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Learn more about the vibrant cultures of our community!

When Stories Dance, Communities Connect

For Pragnya Yogesh, dance has never been just movement. It’s storytelling. It’s heritage. It’s a bridge between people.

How Salsa Sparked Love — and a Movement — on 26th Street

Dance is a way of life — one that builds bridges, celebrates differences, and brings people closer with every step.

Bravo Greater Des Moines Honors CultureALL Community

Bravo was formed in 2004 because a group of visionary, bold business and civic leaders across the municipalities of Greater Des Moines came together to elevate the quality of life, drive economic development and advance regional priorities

Reflecting on 20 years of boosting belonging in Iowa

“CultureALL provides safe and welcoming ways to see and be seen.”

January Roundup: Navigating a Complex Multicultural Society

Stories about inclusion and belonging

Reimagining Iowa’s Capacity to be Inclusive: The story of Buxton

A look at "Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa' by Rachelle Chase

Bankers Trust Moves Beyond "Nice" with CultureALL's Help

Jill Crosser, VP Consumer Services Manager for Bankers Trust, shares how CultureALL guided their DEI team on their inclusive journey

November Roundup: How Power Dynamics Shape Our Perceptions

News from around the DEI industry

Becoming a Bridge Builder: A look back at JJ Kapur's time with CultureALL

Saying thank you to JJ Kapur for his service at CultureALL

October Roundup: Widening our lens to see ALL

News from around the DEI industry

“Taquerías en la University” explores culture in Des Moines

Anthony Arroyo, a Des Moines-based photographer, explores the impact of taco trucks on the community in his recent project

Join us for Part 3 of our Webinar Series, "Facing Forward: Strategies for DEI Advocates in Challenging Times"

Join us for part 3 of our 3-part series, with DEIB Business Consultant Paula Bell, on tools and resources to sustain our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work.

September Roundup: News on Latinx communities

News from around the DEI industry

How to Address Racism and Sexism When Discussing VP Kamala Harris

Celebrate the cultures in our community at the World Food & Music Festival

Travel around the world right here in Iowa at the 2024 World Food and Music Festival

August Roundup: The Importance of Equity in DEI Work

News from around the DEI industry

Understanding Poverty in Iowa with UpLift and CultureALL

An Open Book storytelling event to help us understand how poverty is affecting our community.

Join us for Part 2 of our Webinar Series, "Facing Forward: Strategies for DEI Advocates in Challenging Times"

Join us for part 2 of our 3-part series, with DEIB Business Consultant Paula Bell, on building effective coalitions in our approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work.

Jake Sahr, Capital City Pride, and the Intention Behind Inclusive Spaces

Iowa Pride Series: Jake Sahr and Capital City Pride

The Micro and Macro Levels of LGBTQ+ Justice

Iowa Pride Series: Max Mowitz and One Iowa

Boosting Inclusion Through Music That Matters

Iowa Pride Series: Eric Shepard and the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus

What if the past hadn’t been hidden?

For more than 80 years, the racial history of Nelda Mickle's hometown was brushed under a rug. Now, she's looking deeper to ensure it never happens again.

The Economic Case: How Dan Jansen's Iowa LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Boosts Inclusion in Iowa

Iowa Pride Series: Dan Jansen and the Iowa LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce

Bienvenido a Des Moines Celebrates Latino Art and Culture

Three local leaders have come together to create Bienvenido a Des Moines, the community's newest cultural celebration honoring Latino art and culture.

Honor the journey of refugees at 2024 DSM World Refugee Day

The 2024 DSM World Refugee Day celebrates the impact of refugees and immigrants in Iowa. Join us in honoring the tumultuous journey of this community and support them as they establish new roots in Iowa.

June Roundup: Elevating DEI to the Next Level

News from around the DEI industry

Join Our Cause: Become a Board Member for CultureALL

Are you passionate about promoting cultural understanding and diversity?

May Roundup: Navigating Challenges and Shaping the Future of DEI

News from around the DEI industry

Not Just Any Sport: Soccer means belonging for Des Moines refugee children

Supplier Diversity Programs are a Building Block for Communities

Jill Lippincott shares how Principal Financial Group® uses supplier diversity Programs to help build stronger communities.

Attend our webinar—Facing Forward: Strategies for DEI Advocates in Challenging Times

Join us for a 3-part series, with DEI Business Consultant Paula Bell, on maintaining resilience and navigating pushback as DEI practictioners.

Four Tips to Boost Economic Vitality in Des Moines

Jack Chimbetete, Client Relations Consultant for CultureALL and Vice President of One Voice DSM, uses his experience as an immigrant business owner in Iowa to offer tips to fellow business leaders on boosting the economy by supporting new Iowans.

What does it take to cultivate Belonging in rural Iowa?

CultureALL will moderate a panel at the 2024 Iowa Rural Development Summit

"Tacky the Penguin," Belonging, and a Study in Empathy

JJ Kapur reflects on his own experience feeling like he doesn't belong as he researches how CultureALL programs can boost feelings of belonging for others.

Knock and Drop Iowa Uplifts Latino Families with Culturally Specific Support

Knock and Drop Iowa, a culturally specific food pantry based in Des Moines, meets the needs of the local Latino population.

Basi White and Sensi'il Studios are Shaping the Black Comic Book Industry

Basi White founded Sensi'il Studios, Iowa's first Black-owned comic book company. He's dedicated to sharing Pan-African stories and reshaping the narrative of Black representation in the industry.

The 5 Mindsets: How Your Team Might Interact with Diversity

Navigating diversity becomes much clearer when we understand the five mindsets on the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Reimagining Iowa's Capacity to be Inclusive through the Legacy of Governor Ray

CultureALL's Community Journalist Macey Shofroth shifts her perspective on Iowa after learning about the humanitarian legacy of Governor Robert D. Ray.

Good intentions do NOT always mean positive impacts

Malycki Mañon-Sosa, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Director for the Iowa State Bar Association, shares his thoughts on good intentions in the DEI space after a recent experience at an event.

Publishing Iowa Narratives: The Long View for Progress and Hope

Two Iowan creatives aim to disrupt the prevailing narrative about Iowa by amplifying stories of marginalized communities and highlighting the complex, diverse people working to make the state a more equitable place.

CultureALL Presents: Essential Practice for Inclusive Cultures

CultureALL will welcome Tatyana Fertelmeyster to Des Moines on December 8 to lead our community in a workshop designed to expand our capacity for being inclusive.

CultureALL and Ballet Des Moines Present: Storytelling through the Art of Dance

Attend the 2023 school show, presented by CultureALL and Ballet Des Moines, at Hoyt Sherman place on December 7th.

How do you engage employees in practicing more inclusive behaviors?

CultureALL DEI Planning uses data to engage your employees in developmental activities that improve your team's ability to be inclusive and equity-minded.

CultureALL Presents: An Evening with Carol Roh Spaulding

Join us on November 10 to celebrate the release of Carol Roh Spaulding's "Waiting for Mr. Kim and Other Stories."

Joe Gonzalez wants you to value your culture

After emigrating from Mexico to the United States at age 5, Joe Gonzalez has made it his mission to help others feel safe and supported in Des Moines.

On Iowa Politics: Iowa Ideas 2023 — Stacey Kimberlin Explores How to Navigate Iowa's Culture Wars

Listen to CultureALL Director of DEI Planning Stacey Kimberlin; Keenan Crow, Director of Policy and Advocacy at One Iowa; and The Gazette Columnist Todd Dorman on the Iowa Ideas 2023 Panel "Navigating Iowa's Culture Wars."

How an Eighth Grade Student Taught Me About Inclusion

Most Iowans live in the same county where they were born. They often don’t have the chance to connect with people who look, behave, and believe differently from them. It's important to build a space where we can develop intercultural skills through healthy communication.

What does your organization need next so it can benefit from new perspectives?

CultureALL DEI Planning's unique approach begins with measuring your organization’s capacity to accept and adapt to differences.

The Business of Removing Barriers: How Delta Dental of Iowa is Serving Clients

Delta Dental of Iowa provides real-life interactions that give their team members opportunities to practice being inclusive.

HoQ: Local Farms, Global Flavor

A local restaurant uses the farm-to-table concept to cultivate a menu influenced by cultures all over the world.

Less Talking, More Listening: How a family learned to bridge differences

As Midwestern family blends Christianity and Islam, they learn how the difference between impact and intention matters when bridging cultural differences.

Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: VACI connects Vietnamese Iowans with opportunity and each other

For nearly 20 years, the Vietnamese American Community in Iowa has served as a space to grow and integrate Vietnamese culture into the mainstream culture. The group continues to volunteer around the community and connect Vietnamese Iowans with one another.

CultureALL Presents: Paris Banh Mi Vietnamese Cuisine

Join CultureALL and Paris Banh Mi for a night of Vietnamese food, cultural entertainment, and coming together across cultures to build a community where everyone is welcome.

Sones de Mi Tierra share the sounds of their land

For five women in Des Moines, Folklorico dancing lets them share the beauty and creativity of their culture.

Building equitable communities for AAPI people in Iowa

People of Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander descent are one of the fastest growing populations in Iowa. Trevy Augustin and the Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs within the Iowa Department of Human Rights offer support to ensure their success.

Chenue Her gives voice to the voiceless

Chenue Her made history when he became the first male Hmong news anchor in the country. Today, he uses his pride in his culture and his love of storytelling to lift up his community.

Des Moines Metro Credit Union works for financial equity for all

Des Moines Metro Credit Union provides financial services and culturally attentive support to help the local Hispanic community take control of their financial futures.

Accessibility is a diversity issue

As Disability Awareness Month draws to a close, CultureALL Ambassador Frank Strong reflects on why it's important to include accessibility when discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.

How CultureALL uses IDI data to achieve DEI goals

Routine practice with CultureALL's DEI Planning team will increase your capacity to accept difference

Schools are an extension of family

Students at Willowbrook Elementary School in Altoona learned to appreciate the value of diversity during a recent Multicultural Day.

Open Book Helps Connect Two Des Moines Churches

Two Des Moines churches gathered for an Open Book event, creating connections across their cultures and experiences through storytelling and authentic, personal conversations.

CultureALL is hiring - Community Journalist

CultureALL has 1,001 success stories about Iowans becoming more inclusive and accepting of diversity. We seek an experienced communications professional to report and publish these stories.

Brazilian Wish Bracelets are for everyone!

Connect with this Brazilian tradition. What are some of the unique traditions you enjoy from your own culture?

Ambassador training: it takes a village!

We feel stronger than ever in our mission to invite Iowans to participate in cultural traditions - growing APPRECIATION for the diversity around us and ELEVATING the quality of life for all.

A New Focus on Japan, Opportunities for Iowans

My first experience in small-town Iowa with someone from another culture was in 2005 with my kindergarten teacher from Japan. Now I'm giving such "firsts" to students across Iowa. They too should have the opportunity to grow up skill and grace for working with anyone around the world.

Rural students gain appreciation for refugee experience

When Francis arrived in a brightly patterned dashiki and kufi cap, the students were unsure of what to expect.

Bhutanese Favorites: Meet Mohan Sitoula

When it came to opening up Kathmandu Restaurant, Mohan Sitoula and Thakur Neupane did it themselves – with their community.

Bosnian Home Cooking: Meet Haris Zuljevic

Tito's Lounge, a sleek sports bar in Urbandale Iowa, serves a mix of traditional Bosnian, Mediterranean, and American food.

Vietnamese Street Food: Meet Brenda Tran

Vietnam Cafe is a bright, yellow-walled restaurant owned by Brenda Tran, located in the food court at Merle Hay Mall.

We Must Fight Hate. Together.

Bob Goldberg, the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, shares his wisdom and what people should know on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Stereotyping and scapegoating in US History

Iowa teachers grapple with new law in Iowa (HF802) that bans teaching students to analyze US history on issues of race and sex. Catherine Mein, the President of the Iowa Council for Social Studies, explains why the law is troubling.

Pop Quiz - True or False: We’re taught to be divisive

Are we prioritizing the respect and dignity of some students over others?

CultureALL is Surprisingly Innovative

Our methods may seem both simple and "nice" to have, but our process is researched-based and proven to be effective.

I remember boarding my first international flight

CultureALL Board President Paul Brown explains how international travel has given him a more diverse perspective. But this is a privilege that most Iowans can't afford.

Meet Jonathan's Hero

We have reasons to be idealistic about inclusion in school.

5 Things Employers Must Do for Racial Equity

You want to create more equitable opportunities but you don’t have a vision for how to do it. Here are 5 things you can do now to get started.

Creating a Culture of EQUITY. Here. Now.

Black Lives Matter

Why I Do This Work

Why does it matter if students have access to high-quality cultural education?

We Can Stop the Spread of Prejudice

Why do some people refer to COVID-19 as the China virus? During stressful times, people tend to split the world into “us” and “them”, treating one preferred group with greater kindness while behaving badly toward a different group.

Art is for everyone: Des Moines Speaks

Everyone has the right to appreciate and respond to art. CultureALL and the Des Moines Art Center came together to demonstrate this.

Culture Days: Bringing the World to Iowa Classrooms Brings our World Together

When a CultureALL Ambassador enters your classroom, your student will get an authentic experience that will provide meaningful engagement with a new culture.

Immigrants RISE to belong at Valley High

It means a lot to students as they enter high school to see a sign as big as this mural to show they belong here. 

World Food and Music Festival 2022: Valuing the Cultures of our Community!

This was the 7th year in a row that CultureALL got to lead the activity pavilion, cultural stage, and culinary demonstrations.

Become an Angel Sponsor

When you donate as an Angel Sponsor, 100% of your gift will cover the portion of programs that schools aren't able to fund.