I recently hosted a Zoom conversation with longtime Iowa trial lawyer Roxanne Conlin, and after viewing her green fingernail polish (Happy St. Patrick’s Day) the discussion quickly turned into a sobering look at how much civil rights and employment law in Iowa have changed.
Roxanne, who has spent six decades representing workers and victims of discrimination, began by explaining a misconception many people have about employment law. Most people believe that if they work somewhere for many years and are suddenly fired, they can sue. In reality, that’s rarely the case. A lawsuit is only possible if the decision was based on a legally protected category such as race, age, sex or another protected status.
What troubled Roxanne most was how much the landscape has shifted. She said that during the most recent legislative session alone, Iowa effectively rolled back about 30 years of civil rights protections. One example is the removal of protections for transgender people under the state’s civil rights law — the first time Iowa has actually reduced civil rights protections rather than expanded them.
She also described how changes in court rulings have made discrimination cases harder to prove. In the past, attorneys could present evidence showing a pattern of discrimination across an organization. Today, the evidence has to be extremely narrow — involving the same supervisors and departments — which makes it much more difficult to demonstrate systemic problems.
The group talked about Iowa’s broader political climate and how the state has shifted in recent years. Several participants noted that businesses once publicly supported civil rights protections because they understood those policies helped attract talent. Today, many companies remain quiet, in part because diversity initiatives have become politically and legally risky.
We also discussed issues that don’t always get enough attention, including human trafficking. Roxanne noted that Iowa sits at the intersection of major interstate highways, making it a hub for trafficking activity. She described both sex trafficking and labor trafficking cases, including one involving Brazilian students recruited to Iowa under promises of education but instead forced to work long shifts in factory jobs.
Throughout the conversation, Roxanne remained clear about one thing: despite the setbacks, giving up is not an option. The fight for civil rights has always been difficult, she said, and it will require persistence from lawyers, citizens and community leaders alike.
The hour ended with participants thanking Roxanne for her lifetime of advocacy — and for reminding us that the work of justice is never finished.
Chat from the Zoom conversation:
Diane Crookham-Johnson:
Roxanne, I wanted to say hi. My dad, Joe Crookham, went to law school with you. He still talks about your impact on his view of women in the workplace. You have impacted his worldview and the way he developed his own work team. Thank you!
Mary:
Thought for the day: “Great journalism brings us close not to power, but to each other.” — Terry Moran, formerly of ABC News, now on Substack. The quote was in a March 8, 2026 column.
Julie Gammack:
Reacted to “Thought for the day…” with 👍
Peter Rose:
A victory would be a new attorney general!
Ralph Rosenberg:
In 2008, when protections of the Civil Rights laws were extended to the LGBTQ community, Des Moines–based big businesses were present and vocal in support of the changes. For example, the CEOs of Principal, Bankers Trust, Wells Fargo (I think), the Business Record, and others.
Liz Seiser:
Reacted to Diane’s message with ❤️
Mary:
The Iowa City Centennial Building is closing — a great loss.
Chuck Offenburger:
Reacted to Mary’s message with 👌
Peter Rose:
Citizens United is what happened.
Karl Schilling:
An hour ago I was on Zoom with a committee planning training for crime victim support workers, wondering what to do about the segment we traditionally have had for “cultural awareness.” It’s vital information but dicey to present now.
Tim Grover:
“Iowa Spites.”
Ralph Rosenberg:
Reacted to “Iowa Spites” with 👍
Chuck Offenburger:
Reacted to “Iowa Spites” with 👌
Mary:
For a world view that impacts Iowa, see Democracy Noir, available at clarityfilms.org. There is an impactful interview with the film’s producer, Connie Field. The film is about the erosion of democracy in Hungary. Three people are profiled — an elected Budapest official, a journalist, and a nurse — and the rightward shift toward an exclusive and corrupt government.
Peter Rose:
The MAGA cult is the American Taliban.
Peter Rose:
And Nate Willems for AG.
Ralph Rosenberg (replying to Karl Schilling):
Hi Karl. It is painful to see what is happening. I submit testimony and write letters. Very hard to see what is happening.
Diana:
I’m learning that we always have to hold companies and elected officials accountable. As soon as we think we have solved that problem and look away, falling back happens. The candidates we elect will need my continued attention to make sure what they said in their campaign they are still attending to for the welfare of their constituents.
Mary:
Reacted to Diana’s message with 👍🏽
Mary:
Yes, the blame for the Sioux City mess falls on Western Iowa Tech Community College. They played the denial, deflect, and deception mode for a long time. Justice did prevail eventually.
Chuck Offenburger:
Reacted to Diane’s earlier message with ❤️
Judy Conlin:
Thank you. And just so you know, the family has already erected a statue for Roxanne. It’s not bronze, but it is very colorful. Sorry I have to get to a 1:00 meeting.
Chuck Offenburger:
Reacted to Judy’s message with ☺️
Karl Schilling:
Just so you know, I pounded pavement for your election, and my in-laws were big supporters — Lowell (of the Iowa Farmers Union) and Dorothy Gose.
Chuck Offenburger:
Great conversation today. Thank you, Roxanne!
Laura Engler:
Thank you, Roxanne — and Julie!
Mary:
Thank you, Roxanne and Julie.
Tim Wagner:
Thank you for being you, Roxanne!
Ralph Rosenberg:
Reacted to Diana’s message with 👍🏽
Phil Specht:
Thanks for mentoring my son Jon, Roxanne.
Artis Reis:
Thanks so much for joining us today!
Liz Seiser:
Reacted to Artis’s message with ❤️
Artis Reis:
Reacted to their own message with ❤️
Okoboji
Last call - March 15 is the deadline for enrolling in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat with the inclusion of the Okoboji Mastery Circle online classes at no additional charge. You have access to the archives of the classes held so far (Kali White VanBaale, Peter Hedges and Rekha Basu), plus the ability to participate in future sessions.
Come to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, September 27-30. Get advice on how to tell your stories. If you can’t afford the enrollment fee, apply for a scholarship.
Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
Check out the roundup from our professional Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members.
