Des Moines, Iowa — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa is pleased to announce that Danika Jacobsen, 19, of West Des Moines, and Ivy Wishman, 17, of Des Moines, are the winners of its Robert Mannheimer Youth Advocacy Award.
Danika and Ivy are being honored for their advocacy in a politically hostile environment for reproductive freedom and labor rights respectively.
Danika participated in Planned Parenthood’s Teen Council. The program, based on the idea of peer education, is made up of diverse students from local Des Moines high schools. They meet weekly to discuss and learn about sex education topics before creating classroom presentations to share with their peers at various schools and community groups.
“We have to accept that sexual relationships are normal and we need to teach safety instead of fear,” Danika said. “Young people will have to face the future consequences of legislation being passed by politicians right now. We’ll be around longer than the generations before us.”
Ivy was heavily involved in protests and advocacy efforts against bills that loosened child labor laws in Iowa like SF 542. Despite opposition, Gov. Kim Reynolds ultimately signed the bill into law, extending the hours that teens can work and the jobs they can take regardless of concerns about the effect on their education, health, and safety.
“When I went door knocking in the past, I was happy if I got just one more person to vote—no matter how many hours or days I had spent doing it,’ Ivy said. “The same principles apply in this situation. Any activism or outreach that young people do in their communities is important, no matter the political outcome.”
The ACLU of Iowa Robert Mannheimer Youth Advocacy Award is a $500 cash prize given to a young Iowan aged 14 to 19 who has demonstrated a passion and advocacy for civil liberties. It is named as a memorial to Des Moines attorney and civil liberties advocate Robert Mannheimer.
Mark Stringer, ACLU of Iowa Executive Director said, "Danika and Ivy show how even in difficult environments, we can get things done when we remain true to our values. We’re proud to recognize them with the Mannheimer Award.”
For more information on the Robert Mannheimer Award, click here.
For photos of Danika and Ivy, click here.