I strongly believe downtown Iowa City must be ‘a place where people of all backgrounds and ages are drawn; a community where people feel welcome in an environment of mutual respect, in which they collaborate and make connections with one another; and where a shared community identity can flourish at the same time that differences and variety are valued.

Iowa City’s primary challenge in civic engagement is communication. Iowa City government must meet people where they are: in their neighborhoods and homes, not just city hall.”

The Englert, which has been a catalyst for meaningful moments and memories in my own life, has also helped me understand the value of keeping spaces that bear the historic weight of community stories. To experience the Englert is to feel the importance of Iowa City’s cultural legacy.