INDIANOLA, Iowa — Local organization One Iowa Action will be hosting a LGBTQ Day on the Hill event Tuesday at the Iowa State Capitol.

“When the Iowa Legislature is in session, a lot of different groups have these day on the hills, which is essentially a day where people come together, organize and lobby for different groups or different causes,” junior Cecilia Martinez said. “This one is specifically hosted by One Action Iowa. They’re going to be letting people know what issues are going to come up this session that will affect the LGBTQ community and what people can talk to their representatives about.”

Martinez, who will be speaking at this year’s rally, is a board member for One Iowa Action and spoke at the event last year.

“I’ve done it before, but if you’re someone who doesn’t have experience they really lay it out: how a bill gets introduced, what the process is and the key people you need to know that are going to be looking at these bills,” they said.

Martinez said organizations like these give you a group to collaborate with if you’re not comfortable with attending these events on your own.

“It really helps, and it’s a source of information. If this is something you care about, but you don’t really know the politics behind it and what specific things are coming out. It’s a good way to keep updated about what’s going on,” they said.

This will be sophomore Natalia Olivas’ first time attending the LGBTQ Day on the Hill.

“I didn’t even know this is a thing that could happen,” Olivas said. “I would love to go find out what my rights are as an LGBTQ individual and also how it works with intersectionality in Iowa.”

Olivas looks forward to seeing how open Iowa lawmakers are to listening to under-represented groups in Iowa.

“It’s becoming more and more evident that the real world isn’t as forgiving as I thought it was,” they said. “I’m looking forward to sitting down with legislatures and asking them, ‘OK, how do you feel we could progress in the future? How do you feel this year is going to go for the LGBTQ individual?’”

Olivas believes this is an important event for students to attend, whether they are part of the LGBTQ community or are allies.

“It creates a sense of empathy that I think is missing from the world, especially in the last year,” they said.

Junior Liz Nimmo has attended Days on the Hill in the past and believes it’s important for Simpson students to advocate for issues that don’t directly affect them.

“That’s just my belief, as a feminist, that it’s important to support all groups of people that are marginalized, even if you personally are not marginalized,” Nimmo said.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For more information about the LGBTQ Day on The Hill, find the Facebook event at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1501281389952781/.