Iowa City Senior Center named National Program of Excellence by the National Council on Aging

The Iowa City Senior Center (ICSC), a department of the City of Iowa City, has been named a 2026 Program of Excellence by the National Council on Aging's (NCOA) National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC).

The ICSC received the top distinction in the Modernizing Senior Centers Innovation Award category for its month-long civic cultural initiative, Parables of the Future: Black Future Fest. It is one of only six senior centers in the nation to receive this recognition, which is judged by a national panel of senior center professionals and NISC affiliate members.

"This award affirms something our community already knew: that the Iowa City Senior Center is not just a place people come to - it is a place our entire community gathers around," said LaTasha DeLoach, Senior Center Coordinator and festival creator. "Black Future Fest was built on the belief that a municipal senior center could be a civic and cultural anchor. To have that recognized nationally is an honor I share with every partner, every participant, and every person who walked through those doors."

Black Future Fest

Parables of the Future: Black Future Fest ran January 19 through February 19, 2026, during the 100th year of Black History Month.

The festival centered Afrofuturist imagination, intergenerational belonging, and the reframing of aging spaces as sites of cultural innovation. Across nine events and six venues, including FilmScene, the Iowa City Public Library, Public Space One, and Dream City, the series drew more than 550 participants ranging in age from 1 to 80+. Multiple events sold out. The MLK Day of Service generated more than 300 pounds of food donated to the Senior Center's Simple and Free Pantry Exchange.

Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague said of the festival: "Black Future Fest reminds us that when we intentionally center Black voices, creativity, and vision, we build a stronger and more inclusive future for everyone. It embodies unity, love, and belonging and challenges us to imagine boldly and lead with purpose."

The recognition includes publication in NCOA's national Programs of Excellence Clearinghouse, a celebration at the Age + Action Conference, held May 27-30, 2026, and a national webinar on October 22, 2026, where the ICSC will share the Black Future Fest model with senior centers across the country.

For more information about the Iowa City Senior Center, visit icgov.org/seniorcenter or contact [email protected].

About the Iowa City Senior Center

The Iowa City Senior Center is a department of the City of Iowa City located at 28 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA 52240. The Senior Center enhances quality of life by creating opportunities to support wellness, social connection, community engagement, and lifelong learning for adults aged 50+. Philanthropic support is provided by Friends of the Iowa City Senior Center.