I-MAN NEWS

What do you do to end violence against women?            
I engage school leaders and student leaders in the bystander, violence prevention program, Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP).  I also lead workshops/presentations for athletic coaches and adults seeking coaching endorsement credentials in “Coaching Boys into Men.”

What motivates you?    
Watching men and young students begin to recognize the prevalence and danger of sexist and disrespectful language directed at women and girls.
Wanting and desiring my four children to be the beneficiary of healthy and respectful relationships with others throughout life.
Wanting to be a better husband, father, brother, son, and friend to male colleagues.

What expertise do you have to offer people?   

• Presentation experience to diverse audiences on primary violence prevention strategies
• Building and sustaining community partnerships and collaboration experiences
• Education leadership practices
• Training in Mentors in Violence Prevention Strategies and Coaching Boys into Men

Current City:

What do you do to end violence against women?
I’ve committed myself to preventing gender based violence and changing the culture that supports violence. I incorporate this mission into my work and home. I strive to be intentional and

What motivates you?
My children, all children.

What expertise do you have to offer people?
I am the co-director of Waypoint in Cedar Rapids. I am a certified domestic violence and sexual assault counselor and have been working to end violence since 1994. I also currently serve as a prevention educator for Waypoint and am developing a program for young men called MORE in the Cedar Rapids area.

Who is one person you look up to and why?
Andrea Dworkin. She laid the framework for my involvement in this movement with her speech that has been identified as the “24 Hour True” speech. In the speech she challenged men to confront the violence they witness.

What do you do to end violence against women?
I work with other coalition partners to pursue legislative strategies that affect public policy to the maximum benefit of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

What motivates you?
The knowledge that we can create safer communities and a safer state free of violence.

What expertise do you have to offer people?
I work extensively with the public policy and legislative process and believe it to be the most effective way to help the most people at one time.

Who is one person you look up to and why?
Vice President Joe Biden-author of the Violence Against Women Act.

Current City:

What do you do to end violence against women?
I am the president of the Riverview Center which is a rape crisis and domestic violence center. We provide quality victim services as well as prevention programming to our community.  I also provide presentations nationally on topics such as redefining masculinity, Coaching Boys into Men, Mentors in Violence Prevention, and understanding violence.

What motivates you?
I am motivated by others making a difference in the lives of those in need. I am also motivated by individuals who consistently do the right thing when no one is looking.

What expertise do you have to offer people?
I have a great deal of experience in leadership roles (in my current position and the US Marine Corps). Additionally, I enjoy having the opportunity to present on topics related to ending violence.

Who is one person you look up to and why?
I look up to my wife for a variety of reasons but specifically because of her giving efforts to care for others.

Current City:

What do you do to end violence against women?
In my role as Violence Intervention Services Coordinator I am responsible for the continuum of prevention to intervention gender violence initiatives on campus. Our mission is to provide supportive services to students harmed by violence, and engage the campus community in gender violence education and prevention.

What motivates you?
My personal experience growing up with domestic violence and my vision for a society free of all forms of gender violence.

What expertise do you have to offer people?
My expertise and education are grounded in working with college students and understanding gender violence in this unique environment.

Who is one person you look up to and why?
My mom for her strength, openness and compassion.

What do you do to end violence against women?
I advocate for youth effected by domestic violence and victimized by sexual assault. Through education and support my goal is to help prevent future violence against women and their children.

What motivates you?
I am constantly motivated by community action and grassroots initiatives that strive to make real and tangible changes within their community. I am motivated by finding ways to support these groups and actively benefit their efforts through this support.

What expertise do you have to offer people?
Through experience in the fields of homelessness prevention, civil rights, and youth focused chemical dependency prevention as well as my current work as a child advocate at ACCESS I have a unique perspective on the challenges of at-risk youth and innovative ways to engage them.

Current City: Pella, Iowa
Place of Employment: Central College,
                                                Director of Intercultural Life within the Division of Student Life

What do you do to end violence against women?
Advocate, educate, challenge, teach.

I am an advocate for women (and men) affected by violence seeking out and utilizing the resources necessary to help in the healing and wholeness process, as well as an advocate for men being actively engaged with women to end violence.

I educate men on our campus to be aware of their responsibility to not be perpetrators of violence, but also to intervene when they are aware of it.

I challenge the men in our community to broaden their understanding of masculinity and some of the societal roles that have been institutionalized that say “it’s okay for college men to…”

I teach my children and lead by example of what it means to treat others with love, kindness, and respect and not think that violence is an acceptable solution to any problem.

What motivates you?
Knowing that people can and do change; that victims can be survivors; and that the fear and reality of violence should be removed from everyone’s life.

What expertise do you have to offer people?
I am most comfortable with my knowledge of intercultural dynamics between people and how shifting dynamics can impact relationships.

Who is one person you look up to and why?
I look up to my dad.  He’s a selfless man who grew up in a very different era, in regards to men’s and women’s roles, but still tries his best to live a life of integrity and respect everyone with whom he comes in contact.

Current City:

What do you do to end violence against women?
Violence isn’t just physical assault, its verbal and emotional abuse, isolation and manipulation that destroys relationships, families, marriages and lives. I wake up each and every day with a commitment to myself and to my community to treat everyone with understanding and respect -recognizing that our humanity makes us special. I work to build stronger communities which speak with one voice to say that we will not tolerate abuse, violence or neglect here!         

What motivates you?
I am motivated by my belief in the essential humanity of all people and by the responsibilities past on to me by my parents and grandparents to live this planet better, healthier, and safer place then we found it. I will never forget the stories of friends, family, coworkers and clients whose lives have been forever changed by violence.       

What expertise do you have to offer people?
I have a long background in social justice, economic fairness and affordable housing.

Who is one person you look up to and why?
I have the deepest respect for my parents. I am today who I am because of them. They sacrificed a great deal for me and the work I do today is payment for their sacrifices.  

Current City:  Des Moines
Place of Employment:  The Fatherhood Initiative / YMCA of Greater Des Moines

What do you do to end violence against women?       
I work with fathers who are not as involved with their children as they would like to be or as they should be.  When both parents are involved, in a positive way, they are able to role model appropriate and safe relationships for their children to follow.  I stress to the parents I work with the effect of Violence on their children, and how it impacts their future relationships.  We go over Gender Roles and break some of those stereotypes that continue to place women in a subservient role.

What motivates you?    
Improving the lives of the families in this community.  It gets old seeing how a culture is established and then perpetuated through the actions of some and the inactions of many.
I have been married and divorced and remarried.  I see what an impact my negative relationship had on my two daughters that witnessed it, compared to how my younger children thrive in the nurturing environment that they are growing up in. 

What has always motivated me to be a feminist and an advocate has been the fact that I have two daughters, a mother, a sister, and a wife.  I can’t imagine anyone wanting less for their loved ones.

What expertise do you have to offer people?   

• I am an expert at facilitating these groups for parents
• I am an expert on the Department of Human Services having done in home for 15 years
• I understand family dynamics and the importance of both parents being equally commited to their children
• I believe in the mantra first do now harm in regards to interacting with families

Current City: Ames
Place of Employment: ACCESS-Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support

What do you do to end violence against women:
I strive to lead by example by showing a positive and respectful view on life. I teach others the importance of ending violence against women as well as work with survivors to help show them how there is a way for a culture to change; by being a positive male presence.

What motivates you:
Happiness and the ideal life. I consider myself very lucky and blessed, and I want to help everyone I can achieve their goals and reach a level of happiness in their lives that makes them feel the value within themselves. Knowing that a positive change can occur by witnessing it through daily interactions keeps reminding me that our culture is not trapped forever.

What expertise do you have to offer people:
The expertise I feel I have is a unique way of looking at situations/life. I have experienced a lot in my life and understand people. I feel that through this understanding I can quickly relate to others and help express opinions and feelings in a very constructive way.

Who is one person you look up to and why:
My grandma. She is an eternal optimist who has been through so much in her life. No matter what has happened in her life, she always is a sweet, loving, and amazing grandma to me. She has never failed in making my day better through an unexpected card in the mail, or a phone call to say hello. She inspires me to always look for the silver lining whenever things seem out of control.