In the spring of 2019, retired attorney Harvey Harrison decided that creating a website to house the data and the stories he and others had collected from Black and Brown people would be helpful in the struggle against racially-biased policing. In a few months, he enlisted the help and services of a small, but dedicated group of people with the talents, skills, and most importantly, passion for the issue. The non-profit organization known as Just Voices was formed, after years of research.
Harvey found the design, videography, writing, and photography resources needed to make the website a reality. Just Voices is proud of our commitment to sourcing Black-owned businesses in all aspects of creating this website.
We realize it wasn’t just about creating a presence on the internet that was important. We understand that the work to combat racially-biased policing in Iowa’s capital city would be ongoing. The stories would continue to come forth and the data would continue to build a case for the reality of this ineffective policing practice. Consequently, in the fall of 2019, paperwork was filed to take this effort beyond a website to a non-profit organization.
Just Voices will stay engaged in this fight and continue to strengthen laws at a local and state level that ban racial profiling in Des Moines, and the state of Iowa. We strive to speak truth and seek justice.
We welcome other organizations and everyday people to join us. The website will continue to be a place where concerned citizens, like-minded organizations, academia, legal professionals, and Iowans of all ages can learn more about racially-biased policing in the heartland of America. We hope that through the website, people can understand the traumatic and long-lasting impact racially-biased policing has on the lives of Black and Brown Iowans.
Our Vision
As an organization, our vision is aspirational and inspirational; it is our “north star.”
We envision a just society, free from racial oppression.