Rev. James Lawson to give keynote address at 32nd Annual Iowa CCI Convention

By ICCI

Reverend James Lawson will share his experiences as a civil rights activist at the 32nd Annual Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Convention, July 13th at 8:00 pm at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, 10th and Walnut. He will present the keynote address and is expected to draw five hundred Iowans to the event. The theme for this year's event is "Stand Up, Stand Together."

Lawson was one of the original Freedom Riders and a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and continues to be an advocate of using non-violent struggle to promote human rights. In 2004, Lawson received the Community of Christ International Peace Award for his work.

Earlier this year, several Iowa CCI members had the opportunity to hear Lawson speak at a conference for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement in Washington, DC. "He's very dynamic. He got people on their feet," said CCI member Erica Palmer. "It was interesting to hear how he was comparing the struggles of the civil rights movement to struggles that the immigrant rights movement is having."

Iowa CCI member Julia Rendon said, "The Rev. James Lawson offers a valuable point of view. Grounded in the church and in the civil rights movement, he has continued his work for justice as the world has changed. When a few of us heard him in Washington, DC in January, it was like breathing pure oxygen after living near a factory farm."  

Following the speech, attendees will have the chance to meet Lawson and purchase books describing his involvement in the civil rights movement. Tickets for the event can be purchased for $15 in advance or for $20 at the door. To purchase tickets, call Iowa CCI at 515-255-0800 or visit their website at www.iowacci.org.

This year's CCI convention will also feature several Saturday morning workshops on issues of importance to everyday Iowans, including making Iowa voter-owned, setting a new direction in farm policy, cleaning up Iowa's water, and using the 2008 presidential caucuses to make a difference.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is an organization of thousands of people from all walks of life who talk, act, and get things done on issues that matter most. From factory farms moving in next door to predatory lenders taking advantage of families, CCI has been tackling tough issues for over 30 years.