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Update, Thursday, Feb. 28: On Tuesday, organizers behind @DoesUIowaLoveMe reached out to Little Village and said they plan to share and clarify information about the movement in a statement to the media Wednesday evening. To Little Village’s knowledge, this statement was never released.

A recent hashtag has many University of Iowa students and alumni voicing their concerns about how some populations of students are being supported on campus. The hashtag, #DoesUIowaLoveMe, is meant to encourage current and former students to tweet ways in which they think the university could improve in making all students feel welcome, safe and valued.

Twitter user dennis (@_denisep137) introduced the hashtag Monday afternoon, responding to the existing #ILoveUIowa hashtag, promoted by the university. dennis’ initial tweet was a call to action for students to share their stories:

#ILoveUIowa is something we’ve been seeing a lot recently, but #DoesUIowaLoveMe? The University of Iowa is not quiet in asking their students to tell them how much they love it, & it has us asking #DoesUIowaLoveMe?

Post a pic & tell us your story @ 8pm. Use #DoesUIowaloveme? pic.twitter.com/ekY0Y7hH6j — dennis (@_denisep137) February 25, 2019

Former University of Iowa Student Government President Rachel Zuckerman, as well as others, posted about the importance of stepping back and listening to concerns that are being raised with the hashtag.

In response to #DoesUIowaLoveMe, just listen. No defensiveness. No quips. Listen to the realities of students we know and love. Elevate their voices. Ask what you can do to create a better campus culture. It's simple. — Rachel Zuckerman (@rachelzuckerm) February 26, 2019

Shortly after, a Twitter account of the same name as the hashtag, @DoesUIowaLoveMe, was created, with a mission statement saying, “We are here to cultivate and promote a platform that allows underrepresented students to be able to speak their truths and share their experiences.”

Since Monday evening, hundreds of Twitter and Instagram users have posted using the #DoesUIowaLoveMe hashtag, sharing stories of discrimination by classmates, advisers and instructors based on their race, gender, sexual orientation or financial status. Some shared stories of sexual harassment and assault that they believe were handled ineffectively by the university.

the university of iowa continues to ignore the voices of its underrepresented students. when will they step up & help foster the welcoming community they claim to have? @uiowa @doesuiowaloveme #doesuiowaloveme pic.twitter.com/YHT63JtccQ — carl wheezer’s fat ass (@Banessinthejets) February 26, 2019

I encourage everyone to LISTEN to the students tweeting #DoesUIowaLoveMe. You may feel that @uiowa loves you, but is it evident that this feeling is not universal. Listen to these individuals, learn from their stories, and demand that our University does better for ALL of us. — ijw!!! (@IsabelleJudithh) February 26, 2019

Last summer, I was at a University photo shoot for marketing materials. In the “study” part of the shoot, i was told to put my laptop away because it had a rainbow sticker that said pride on it, which was “too controversial”… #DoesUIowaloveme — oops! all berries (@statsprincess) February 26, 2019

#DoesUIowaloveme? I am just a poster child- there are a total of 3 Latina therapists here on campus, who am I supposed to turn to? The constant build the wall chanting that follows me from class to class. The professors that can not pronounce my name because it is too “exotic” — Yung Frizz (@frida_marianaaa) February 26, 2019

if you feel like the #DoesUIowaLoveMe doesn’t apply to you, re-examine why you feel loved. listen and learn from the stories of those who are hurting. make someone else feel loved. make your community feel like a community for those cast to the outskirts. — carl wheezer’s fat ass (@Banessinthejets) February 26, 2019

On my floor freshman year, there was a Hitler quote written on someone’s board on their door. When another Jewish student complained about it, everyone told him he was overreacting. When I explained the fear it instilled in me, I was told I was overreacting.#DoesUIowaLoveMe — herb wants to campaign™ (@switchboibb) February 26, 2019

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Here at @uiowa I have experienced inequity in many ways. One that impacted me as a first generation Latinx student is being told I should not be attending the university because of my financial status. At that moment I knew that not everyone thought i belonged #DoesUIowaloveme pic.twitter.com/vYJCtGsuXd — Chris (@CantKiIIChris) February 26, 2019

#DoesUIowaloveme to our Latinx students, faculty, and staff… you are made of your ancestors greatest strengths, compassion and power. Seek respect, acknowledgment and justice. 💪🏾✊🏽 — Barbara Baquero, PhD, MPH (@barbaquero) February 26, 2019

me when people ask if i’ve ever felt undervalued @ iowa. let us recall the time i got told the only reason i got a scholarship is because i got “discriminated” (he really used some ducking air quotes) against hahaha #DoesUIowaloveme pic.twitter.com/vaKea23fPE — Simona (@lil_simonita) February 26, 2019

First-Generation students deserve better. Latinx students deserve better. Immigrant students deserve better.

✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽 #DoesUIowaLoveMe — Alexia Sanchez (@AlexiaSanchez21) February 26, 2019

#doesuiowaloveme Christian organizations are givens thousands of student dollars whereas Muslim students got two small interfaith rooms in the IMU. Now it's down to one room, in a place nobody can find. — Nawfal M. Kulam (@nawfalkulam) February 26, 2019

in almost every diversity scholarship, Asian-Americans are excluded. Thus furthering the stereotype that all Asians are rich, which hurts MANY Asian-American students #doesuiowaloveme — Nawfal M. Kulam (@nawfalkulam) February 26, 2019

They allow students to go on with “build the wall” movements knowing that harms POC, international and undocumented students. They say that’s free speech but having a panel on understating white privilege is way too controversial & offensive. Way to silence us.#DoesUIowaLoveMe pic.twitter.com/QFh85zazGn — Carol (@pinkkynicorn) February 26, 2019

I had never experience such blatant ignorance by white people until coming onto this campus. There have been multiple experiences in my first semester of white people saying ridiculous things either in reference to my friends or when they believe no one- (1/3) #DoesUIowaLoveMe — temyia🌻 (@temyia_h) February 26, 2019

The University of Iowa tweeted an official response Tuesday afternoon, thanking students for sharing their stories and voicing their commitment to “improving our campus climate.”

Thank you for sharing your stories and experiences. #DoesUIowaLoveMe pic.twitter.com/NFgvKxM8GN — University of Iowa (@uiowa) February 26, 2019

Melissa Shivers, Vice President for Student Life, also posted a personal tweet this morning, stating, “You matter and we hear you.”

According to the UI Office of Strategic Communication, Shivers and her team are working directly with students to address the issues discussed through #DoesUIowaLoveMe.

The organizers of the movement declined to comment for this article.







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