WATERLOO, Iowa — The Black Hawk County chapter of the NAACP is raising concerns about racist comments circulating online as a local election approaches. Current Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart faces a challenge from Council Member Dave Boesen in the upcoming run-off election.

In October, the organization condemned acts of vandalism against Hart's political signs. However, the focus has now shifted to the racist remarks and memes shared by community members.

"We have to live here together and if we want to make Waterloo great or the Cedar Valley great we all have to work together to do that," said LaTonya Graves, president of the NAACP of Black Hawk County, during a city council meeting.

Graves expressed that the negative discourse is detracting from the city's progress. Several city council

See Full Page