Telling Our Own Story: Ending Racism

Journalist Ty Rushing speaks with Black Iowans to explore racism and discrimination across rural and urban landscapes. Examine race relations from the perspective of Black Iowans, who share what they think can be done to end racism in their state.
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'Jackie Robinson of Iowa newspapers:' Meet Ty Rushing, a Black journalist in rural Iowa

Ty Rushing is a local newspaperman to his core, with a penchant for punchy headlines and an unwavering commitment to his community. "People are like, 'you want to go to DC? ' Or 'we need you in DC or New York' and I’m like nah. I’d rather go to a Sheldon City Council meeting than watch Congress on C-SPAN," Rushing said with an earnest smile. Rushing met for an interview Thursday to discuss what it's like to live and work in his small Iowa community.

These Black Doulas Are Taking On Iowa’s Maternal Mortality Crisis

By the time Cain-Hinton arrived at Bailey’s home, the baby was there, and mother and child needed to go to the hospital. This changed the birth plan, and Cain-Hinton did what doulas do: She rolled with it. She helped Bailey’s husband pack their bags and held down the fort for the couple’s other four children. “My being a doula meant a lot of different things in that space,” Cain-Hinton said. “I went from serving Mom during that time to serving her partner and making sure that he felt supported

Sheldon teen behind BLM protest has big goals

SHELDON—Ricardo Rubio missed his family’s summer vacation to South Dakota’s Black Hills because he organized a protest in his hometown to protect Black lives the same day. The soft-spoken 17-year-old incoming Sheldon High School senior was the lead organizer of Sheldon’s peaceful Black Lives Matter Protest on Saturday, June 13. Ricardo was inspired to hold the event in his community after attending similar rallies in Sioux Falls, SD, and Spencer. He said he was more nervous about coordinating

A Journalist Discusses What Has Changed In Iowa Since He Moved To The State

In May, IPR asked Iowans to share their perspectives about how life in the state has changed since George Floyd was murdered one year ago. One response came from Ty Rushing, a freelance journalist and corporate communications professional who has had work published in a variety of Iowa publications. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the position of Iowa Public Radio or its staff. "I'm

Thieves target political signs in N'West Iowa

REGIONAL—The video is only 33 seconds long, but the black-and-white footage shows a crime being committed on the front lawn of the Vust family’s home on Sheldon’s east side. A little after 10 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, a sedan slowly creeps up to the Vusts’ house and stops in the street in front of their yard. The vehicle’s passenger door opens and a young woman steps out of the car and snatches a President Donald Trump campaign sign from the ground. The thief and car vanish after running a s
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