Thread by @timkmak

Justice for 66-year-old Jerry Foxhoven!

https://twitter.com/thedailybeast/status/1151258231668379648

He told colleagues he was inspired by lyrics that included: “It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes.”

thedailybeast.com/iowa-official-…

The word is spreading

https://twitter.com/EsotericCD/status/1151331841896587265

"But like the question of who fatally shot Shakur in Las Vegas in 1996, the reason for Foxhoven’s forced departure remains a mystery."

apnews.com/c7ae931fae0f4b…

🚨 ALERT ALERT 🚨

Standby I have received the original Tupac emails from Iowa's Department of Human Services after requesting them through FOIA

The AP had not posted source docs so I wanted to see them for myself

Here is the email 66 year old Jerry Foxhoven sent to his staff, the day he was fired.

He notes 2Pac's bday is also Father's day

"Hard to believe he has been gone for almost 23 years"

By all accounts, a kind email

In an email to all his staff at Department of Human Services, he quoted a 2Pac lyric:

"Pay no mind to those who talk behind your back, it simply means that you are 2 steps ahead."

People seemed to enjoy his Tupac quote.

"Hello Jerry, I'm Kathy a psychologist [on staff]... thank you for the inspiration quote from 2PAC"

Jerry seems to be an attentive/kind manager, and engaged with his thousands of staff at the Iowa Department of Human Services.

"Thanks, and thanks for all you do for us and for the people we serve," he wrote in response to that psychologist.

The Tupac quote started a dialogue!

More than one dialogue, it seems! Here's what a woman named Yvonne wrote back to Jerry:

"Great to be on a team of people who care!"

And another Tupac quote right back at him

"Oh my gosh!!! I ABSOLUTELY love it!!" Merea wrote back to Jerry

"Thanx for sharing that :)" writes Lin

Jerry then schools Lin on 2pac v Tupac:

"Well, it is formally Tupac..."

Another positive response to the Tupac quote!

"You are such a breath of fresh air Jerry!" writes Lila. "Thanks for all you do, to lift us up and help us feel better about what we do than we have felt in a long time!"

Jerry gives career advice to a subordinate. And quotes 'Changes':

"Here is the line from PAC that inspires me at DHS:"

Jerry seems to understand some people don't like it when he quotes Tupac.

Staff: "I love your 2PAC messages... that you still send them (despite the haters) makes me appreciate them even more."

He responds: "I am going to hang in there on him -- despite all the naysayers."

In February, Jerry wrote another all staff email encouraging them: "I am totally committed to changing (and improving) the culture at DHS."

He tells his 4,000 employees that Fridays are designated as 'Tupac Friday' in his office, and they always try to play some of his songs

Jerry celebrates Valentine's Day with, you guessed it: more Tupac quotes for his 4,000 staff at the Iowa Department of Human Services

OMG he had a birthday party and his staff, knowing his love for tupac, brought him tupac themed baked goods 😭

Oops looks like thread was cut off accidentally. Continues here:

https://twitter.com/timkmak/status/1151500256200351746

66 year old Jerry also has 2pac memes:

So apparently there was a snitch at the Iowa Department of Human Services.

"99% [enjoy your messages], not like the 1 who your Tupac email to the legislators," one supporter wrote Jerry last year

Jerry Foxhoven also taught Ethics and Professional Responsibility at Drake University, and from his student evaluations seemed much appreciated by those who took his classes in recent years

Jerry also assigned Tupac as required reading in his Ethics and Professional Responsibility class at Drake University, where he taught law students:

Jerry kept it professional, but let his staff know that he might be alittle down on Thursday Sept 13 because it was the anniversary of PAC's death

Here's the bottom line: the emails suggest that

-dozens and dozens of staff loved Jerry's Tupac emails
-1 person complained to the state legislature about his Tupac emails
-Jerry mentored subordinates, cared about his staff
-He was courteous, positive and lifted morale

We don't know why Jerry was fired.

We know that:
-He was appreciated by his staff
-He was fired the first work day after his all staff Tupac email
-Someone complained to the state legislature about the Tupac emails
-Governor's office refuses to deny firing is Tupac related

More personal references:

https://twitter.com/MJ_GIA/status/1151528220367474688

I'm trying to track Jerry down for an interview (do you know him or have his contact info?)

and public records indicate that one of his emails has the username is thuglife13*@****.com

🚨 ALERT ALERT 🚨

I have gotten in touch with and interviewed Jerry Foxhoven about the Tupac emails.

Story TK shortly

🚨 ALERT ALERT 🚨

My first story for @nprmusic: the rap-loving head of Iowa's Dept of Human Services, who was fired after quoting Tupac in an all-staff, four-thousand-person email blast:

I present to you, our interview with Jerry Foxhoven:

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic Foxhoven said after he sent out an email with Tupac quotes, he was abruptly told to resign

He wasn't told the reason, and was made to immediately surrender his phone/ID; ordered not to go to his office

He wasn't even granted a meeting with the governor

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic Jerry Foxhaven hopes his ouster can be used to start a dialogue about racial stereotypes and rap music.

"I'm a 66-year-old white guy from the Midwest who likes rap music, who likes Tupac!" he says.

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic Foxhaven was especially disturbed by a recent news story which reported that a 17-year-old boy in Arizona was fatally stabbed by a man who said the victim's rap music made him feel "unsafe."

Here's what he said next:

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic Foxhoven said he got into Tupac in the early 90s, when Makevli was still alive.

Foxhoven was in his 30s then -- he started lecturing me on East Coast v West Coast rap, almost apologetically

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic Foxhoven turns 67 next week. He hopes to see the Tupac hologram one day, but for now, some tracks will do.

"I will be listening to some Tupac on my birthday. That's totally true."

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic This was a really fun story to report

Not least because I was FLOODED by emails and DMs from people who somehow knew Jerry; whether colleagues or former students --

all of them attesting to what a great guy he was, and how they loved learning from him

npr.org/2019/07/17/742…

@nprmusic Foxhoven's story is also reminder (to me at least, since I'm always focused on DC politics) that there's a ton of wonderful political stories to be told outside the capital

... and a lot of people of character who are doing work that's being recognized in their communities /end

@nprmusic Guess there are some things that are just unique to Tupac

https://twitter.com/AlexYablon/status/1151866740197986305

@nprmusic To update for a frequently asked question: Sadly Jerry Foxhoven dosen't have a Twitter account, per his son:

https://twitter.com/CosmicMoriarty/status/1151880873672880130

@nprmusic Jerry Foxhoven is observing 'Tupac Fridays' today.

He said he is bumpin' "California Love" right now

@nprmusic Jerry getting rightly recognized for his Tupac fandom:

https://twitter.com/RAYGUNshirts/status/1152281103643922432