Change doesn’t start at the Capitol; it starts with us. The Iowa House needs a spark, and it begins in Dubuque. Getting involved means more than talk — it’s about showing up, speaking out, and building something real. Whether you knock doors, host an event, or share our message, your spark matters. Together, we’ll light the way forward.

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Good thing I’m an Aries — built to lead, built to spark change.&nbsp;✨Click <a href="https://iowa-legis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=28fae60ae9ec4718b1c7ced53294590c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a> to See If You're in District 71.

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<h3>How it All Began ...</h3><img src="https://run.imgix.net/14bee742-da44-4abc-aaf4-979f451bf55f/bdff36e1-3990-490b-a618-5985bfea2fb9/bdff36e1-3990-490b-a618-5985bfea2fb9.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C953%2C960&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">When I was six years old, my mother, Shirley Mae Cain, passed away. She was a single mother raising four boys on her own. Strong, exhausted, and doing everything she could to keep us afloat. I was born and raised on public assistance. Section 8 housing kept a roof over our heads. Medicaid kept us healthy. Food stamps kept us fed. I am also a direct product of public education, from Chicago Public Schools to Denver Public Schools to the Dubuque Community School District. These systems did not fail me. They raised me. They protected me. They made my survival possible.The same systems some politicians dismiss or attempt to dismantle are the reason I am standing here today. I do not talk about policy from theory. I talk about it from lived experience.After my mother died, life became unstable fast. I moved from family member to family member, house to house, city to city. I learned what it meant to constantly start over before I ever learned what stability felt like. Friendships ended before they could fully form. Schools changed. Communities changed. But instead of breaking me, that instability forged something in me early. I learned how to adapt. I learned how to connect quickly. I learned how to lead in unfamiliar spaces. I learned that home is not just where you sleep. It is who you fight for.Most importantly, I learned that decisions made in government buildings determine whether families like mine survive or slip through the cracks. That lesson never left me.<h4>Where the Spark Grew ...</h4><img src="https://run.imgix.net/14bee742-da44-4abc-aaf4-979f451bf55f/f22efe29-aa55-471c-955b-72088a150ab6/f22efe29-aa55-471c-955b-72088a150ab6.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C750%2C498&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">I was born on the South Side of Chicago (79th and Escanaba to be exact). That taught me toughness, awareness, and how to stand my ground. But in 2014, I moved to Dubuque, Iowa, and that is where my leadership took shape.I attended Jefferson Middle School and Hempstead High School, where I began organizing, speaking up, and showing up for others. Dubuque taught me that leadership is not about waiting your turn or holding a title. Leadership is about being present, being prepared, and being willing to step into uncomfortable conversations when others stay silent.Chicago gave me my fire. Dubuque gave me direction. Iowa gave me purpose.<h4>What Fuels My Spark ...</h4><img src="https://run.imgix.net/14bee742-da44-4abc-aaf4-979f451bf55f/b20125c1-8216-4619-8cdd-a435a8fc62b8/b20125c1-8216-4619-8cdd-a435a8fc62b8.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=319%2C0%2C910%2C1669&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Education has always been my way forward, not because it was easy or guaranteed, but because it was necessary. As a first generation college graduate, I learned early that opportunity does not just appear. It is built through hard work, protected through persistence, and expanded when we choose to invest in people. That belief is at the heart of why I am running and why SPARK guides my work.I earned my Master of Public Administration in Healthcare from the Helms School of Government because I wanted to understand how systems actually work and who they leave behind when we are not paying attention. My thesis,&nbsp;Young, Black, and Defining Leadership: The Lived Experiences of Black Americans and Local Elected Officials in Politically Divisive Times, focused on how elected leaders across Dubuque County, from city councils to the county board of supervisors, view their responsibility to engage young Black voters and strengthen civic participation. That work shaped how I think about strengthening education, expanding access, and making sure people feel seen, heard, and invited into our democratic process.Before that, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management from the University of Dubuque with minors in African American Studies and Health, Wellness and Sport. While at UD, I was a Dean’s List Scholar, served three years as Vice President of the Student Government Association, and received the University Leadership Award, the highest honor a student can earn. I was also selected as the first Drum Major of the University of Dubuque Marching Spartans Band, stepping into a role that did not exist before I claimed it. I learned then that leadership often means creating space where none existed and making sure others can step into it after you.I am also a three time author. My books are not side projects. They are reflections on leadership, healing, and responsibility rooted in lived experience.&nbsp;Me Before We&nbsp;is a guided journal centered on self accountability and growth.&nbsp;Ain’t Givin’ In&nbsp;speaks to survival, resilience, and what it means to keep showing up as a Black man in America.&nbsp;O Persist, Black Boy&nbsp;connects my life experiences to the Eight Limbs of Yoga, showing how discipline, grounding, compassion, and truth telling shape how I lead. Together, these works reflect the same values behind SPARK. Strengthening our communities, protecting stability, addressing health and well being, reinforcing care and connection, and keeping people rooted here by making Iowa a place where they can truly thrive.<h4>How the Spark Serves Community, Health and Public Leadership ...</h4>My leadership lives where systems meet people. It exists at the intersection of public health, civil rights, education, culture, and community trust, because real leadership cannot be confined to a single lane. I have spent my career working where policy stops being theoretical and starts determining whether someone receives care, keeps their housing, is protected from discrimination, or is pushed further to the margins. This work has required not just compassion, but structure, compliance, investigation, and accountability. That is what prepares someone to govern.At the local level, my leadership began on the front lines of both health and civil rights. I started my career at the Dubuque Visiting Nurses Association as a Case Manager and Field Benefits Specialist in the federally funded Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, where I translated federal funding into real outcomes for people living with HIV. I ensured uninterrupted access to lifesaving medications, enrolled clients into insurance coverage, coordinated transportation, stabilized housing, and intervened during crises that threatened retention in care. This work required navigating federal eligibility standards, confidentiality laws, compliance reporting, and benefits coordination, while centering the dignity of people navigating stigma, poverty, and complex systems. My local public health experience deepened at Crescent Community Health Center, Dubuque’s Federally Qualified Health Center, where I worked within Medicaid and Medicare systems from both patient and provider perspectives. There, I saw firsthand how prior authorizations delay care, how reimbursement rates affect staffing and access, and how housing instability, transportation barriers, and income inequity shape health outcomes long before a patient reaches an exam room.Alongside this work, I serve on the City of Dubuque Equity and Human Rights Commission, where I help carry out the city’s responsibility to protect residents from discrimination and promote fairness across the community. The Commission has the authority to hold hearings, compel the production of evidence, and determine the merits of complaints alleging unfair or discriminatory practices in housing, employment, education, credit, and places of public accommodation. We investigate and study the existence, causes, and extent of discrimination, work to eliminate it through public education, and take action to promote civil and respectful behavior across the city. This includes addressing discrimination based on age, race, creed, color, sex, national origin, religion, ancestry, disability, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Serving in this role has strengthened my understanding of due process, local enforcement authority, investigatory responsibility, and the real weight of public trust. It is governance at the municipal level, and it demands clarity, fairness, and courage.My local leadership also extends into education, wellness, and community building. I serve as a board member of Mindful Minutes for Schools, supporting the integration of mindfulness and social emotional learning in classrooms to help students manage stress, build focus, and develop emotional resilience. I am the owner of Eternau Wellness Co., a business rooted in equitable and holistic care, and the founder of Table for Us, a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying Black voices through mindfulness, art, and intentional community dialogue. These roles reflect my belief that healthy communities are built not only through policy, but through care, connection, and cultural affirmation.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/14bee742-da44-4abc-aaf4-979f451bf55f/45a3dac7-8acf-42c7-81c2-6df267608957/45a3dac7-8acf-42c7-81c2-6df267608957.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1320%2C438&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Music and the arts are another way I remain grounded and accountable to community. I am a member of the Dubuque Chorale, a volunteer community chorus that brings people together across backgrounds and generations. I have performed with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra during its Holiday Pops Concert and am also a member of the Tri-State Wind Symphony. These ensembles require discipline, collaboration, listening, and shared responsibility. Everyone shows up prepared, respects the collective, and understands their role in something larger than themselves. Those are not hobbies. Those are leadership skills, and they are the same skills required to serve a diverse district effectively.At the state level, my work expanded from implementation into systems planning and policy advising. I serve on two statewide advisory bodies within the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services: the HIV and Hepatitis Community Planning Group and the Benefits and Drug Assistance Program Advisory Committee. The HIV and Hepatitis Community Planning Group is composed of people living with HIV or viral hepatitis, healthcare providers, case managers, prevention professionals, educators, and representatives of communities<img src="https://run.imgix.net/14bee742-da44-4abc-aaf4-979f451bf55f/25bb8364-7909-40eb-aa0e-e684b0c472b2/25bb8364-7909-40eb-aa0e-e684b0c472b2.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=218%2C450%2C1024%2C1426&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="30" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">disproportionately impacted by these conditions. The group advises the Bureau of HIV, STI, and Hepatitis and ensures Iowa maintains an inclusive, participatory, and data informed planning process for prevention and care services. In this role, I help assess statewide needs, identify service gaps, and shape priorities that directly influence how prevention and care resources are allocated. My work on the Benefits and Drug Assistance Program Advisory Committee focuses on access and affordability for people living with HIV. BDAP ensures eligible individuals can access insurance coverage and medications by paying premiums, copays, and coinsurance and vetting plans based on individual needs. I advocate for policies that keep people connected to care and prevent cost or bureaucracy from becoming barriers to survival.At the national level, I serve on GLAAD’s Community HIV Stigma Advisory Committee. GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is the nation’s leading LGBTQ media advocacy organization. Through this role, I contribute to national conversations on HIV stigma, prevention messaging, public education, and representation in media and policy spaces. I work to ensure that Black communities, rural states, and Midwestern voices like Iowa’s are not erased from national HIV narratives and that stigma reduction remains central to prevention and care strategies. I also regularly serve as a guest lecturer at universities, speaking to students across nursing, chemistry, biology, public health, and pre-health programs, teaching future professionals about HIV prevention, testing, treatment, stigma, and health equity.Taken together, my work across local healthcare delivery, civil rights enforcement, education, nonprofit leadership, business ownership, community arts, state advisory bodies, and national advocacy is not accidental. It is preparation. It is experience earned through service, accountability, and results. This is what leadership looks like before holding office, and it is the foundation I will bring with me into the Iowa House.<h4>Why the Spark Matters ...</h4>When I ran for School Board, I did not walk away empty handed. I earned 5,046 votes. That means 5,046 people in this community saw themselves in my vision and trusted me to lead. That kind of support does not disappear because an election does not break your way. It becomes responsibility. It becomes proof. It becomes momentum. That experience did not end my story. It clarified it. It reminded me that leadership is not granted by a title but affirmed by the people who keep showing up with you when it would be easier to walk away.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/14bee742-da44-4abc-aaf4-979f451bf55f/e750d5f7-31ae-4683-9dd0-aeea2e7d5e3c/e750d5f7-31ae-4683-9dd0-aeea2e7d5e3c.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C3391%2C5086&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">After that race, the message I heard from mentors, family members, and community supporters was consistent and unmistakable. Do not stop. Do not shrink. Do not step back. Losing one race did not mean the work was done. It meant the work needed a bigger platform. Iowa House District 71 is that platform. It is the next chapter of the spark that was lit long before I ever considered running for office.I am running because Iowa deserves leadership that listens first, shows up consistently, and puts people before politics every single time. This campaign is not about a resume or a title. It is about transformation. It is about building a future where every person in House District 71, from the North End to the South Hill, knows that their voice matters and that their lived experience has value in the decisions that shape our state.The spark that drives me began with my mother, Shirley Mae Cain. Her strength, sacrifice, and love continue to guide every step I take. She taught me that even in loss, there is light, and that resilience is not about pretending things do not hurt but about choosing to move forward anyway. That lesson became my fire. It is the fire I carry into classrooms, community meetings, policy conversations, and every door I knock on during this campaign.If elected, I would make history as the first Gen Z and the first Black man to represent Iowa House District 71. That matters not because of me, but because it signals what is possible. It tells young people, people of color, and working families across this district that leadership is not reserved for a select few. It belongs to those willing to do the work, tell the truth, and stay rooted in community.I am running to help build the Iowa my mother believed in. An Iowa where compassion shapes policy, community drives progress, and no one is left behind. Long before I ever ran for office, my mother sparked something in me. Now, I am ready to carry that spark into the Iowa House and turn it into action.

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<h2>May 13th - June 1st</h2>Vote at <a href="https://elections.dubuquecountyiowa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dubuque County Elections Office</a>, 880 Central Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001.

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<h2>How to handle donations on your website</h2>Run does not process donations directly on our platform, as is standard with most political and advocacy sites.Campaigns are often required to comply with reporting requirements, donation limits, and other regulations, so using a donation processor that specializes in serving campaigns is generally a good idea. Sign up with a donation processor and then on your Pages sidebar, click the Link icon on the Donate page and add the link to your donation page. Some common options for donation processing include:<ul><li><a href="https://secure.actblue.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ActBlue</a></li><li><a href="https://www.campaigndeputy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Campaign Deputy</a> </li><li><a href="https://goodchange.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GoodChange</a></li><li><a href="https://numero.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Numero</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ngpvan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NGP VAN</a></li></ul>

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Every movement starts with a conversation, and your voice is part of the spark we’re building across HD-71.Whether you have a question, want to get involved 🔥, need support, or just want to share what’s happening in your neighborhood, I want to hear from you.Fill out the form and someone from our team will reach out as soon as possible. Together, we ignite change.

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S - Strengthen Education for All

P - Protect Housing Stability

A - Address Healthcare Cost &amp; Access

R - Reinforce Behavioral Health Services

K - Keep Iowans Home

<h3>5 priorities.</h3><h3>1 mission.</h3><h3>S.P.A.R.K for Iowa House District 71. 🔥🧡</h3>

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We’re sparking a new era of leadership — one that listens, shows up, and fights for what’s right in Dubuque and across Iowa. Be part of the spark. See what real change can do.

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Brain health should make people feel supported — not alone. But right now, too many Iowans are navigating anxiety, trauma, addiction, and depression in a system where help depends on your ZIP code, your insurance card, or whether your county can afford to keep a program running. Families in District 71 deserve better than a mental-health structure that has been reorganized, underfunded, and stretched thin. Access to behavioral health care should spark healing, stability, and dignity — not crisis.Iowa’s local mental-health regions have been repeatedly restructured and underfunded at the state level, leaving schools, counties, and nonprofits scrambling to fill the gaps. Yet even with these challenges, we can see what works when our community invests early. A new collaboration between Mindful Minutes for Schools and Challenge to Change is bringing mindfulness-based education to eastern Iowa classrooms, giving students practical tools to manage stress, calm their nervous systems, and build emotional resilience (KWQC, 2024). When we support children’s brain health from the start, we don’t just reduce behavioral issues — we strengthen learning, improve school climate, and build healthier communities for decades.<h2>Spark the Truth: What the Numbers Show</h2>The truth is urgent: Iowa is deep in a behavioral-health crisis — and the data proves it.Dubuque County spent&nbsp;$27,000&nbsp;on&nbsp;818 naloxone doses&nbsp;this year alone to prevent overdose deaths, expanding community access because the need has grown so sharply (Turnbough, 2025). The county acted because it had to. But counties shouldn’t be carrying this burden alone.Fentanyl’s toll is staggering. Iowa lost an estimated&nbsp;$2.2 billion&nbsp;in economic value in 2024 due to fentanyl-related deaths, hospitalizations, and reduced workforce participation (Common Sense Institute, 2025). These aren’t just numbers — they represent parents, young people, workers, and neighbors whose lives could have been saved with better prevention and stronger state-level support.And the cost of state inaction shows up everywhere. When mental-health regions lack the funding to sustain crisis response teams, families turn to emergency rooms. When people can’t access therapy or addiction treatment quickly, they fall deeper into homelessness, unemployment, and legal trouble. When schools don’t have the staff or support for mental wellness programs, teachers absorb the weight — and students suffer. Behavioral health isn’t a side issue. It touches everything.<h2>Spark Our Future: What This Means for District 71</h2>District 71 feels the cracks in the system in ways lawmakers in Des Moines rarely see.In the North End and throughout Dubuque, families face higher rates of trauma, economic strain, and housing instability — all of which intensify mental-health needs. Schools rely on programs like Mindful Minutes because many kids carry emotional weight before they even reach the classroom. Parents working multiple jobs struggle to find appointments, transportation, or affordable care. And when substance-use support is scarce, overdoses ripple through entire neighborhoods, leaving families grieving, children without parents, and employers without workers.Dubuque County’s decision to independently purchase naloxone wasn’t a luxury — it was survival. But no county can sustain that alone. When state support dries up, the communities with the highest need — including Black, immigrant, and low-income families in District 71 — fall through the cracks.Reinforcing behavioral health in District 71 isn’t just about counseling or drug treatment. It’s about whether people can stay safe, stay housed, stay working, and stay alive.<h2>Ignite the Path Forward</h2>To truly reinforce behavioral-health services in Iowa, we must build a system centered on people — not politics — and strong enough to meet the scale of the crisis.I will fight to:• Fully restore and strengthen Iowa’s mental-health regions so families receive care based on need — not local budget strain. • Expand school-based wellness programs, including Mindful Minutes and Challenge to Change, so students learn healthy coping skills early. • Increase state funding for crisis services, mobile response teams, and 24/7 stabilization centers. • Invest in community-based addiction treatment and recovery supports that meet people where they are. • Expand access to naloxone statewide and ensure counties aren’t left to purchase lifesaving tools by themselves. • Build strong harm-reduction networks that prevent deaths and connect people to long-term recovery. • Strengthen partnerships with clinics, social-service agencies, and local governments so families get coordinated care, not closed doors.Behavioral health should spark hope — not heartbreak. It should spark healing — not survival. And above all, it should spark the belief that every Iowan, in every community, deserves a fair chance at stability, safety, and recovery.District 71 deserves a behavioral-health system that honors our families, protects our children, and ensures no one is left behind.ReferencesCommon Sense Institute. (2025).&nbsp;Iowa’s decade-long fight with fentanyl and its economic toll.<a href="https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/iowa/research/housing-and-our-community/iowas-decade-long-fight-with-fentanyl-and-its-economic-toll">https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/iowa/research/housing-and-our-community/iowas-decade-long-fight-with-fentanyl-and-its-economic-toll</a>KWQC. (2024, February 7).&nbsp;Mental health collaboration brings mindful education to area schools.<a href="https://www.kwqc.com/2024/02/07/mental-health-collaboration-brings-mindful-education-area-schools/">https://www.kwqc.com/2024/02/07/mental-health-collaboration-brings-mindful-education-area-schools/</a>Turnbough, K. (2025, March 31).&nbsp;Dubuque County spends $27K on 818 doses of Narcan, expands access to life-saving medication.&nbsp;KCRG.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcrg.com/2025/03/31/dubuque-county-spends-27k-on-818-doses-narcan-expands-access-life-saving-medication/">https://www.kcrg.com/2025/03/31/dubuque-county-spends-27k-on-818-doses-narcan-expands-access-life-saving-medication/</a>

Brain health and recovery matters and Iowans deserve access to counseling, crisis support, and treatment without stigma or delay. When substance use goes untreated, it can lead to homelessness and raise other community health issues beyond the individual.👉🏾 Over 600 Iowans died from overdoses in 2023. I will work to strengthen brain health districts and expand statewide harm reduction programs.

R - Reinforce Behavioral Health Services

Strengthening education is more than a policy priority. It’s about giving everyday working families a system they can trust — a system built to spark possibility in every child, not just those with resources. And trust in our education system doesn’t just come from strong schools; it comes from protecting the public workers who hold those schools together. When the state undermines both public education and IPERS, it sends a message that the people who serve Iowa’s kids are not valued. That is how communities begin to break down — and right now, Iowa is drifting away from the promise that every child and every worker deserves stability.We’ve watched schools like Fulton close and Jefferson come close. We’ve watched communities lose the one place where kids felt grounded and where parents felt connected. When a school closes, it doesn’t simply disappear from a map. It takes a piece of the neighborhood’s identity with it, and families feel that loss deeply (Sloat, 2024). What makes this even harder is the reality that, because the state refuses to fully fund public education, districts are forced into school bonds just to keep buildings safe or functional. And those bonds don’t land evenly — the schools serving students with the greatest needs often end up with the fewest resources. It widens the very inequities we claim to be fighting against, and it undermines the public workforce that shows up for Iowa every day.<h2>Spark the Truth: What the Numbers Show</h2>Instead of investing in public classrooms, the state expanded a private-school voucher program with almost no oversight. In year two alone, the voucher program cost taxpayers&nbsp;over $234 million, money that could have nearly covered&nbsp;universal free lunch for every public-school student, which costs just over&nbsp;$200 million statewide. If we can afford vouchers, we can afford to feed kids.To absorb these costs, Iowa pulled&nbsp;$900 million&nbsp;from state reserves, contributing to a growing budget deficit. Meanwhile, Iowa ranks&nbsp;49th in the nation&nbsp;for economic growth, with GDP dropping&nbsp;6.1 percent&nbsp;in one quarter (Axios, 2025). When state finances crumble, districts cut staff, property taxes rise, and schools close — especially in working-class neighborhoods. And all the while, IPERS — the retirement security for&nbsp;335,000 public workers&nbsp;— remains under political pressure.<h2>Spark Our Future: What This Means for District 71</h2>District 71 feels these pressures intensely. Schools like Hempstead, Washington, Jefferson, and Alta Vista are community anchors. They are where parents feel connected and kids feel rooted. But when state funding falls short, the children with the greatest needs end up with the fewest supports. Families in our neighborhoods are forced to shoulder school bond costs just to keep buildings open — all while private institutions receive blank checks.This creates a cycle where working families pay more for less, public workers shoulder the stress, and young people look elsewhere for opportunity.<h2>Ignite the Path Forward</h2>Strengthening education means investing where it matters most. It means&nbsp;fully restoring IPERS&nbsp;so every public worker can retire with dignity. It means expanding early childhood access so families aren’t stuck on waitlists. It means guaranteeing&nbsp;free meals in public schools, because no child can learn on an empty stomach — especially when Iowa is spending&nbsp;more&nbsp;on private school vouchers than universal meals would cost. It means growing concurrent enrollment, so students graduate ready for whatever comes next.But most importantly, it means reigniting a spark in every child who walks into a classroom. A spark that tells them their future is worth investing in. A spark that keeps families rooted in Iowa. A spark that lifts every neighborhood in District 71.That’s the Iowa I’m fighting for — one where every student, every teacher, and every family has the stability, dignity, and opportunity they deserve.Axios. (2025, July 7).&nbsp;Iowa’s economy struggles with negative GDP growth in first quarter.<a href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2025/07/07/iowa-economy-gdp-economic-decline-agriculture">https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2025/07/07/iowa-economy-gdp-economic-decline-agriculture</a>Heller, S. (2025, June 2).&nbsp;Critics warn of ‘money laundering’ as Iowa expands school voucher program.&nbsp;Iowa Starting Line.&nbsp;<a href="https://iowastartingline.com/2025/06/02/critics-warn-of-money-laundering-as-iowa-expands-school-voucher-program/">https://iowastartingline.com/2025/06/02/critics-warn-of-money-laundering-as-iowa-expands-school-voucher-program/</a>Hernandez, S. (n.d.).&nbsp;Iowa school districts work to feed students amid the end of universal free meals, increasing costs.Des Moines Register.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com">https://www.desmoinesregister.com</a> Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System. (n.d.).&nbsp;Membership data and plan overview.&nbsp;<a href="https://ipers.org">https://ipers.org</a>Rushing, T. (2024, July 15).&nbsp;Reynolds’ voucher program will cost Iowa taxpayers over $200 million in year two.&nbsp;Iowa Starting Line.&nbsp;<a href="https://iowastartingline.com">https://iowastartingline.com</a>

Education should open doors for every Iowan. That starts with accessible childcare, fully funded public schools with free lunch, and strong partnerships with colleges across the state.👉🏾 At the state level, I’ll fight to expand early childhood access, invest in free lunch, strengthen public schools, and support both students and returning adults as they move into college and careers.

Write a short blurb about an issue your campaign is highlighting. Try to keep the text a similar size between the various issue blurbs.

S – Strengthen Education for ALL

2 Local Democrats Announce Campaigns for Iowa House SeatsBy Reade Snelling, Telegraph HeraldPublished November 26, 2025DeLano Cain-Watson, who previously ran for both Dubuque City Council and the Dubuque Community School Board, has officially launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination in Iowa House District 71. The seat is currently held by Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, who has announced her intention to run for U.S. House District 1 in 2026. Cain-Watson said that his lived experience growing up as a young Black man in public housing and public schools positions him to bring a distinct, necessary voice to the Iowa Legislature.“On the Democratic side, we often talk about supporting those from communities that are struggling, but it’s far too often that the candidates who actually run don’t come from those communities,” he said.A graduate of Jefferson Middle School and the University of Dubuque, Cain-Watson now operates a massage therapy business and works as a patient services representative at Crescent Community Health Center. He said one of his driving motivations for running is the urgent need to represent young Iowans, whose concerns he believes have been overlooked for far too long.“We’re losing young people at a rate that’s really hurting us,” he said. “I want people to see Iowa as a place to live and grow.”His campaign centers on strengthening education, stabilizing housing, and increasing access to healthcare. Cain-Watson pointed to rising state budget deficits, a challenging economic climate, and a weakening public school system as critical issues he plans to confront if elected.“The state isn’t doing their part,” he said. “We can’t keep defunding things like mental health and schools and public health systems and expect that these issues are going to solve themselves.”

DeLano Cain-Watson has officially announced his candidacy for Iowa House District 71, bringing a fresh, young voice shaped by lived experience in public education, healthcare, and community service. A graduate of Jefferson Middle School and the University of Dubuque, DeLano has worked as a massage therapist, small-business owner, and patient services representative at Crescent Community Health Center. His campaign focuses on strengthening public schools, protecting affordable housing, addressing

Local Democrat Announce Campaign for Iowa House Seat

Healthcare should make people feel safe — not scared. But right now, too many everyday working Iowans are one premium increase, one diagnosis, or one missed paycheck away from losing access to the care they need. Families in District 71 deserve better than a system where costs rise, coverage shrinks, and the people doing everything right still get left behind. Access to care should spark stability, trust, and dignity — not uncertainty.When ACA tax credits are threatened, premiums can skyrocket. Without these credits, health insurance in Iowa could become 75–150% more expensive, adding hundreds of dollars a month to budgets already stretched thin. When premiums rise, people skip doctor’s visits, delay prescriptions, or turn to the ER as a last resort. And in a state where chronic illness is widespread, every skipped appointment carries a cost — sometimes a tragic one.<h2>Spark the Truth: What the Numbers Show</h2>The truth is heartbreaking: Iowa’s health outcomes are among the worst in the nation.Iowa now ranks&nbsp;No. 2 nationally for new cancer cases, with&nbsp;21,200 expected diagnoses in 2025&nbsp;and more than&nbsp;171,535 Iowans currently living with cancer&nbsp;(Kaplan, 2025). Doctors point to two major statewide risks: Iowa has the&nbsp;highest share of homes above the EPA’s radon action level, and ag chemical runoff affects water sources across&nbsp;30 million acres of farmland&nbsp;(Kaplan, 2025).But cancer isn’t the only crisis — Iowa is also failing mothers.A 2025 Iowa Public Radio report determined that&nbsp;the majority of maternal deaths in Iowa were preventable, meaning they didn’t have to happen (Krebs, 2025). Many deaths were linked to inadequate prenatal care, lack of postpartum support, and delayed access to emergency treatment. Black mothers, rural mothers, and low-income mothers remain at highest risk. When cost or distance keeps someone from a checkup, the results can be fatal.And the safety net that keeps many families afloat is now under attack.Crescent Community Health Center — District 71’s largest community clinic — treats&nbsp;11,000 patients a year,&nbsp;50% of whom rely on Medicaid for medical care&nbsp;and&nbsp;65% for dental care&nbsp;(Wolbers, 2025). Congressional Medicaid cuts would devastate clinics like Crescent, forcing reductions in services, staffing, and programs. That means fewer appointments, longer waits, and more patients turning to emergency rooms. As Wolbers (2025) warns, cuts “would harm our patients, our community health center, and our local hospital’s financial stability.”When healthcare access erodes, families don’t just lose medical care — they lose housing stability, job opportunities, and the ability to provide for their children. Healthcare is the thread that holds everything else together.<h2>Spark Our Future: What This Means for District 71</h2>Many families across District 71 rely on clinics like Crescent, the VNA, and other practices that accept insurance, whether someone uses Medicaid, a private plan, or employer coverage. When these clinics face staffing shortages, rising costs, or cuts in reimbursement, people across every income level feel it. Even families with “good” insurance are experiencing high deductibles, long waits, and fewer available appointments. When prenatal or specialty care becomes too expensive or too far away, mothers and families skip visits, which is dangerous in a state where maternal deaths continue to rise.Iowa’s Expanded Medicaid has been a lifeline for many of my clients at the VNA who live with HIV. It allows them to access antiretrovirals like Biktarvy, Dovato, and Cabenuva, which can cost&nbsp;over $40,000 per year&nbsp;at list price. Without that coverage, most people could not afford the medications that keep them healthy, undetectable, and able to work and care for their families. This same reality exists for more common medications too. The average adult in the United States spends about&nbsp;$200 to $900 per year&nbsp;out of pocket for everyday prescriptions, and those living with chronic conditions often spend&nbsp;$2,000 to $5,000 per year. When clinics reduce services or close, these costs grow as untreated conditions turn into emergencies.When Medicaid reimbursement is cut or private insurance reduces payments, clinics like Crescent, the VNA, and other neighborhood practices lose the ability to remain fully staffed and open. And when that happens, the entire district feels the consequences. Lower-income families lose a lifeline, middle-income families lose consistent preventive care, and higher-income families lose the stability that keeps small health concerns from becoming major crises. Healthcare access in District 71 determines whether people can maintain their health, enabling them to work, raise their children, care for aging parents, stay housed, and remain rooted in the community.<h2>Ignite the Path Forward</h2>Families in District 71 should not have to fight this hard to stay healthy. We see clinics like Crescent, the VNA, and other practices stretched thin. We see families skipping care because appointments are too far, too expensive, or too delayed. We see how cuts to Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement weaken the very clinics people rely on. We see how medication costs keep rising, from antiretrovirals that can cost more than $40,000 each year to everyday prescriptions that cost adults between $200 and $900 each year, and even $2,000 to $5,000 for those managing chronic conditions. These pressures determine whether parents can work, whether mothers can safely carry a pregnancy, whether older adults can stay in their homes, and whether our district remains strong and rooted.When I am elected to the Iowa House, I will fight for a system that finally puts people before politics. I will fight to protect ACA tax credits so families can keep their coverage. I will fight to defend and strengthen Medicaid because it keeps clinics open and care within reach. I will fight for more support for community clinics so every patient receives care with dignity, regardless of income or insurance. I will fight for stronger maternal health access, for earlier detection services, for expanded radon mitigation in older neighborhoods, and for lower prescription costs for families managing chronic conditions. My commitment is clear. I will fight for a healthcare system that sparks stability and healing, and possibility. District 71 deserves care that protects our health, honors our families, and allows every one of us the chance to thrive.ReferencesKaplan, B. (2025, February 26).&nbsp;State of Cancer: Iowa is No. 2 in new cancer cases. Lawmakers, doctors, cancer survivors seek answers.&nbsp;KCCI.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcci.com/article/state-of-cancer-iowa-is-no-2-in-new-cancer-cases-lawmakers-doctors-cancer-survivors-seek-answers/63925107">https://www.kcci.com/article/state-of-cancer-iowa-is-no-2-in-new-cancer-cases-lawmakers-doctors-cancer-survivors-seek-answers/63925107</a>Krebs, N. (2025, April 11).&nbsp;State report finds majority of maternal deaths were preventable.&nbsp;Iowa Public Radio.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iowapublicradio.org/health/2025-04-11/state-report-finds-majority-maternal-pregnancy-deaths-preventable">https://www.iowapublicradio.org/health/2025-04-11/state-report-finds-majority-maternal-pregnancy-deaths-preventable</a>Wolbers, C. (2025, May 11).&nbsp;Cuts to Medicaid would hurt community health centers and patients.&nbsp;Telegraph Herald.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/opinion/article_1fb5da15-ef8b-4d81-9458-a95b0a780c8f.html">https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/opinion/article_1fb5da15-ef8b-4d81-9458-a95b0a780c8f.html</a>

Every Iowan deserves healthcare they can afford. With ACA tax credits at risk, premiums could jump 75–150%, adding $260–$520 a month for many families. That puts basic care out of reach for people already stretched thin.👉🏾 At the state level, I will support Crescent and other community clinics that serve patients regardless of insurance or income so more Iowans can get care when they need it.

A - Address Healthcare Cost &amp; Access

Housing is supposed to be the foundation that helps families grow, not the force that pushes them out. But across Iowa — and especially here in District 71 — too many everyday working people are being priced out of their own communities. Corporate investors buy mobile home parks. Rents rise overnight. And property taxes keep climbing, year after year, with no relief for the very people who make this state run. Housing should spark stability and dignity. Instead, the system is stacking pressures on the families who can least afford it.<h2>Spark the Truth: What the Numbers Show</h2>Iowa families aren’t imagining the pressure — the numbers back it up. Iowa’s property tax burden is among the highest in the country. Local governments rely heavily on property taxes for revenue, and in 2022 alone, property taxes accounted for&nbsp;3.25% of all personal income in Iowa, totaling&nbsp;$6.4 billion&nbsp;statewide (Murrey &amp; Wieciorkowski, 2025). That cost gets passed directly to homeowners and renters — even when wages don’t keep up.New proposals at the statehouse would reshape the entire property tax system. Republicans have introduced legislation expected to provide&nbsp;$426 million in property tax cuts over five years, funded partly by shifting school revenue obligations to the state (Barton, 2025). But local governments warn that a proposed&nbsp;2% cap on annual levy growthwon’t keep up with inflation or the rising costs of public safety, fire, and EMS services, which often grow&nbsp;4–7% per year&nbsp;(Barton, 2025). That means cities would face annual cuts, and services families rely on could suffer.These pressures hit manufactured home residents hardest. Many low-income Iowans living in mobile home parks qualify for tax reduction programs only if their annual incomes stay below certain limits, such as&nbsp;$26,219 per year&nbsp;(Iowa Legal Aid, 2025). But those same residents are often the first targets when corporate owners raise lot rents or levy fees. For them, any increase in rent, in taxes, in utilities — pushes them closer to losing the one affordable home they have.And even reforms meant to help can shift burdens. Eliminating Iowa’s longstanding rollback system — which has moderated taxable value spikes since 1977 — would mean that in some communities, residential taxpayers could see their share of the tax base jump dramatically. Pleasant Hill, for example, could rise from&nbsp;56% to 71%&nbsp;residential burden within five years if the rollback disappears (Barton, 2025). When residential taxpayers carry more weight, working families pay more dollar for dollar.The system is stretched, uneven, and unpredictable — and it hits the same people every time.<h2>Spark Our Future: What This Means for District 71</h2>District 71 — especially our North End neighborhoods — feels these pressures more sharply than almost anywhere else. Property tax increases here land on families already juggling rising housing costs, basic expenses, and stagnant wages. When property taxes rise, homeowners scramble to keep up, and renters feel the squeeze immediately as landlords pass those costs down.Our district has a high concentration of manufactured home residents, retirees on fixed incomes, and working families living paycheck to paycheck. Many qualify for low-income tax reduction programs — but qualifying does not guarantee protection when corporations raise lot rents or when state policies shift school funding away from local levies. The financial burden keeps moving downhill, and it always rolls toward the people with the least room to absorb it.And when state lawmakers push reforms before guaranteeing stable revenue for schools or cities, places like Dubuque — with large investments in public safety, infrastructure, and education — face the greatest risk. A statewide&nbsp;2% levy cap may sound attractive, but in fast-growing areas or cities with aging infrastructure, it forces cuts that reduce public safety staffing, limit transit services, and undermine long-term neighborhood redevelopment. Those cuts hit communities like ours the hardest.Families in District 71 deserve a tax system that works for them — not one that puts them on the edge every single year.<h2>Ignite the Path Forward</h2>To protect housing stability, we need laws that protect people, not just balance spreadsheets. At the state level, we must regulate corporate buyouts of mobile home parks so out-of-state firms can’t displace entire communities. We must strengthen tenant protections to ensure renters are shielded from sudden, extreme rent increases — including those caused by property tax spikes that renters didn’t choose and can’t vote on.We need a property tax system that is fair, predictable, and rooted in community needs. That means reforming the rollback responsibly, ensuring local governments aren’t forced into service cuts, and guaranteeing that any shift in school funding to the state actually results in stability — not in more shortfalls that hurt teachers, students, and neighborhoods.We must expand homeownership opportunities, protect seniors with tax freezes and credits, and push for renters’ rebates so the burden of rising taxes and rising rents doesn’t push families out of District 71. Housing should spark security, belonging, and hope — and with the right policies, we can make that real.District 71 deserves to stay home. I’m fighting to protect that.ReferencesBarton, T. (2025, March 30).&nbsp;Iowa Republicans want to “reboot” Iowa’s property tax system. What it would do and could mean for communities.&nbsp;The Gazette.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegazette.com/state-government/iowa-republicans-want-to-reboot-iowas-property-tax-system-what-it-would-do-and-could-mean-for-co/">https://www.thegazette.com/state-government/iowa-republicans-want-to-reboot-iowas-property-tax-system-what-it-would-do-and-could-mean-for-co/</a>Iowa Legal Aid. (2025, August 4).&nbsp;Tax reduction for low-income Iowans owning mobile homes.<a href="https://iowalegalaid.org/resource/tax-reduction-for-low-income-iowans-owning-mobile-homes/">https://iowalegalaid.org/resource/tax-reduction-for-low-income-iowans-owning-mobile-homes/</a>Mandal, A., &amp; Walczak, J. (2025, March 24).&nbsp;Securing property tax relief in Iowa.&nbsp;Tax Foundation.&nbsp;<a href="https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/state/iowa-property-tax-relief/">https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/state/iowa-property-tax-relief/</a>Murrey, B., &amp; Wieciorkowski, A. (2025, April 9).&nbsp;Property tax reform: Targeting Iowa’s high local tax burden.&nbsp;Common Sense Institute.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/iowa/research/taxes-and-fees/property-tax-reform-targeting-iowas-high-local-tax-burden">https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/iowa/research/taxes-and-fees/property-tax-reform-targeting-iowas-high-local-tax-burden</a>

Housing is a basic need, not a privilege. Too many Iowans are being priced out as corporate investors buy mobile home parks and raise rents. Out-of-state firms now control nearly 25% of Iowa’s manufactured home parks.👉🏾 At the state level, I will work to regulate corporate buyouts, expand homeownership, and strengthen tenant protections.

P - Protect Housing Stability

Keeping Iowans here isn’t just an economic issue — it’s an identity issue. It’s about whether people feel like they belong, whether their future feels possible, and whether their community gives them enough reason to stay. But right now, too many young adults in Iowa don’t see a path here. They graduate high school or college and immediately look toward bigger states — not because they don’t love Iowa, but because Iowa hasn’t invested in the things that make a place livable, joyful, and worth calling home. Retention should spark growth, connection, and opportunity — not stagnation.I’m 24 years old, and I’m one of the lucky ones. I moved to Dubuque in 2014. I went to Jefferson Middle School, then Hempstead, then the University of Dubuque. I became a drum major, a student leader, a youth mentor, a social worker, a commissioner, and an advocate because this community gave me the chance to plant my feet and find my spark. But I also know the truth:&nbsp;not every young person gets that same chance. Too many of my peers didn’t stay long enough to find community here — because the opportunities, support, and vibrancy they needed just weren’t available.Iowa’s average adult is&nbsp;52 years old&nbsp;— clear evidence that we’re losing young people faster than we’re keeping them. When young adults don’t see creative jobs, diverse spaces, public transportation, affordable housing, or things to do that&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;revolve around drinking, smoking, partying, or gambling, they leave. And when they leave, employers follow. Schools shrink. Communities weaken. The spark that makes a place feel alive starts to fade.<h2>Spark the Truth: What the Numbers Show</h2>Iowa’s workforce retention crisis isn’t coming — it’s here.Iowa has lost nearly&nbsp;10,000 young adults ages 18–35&nbsp;over the past decade (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). With a minimum wage still stuck at&nbsp;$7.25, a full-time worker earns just&nbsp;$15,080 a year, making it nearly impossible for young Iowans to afford rent, groceries, student loan payments, or childcare.Iowa Workforce Development projects the state could face&nbsp;over 140,000 unfilled jobs by 2030&nbsp;— a shortage that will choke local businesses and slow statewide growth (Iowa Workforce Development, 2024). And since 2018, public school enrollment has fallen by&nbsp;more than 8,000 students, weakening districts and accelerating school closures (Iowa Department of Aging, 2025).A shrinking, aging population means fewer workers supporting more seniors — an imbalance that will break Iowa’s economy if we don’t act.<h2>Spark Our Future: What This Means for District 71</h2>District 71 feels this loss in ways the data can’t fully capture.Young people in Dubuque talk openly about leaving — not because they don’t love their city, but because they don’t see enough here to build a life. They want walkable neighborhoods, fresh entertainment options, safe queer spaces, live music, cultural diversity, public transit, and jobs where they can grow. But on too many nights, the only things to do are tied to alcohol culture — and that drives young talent away.When graduates leave Hempstead, Senior, NICC, or UD and head straight for Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, or Denver, the North End loses potential homeowners. Local businesses lose future employees. Crescent, UnityPoint, and Finley lose future nurses, social workers, and medical assistants. And the city loses young leaders who could shape its future.Not every young person gets the mentorship, belonging, or community ties that kept me here — and that’s exactly why the state must step in.<h2>Ignite the Path Forward</h2>Keeping Iowans home means building an Iowa where young people&nbsp;want&nbsp;to stay, where they feel represented, celebrated, and supported — and where they don’t have to choose between their dreams and their home.I will fight to:• Raise the minimum wage so young adults can afford to stay in their hometown. • Expand partnerships between local colleges, nonprofits, and employers to keep graduates here. • Grow creative and cultural industries that attract young talent. • Strengthen public transportation and walkability in Dubuque. • Create safe, sober, community-based spaces for young adults. • Invest in housing affordability and first-time homebuyer programs. • Advance inclusive policies so Black, LGBTQ+, and immigrant young adults feel safe and valued.Iowa doesn’t have to become another Oklahoma — losing talent, shrinking its future, and pushing out the next generation. We can choose a different path. We can spark a state where young people stay, grow, and lead.District 71 deserves a future that keeps its brightest here at home — and builds an Iowa worth returning to.ReferencesIowa Department of Aging. (2025).&nbsp;State aging demographics overview.&nbsp;<a href="https://aging.iowa.gov￼Iowa">https://aging.iowa.gov Iowa</a> Workforce Development. (2024).&nbsp;Future-ready workforce projections.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov￼U.S">https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov U.S</a>. Census Bureau. (2024).&nbsp;State population by age and migration trends.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov">https://www.census.gov</a>

Iowa’s average adult is 52 years old — proof that too many of us young Iowans are leaving. Our $7.25 minimum wage is out of touch and unrealistic for today’s cost of living. We deserve fair pay, good jobs, and communities where we belong.👉🏾 At the state level, I will work to grow opportunity, strengthen inclusion, and keep Iowa from becoming another Oklahoma.

K - Keep Iowans Home

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Gen Z candidate bringing a SPARK to Iowa House 71 with bold ideas for better schools, stable housing, affordable healthcare, and real support for mental health.