Friend,

My drive to serve as a leader in Iowa is rooted in lived experiences. I’d like to share a part of my story with you.

Before my time in the legislature and after I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, I was a strength and conditioning coach at a high school, helping student athletes train for football, track, and volleyball.

It was there that I gained a better understanding of how many young people in this state go without their basic needs being met every single day. This work taught me that before we could prepare students for performance on the field, we had to prepare them for success and support in the classroom.

I went on to receive my MA and then became a family support worker for a nonprofit organization called Communities in Schools, where I worked closely with middle school students, parents, and educators. While we considered graduation a long term goal, my work was regularly focused on the near term — helping kids access basic things like shoes, food, and a roof over their heads.

This experience confirmed for me that time and again, Iowans’ needs aren’t being met. And far too often, it is the government that is a barrier to success, and sometimes even the reason that Iowans’ needs aren’t being met.

One example stands out vividly to me. A middle school student I worked with had everything going for her… she was excelling socially, emotionally, and academically — until the Iowa GOP privatized Medicaid.

Because she lived with her grandmother who lost in-home nursing care due to the changes made to Medicaid, my student stopped coming to school so she could stay home and take care of her grandmother. Her only choice was to leave school and try to keep up from home while she cared for her family. That isn’t a fair choice.

Whether it’s a grandparent, younger siblings, or a disabled relative — this is a reality for many families across the state. But it’s not the Iowa I want for our children or our families, and it’s not the Iowa that reflects the values of the people of our state.

There is a better path forward, one that prioritizes our most vulnerable and gets Iowa out of the business of trying to make money off of those with long-term healthcare needs.

In fact, at the school I worked in, students thrived when we brought services to them: from a dental and eye clinic attached to the school, to access to clothing and food and mental health services. We need to innovate how we care for our youth and families in Iowa.

With new leadership, we can look at old problems with new eyes and create a government that gives all Iowans a fair, strong, and healthy foundation. When we do that, Iowans will not just survive — we will thrive.

I’d like to ask if you have a story you’d like to share with me and my team, and what you’d like to see our state government do to better meet the needs of Iowans like you. Will you share your story with us here?

I always say: what a time to be alive to do this work. Because this work is a necessity. I know that together, we can find solutions to our common struggles and make this a state where every Iowan’s basic needs are met.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to read some of your own stories soon.

Ras