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m.

DSM

Consider-It-Coral: Souls, Stories,

The Most Dangerous Man in

Friday, Nov. 3 at TBD. Priscilla

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 12 p.m. Wild

Songs, Temple Theater, Des

America: Daniel Ellsberg and

& Anatomy of a Fall, Varsity

& Scenic Film Festival, Varsity

Moines, $35.50

the Pentagon Papers, $10-11

Cinema, Des Moines, $9-12

Cinema, Des Moines, $9-15

Opening Friday, Dec. 1. All is

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 10 p.m.

Calm, Des Moines Community

Ghost World, FilmScene—

Playhouse

Chauncey, Free-$8

Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. The

Sunday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. Vino

Most Magical Burlesque Show

Vérité: Bad Press, FilmScene—

on Earth, xBk Live, $20-30

Chauncey, $12-25

FILM

Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

CRANDIC

Sound of Metal, FilmScene— Chauncey, Free-$8

Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame,

Pride at FilmScene: Young Soul

FilmScene—Chauncey, $25-40

Rebels, FilmScene—Chauncey, still from Bro Moon

$10 Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse:

Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18

Space Is The Place, FilmScene—

and 19. The Picture Show: Duck

Chauncey, $8

Soup, FilmScene—Chauncey, Free-$5

Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6:45 p.m. Smoke Signals, FilmScene—

Thursday, Nov. 23 at 3:30 p.m.

Chauncey, Free-$8

The Picture Show: Duck Soup, FilmScene—Chauncey, Free-$5

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 10 p.m. Girlfriends, FilmScene—

Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. Dead

Chauncey, Free-$8

Poets Society, FilmScene— Chauncey, Free-$8

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Best in Show, FilmScene—

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. City

Chauncey, $8

Lights, FilmScene—Chauncey, Free-$8

66 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

Underground Film Festival, Varsity Cinema, Des Moines, Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m., $9-12 This year, the Des Moines Underground Film Fest is showing 21 independent short films and music videos made by mostly Iowan, all Midwestern filmmakers and artists. Each film is under 20 minutes long, and the lineup includes music videos, horror, experimental, comedy and documentary shorts in addition to a web series pilot, and a trailer for the feature film, Peck.

Vino Vérité is a series of thought-provoking, chance-taking, and visually-arresting films paired with hand-selected wines and dessert.

PRESENTED BY

Vino Vérité welcomes Conrad Beilharz to share a rousing film from the heart of the Muscogee Nation about the fight to protect the tenuous state of the free press.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 7PM Filmmaker Conrad Beilharz in person! Ticket includes ﬁlm, reception and handpicked wine.

www.icﬁlmscene.org/vino-verite

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 67

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PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

Labor Strikes, An Obermann Conversation, Iowa City Public Library, Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 4 p.m., Free The Writers Guild of

Courtesy of ICPL

America and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists both went on strike this summer and brought Hollywood to a standstill for months, which is something that hasn’t happened since 1960. In September, the United Automobile Workers union went on strike, and most recently, in October, thousands of workers from the Kaiser Permanente health care system went on strike. As a result of these events, the University of Iowa faculty and local labor leaders will be discussing the history of labor in the U.S., and in Iowa at an upcoming Obermann Conversation. The conversation is free and open to all.

Tuesday, Nov. 7 at TBD. The

Thursdays, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23,

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 8 a.m. “50 &

Stones & Brian Jones, Varsity

30 at 5 p.m. Free Thursday

STEAM Saturdays: Finance for

Better” Health Fair, Des Moines

Cinema, $9-12

Evenings, Cedar Rapids

Kids, NewBo City Market, Cedar

University Clinic, Free

Museum of Art, Free

Rapids, Free

National Theater Live: Titanic:

Friday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. Fluid

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.

ALI’s Paws & Claws Benefit

The Musical, Varsity Cinema,

Impressions Open House, Public

All Ages Art: Drawing from

Auction, Des Moines Marriott

$20-25

Space One Close, Free w/RSVP

Observation, Public Space One

Downtown, $75

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 12 at TBD.

Close, Free w/donations Thursday, Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 16 at TBD. Rocky

Friday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. CRMA

Horror Picture Show, Varsity

Gala, Cedar Rapids Museum

Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 6

Print Club Annual Meeting, Des

Cinema, $20

of Art

p.m. Latinos in Iowa: Planting

Moines Art Center, Free

Seeds of Prosperity, Power Sunday, Nov. 19 at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 9:30 a.m.

and Progress, Iowa City Public

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m.

Film & Commentary: Standing

Jack Splat, Chauncey Swan

Library, Free

Behind-the-Scenes w/Lydia

Strong: Elizabeth Catlett, Des

Parking Ramp, Iowa City, Free

Ricci, Des Moines Art Center, Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m.

Moines Art Center, Free

Free

Monday, Nov. 6 at 6:30

Suminagashi w/Sally Chai, Iowa

Monday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m.

p.m. Suspended: Systemic

City Press Co-op, $10-100

Franklin Cinema Club: The

Oppression in our Schools w/

Arrival, Franklin Avenue Library,

Sam Black, Iowa City Public

Sunday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. Artist

Des Moines, Free

Library, Free

Market, Cedar Rapids Museum

Wednesday, Nov. 22 at TBD.

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

Napoleon, Varsity Cinema, $9-12

Immigrant Welcome Benefit

Monday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. Full

Baum, Des Moines Art Center,

Concert & Art Show, James

Moon Hike, Indian Creek Nature

Free

Theater, Iowa City

Center, Free-$7

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. Night

DSM

at the Museum: Bingo Queens,

Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.

Stanley Museum of Art, Iowa

Prism Tabletop Club LGBTQIA+

City, Free

Game Night, Slow Down Coffee

Fridays, Nov. 17, 24 and Dec.

Co., Des Moines, Free

1. Holiday Promenade, Historic

Spectrums, Des Moines Art

of Art, Free

Wednesday, Nov. 29 at TBD. Interview with the Vampire, Varsity Cinema, $9-12

COMMUNITY

Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. Art Center, Free Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Hank Willis Thomas w/Dr. Kelly

Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. Musical Bingo, Big Grove Brewery, Des Moines, $5

CRANDIC

Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.

Truthsgiving: The Truth Will

Friday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m.

Field to Family Harvest Dinner,

Not Be Whitewashed, Englert

November First Friday,

Saturday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m.

Wilson’s Ciderhouse & Venue,

Theatre, Iowa City, $5

Mainframe Studios, Des Moines,

Totally Rad Vintage Fest, Iowa

Free

Events Center, Des Moines,

$75

East Village, Des Moines, Free

$8-25 68 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

the

balletdesmoines.org/nutcracker

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PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

Small Business Saturday Open Studios, Mainframe Studios, Saturday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m., Free

Andrew Sachin Clements

Black Friday is out and Small Business Saturday is very much so in. Supporting local artists and makers is always the best, and if you’re in Des Moines around Thanksgiving time, going to Mainframe for their Small Business Saturday Open Studios is a must-do. During their Open Studios time, community members can explore art and meet artists, grab gifts for the holidays, in addition to checking out Mainframe’s various art workshop offerings.

Game Night, SingleSpeed Brewing Co., Waterloo, Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m., Free Waterloo Public Library

Public Domain

and SingleSpeed Brewing Co., have teamed up for International Games Week and are hosting a special Game Night at the brewery. Adult board games will be set up for participants to try and folks are also welcome to bring their own. Appetizers will be supplied, and SingleSpeed will be offering a variety of drinks. This event is free and open to adults.

Saturday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m.

Sunday, Dec. 3 at 1:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3 and

Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m.

Whiskey Festival, The River

Artist Lectures + Conversation

4 at 7:30 p.m. Opera Scenes,

Octopus Team Trivia, Octopus

Center, Des Moines, $68-135

w/Ange Altenhofen, TJ

UNI School of Music, Cedar

College Hill, Cedar Falls, Free

Dedeaux-Norris, Laura

Falls, Free

Sunday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. Makers

Burkhalter, Des Moines Art

Market & Bar Hop, Various

Center, Free

Breweries, Downtown Des Moines, Free Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m.

WATERLOO/CF

Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Natascha Myers, SingleSpeed

Annie, Gallagher Bluedorn

Brewing Co., Free

Performing Arts, Cedar Falls, $46-81

Holiday Arts Festival, Waterloo

Entirely Kids Day: Playing

Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. Tom

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. YCA

House, Des Moines Art Center,

Papa, Gallagher Bluedorn

on Tour, Gallagher Bluedorn

Free

Performing Arts, Cedar Falls,

Performing Arts, $38-46

$40-65

Saturday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. Center for the Arts, Free Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Concert: Vita Militar, Waterloo East High School, $7-42

70 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

MYTH

You can get syphilis from

touching shared objects (like toilet seats) or being in a hot tub or pool. FACT

Syphilis is passed on through

sexual contact with another person. Syphilis is a common and curable sexually transmitted infection (STI). You cannot catch it through touching objects or surfaces. Syphilis only spreads through direct sexual contact with another person. Pregnant women with syphilis can also pass on the infection to their unborn baby. If you’re sexually active, using condoms (every time!) can help reduce your risk of syphilis. You can also protect your health by making STI testing part of your regular health routine.

Find a testing location near you: gettested.cdc.gov Free and low-cost options available.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR

PRESENTED BY THINK IOWA CITY

Native American Heritage Month with Sage Sisters of Solidarity, Davenport Public Library, Fairmount Branch, Thursday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m., Free

Courtesy of Sage Sisters

Sage Sisters of Solidarity in a partnership with the Davenport Civil Rights Commission will present about indigenous history in the Quad Cities and issues that the Native community are facing at large and in our community. Sage Sisters of Solidarity work toward social justice through an indigenous, anti-colonial, and environmental lens. Program is open to the public.

Monday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.

Opening Friday, Dec. 1. Harry

Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 6:30

Yesterday Once More, Gallagher

Connick Jr.’s The Happy Elf,

Warm Up Wednesday Coffee

p.m. FILMOSOPHIA Film &

Bluedorn Performing Arts

Cedar Falls Community Theatre,

& Cocoa, Davenport Public

Discussion Series, Rozz-Tox,

$12-27

Library Main Branch, Davenport,

Rock Island, Free

Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 14 and 15. Deck the Falls, Cedar Falls Downtown District, Free

QUAD CITIES

Wednesday. Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. Creative

Comedy Night, Octopus College

Nights with Quercus Magazine,

Hill, Free

Brewed Book, Davenport, Free

Free Saturday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. Fall Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Wild Edible Workshop, Wapsi

Craft Night & Repro Rights, The

River Center, Dixon, Free

Village Theater, Davenport, Free Saturday, Nov. 18 at 10 Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m.

a.m. Quad Cities Psychic &

Diwali Celebration with Meher

Paranormal Expo, River Center, Davenport, $5

Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m.

Dance, Moline Public Library,

TableTap Board Game Gathering,

Halloween Party, Killpop!,

Moline, Free

Black Hawk Hotel, Free

Davenport, Free

Saturday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.

Jigsaw Puzzle Swap, Davenport

Opening Friday, Nov. 17 at 7

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m.

Abernathy’s Anniversary Show,

Public Library, Main Branch,

p.m. Disney’s Little Mermaid,

Davenport Rotary Murder

Raccoon Motel, Davenport, $10

Free

Waterloo Community

Mystery Dinner, Rotary Club,

Playhouse, $10-25

Davenport, $50

Sunday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m.

Monday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m.

Art Off The Wall, Figge Art

Songwriters Roundtable

Museum, Davenport, $10

Workshop, Common Chord,

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17

Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.

and 18 Mean Girls, Gallagher

Frederick The Great of Prussia,

Bluedorn Performing Arts,

German American Heritage

Sunday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. The

Cedar Falls, $38-101

Center, Davenport, $5

Head and the Heart w/Yoke

Friday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. Final

Lore, Capitol Theatre, $49.50-

Friday at the ARTery, Rock

Island, Free

Davenport, Free

Saturday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m.

Monday, Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m.

Nano Tea Party, Snowden

Person-Centered Care of the

House, Waterloo, $10-12

LGBTQ+ Community, Rogalski

Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Center at Saint Ambrose

Sensory Friendly Skate,

Open Mic Night, Rhythm Room,

University, Davenport, Free

Eldridge Community Center

River City Casino, Davenport,

and Skatepark, $7-11

72 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

TAKÁCS QUARTET Thursday, November 9 / 7:30 p.m. The Englert Theatre The Takács Quartet is renowned for “marrying aristocratic elegance and red-blooded energy to everything they play.” (Seen and Heard International) Presented at The Englert to increase the immediacy of the performance, the concert will put the audience up close to one of the world’s legendary string quartets. TICKETS

HANCHER EVENT PARTNERS

Adults $40 Students & Youth $10

Artemus Bush-Helen Jones Trust

MIDORI and FESTIVAL STRINGS LUCERNE Tuesday, November 14 / 7:30 p.m. Hancher Auditorium Rightly recognized as one of the most outstanding violinists of our time, Midori is also an activist and educator who is devoted to crafting connections between music and the human experience. The Washington Post says, “Midori is still the singular sound of familiar from her long affiliation with the virtuosic standards: big, focused, strongly projected, uncannily smooth and consistent bowing across a broadband spectrum of volume and color.” TICKETS

HANCHER EVENT PARTNERS

Adults $75 / $55 Students & Youth $10

Robert J. & Sue B. Latham

ROOMFUL OF TEETH and GABRIEL KAHANE

A HANCHER CO-COMMISSION

Thursday, November 16 / 7:30 p.m. Hancher Auditorium / Onstage Seating Founded to “mine the expressive potential of the human voice,” Roomful of Teeth delivers performances that can be summed up in a single word: exquisite. The Grammy-winning ensemble—self-described as a “vocal band”—is dedicated to creating and performing meaningful and adventurous music that amplifies voices old and new. The Boston Globe says, “Experimentation may be this group’s calling card, but its essence is pure joy.” TICKETS

HANCHER EVENT PARTNERS

Adults $25 Students & Youth $10

Mark & Fran Lundy

10 STUDENT & YOUTH TICKETS  LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS AT HANCHER.UIOWA.EDU Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Paris Sissel in advance at (319) 467-4849 or at paris-sissel@uiowa.edu.

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DEAR KIKI

ear Kiki, I’m a single dad of a four-month-old. When it comes to masturbation, what’s a way to get over feeling guilty about it? I feel very weird about “alone time” even when she’s asleep and feel strange about picking her up or touching her afterwards even though I wash my hands thoroughly and make sure we’re in separate rooms. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, especially since the whole dating and taking someone home thing is kind of out of the question, but I just feel kind of weird and gross about it. Is this normal? What can I do? ––Insecure about Self-Love

publicspaceone.com/surrealhouse

ear Insecure, Congratulations on your relatively new bundle of joy! And, if she’s your first: Welcome to parenting. You state that you don’t think there’s anything wrong with your “alone time.” Kiki confirms: There is nothing wrong with it. Knowing that won’t necessarily make the discomfort go away for you, but it’s important that all readers out there understand that sex and self-pleasure both are good and natural and carry no inherent shame. Partnered parents get it on with kids sleeping a room away. And you’re certainly not going to swear off masturbation (or worse, indulge and feel guilty) until she moves out. I don’t think it’s minimizing your situation to point out that this is something most parents of infants struggle with, though, regardless of gender or partner situation. You can rest assured that the way you feel about it is normal as well! And my recommendation is that you’ll need to approach it the same way that any parent would approach stumbling back toward intimacy after a child is born: You get a babysitter. Yes, I know. Easier said than done. But if there is someone in your life who you trust with your child (any grandparents in town, maybe?), make a date with yourself once a week. I promise you, it will be far more beneficial for you than just masturbating without guilt. (Imagine, if you dare: sleeping through the night!) It’s so easy as a new parent to let your child’s needs obscure your own. But masturbation is something that can often (ahem) come up, regardless of intention. So it serves as a great reminder that you are still a whole person. You have wants and needs that still genuinely matter and deserve to be accommodated. You can’t be a good parent if you erase yourself completely. Once you’ve attended to your needs, you can remind yourself of your wants. Take in a movie. Cook a nice meal. Read a book that isn’t monosyllabic! And yes, potentially, even sleep. Infants can zap so much of a parent’s energy that you’re

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not even thinking clearly. If you’re able to finagle a night to yourself each week, you can recenter and come back to her better equipped to be the attentive, caring parent you want to be. Yes, I know. Masturbating once a week seems utterly insufficient. But if you can take that much time to focus on only you, then you’ll feel less guilt, anxiety and confusion the rest of the week. You may even reach a point where you can relax enough to focus briefly on yourself even when you’re home alone with her, without the “weird and gross” feeling bubbling to the surface. If you’re alone with your child all the time, with no respite at all, then the struggle increases exponentially. There are little things I can recommend—meditating before and after, for example, or turning the baby monitor off for half an hour (if your living arrangements are such that you’re sure to hear her anyway if she’s in distress). However, there is no substitute for solitude. Leverage your network. Do you have friends with kids who are 12 or older who can babysit? Are you part of a support group, alumni circle, religious org, sports team, etc.? Is there a dads group in your area that you can join? The National At-Home Dad Network (athomedad.org) maintains a list of local groups (there’s one in Cedar Rapids as well as a few in border cities in neighboring states). Both Waypoint in Cedar Rapids and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines offer fatherhood courses and support. Single Parent Provision holds a single dads group the first and third Wednesday of each month in West Des Moines. Some of these organizations have a religious bent that may not suit you, but one key piece of advice about groups is that you don’t need to cede your heart and soul to them. Just attend a couple meetings and you may connect with individuals who make the time worth it, even if you don’t like the vibe overall. I promise that however alone you may feel, there are people who want to help. Don’t isolate yourself. If you don’t have those connections, make them now. You don’t want to wait until she’s old enough to open doors! ––xoxo, Kiki

KIKI WANTS QUESTIONS! Submit questions anonymously at littlevillagemag.com/dearkiki or non-anonymously to dearkiki@littlevillagemag.com. Questions may be edited for clarity and length, and may appear either in print or online at littlevillagemag.com. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 75

>> Cont. from pg. 23 “The piece I did with Geneviève is from my eyes, from my voice, and Geneviève brought in a flood of beautiful music that really amplified the entire thing.” The lights dimmed to debut Killers of the Flower Moon at the Varsity, and audiences soon discovered that Scorsese had stuck close to the perspective of William Hale’s (Robert De Niro) nephew, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), who proves to be a dead-end of a man. But at least this POV stays close to an Osage woman named Mollie (Lily Gladstone), Ernest’s wife. Like him, the audience falls for her, hard. The movie is blunt, getting right to the murder plot as soon as De Niro and DiCaprio share the screen. This left no choice but to confront rather than consume the story. In so many ways, it was saying the same few words that GrosLouis left the Varsity stage with: “This is the history of the land we’re on.” The violence had to be taken on the chin, too. There was no exaggeration or stylization to distance audiences from the ruthless, to-the-point reality of what really happened. Since the movie was hushed in volume, the gunshots were harsh, felt in the ears, drawing gasps. At the end of one scene, an episode of The Lucky Strike Radio Hour, broadcast a few years after the events of the movie, plays. This retelling of the Reign of Terror within a retelling of the Reign of Terror reminds audiences this story’s been told and sold before—and is still now. The weight of Biss-Grayson’s voice and Gros-Louis’ violin were still felt, still heavy in our heads when this happened. “I feel like ears are starting to open— the wax is coming out,” Gros-Louis had said. “And there is just more openness to understanding that what you read in a textbook isn’t always the truth.” Gros-Louis’ work can be found at genevievegroslouis.com.

76 November 2023 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323

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AST R O LO GY

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Who would have guessed that elephants can play the drums really well? On a trip to Thailand, Scorpio musician Dave Soldier discovered that if given sticks and drums, some elephants kept a steadier beat than humans. A few were so talented that Soldier recorded their rhythms and played them for a music critic who couldn’t tell they were created by animals. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose that you Scorpios seek out comparable amazements. You now have the potential to make unprecedented discoveries. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian novelist Shirley Jackson wrote, “No live organism can continue for long to exist under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids dream.” Since she wrote that, scientists have gathered evidence that almost all animals dream and that dreaming originated at least 300 million years ago. With that as our inspiration and in accordance with astrological omens, I urge you to enjoy an intense period of tapping into your dreams. To do so will help you escape from absolute reality. It will also improve your physical and mental health and give you unexpected clues about how to solve problems. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn writer Kahlil Gibran believed an essential human longing is to be revealed. We all want the light in us to be taken out of its hiding place and shown. If his idea is true about you, you will experience major cascades of gratification in the coming months. I believe you will be extra expressive. And you will encounter more people than ever before who are interested in knowing what you have to express. To prepare for the probable breakthroughs, investigate whether you harbor any fears or inhibitions about being revealed—and dissolve them. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): November is Build Up Your Confidence Month. In the coming weeks, you are authorized to snag easy victories as you steadily bolster your courage to seek bigger, bolder triumphs. As much as possible, put yourself in the vicinity of people who respect you and like you. If you suspect you have secret admirers, encourage them to be less secretive. Do you have plaques, medals, or trophies? Display them prominently. Or visit a trophy store and have new awards made for you to commemorate your unique skills—like thinking wild thoughts, pulling off one-of-a-kind adventures, and inspiring your friends to rebel against their habits. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I’m glad we have an abundance of teachers helping us learn how to be here now—to focus on the present moment with gratitude and grace. I love the fact that books on the art of mindfulness are now almost as common as books about cats and cooking. Yay! But I also want to advocate for the importance of letting our minds wander freely. We need to celebrate the value and power of NOT always being narrowly zeroed in on the here and now. We can’t make intelligent decisions unless we ruminate about what has happened in the past and what might occur in the future. Meandering around in fantasyland is key to discovering new insights. Imaginative ruminating is central to the creative process. Now please give your mind the privilege of wandering far and wide in the coming weeks, Pisces. ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Our bodies sometimes serve as the symbolic ground where order and disorder fight for supremacy,” writes storyteller Caroline Kettlewell. Here’s good news, Aries: For you, order will triumph over disorder in the coming weeks. In part through your willpower and in part through life’s grace, you will tame the forces of chaos and enjoy a phase when most everything makes sense. I don’t mean you will have zero problems, but I suspect you will have an enhanced power to solve problems. Your mind and heart will coordinate their efforts with exceptional flair.

By Rob Brezsny

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I recently endured a three-hour root canal. Terrible and unfortunate, right? No! Because it brought profound joy. The endodontist gave me nitrous oxide, and the resulting euphoria unleashed a wild epiphany. For the duration of the surgery, I had vivid visions of all the people in my life who love me. I felt their care. I was overwhelmed with the kindness they felt for me. Never before had I been blessed with such a blissful gift. Now, in accordance with your astrological omens, I invite you to induce a similar experience—no nitrous oxide needed. It’s a perfect time to meditate on how well you are appreciated and needed and cherished. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Unless you are very unusual, you don’t sew your clothes or grow your food. You didn’t build your house, make your furniture, or forge your cooking utensils. Like most of us, you know little about how water and electricity arrive for your use. Do you have any notion of what your grandparents were doing when they were your age? Have you said a prayer of gratitude recently for the people who have given you so much? I don’t mean to put you on the spot with my questions, Gemini. I’m merely hoping to inspire you to get into closer connection with everything that nourishes and sustains you. Honor the sources of your energy. Pay homage to your foundations. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega has had a modest but sustained career. With nine albums, she has sold over 3 million records, but is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has said, “I always thought that if I were popular, I must be doing something wrong.” I interpret that to mean she has sought to remain faithful to her idiosyncratic creativity and not pay homage to formulaic success. But here’s the good news for you in the coming months, fellow Cancerian: You can be more appreciated than ever before simply by being true to your soul’s inclinations and urges. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Everything in the world has a hidden meaning,” wrote Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis. Did he really mean everything? Your dream last night, your taste in shoes, your favorite TV show, the way you laugh? As a fun experiment, let’s say that yes, everything has a hidden meaning. Let’s also hypothesize that the current astrological omens suggest you now have a special talent for discerning veiled and camouflaged truths. We will further propose that you have an extraordinary power to penetrate beyond surface appearances and home in on previously unknown and invisible realities. Do you have the courage and determination to go deeper than you have ever dared? I believe you do. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): How many glowworms would have to gather in one location to make a light as bright as the sun? Probably over a trillion. And how many ants would be required to carry away a 15-pound basket of food? I’m guessing over 90,000. Luckily for you, the cumulative small efforts you need to perform so as to accomplish big breakthroughs won’t be nearly that high a number. For instance, you may be able to take a quantum leap after just six baby steps. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the 17th century, John Milton wrote a long narrative poem titled Paradise Lost. I’ve never read it and am conflicted about the prospect of doing so. On one hand, I feel I should engage with a work that has had such a potent influence on Western philosophy and literature. On the other hand, I’m barely interested in Milton’s story, which includes boring conversations between God and Satan and the dreary tale of how God cruelly exiled humans from paradise because the first man, Adam, was mildly rebellious. So what should I do? I’ve decided to read the Cliffs Notes study guide about Paradise Lost, a brief summary of the story. In accordance with astrological omens, I suggest you call on similar shortcuts, Libra. Here’s your motto: if you can’t do the completely right thing, try the partially right thing. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 77

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ALBUM REVIEWS

LOU SHERRY More Now Than Then DENTALRECORDSIC.BANDCAMP.COM

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a creaking door opening and closing. In “DWC” Richards sings in a voice so low it comes across as a guttural whisper, reminiscent of Bill Callahan’s Smog output in its delivery. “Hoping for a new beginning,” Richards sings right as the song ends. “Adam,” which might be my favorite song on the album (mood dependent), comes across as a rumination of the narrator waiting to take his first train ride to meet with someone he hasn’t seen for a long time. There’s a frailness to the song that almost feels like whimsy and innocence evoked from a common traveling experience. Richards approaches the song and lyrics with an honesty that borders on childlike wonder, though the confidence in his own feelings shows a sense of peace with one’s own emotions, which is about as adult as it gets. The album ends on the title track, harkening back to the aesthetics of “Friendly Advisors,” creating a loop upon itself sonically and conceptually. Now More Than Then is a thoroughly crafted album full of peppy tempos and in-joke lyrics. Every riff, every sonic trick is placed ex-

SEAN TYLER NOR THERE SEANTYLER.BANDCAMP.COM

ometimes in life, anticipation can veer towards obsession. It first found out about Sean was after the first time Lou Sherry Tyler from one of the great played Gabe’s that I learned this No Touching Sessions filmed at lesson—as soon as the show endGabe’s way back in 2020. Tyler’s ed, I craved a full album. The wait been performing regularly around seemed inconceivable, but then Iowa City ever since, and recentSeptember rolled around and, like ly played at the Refocus Film magic, More Now Than Then came Festival. Released in September, out! Lord, was it worth it! NOR THERE is his first official Lou Sherry is the creation of collection of songs since his 2020 Denny Richards, who has been self-titled debut EP. kicking around the Iowa City music NOR THERE consists of sevscene for quite some time in groups en tracks: four songs, followed such as Def-Kittie BlinDogg and by three instrumental versions the ever-shifting music of ZUUL. of those same songs. “Drive Me Here, Richards has gathered an Home” begins the release with impressive collection of talent. the spaced-out feel of some early Drummer Josh Seligman and bassBlack Keys tracks. But where the ist Jon Lewis provide Black Keys the rhythm section always while Dan Miller of searched EVERY RIFF, EVERY SONIC TRICK IS PLACED MAAAZE complifor pop EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOULD BE, CREATING ments Denny Richards’ simplicity, piano with guitar. Tyler preA COMPOSITION AROUND THEMES OF “ F r i e n d l y vailingly HEARTBREAK, DISILLUSION AND HUMOR. Advisors,” after a nice relies on little false start, kicks rummagthe album off. A jauning around ty piano bounces around Richards’ actly where it should be, creating this singular reverb-laden riff. His wavy Bacharach-esque voice as a composition around themes of voice is buried deep in the mix he goes through all the life advice heartbreak, disillusion and humor. here, punctuated by Chris Jensen’s that, in tone alone, he feels is fake, These are lounge songs for acid drumming. Both deeply raw and “...everything eventually, seems to casualties and freaks. Listening to delicately polished, the track sucbring me down.” For a song about the album is akin to sitting in the ceeds at capturing Tyler’s individaccepting the letdowns of life, it bar of the Love Boat if the Love ual mix of pop, rock, jazz and even Boat was a decaying, pilot-less sludge influences. sure does lift one’s spirits. The next song, “Dice,” has a steamboat meandering down the Performed live, “All I Want” is darker feel. By the end, the band Mississippi. No one seems to a full-on pop deconstruction, fallseems to disappear, leaving only notice, nor care whether it runs ing perpetually into its own melanRichards and drummer Seligman aground, not when the entertain- cholic current. Here, with Jensen’s as their playing gets more sparse, ment is this good. drumming and Tyler’s vocal over—Chris Burns lays, it becomes brighter—joyful until we are left with the sound of

even. The lyrics make a point to contain no resolution, seeming instead to revel in getting the tone and feeling right rather than the meaning. This has the effect of making Tyler’s voice another melodic ingredient rather than some guiding force. “For You” centers an acoustic guitar riff that wouldn’t be out of place on some early 2000s quasi-metal releases. But Tyler takes its chorus from brooding to the equally beguiling bittersweet. After “Comfort”—a quick, menacing musical interlude held together by a continual cymbal crash—Tyler runs the initial three songs back again. With their lyrics intact, Tyler presents these songs as straight pop-rock dirges. But without his voice, they become instrumental jaunts that consistently hit all the right blue notes and jazz chords, all fuzzed out and vibrating. The decision of an artist to present songs without their lyrics on the same release can often lead to that boring binary comparison between the two that screams for a qualitative assessment. NOR THERE seems to question that notion. Here it seems Tyler wants to treat them as companions, or even continuations. There are no new fireworks in these instrumental versions, which have the exact same run times as the lyrical versions, but that may well be the point. Without his voice to guide, the hooks become fuzzier and the melodies richer. “For You” in particular morphs into an indie-pop meditation easily imagined as part of the end credits of a ’90s-era David Fincher film. What I find most compelling in his music is the real sense of departure, of song as ultimate possibility. And as the album’s name implies, Sean Tyler feels it too, positioning these songs as existing outside of the traditional song and genre structures—music that is gracefully neither entirely here, nor is it really there. —Avery Gregurich

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV323 November 2023 79

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WAVE CAGE Even You Can See in the Dark WAVECAGE.BANDCAMP.COM

“H

ere we orbit each other with creative collaboration,” says poet Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey on the opening and title track of Wave Cage’s new album Even You Can See in the Dark. That sentiment is central to the record itself. The band’s notes on the project—which was funded in part by the Iowa Arts Council— make explicit the ideas at its heart: “Even You Can See in the Dark is an album dedicated to DIY music and art scenes everywhere. … We hope this record leaves you with a sense of our own Iowa community and the wonderful artists we have been lucky to collaborate with.” Even You Can See in the Dark, released in late October, plays off this concept as the Iowa City band—Ryan Garmoe (trumpet, flugelhorn), Nolan Schroeder (tenor saxophone), Jarrett Purdy (Fender Rhodes, synths, synth bass) and Christopher Jensen (drums)—shares the record with a number of top-notch collaborators. Rainey appears on three of the record’s eight tracks, building on the poet’s collaboration with the band on this year’s Heart Notes Live! project (of which this reviewer wrote, “the collaboration yields something engaging and often moving. It may not be all the way to alchemy, but it is far from subtraction by addition.”) Rainey’s tracks continue to make the album’s themes explicit via his spoken words. The second track, “Break Out,”

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critique, which is slight: I could features just the members of Wave see a listener becoming fatigued Cage, and serves as a reminder of by the often grandious nature of what a solid band they are—and the conflicts presented. The subalso as a baseline to establish how ject matter tends to be displayed generously and creatively collaboin nebulous, all-consuming terms rative they are with the guests on talking about how a “noble cause” the album. might hinge on “you” or “us” in a Lyricist and vocalist Elly stark, split moment. Hofmaier brings a jazz-inflectThis rarely bothered me, in part ed soul to “Not This Time.” because I love this stuff, but also Hofmaier’s multitrack vocals are bececause these lines are satisfyarresting. She and the band—es- SIRENS AND PROPHETS ingly delivered. The vocals from pecially Purdy—find a collective Delineations Hopkins and Wadle are generally groove that made me eager to hear SIRENSANDPROPHETS.BANDCAMP.COM sung with a detached affect that more from this particular partnership. n the opening minutes of still affords potent purpose. Take lyrics like: “Innocence is In an early moment in “Chemical Delineations’ forlorn guitar Memory”—composed by and fea- chords, punctuated by steady bleeding and it’s face-down in the turing guitarist Elvis Phillips—the drums, lead listeners in a gradual dirt/it’s always fun and games up horns do a strong impression of crescendo accompanied by boiling until someone gets hurt/the privilege of you surely needs to be the horn section from the band cymbals. Chicago (I almost expected Peter By the halfway point of this first undone/Children throw a tantrum Cetera or Bill Champlin to jump track, “Lines Drawn,” I’m envel- when you take away their fun.” The words demand action but in with a vocal). But it is Phillips’ oped by the album. Typically, I’m guitar work in collaboration with hooked by lyrics, but this open- the messager sounds weary—an Schroeder’s warmly aggressive ing instrumental piece (somewhat interesting contrast to the guitars sax playing that underpins the reminiscent of the Eagles or Van and Brunt’s drums, which seem to cut’s shifting moods. Phillips also Halen) from Sirens and Prophets revel in each glorious moment they get on the track. appears on the Kyler Boss-penned has me enticed. “You” and “we” are the subject track “Bumpus,” which features a The 11-track rock album comes riff on a heavy metal aesthetic. from the Pella-based band com- throughout—a simple but effective The album closes with “No prised of Chris Hopkins (lead trick in getting the listener to put Them (Only Us),” composed by vocals, guitar), Randy Wadle themselves into the songs. Lines award-winning composer Michael (lead vocals, keyboards), Frank like “you are a prison, sorting wrong from right / Conrad, who also you show up after plays trombone on all the future may the track, joined by THE WORDS DEMAND ACTION BUT hold / you hope Christopher Merz on THE MESSENGER SOUNDS WEARY— we swallow all that alto saxophone and AN INTERESTING CONTRAST TO THE we’ve been told,” Boss on synths. The make everyone feel longest work on the GUITARS AND BRUNT’S DRUMS, WHICH implicated in the album at just over SEEM TO REVEL IN EACH GLORIOUS structural failings nine and half minMOMENT THEY GET ON THE TRACK. at play. utes, the composition The album is builds steadily, openjust good. There ing with solo piano followed by a chamber music-ad- Zemanek (guitar, vocals) and Jay are strong performances from everyone involved. It builds individjacent horn section feature that Brunt (drum, vocals). is itself followed by a propulsive Sirens and Prophets founded ualized songs around a centralized drum track over which Merz solos and anchored the inaugural Pella theme, illustrating a broad swath with an energy that pulls the lis- All-Original Music Showcase in of societal sins. Ultimately, Delineation has tener along as the music unfurls. September, a free outdoor, one-day When everyone comes back to- fest in the shadow of Tulip Tower a message it’s saying with a gether following a drum feature to celebrate Iowa-made music. full-throated confidence that’s imand a trombone solo, the record’s Jinnouchi Power, Journey’s End, mediately and powerfully endurdriving theme is palpable in the The Dave Paris Group and Jason ing. rich sound. Button also performed. —Isaac Hamlet —Rob Cline I’ll start with my only real

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BOOK REVIEWS

ALYSSA COKINIS, ED. Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors LULU

he phrase “representation is important” has become ubiquitous, so commonplace that it’s easy to lose sight of its meaning. On Twitter, or “X,” the phrase is used memetically to accompany pictures of cute, lazy animals, representing a user’s mental state or level of comfort. What does a joke about the importance of reputation obscure? In a cultural landscape dominated by straight and white perspectives, reading something that reflects your own experience is crucial. Monologues by LGBTQIA+ Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors is evidence of the adage’s truth. Compiled by University of Iowa alumnus Alyssa Cokinis, the book of 60 monologues serves as an extension of Cokinis’ some scripts literary magazine project and—more importantly—a vital resource for actors looking to perform monologues written by and for authentic voices spanning the widths of the spectrums of gender and sexuality. More than a smattering of isolated reflections on queer life, the pieces speak to the variety of the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people in a heteronormative society. As the foreword notes, LGBTQIA+ people are not a monolith, and the collection’s content reflects that. The lion’s share of the pieces in the anthology explicitly portray central components of LGBTQIA+ life, like relationships, as in the very funny “Flight Announcement” by Thomas J. Misuraca, or coming out in “Like Me For Me” by Cassidy

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narrator are in a sort of converGuimares. Cokinis gives the floor sation with each other. This one to often-obscured asexual and arofocuses on ebook readers and the mantic voices such as Sophie Katz, narrator’s parasocial relationships whose monologues “Aspec” and with other reviewers, where “[t]he “Nothing and Everything” bookend idea that he was the only reader in the collection. the world underlining precise deYet others are very simply just scriptions frightened him.” I don’t pieces about LGBTQIA+ peoples’ think I’ve ever read a story about an everyday lives. David Blitzman’s ebook reader, so that alone sold me, “My Son” is a heartfelt tribute by on top of the narrator’s cohesive a father to his autistic son, while self-reflection and anxiety. “Dill’s Monologue” from That Thing BENNETT SIMS Other pieces in this collection in the Bathroom by Cal Walker com- Other Minds and Other have accompanying photos with ically depicts a young trans person’s Stories them, which offer an actual visual appeal to their passive boss to take TWO DOLLAR RADIO so we can fully imagine what Sims’ action against a supernatural entity in their workplace’s bathroom. ithin Bennett Sims Other narrators are referencing and reThe collection’s explorations of Minds and Other Stories flecting on. This was at its strongest LGBTQIA+ history and speculative you’ll find several stories about a in the first piece, “La ‘Mummia di fiction are strong suits. In the case variety of psychologically interest- Grottarossa.’” Here, we’re shown of the former, Glenn Alterman’s ing narrators. The one thing that the hall of ancient marble statues “Bart” is a tender, poetic explora- brings them together: they’re all in the photo and read about the coffin of a girl: “today, living children tion of shifting relationships in the quite bizarre. AIDS epidemic. The turns toward Sims’ writing is at its strongest crowd around this coffin, taking sci-fi and fantasy by A’liya Spinner when a story’s movement and nar- photos with their phones … They and Aly Kantor are fascinating. ration flow hand-in-hand seamless- can tell that this girl, despite the Monologues by LGBTQIA+ ly. A story that embodies this well two millennia condensed in her, is Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors is a is “Unknown,” in which the narra- closer to them in time.” A few stories in the collection fantastic resource for young actors tor grows scared that constant calls auditioning for shows at academic institutions, MONOLOGUES BY LGBTQIA+ WRITERS FOR LGBTQIA+ or for performers of any ACTORS IS A FANTASTIC RESOURCE FOR YOUNG ACTORS age auditioning in professional and semi-pro- AUDITIONING FOR SHOWS AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, fessional settings. These OR FOR PERFORMERS OF ANY AGE AUDITIONING IN monologues create an opportunity for actors PROFESSIONAL AND SEMI-PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS. to present their strengths while also expressing how they from unknown phone numbers are are formatted as one long paraidentify. While not all the piec- scams, spyware or the secret lov- graph. While it is certainly a stylises are the most groundbreaking er of his wife. This story starts in tic choice, it doesn’t always pay off dramatic writing, there is still ku- medias res with our narrator meet- like it does in the title story. It’s easy dos to be given to these artists for ing a strange woman who needs to to get lost in the inner ramblings composing pithy monologues that use his cell phone at the mall, and of our different narrators when it speak to their own experiences as propels itself forward through his comes to longer stream-of-consciousness pieces like “Portonaccio LGBTQIA+ writers. growing paranoia. In an arts landscape that is conOf the longer stories, this is per- Sarcophagus” and “Introduction to tinually re-evaluating how it can haps my personal favorite of the the Reading of Hegel.” They offer best speak to the breadth of human collection. In fact, this story and some nice satire, but operate more experiences, something as simple another titled “Pecking Order” of- like extended character studies than as providing actors with mono- fer fascinating character studies of plot-driven stories. All in all, Sims presents an interlogues that represent them is vital. their narrators’ inner mind—with Representation is important, after the latter being downright disturbing esting collection of psychologically all, and Monologues by LGBTQIA+ (trigger warning for animal death/ unnerving stories with unreliable narrators galore. If you’re in the Writers for LGBTQIA+ Actors is a slaughter; I was not prepared). vessel for expanding theatrical repAnother piece I particularly en- mood for a more heady read, this resentation. joyed was “Other Minds,” where, one will be right up your alley. —Alyssa Cokinis —Rob Silverman Ascher once again, technology and the

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BOOK REVIEWS

MELISSA CONWAY Sundog FRUIT SALAD CO

“A

t the end of January 2018 I sat in a coffee shop sipping a tea I couldn’t afford and reflected on the last month I barely survived. This exercise became a monthly meditation on time passing, what it’s like to live in a body, as a self, something holy, a wrong turn.” This introduction to Melissa Conway’s debut collection Sundog gives us a preview (and a gentle content warning) of their threeyear project. Sundog is a catalog, not unlike efforts of other poets, to document daily gratitude or seasonal changes. In it, Conway tracks three years of reflection and recovery in a collection that is, perhaps accidentally, also documenting their own coming-of-age. The interesting feature of this catalog is that it is almost chronological—but not quite. Three years of Januarys are followed by three years of Februarys, and so on. If you read each poem in perfect chronology the narrative is a hard swerve away from the one we get in Conway’s order but you witness a slow blossoming of identity. In the proper order—the one Conway intended—readers see cycles. We, as the audience, are bearing witness to trends and times that we maybe didn’t notice when they

were happening. Similar to how holidays’ recurrence tend to cause reflection on that same date a year prior. I remember March 2020 so I remember March 2019 so I remember March 2018. In retrospect, we give these dates significance. Conway’s strengths are highlighted in their most restrained and in their most lawless, for example, in the poem “Moonshire”: “we are at once / beer-in-water-bottles and diesel / sunburn and freerange laughter echoing / up to the orangeglow predawn screen.” In “Marrow Song,” the poem spans a two-page spread, an it’s unclear if we are to read from left to right across both pages or just one. The tight and inconsistent spacing causes the reader to struggle through it—as intended, surely, as the poem repeats phrases including “caught between claws,” “it’s killing me” and “am I already over.” Conway’s most powerful work focuses on the body, jamming words together to create new figures of speech. At its weakest it’s still special—a note passed between classes, folded into a tight origami diamond, and saved. It’s interesting and uncommon to watch a writer’s growth in real time, an act that is bold and in line with the collection’s eventual message: “there is so / much of me.” At some points, Conway thinks they are too much, at others they say this with appreciation. Watching the passage of time through these poems offers a lesson in poetic form from a talented student, straddling the line between strict skill and total vulnerability. The result of these reflections in mixed chronology (and phrases like “stone shocked water”) is a startling elegy for the self and an ode to cycles. —Sarah Elgatian

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Reader Survey Thank you for reading Little Village! Our goal is to provide you with relevant and meaningful stories and to make every issue of Little Village a great one. We value your feedback, and we appreciate you taking the time to complete this two-minute survey to help us plan for 2024. *NOTE: All sections optional; all answers confidential. Fill out your survey today, then cut it out and mail it in (or drop it off): LV HQ, 623 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52240. Rather take it online? Visit LittleVillageMag.com/survey (before Dec. 20, please!) Where do you pick up the print edition of Little Village? Any specific distro spot you frequent? Eastern Iowa Central Iowa

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ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

FINGERS CROSSED! 1

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41 45

ACROSS 1. Work on an app, say 5. ___ liver (Venetian delicacy) 10. Gulp 14. Quarter 15. Their creme is a “fluid,” per MIT 16. Tortoise’s opponent, who perhaps learned the moral of his own fable and went undefeated after that 17. Transgressions 18. Approach

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19. Like many a soap opera twin 20. Super-dramatic Navy uniform top 22. Nietzsche’s void 23. Back streets 24. ’90s exercise fad 26. Succession combatants 27. Rodent featured on “if looks could quill...” posters 31. Snake eyes roll 33. Digit wiggled to assess

shoe size 34. Shakespearean curse 35. Italian bread in Napoleonic times? 39. Even a little 41. Flat agreement 43. Mobile artist 47. Wore out the carpet 48. Yank 49. Whispered attention-getter 50. Argentinian article 51. Queso, for one

54. “Pretty sneaky, ___” (Connect Four tagline) 56. Hungarian comfort food dish 59. Big name in old razors 64. Sluggish 65. Portuguese city famous for vinho 66. Word after string or sing 69. “Hope I’m not tempting fate!”, or what this puzzle’s shaded letters do

71. Nurses 72. Diner seating 73. Brontë who wrote Agnes Grey 74. Kind of a jerk? 75. Healthy emotion, when processed thoughtfully 76. Legit 77. Dispatch as a representative 78. V-formation fliers 79. Broadband connections, briefly

Rottweiler might 36. Broad City character Wexler who said “I’d like to cash these nickels, and I’ll have them in quarters, please” 37. First minute of a TV episode, often 38. Bro-ey body spray 40. Thus far 42. Killer Mike’s Run the Jewels partner 44. Using an abacus, say 45. Step on it 46. Jar Jar Binks tech 52. Lavender scare prez 53. Title words that are retro-implied after the sequel 55. Recent frosh 57. Helped with the dishes, in a way 58. One of Iggy’s bandmates 60. Chicken 61. Word with synonyms that include “witches,” “hags” and sigh, “women” 62. Keyless? 63. Catwalk-ers 65. Autumnal shade 66. Sets, as a price 67. “What’s the next thing I say?” 68. Transparent 70. Great Basin people 72. Snare

DOWN 1. Fortress in a Clash song 2. Bird whose name comes from the Latin for “golden” 3. Indigenous name for North America’s highest peak 4. Settler name for Rapa Nui island 5. Briquettes 6. River past the Uffizi Gallery 7. Smoothly, score-wise 8. Category for the work of William Johnson or Grandma Moses 9. Dir. from 3-Down to the place referenced in 4-Down 10. 1984 Cyndi Lauper hit on the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” 11. Like a permanent 12. Spring flower 13. Comes together 21. Saclike growth 22. Encanto maOCTOBER ANSWERS triarch L A C E Y P U F F COM 25. Green prefix CH I NO I F F Y L I C 27. The Atlantic, D I R T Y L OOS E T A L K colloquially, with CROON A S S U P “the” S A L E S T E AMR I P P E R I K E E MMA ON E 28. They come in C A S T L E ROC K PO T Pro, Air and mini I P A E E L 29. Boopable dog B E S T L A I D A D I E U I S R ME ND N Y K parts P L A S T E RD I S A S T E R 30. Wield, as power OA T E S OS C A R 32. Washed out L OV E B E E T S A L A D S OP E B A L I S L Y E R 35. Relish, like a MS N

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