Iowa City senior center launches social-connections calendar, ramps up outreach ahead of Black Future Fest

Latasha Delos, senior center coordinator, told the Iowa City Senior Commission that staff are developing a ‘‘social connections calendar’’ to list the center’s major concerts, festivals and signature programs well in advance so members can plan to attend.

Delos said the calendar would highlight events such as an open house on Jan. 31 tied to Black Future Fest, a FilmScene partnership on Feb. 12 featuring short films and a panel, and Feb. 14 programming including a book panel discussing Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Kindred plus an art and fashion show. "We're working really hard...so that everyone can know those dates in advance," Delos said.

The coordinator also described community art projects tied to the festival, including a 4-by-4 mural canvas program to be shared between the senior center and the Center for Afrofuturism at Public Space One, and said some funding for mural kits came from a public-arts advisory group. Delos said FilmScene will host the film-panel program on Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. and that the Feb. 14 panels and gallery events are planned for the public library and the Sears Center, respectively.

Delos urged commissioners to promote and help collect responses for the Better Age survey, explaining the center needs at least 30 completed surveys to receive useful scoring and recommendations for tailoring programs. "We have over 1,600 members — I really think we could get more than 30 people to fill it out," she said, adding that the survey would not share personal information but would provide anonymous scores and suggestions the center could use to refine offerings.

Commissioners discussed outreach tactics, and Delos noted presentations to community partners, including the fire department and local churches, and a plan for firefighters to carry brochures in apparatus to distribute to seniors. Staff also said student volunteers are assisting with in-person outreach at the center to encourage survey participation.

The commission did not take a formal vote on programming actions during the meeting; staff said they will present the draft calendar and further details at a future meeting.