That work has also been supported by Des Moines Mayor Connie Boesen. Since her election on January 2, 2024, her administration has consistently brought openness to immigrants and refugees. Her involvement with the Vietnamese community connects to a long-standing Iowa tradition of welcoming Southeast Asian refugees and recognizing their contributions to the city.

In the past year, Mayor Boesen has attended and spoken at two very significant events for VACI: a candlelight vigil on the 50^th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and Tết, the Vietnamese New Year.

On the evening of Sunday, April 27, 2025, the Vietnamese community came together at the Vietnamese Community Center on Euclid Avenue in Des Moines for a candlelight vigil. The vigil was to honor veterans of the Vietnam War and those who left Vietnam to seek freedom in the United States.

Mayor Boesen attended the deeply meaningful vigil and spoke to veterans, families, and community members. She commended the many Vietnamese who fled their homeland for their resilience, bravery, and dedication to a better life.

“We are so fortunate that you decided to come to Des Moines. You have made this community stronger, and we really appreciate the diversity, culture, and richness you have brought… I am committed to making sure whoever comes to our city has that opportunity for a better life, the one we all want,” stated Mayor Boesen.

More recently, on Saturday, February 28^th, the Vietnamese American Community of Iowa entertained hundreds of guests at the United Steel Workers Local 310 Hall on the north side of Des Moines to celebrate Tết, the Vietnamese New Year, signaling the arrival of spring. From 3:00-6:00 pm, guests were treated to a traditional lion dance, a variety of entertainment, children’s activities, and a complimentary meal. Later in the evening, partygoers sang and danced to live Vietnamese music.

“The Vietnamese Americans in Iowa have contributed to the growth and development of Iowa since 1975,” said Vinh Nguyen, President of VACI. “Tết 2026 marked the 50^th year the Vietnamese community in Iowa celebrated Tết away from their motherland. This annual celebration is a special occasion for the Vietnamese and others in the community,” explained Nguyen.

Mayor Connie Boesen presided over the event, wearing a yellow-and-red VACI t-shirt, and presented and read a proclamation declaring “Tet Binh Ngo 2026” for that day.

At a time when immigrant and refugee communities across the country face uncertainty, the partnership between VACI and Des Moines city leadership exemplifies what’s possible, and that’s something to celebrate.

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Beginning March 9th, residents of Emmetsburg and surrounding communities celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with their 66^th Annual Irish Celebration. The festivities began on Monday with the Miss Shamrock Pageant at Emmetsburg High School Auditorium. A wide variety of activities included a bean bag tournament, BINGO, a fish fry, a corned beef and cabbage dinner, a Bloody Mary Bar, craft beer tasting, a pancake breakfast, a wellness run, live music, a kids’ zone, tractor pulls, and a chainsaw artist. The famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held on Saturday afternoon, followed by a social gathering.

In 1962, Emmetsburg, Iowa, and Dublin, Ireland, were officially declared “Sister Cities.” The St. Pat’s Association has hosted a member of the Irish Parliament to reign over the multi-day celebration for many years. This annual tradition between Emmetsburg and the people of Ireland has forged many friendships and connections.

This year, Peter “Chap” Cleere, a member of the Irish Parliament, served as the Irish Dignity and rode in the parade. He received the key to the city of Emmetsburg and was to stay for the remainder of the celebration but left early for the airport in Minneapolis due to the impending blizzard.

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On the counter, I saw a platter of beautifully decorated cookies arranged in a circle and tied with a white ribbon. I was so confused when I saw the cookies because I recognized the “Easter” icing design and the carrot-shaped cookies. Earlier that week, I had seen the same cookies in a social media post of a friend from my hometown of Carroll. I quickly saw the post, thought the cookie design was adorable, but didn’t take the time to read it.

The colorful cookies were accompanied by a card. It read, “Jane – Thank you for being you! I hope you have a great day! Kimberly.”

I checked Facebook, and my memory was correct; these cookies were made by Kimberly, but I was puzzled because Kimberly lives in Carmel, Indiana. Her most recent post read, “Iowa bound today, with a tote of kindness,” and it was accompanied by a photo of a large, clear container of cookies.

Later that day, I messaged Kimberly to thank her for the scrumptious gift and to ask how she managed to surprise me. She said she was in the area visiting her sister, looked up my school’s name, and dropped off the cookies.

I haven’t seen Kimberly in person since she graduated from Carroll High School in 1992, one year before me, but we developed a friendship over the years through Facebook.

In her Facebook message to me, Kimberly wrote,

“The whole time I was making them, I was thinking they would be perfect for you since you love to decorate for Easter. It sounds crazy, but I always tend to get a sense of who needs kindness when I’m making them, so if you are going through something and that’s why your name was calling to me, know I’m sending hugs.”

That evening, I shared the expertly iced, delectable cookies with my family. Thanks to Kimberly’s thoughtfulness, we were all treated to a taste of kindness from afar.

Writer’s Note:

Kimberly’s Delicious Dozen has been baking cookies for her clients in her home bakery since 2021. She not only bakes delicious, perfect sugar cookies, but her lightly almond-flavored icing designs are the best I’ve seen. She is self-taught and always comes up with something innovative and unique, including 3-D-printed cookie cutters. Here is a feature story I wrote about Kimberly and her thriving business in 2022:

Kimberly's Delicious Dozen

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I taught them English, and they learned, soaking it up like sponges. They practiced writing math equations and 3-digit numbers on small marker boards. They wrote poems for Mother’s Day and discussed what they wanted to be when they grew up. They played math games to help them catch up on their math skills during their transition to the U.S. and interrupted schooling. They asked to play games like BINGO because my prize box is full of Happy Meal toys or little items from home, like fidgets, that my teenage sons have outgrown.

With such large groups, I relished the days when a few students were absent, when there was enough of me to go around to teach my enthusiastic students a new game like Pick-Up Sticks or Old Maid. Most days, there were too many students to play the nostalgic childhood games that kids still love today.

This year, I can’t play Old Maid or many other games in my classroom because I have only one newcomer group, with only one student. One.

For the first time in my 27 years as an elementary teacher of English Language Learners, I don’t have a single student new to the country this school year. My sole newcomer arrived in the U.S. last spring and continues to learn to read and write in English with me each day. I spend most of my day supporting my other ELL students in their classrooms with vocabulary and comprehension during literacy.

At the end of the school day, my classroom is almost quiet as I teach sight words and letter blends to my lone student. He’s shy, yet eager to learn and quick to catch on, but there’s no learning partner for him, which means less interaction and conversation. He is a joy. He enjoys school and is thrilled to have a brand-new baby sister at home. I send home puzzles, games, coloring pages, and crayons for him and his younger, school-age sister. He likes to teach her how to play the games we play together when he’s practicing his oral language in my classroom.

The future of immigrant and refugee families is uncertain. In the past, after a wave of resettlement, other family members would follow as the first family members became established in their communities. However, Averee Nelson of the Daily Express US reports that as of January 2026, 39 countries are either completely banned or face restrictions on certain visa types for entry into the U.S.

The following countries are entirely banned from entering the U.S.:

• Afghanistan

• Burkina Faso

• Chad

• Equatorial Guinea

• Eritrea

• Haiti

• Iran

• Laos

• Libya

• Mali

• Myanmar

• Niger

• Republic of Congo

• Sierra Leone

• Somalia

• South Sudan

• Sudan

• Syria

• Yemen

• The Palestinian Authority

The following countries have partial restrictions on entry into the U.S.:

• Angola

• Antigua and Barbuda

• Benin

• Burundi

• Cuba

• Dominica

• Gabon

• The Gambia

• Ivory Coast

• Malawi

• Mauritania

• Nigeria

• Senegal

• Tanzania

• Togo

• Tonga

• Turkmenistan

• Venezuela

• Zambia

• Zimbabwe

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The Thai Association of Iowa held a memorial ceremony to honor the Queen Mother Sirikit on Saturday, November 1^st, at the Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library in the Council Chambers.

Sue Hudson, President of the Thai Association of Iowa since 2016, organized the memorial and spoke of the Queen’s legacy of love and humanity:

Thank you to all the Asian community leaders and friends who came together to honor our beloved Queen Mother of Thailand. Seeing so many communities stand side by side in love and respect truly touches my heart. Her kindness and compassion live on through all of us. I’m so thankful for everyone who showed up, supported, and shared this beautiful moment of remembrance.

Leaders from the Thai, Hmong, Cambodian, Tai Dam, and Vietnamese communities were invited to attend the ceremony and present flowers in honor of the Queen. Nu Huynh of The Iowa Asian Alliance and Matt Davis from the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce were also in attendance and offered words of condolence. Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President Emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation, offered his condolences, which were read aloud by Huynh:

The historic action by Thailand 50 years ago in allowing refugee groups fleeing Laos to cross the border into Thailand, thus ensuring that they could live in freedom before traveling to Iowa, has special poignancy given the recent passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand.

As the recipient of the Order of the White Elephant rank of Knight Commander, I join with all members of the Thai Association of Iowa in mourning the loss of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, who provided such humanitarian inspiration to her subjects and to the world throughout her long life.

Reflecting that humanitarian spirit, at my request, in 2007, former Iowa Governor Robert Ray traveled to Bangkok to present the World Food Prize Norman Borlaug Medallion to Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit. Her Majesty’s Humanitarian Legacy will always be a vital part of Thai history.

Ceremony participants gathered to sign the condolence book, view a presentation of the Queen’s life and royal duties, and listen to remarks and tributes. At the conclusion of the ceremony, there was one minute of silence followed by the playing of the Royal Anthem of Thailand, “Sansoen Phra Barami” and a shared lunch.

Queen Sirikit’s generous efforts created pathways of safety that led many displaced refugees to resettle around the world, including in Iowa. Her legacy provided vital support during a time of dire need.

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Chip Albright: Chip Happens

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Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

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Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

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Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

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Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

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Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

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Vietnamese refugees began resettling in various U.S. communities in September and October of 1975. “When they first came, Congress did not agree to resettle them at the beginning. They had to stay at the Army bases until they agreed to resettle around 160,000 of them,” said Vinh Nguyen, a Refugee Education Coordinator for Lutheran Services of Iowa.

“The Southeast Asian refugees were dispersed all over the United States; no one area could have over a certain amount,” recalled Nguyen. They settled in many communities in Iowa, including Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Sioux City, Dubuque, Marengo, and Iowa City. By October, Vietnamese refugees started to gravitate to Des Moines. Catholics began coming to Des Moines to attend Mass, and the first Vietnamese grocery store in Iowa opened in 1976. “Des Moines was a hub for Vietnamese in Iowa,” said Nguyen.

Not only is 2025 the 50^th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, but it’s also the anniversary of Vietnamese and other Southeast Asians’ (including Laotian, Tai Dam, Cambodian, and Hmong) resettlement in Iowa. Nguyen decided earlier this year to bring together those involved in the resettlement.

On Saturday, October 4^th, about 100 people gathered for a picnic at Terra Park in Johnston. Nguyen invited members of the Vietnamese community, former teachers, veterans of the Vietnam War, sponsors, and their families. “I thought it was a nice idea to commemorate the anniversary,” said Nguyen.

At the picnic, there was a wide variety of food, a mix of catered and homemade dishes – both Vietnamese and American. Kim Nguyen and other members of the Vietnamese American Community in Iowa (VACI) assisted Nguyen.

Speeches, karaoke, and a drawing for prizes provided entertainment that afternoon. Nguyen spoke about VACI’s mission to collect donations to provide care packages to local organizations to help families in need. These care packages will include personal hygiene products and cost about $20 each to assemble. Nguyen hopes to raise enough funds for fifty care packages before the Lunar New Year.

Nguyen is serving his fourth term as President of VACI and is a former native language tutor, teacher, and director of English Language Learners at Des Moines Public Schools. The weekend prior, he organized a reunion of retired teachers and students from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. “Over 100 former students attended the reunion from many different places in the U.S.,” said Nguyen. The former teachers in attendance were presented plaques by the Iowa Asian Alliance.

The VACI center is located at 2600 Euclid Avenue in Des Moines. Nguyen is currently working to complete a Vietnamese Exhibition Center at that location to tell the stories of refugee families and veterans of the Vietnam War. There will be various events leading up to April 2026 to mark the end of the 50th year of the Vietnamese community in Iowa.

Upon completion, the exhibition will be open to the public. Nguyen said it will feature stories and photographs of the different waves of Vietnamese resettlement in Iowa.

For more information on the Vietnamese American Community in Iowa:

https://www.vietnameseiniowa.net

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

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Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

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Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

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Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

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Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

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After graduating from high school in Jupiter, Florida, Juan went to Florida Atlantic University to study music as a voice student. Then he began working on cruise ships as a solo acoustic musician. He entertained passengers with his music and met his wife on a cruise ship along the way. It was his wife who thought of “The Juan and Only” as his stage name. “I was playing around with different names and wanted something people would easily remember. We also thought about ‘Juan in a Million’ or ‘Juan More Song’ and others, but this one stuck,” Juan said.

Juan and his wife moved inland to Memphis, then Orlando, before joining Juan’s family in Iowa in 2016. Juan’s day job is in insurance, and he is a part-time musician singing a wide range of songs while playing his guitar and keyboard. His father, Wilfrido (known as “Papi” onstage), often plays drums, percussion, and guitar alongside his son. Juan’s memories of music began when he was a young child. “My grandma always had instruments around her house, and at parties, there would be people always singing and playing different instruments,” Juan recalled.

The son and father duo have been playing together consistently since 2022. They play a diverse range of music, from classics and popular songs to well-known Spanish tunes. “La Bamba: and “Despacito” are crowd favorites. Juan doesn’t have a favorite musical genre and likes all of them. He explained:

On the cruise ships, I learned a lot of different music and tend to tailor the songs I play to the crowd and what they’re requesting. It’s hard to pick a favorite, there’s just good music in all genres, and I like to mix and match. If mashups were a genre, I love doing that and taking two or more songs and mixing them together live using my loop pedal.

The Juan and Only plays locally around the Des Moines area, including farmers’ markets, private events such as weddings and parties, corporate events, the bar and restaurant scene, and at church. His busy schedule also includes regular monthly times at four local restaurants. He’s not opposed to a bit of traveling and hopes to land a gig playing at the Downtown Des Moines Farmer’s Market and the Iowa State Fair.

THE JUAN & ONLY | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree

The Juan and Only performing at the Jamie Hurd Amphitheater in West Des Moines, Summer Sundays series in August Video by Jane Nguyen

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

Zeferino Diego Maceda, Ana’s late father, was a trailblazer of his time. He was the owner and operator of Taco Loco, the first taco truck in Iowa. It was located near Hiatt Middle School in Des Moines. Taco Loco opened in the late 90s, long before food trucks were popular, and during this time, he fought for many of the rights that food truck owners have today. Ana explained, “He wasn’t just running a business; he was paving the way for an entire industry. He truly was a pioneer of the food truck movement in Iowa.”

Ana grew up around the family business, unknowingly learning life and business lessons along the way. Her father would repeat the same lessons to his children. One of his sayings was, “If you hang out with the big dogs, you’ll be a big dog. If you hang out with the little dogs, you’ll be a little dog.” It was his way of reminding us that the people you surround yourself with will shape who you become,” explained Ana.

Ana’s father passed away in 2022, only one month after she began her residential cleaning business. She wishes she had the chance to show her father how much his advice impacted her as a businesswoman. “Beyond words, my father’s example as a businessman spoke volumes. I admired his dedication to our community. He showed me the value of staying connected and building strong relationships. He also had a gift for vision. He was always brainstorming, creating, and finding new ways to grow his food business. His passion for entrepreneurship was inspiring,” recalled Ana.

Life wasn’t easy for Ana. Her parents divorced when she was ten. She put on a brave front while suffering through a traumatic childhood. As she got older, school was not a priority for her, and she was involved with gangs and other distractions at a young age. After some very rough teenage years, Ana graduated from North High School in 2010, looking for a better future, despite her cold outlook on life. She began working in the restaurant industry, a decision that not only shaped her life but also forced her out of her shell. “The industry shaped me into someone completely different than who I had been. It taught me the value of customer service, the art of socializing with strangers, and the importance of anticipating people’s needs. It also showed me what it meant to work as part of a team,” said Ana.

After five years in the restaurant industry, Ana worked in customer service but didn’t like feeling trapped behind a desk. Instead, she thrived on socialization, connection, and face-to-face interaction. She returned to the restaurant industry, a place where she belonged: a people-centered space where she would engage, serve, and connect. Instead of aiming to be a restaurant manager, Ana set her sights high. She turned to her deep faith in God and asked for direction. “In 2022, I took all of those experiences, the lessons from hospitality, the discipline from corporate, and the drive to create something of my own, and started my own company,” said Ana.

As the owner of Crown Cleaning, Ana wears many hats. She is the main point of contact for all of her clients, handling inquiries, quotes, bookkeeping, appointments, and scheduling her cleaning technicians. “Running a business requires flexibility and attention to detail, and I take pride in being hands-on in every area to ensure things run smoothly, maintaining the high standards my clients expect,” said Ana.

Starting a cleaning company is more than a business to Ana; it’s also a calling to continue to serve others, but in a new way. Her goal is to create a positive impact on people’s lives.

After giving it much thought, Ana chose to focus on residential cleaning because she enjoys building long-term, personal relationships with her clients. “Being invited into their homes allows me to connect on a deeper level, and over time, many clients become more than just clients; they have become friends,” said Ana.

Ana has big dreams for Crown Cleaning and focuses on progress over perfection. Ana states, “My hope is to one day build the greatest and most generous cleaning company in Iowa,” she said. Her dream is to create opportunities and jobs for many people along the way.

One day, Ana hopes to launch a nonprofit branch to provide free cleaning to those in need. She empathizes with those suffering from depression. There were times in her life when depression made it impossible to maintain her home. She understands how a clean and organized space can bring peace. “There is no greater love than to care for others,” said Ana.

Ana’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. This year, she was awarded the Latina Leadership Initiative of Greater Des Moines Award. “Participating in LLI has truly changed my life. It helped me step into and embrace the role I’m in, encouraging me to think bigger and push further than I ever had before. The program taught me to embrace being a Latina entrepreneur in Iowa and to take up space proudly, even in places where I am the minority,” explained Ana.

Recently, Ana completed the Drake Business Accelerator Program, an intense 12-week program designed to equip entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to run a business successfully. Ana gained in-depth insights into business operations, financial management, and marketing strategies. What Ana found most valuable was the practical application, which challenged her to examine her own business model and implement changes right away. The program also included a supportive cohort of fellow entrepreneurs and mentors. Ana is confident that the program provided her with the tools to continue to grow her business strategically and sustainably.

Ana is also participating in the Scale DSM Business Accelerator program, which has expanded her perspective, strengthened her leadership skills, and inspired her to continue building her company with purpose. She was recently accepted into the Dress for Success Starter Program, which provides aspiring female entrepreneurs with the skills, mentorship, and resources needed to grow their businesses. She is very involved with the Dress for Success organization and actively supports their mission to empower women to achieve economic independence.

As Ana navigates her role as a Latina, female entrepreneur, she catches herself thinking the same way as her late father. Ana explained, “I never had the chance to tell him that I finally understand, that I get him now. But I believe one day I will. Until then, I honor him by living out the lessons he left me and by pursuing my dreams with the same passion and fire that fueled his own.”

A Note from Ana:

For anyone dreaming of starting their own business, I want you to know that the resources are out there: free programs, mentors, and communities ready to help you grow. I’ve faced challenges most people can’t imagine, from couch surfing to living in a shelter, yet God is using my life in ways I never dreamed possible. To anyone pursuing their dreams, trust your journey, seek out the resources and support available, and keep moving forward. Your current or past circumstances don’t define your future. Find out what you’re truly capable of. With God, all things are possible. - AKM

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Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

My mom has always had an interest in history and enjoys reading books of many genres. A,s a child, she preferred history-based books. I remember when we went on weeks-long car trips in the 80s, she would read aloud books to my brothers and me like Johnny Tremain set in the Revolutionary War, Caddie Woodlawn, about a pioneer girl, and other Newberry Medal-winning novels.

On a family vacation to Vermont, as a child, my mom recalls her family driving to Mount Vernon, Virginia, to visit George Washington’s former residence, as well as the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Dutchess County, New York. On the way back to Iowa, they stopped in Springfield, Illinois, to tour Abraham Lincoln’s Presidential Library and Museum. After my brothers and I were out of college, she decided to take some time for herself and began working towards completing her bucket list.

With only one president to go, we decided to head to Michigan last week. The drive to Grand Rapids was pretty smooth with an anticipated slowdown around the Chicago area. As we drove into the city, we were greeted with a gorgeous view of downtown. The tall buildings were gleaming in the sunlight.

The Ford Presidential Museum is situated next to the scenic Grand River, with the burial site of President Ford and Betty Ford nearby. The open and airy two-story building is filled with historic relics, personal mementos, official documents, and many photographs. This was my first visit to a Presidential Museum, and I was impressed by the number of individual items and pictures preserved over the years. We started our self-guided tour with a short film in the plush theater, followed by an exhibit chronicling Ford’s childhood, including a name change from Leslie Lynch King Jr. to Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. after his stepfather adopted him.

Our 38^th President, who went by “Jerry,” was an Eagle Scout, an accomplished student and athlete who turned down offers to play professional football to attend Yale Law School. He served in the US Naval Reserve and the US Navy and was a flight instructor. He was undoubtedly a well-rounded individual.

We took our time exploring each room to see the exhibits and read the interactive displays. Along the way, we stopped to watch each of the short videos containing footage of Ford’s life at home, including his wife, children, and dogs, the Watergate scandal, his international travels to visit world leaders, the campaign trail for reelection, the two assassination attempts, and his inspirational speeches.

“At my stage in life, one is inclined to think less about dates on the calendar than those things that are timeless – about leadership and service and patriotism and sacrifice and about doing one’s best in meeting every challenge that life presents.”

Gerald R. Ford

The final part of our visit to the museum was a stroll along the Grand River to the burial site of President Gerald R. Ford and his wife, Elizabeth Bloomer Ford.

My mom’s bucket list is complete - for now. However, with the anticipated opening of The Obama Presidential Center slated for the spring of 2026, it looks like we have another road trip coming up.

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Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

Recently, on a trip to Florida, I had the opportunity to experience a few significant firsts for my younger son, Carsten. This was his first time on an airplane (a direct flight without major issues), his first time in Florida, and his first time seeing the ocean (the Gulf of Mexico).

This past January marked my first visit to Florida, the 48th U.S. state I have visited. My visit was limited to Orlando, and we traveled by Uber. I worried about what it would be like driving up and down the western coast of Florida. It ended up being a lot easier than I expected. The highways and interstates were relatively calm, and we visited during the off-season, so there were no crowded roadways. Before the trip, I was afraid to drive across the tall bridges over the waterways, but they turned out to be a breeze.

We stayed at a gorgeous resort in Charlotte Harbor and visited four different beaches. There was something we liked about each beach. On our first night, we visited Englewood Beach and found gorgeous, smooth shale. On our first full day, we drove to Ft. Myers Beach and walked around Times Square. Unfortunately, it rained that day, but we made the most of it, ducking in and out of shops.

On our second day, I chose to do what I really wanted to do: visit Sanibel Island. I tackled the mammoth bridge to the island with ease. We followed a winding road, admiring the eye-catching mansions along the way. We read aloud the names of the properties, such “Hakuna Matata.” We drove to the end of the island to a large public beach, where we swam and enjoyed the sound of the waves. The Bubble Room, a historic, whimsical restaurant on adjoining Captiva Island, had just reopened the day before. It had been closed since Hurricane Milton hit the island in October of 2024. We waited at the gift shop across the street for a table. Once we were seated, we enjoyed the ambiance of this very unique restaurant dedicated to the Golden Age of Hollywood. We both ordered the French Chocolate Torte, an enormous slice of rich chocolate cake layered with homemade whipped cream and strawberries. Thankfully, our hotel had a refrigerator to save our leftovers.

On our third day, we drove farther north to Siesta Beach to check out the powdery white sand. The sand and waves were worth the drive. The sand was so fine and almost pure white. While we were there, the warning flag was changed to red, due to the high waves. I taught Carsten how to jump the strong waves, something we certainly can’t do on a lake in Iowa. After we were tired from swimming, we walked around the shopping area of Siesta Key looking for one or two last souvenirs.

Carsten’s palette was easy to please, with stops at Wendy’s, Dunkin, and DQ as we drove to and from different areas. For two out of four dinners, he requested cheese pizza. Our resort had several restaurants, and I was able to indulge in a variety of seafood dishes, including grouper, a lobster roll, shrimp dumplings, and snow crab bisque.

As we packed up our suitcases, they were fuller and heavier than when we arrived. They were full of t-shirts, seashells, white sand, and a wealth of memories.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

Magistrate Judge Stephen Locher of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa presided over the ceremony, and Deputy Clerk Penny Luthens administered the Oath of Allegiance. Before the oath, Judge Locher spoke to offer a few words of encouragement and advice:

There is a long and proud tradition of first-generation immigrants doing extraordinary things in the United States. Naturalized citizens have served as governors and senators. They’ve started successful businesses and run non-profit organizations. They’ve won Nobel prizes and written best-selling books. They’ve invented life-saving technologies and played professional sports. First-generation immigrants are 80% more likely than native-born US citizens to start their own businesses. And that makes sense, it takes a lot of courage to start your own business, just like it takes a lot of courage to come to a new and totally different place.

Since 2009, 511 naturalized citizens have stood on the field of Principal Park to take the Oath of Allegiance. Each applicant must pass the naturalization exam, maintain continuous residence, and demonstrate good moral character.

Judge Locher described the candidates as “courageous, talented, and resilient.” After their name was read, each newly naturalized citizen bore a big smile and waved their American flag proudly. The enthusiastic crowd clapped and cheered, giving these 22 new Americans a standing ovation.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roster

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

Nick and I were both NYC novices, and truthfully, we didn’t do much planning or research before we went, thinking we would figure it out along the way. Overall, we were mostly successful.

After overcoming the initial sticker shock of the Uber cost from LaGuardia Airport to our Marriott in Long Island, we decided to explore a more cost-effective mode of transportation into Manhattan. After the Friday morning rush hour, we took an Uber to the Long Island Railroad to buy tickets into the city. We were trying to decide between Penn Station and Grand Central Station, and a kind train station regular advised us to choose Penn Station.

We enjoyed an easy ride into Manhattan before getting off at Penn Station. After we climbed the stairs to street level, we needed to make quick decisions about where to go first. We saw a sign for 34^th Street, and I knew we needed to see Macy’s. After Macy’s, we headed south to the Empire State Building. Inside the cool air, we chose the Top Deck Experience to visit the 86th and 102nd-floor observation decks. On the 86^th floor, we were able to walk the perimeter of the deck outside in the open air. After that, we rode the glass elevator up to the 102nd floor, where we arrived at a circular, enclosed space. We strolled around to enjoy the views, and then we asked the gentleman operating the elevator about the various boroughs. He was an experienced guide, having worked at the Empire State Building for 18 years. He kindly pointed out each bridge and borough, as well as some interesting facts about the expansive view. We were discussing where to go next, and a friendly woman and her young son overheard us, suggesting we head northeast. She told us to keep going up 5^th Avenue to Central Park, and we would see many sightseeing-worthy places along the way. We took her advice and started walking.

By this time, I was getting hungry and smelled pizza in the air. I looked to my left and saw Bravo Pizza, a Kosher pizza place. We went in to order our very first New York slice. We weren’t disappointed. It was hot and delicious, and there was a place to sit down, plus a bathroom – a rarity in the city. As we were eating, the manager asked us if we liked the pizza and where we were from. “Iowa,” we told him. He told us he had attended college in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was familiar with the Midwest. We thanked him and continued our self-made walking tour.

The next stop was the New York Public Library. I recognized it right away from the lion statues out front. We admired the ornate architecture and paintings on the ceilings inside. The archive room, with its cool marble benches, provided a much-needed reprieve from the heat.

When we arrived at Rockefeller Center, I was confused. I didn’t see a space where the iconic ice-skating rink should be. I looked on my phone for a photo and was surprised to see that the area for the rink was much, much smaller than it appears on TV, thanks to the magic of television.

After that, we walked across the street to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. This was just days after the passing of Pope Francis, and a mixture of worshipers and tourists snaked through the immense cathedral.

Even with our legs tired, we pressed on to reach Central Park. Along the way, we saw every designer store imaginable as I counted the streets to reach E. 59^th St./Central Park S.

When we finally reached the gates of Central Park, I immediately looked for a bench to take a quick break from walking. We looked up an online map of Central Park on our phones and made a plan. We would walk across the Sheep Meadow to Strawberry Fields, a Memorial to John Lennon, and then walk across the park to the Alice in Wonderland Statue. Looking at the map, it didn’t seem that far. Wrong. Central Park is massive, and I completely underestimated its size. I knew it was big, but I was shocked to see how little of the park we explored after being there for a few hours.

The Sheep Meadow was filled with relaxed families and groups of friends gathering for an idyllic picnic or a game of Frisbee. The setting was just like in the movies. We took a chance and ate a hot dog from a street vendor. The overall atmosphere was open and friendly, and no one seemed to be in a hurry.

After enjoying the live music at Strawberry Fields, we set off to find Alice in Wonderland. It turned out to be more difficult than we thought, but we managed to find it as the sun was setting. By this time, we were close to the east side of the park and figured it was time to head back to Penn Station. After looking at our phones and seeing we both had 25% or less battery life (dang Samsungs), we realized we were stuck. We didn’t have enough battery to look up the subway or bus map or download tickets. We needed one working phone to arrange for an Uber to pick us up from the train station in Long Island. So, we decided to walk from E. 74^th St. to W. 31^st St., a distance of 43 blocks to Penn Station.

I didn’t want to miss the chance to see Broadway and Times Square, so we cut over to 8^th Avenue. We experienced Times Square at night. It was noisy and crowded, with people rushing to different destinations. I took pictures with my phone until it ran out of battery. I didn’t mind the crowds; we just kept moving. Once we saw Madison Square Garden, we knew we had almost reached our final destination. We saw a sign for Penn Station and followed it, but it was for the subway, a rookie mistake. Then we saw a sign for the Long Island Railroad and went in. I began scanning for someone to help us find the correct track. By this time, it was after 10 pm, and I could only find one employee, a security guard. I very nicely asked him who we could ask, and he told us the Long Island Railroad was downstairs. We rushed down the stairs and began reading the ever-changing screens. Our track didn’t appear right away, but after a short wait, it did. After we boarded, we discovered our seat was right next to a working outlet. We were able to charge up our phones on the ride back to Long Island. We made it. We were weary after walking nearly 14 miles and it had been a long day full of uncertainties, but it was worth it. We tackled Manhattan as well as could be expected, as two wide-eyed tourists from Iowa.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roster

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

Lizde gives hints by writing the genre, synopsis, setting, or names of characters on the outside of the package. Readers can choose their “date” after reading the clues, or Lizde can choose the perfect book based on the readers’ genre preference. To alleviate the issue of selecting a book the reader has already read, Lizde offers to review their Goodreads list or asks the reader to describe the types of books they enjoy and have already read. “This is to encourage readers to step out of their comfort zone and pick a book you might not typically read,” explains Lizde. Once in a while, a daring reader will select one of the few books without any clues written on the outside.

To prepare for book events, Lizde buys new and gently used books to wrap up like a gift. With each book, she includes a few small items, such as bookmarks, stickers, a highlighter, and pens. At the events, she also sells other “bookish” items such as reading lights, zippered book pouches, and annotation kits.

As Lizde explains, “It’s the perfect gift idea for a book lover, or if you are in a book slump and aren’t sure what to read next.” Blind Date with a Book by Lizde is a passion project for her. “The people who really know me know how much I love to read and love talking books,” she said.

As a first-generation Latina, Lizde helped take care of her three younger siblings and assisted her mom with navigating the language barrier, interpreting at school and during doctor appointments. After her family moved to Iowa from the border of Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, 21 years ago, she attended Capitol View Elementary School in Des Moines and discovered her love of reading. She recalls that the first series of books she read was "Little House on the Prairie" in fourth grade. Now a mother of two, she shares her love of reading with her son and daughter, encouraging them to read for enjoyment as well.

For as long as Lizde can remember, she has loved to read. “I have dipped into a little bit of everything, and romance is still my favorite genre,” said Lizde.

When asked why she reads, Lizde said she reads because she enjoys hearing someone else’s story. “If I read a good thriller, I’m at the edge of my seat, almost yelling at the book,” she said.

Lizde’s busy schedule, which includes working in healthcare and taking classes towards her associate’s degree, doesn’t leave her much time for reading, but she typically reads three to five books a month. She carries a book with her in the car so she can sneak in a few chapters while waiting at soccer practice or dance class. Lizde doesn’t belong to a formal book club but has attended the monthly book clubs at the Des Moines Public Library.

Lizde has been playing book matchmaker for a little over a year. She wrapped up a few books as gifts for some friends, and her friends encouraged her to start selling them. At first, Lizde was skeptical, but the idea took off. It began as a hobby and has continued to grow.

The most requested book genre for Blind Date with a Book is Smut, according to Lizde. This fan fiction takes romance to a new level.

If you are looking for a blind date with a book or wish to buy one as a gift, you can follow Lizde on Facebook at “Blind Date with a Book by Lizde” and blinddatewithabook_bylizde on Instagram. She is at Silent Book Club at the Iowa Distilling Company in Cumming every fourth Tuesday from 6-8 pm. For every cocktail purchased, readers get a chance to win a Blind Date with a Book. Lizde is also willing to meet locally to deliver books.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roster

Des Moines Metro

Chip Albright: Chip Happens

Rekha Basu: Shouts and Whispers

Kelsey Bigelow: There’s a Poem in That

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Life

Jane Burns: The Crossover

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media

Tej Dhawan, Cultural Record of Central Iowa’s Technology, Grimes

Christina Fernández-Morrow: Hola Iowa

Abena Sankofa Imhotep: The Imhotep Report

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street

John Naughton: My Life in Color

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good

West Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan

Norwalk

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative

Clive

Dennis Goldford: Let’s Talk Politics

Altoona

Ken Chester: TecMobility

Bondurant

Kali White VanBaale: Mind the Gap

Ankeny

Maxwell Schaeffer: Maxwell’s Voice

Rob Gray: Rob Gray’s Area

Christie Vilsack: Common Ground, Van Meter

Connie Taylor, Grandma’s Recipe Box, Des Moines

Eastern Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Todd Dorman: 24-hour Dorman

Oelwein

John Crabtree: Though the Heavens Fall

Carol Montag: Monday’s Music

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers

Iowa City

Nina Elkadi: Corn Belt Confidential

Michael Judge: The First Person

Ty Rushing: Ty’s Take

Zachary Oren Smith: Cornhole Champions

North Liberty

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC

Davenport (Quad Cities)

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi

Alison McGaughey: In the Fields

Eldridge

Deidre Cox Baker: Baker’s Heartbeat

Waterloo

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley

Elkader

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Quad Cities

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat

Northwestern Iowa

Storm Lake

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook

Joan Zwagerman: Nuts and Bolts

Carroll

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury

Sioux Center

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here

Okoboji

David Thoreson: Northwest Passages

Northern Iowa

St. Ansgar

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up

Decorah

Hannah Breckbill: Humble Hands Harvest

Mason City

Lisa Grouette, Lisa Explains it All

Southern Iowa

Lovilia

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt

Bussey

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Ottumwa

Rachelle Chase: Reading with Rachelle

Central-West Iowa

Jefferson

Chad Elliott: Iowa’s Renaissance Man

Jefferson

Rick Morain

Yetter

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural

Boone County

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business

Southwestern Iowa

Creston

Sarah Scull: The Piecemaker

Kathryn Severing Fox: Creston

South-Central Iowa

Chariton

Lea Donovan:

Earlham

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist

Madison County

Debra Engle: A Whole New World

Winterset

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor

Vicki Minor: Narratives and Notes

Southeastern Iowa

Washington

Daniel Henderson: Things We Don’t Talk About, Like Religion

Marengo

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime

Kalona

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

Iowa at Large

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times

Rick Jost: Biz Whispers: Fresh Iowa Business News and Commentary

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Black Iowa News: Dana James

Letters From Iowans

Hola Iowa

Diana Wright: Startup Iowa’s Hot List

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

Out of State with an Iowa Connection

Romen Borsellino: Hollywood, CA

District of Columbia

Peter Hedges: New York, NY

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Michigan

Phoebe Wall Howard: Shifting Gears, Detroit, MI

Massachusetts

Chris Gloninger: Weathering Climate Change, MA

Florida

Stacey Walker: Dispatch Revolution, FL

President Gerald Ford ordered Operation Babylift, an emergency evacuation in which military and medical personnel, Red Cross volunteers, and any American wanting to return safely to the US were put in charge of caring for thousands of children. Cargo planes were loaded with supplies—diapers, bottles, formula, and blankets—for the 24-hour trip across the Pacific Ocean.

On April 24^th, I attended the 50^th Anniversary of Operation Babylift in Garden City, New York, at the Cradle of Aviation Museum hosted by the Pan Am Museum Foundation. There were 300 guests, including 70 Babylift adoptees. ABC News was in attendance to cover the event and interview adoptees who shared their stories. During the cocktail hour and reception dinner, guests mingled and chatted with other adoptees, retired servicemen, doctors, nurses, pilots, flight attendants, nuns, and missionaries, who played an integral role in bringing babies and children to their anxiously awaiting parents in the United States.

The guest speakers included American journalist, Peter Greenberg; Al Topping, the former Pan Am Director for South Vietnam and Cambodia; Congressman Mark Takano, Congressman Derek Tran, Joel Westphal and Mark Halsema of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library; Linda Freire, Pam Am Museum Foundation Board Chair; and a panel of adoptees.

The evening included a look back at the tumultuous time in US and Vietnamese history as panicked Americans and Vietnamese scrambled to escape a war-torn land soon to be occupied by the Communist Northern Vietnamese. As historic footage was shown on the screens and plane crash survivors spoke, tears flowed freely. We were overtaken by our emotions, knowing that we had all made it to our new families, most of us, unscathed. Thankfully, our Pan Am swag bag contained tissues.

Not all evacuees were as fortunate, as the first plane, a C-5A cargo plane, crashed soon after takeoff into a muddy rice paddy in Saigon. Half of those, 138 people, including 78 children, were killed instantly. The locks on the rear cargo door failed and detached mid-flight over the South China Sea.

During the cocktail hour, I met one of the Air Force medics on that flight who survived the plane crash. US Air Force veteran Greg Gmerek was one of the heroes who risked their lives to bring others to safety. He helped care for the babies placed in the top section of the cargo plane. Miraculously, all of those babies survived the horrific crash and were transferred to a second plane, this time a Pan Am Boeing 747, the next day.

I was placed aboard the second flight, a 747. There were 409 of us in all, including 50 adults. We made the long trek over the Pacific Ocean to the United States, stopping in Guam and Hawaii for fuel before landing stateside in Seattle.

As the reception dinner guests listened intently to the powerful accounts of our unsung heroes and heartfelt stories from fellow adoptees, our hearts were filled with joy and sadness. Fifty years later, we remain grateful for the courageous efforts of all who brought us to safety to begin a life in the arms of our new American families.

I am a proud member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Please check out more writers.

The Annual Asian Heritage Festival is traditionally held in May to celebrate Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Iowa Asian Alliance Excecutive Director Nu Huynh said, “This year’s festival is especially meaningful, it marks 50 years since Southeast Asian refugees began resettling in the U.S. What has grown since is extraordinary: families, communities, and generations defined not just by where we came from, but by what we’ve built.”

CelebrAsian is hosted by the Iowa Asian Alliance and presented by Bravo Greater Des Moines and Prairie Meadows. It will be held in Western Gateway Park and will feature live entertainment, including singing and dancing, as well as performances by the Asian Queens.

The cultural festival will feature 15 villages showcasing cultural exhibits and serving authentic local cuisine. There will be a market bazaar, arts and crafts, a cultural fashion show, and cooking demonstrations. Festival attendees can watch demonstrations of robotics, martial arts, a table tennis tournament, and Takraw (a form of kick volleyball played with a rattan ball). There will also be health and wellness exhibits, inflatables for the kids, plus over 80 vendors.

“In Full Bloom” includes a flower carefully selected by each country or culture. “We wanted each participating village to choose a flower that represents their culture and beauty,” stated Huynh.

Keo Pierron and Jenny Thai worked to create the lively graphic designs for the festival. Pierron designed the lady in bloom, and Thai designed the logo for the 50-year commemoration.

Villages and Flowers

Cambodia – Romduol

China – Peony

Philippines – Jasmine

Hmong – Poppy

India – Lotus

Indonesia – Jasmine

Japan – Cherry Blossom

Korea – Rose of Sharon

Laos – Plumeria

Micronesia - Hibiscus

Myanmar – Padauk

Nepal – Rhododendron

Tai Dam – Banana Blossom

Thailand – Orchid

Vietnam – Lotus

Huynh explained the significance of this year’s floral theme, “Being 'in full bloom' means celebrating our growth and the deep roots of hope and resilience that ground us. With each generation, we bloom brighter, stronger, and with greater purpose.”

“In Full Bloom: 50 Years Ray of Freedom” commemorates the instrumental role Governor Robert Ray had in bringing Southeast Asian refugees to Iowa beginning in 1975.

Festival Details:

Friday, May 23^rd and Saturday, May 24^th

11 am to 10 pm

Western Gateway Park

Downtown Des Moines

Admission to CelebrAsian is free. Free parking is available at the Nationwide Ramp Entrance at 12^th and Walnut Street.

I am a proud member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. You can check out more writers here: https://iowawriters.substack.com.

Yan was born and raised in China's Manchuria region and lived through cultural revolutions, including the Tiananmen Square protests. He graduated from Jilin University of Technology in Changchun, China, with undergraduate and graduate degrees, and taught computer science at the college level.

Yan arrived in Iowa to attend graduate school at Iowa State University in the early 1990s and earned master’s degrees in computer engineering and sociology. He began working as an Information Technology specialist and community outreach coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. In 2003, Yan established the Presidential Youth Leadership Initiative, a leadership program for American and international students. In 2006, he co-founded US Education Without Borders, an education agency that provides services including admissions and career development, to international students interested in studying in the U.S. The agency also supports international students and placement families during the student’s education in the U.S. and assists with continuing education and future employment. Additionally, the agency organizes American students and citizens of Asian countries for cultural exchanges. Since 2011, Yan has been Vice President of Business Development at Ten Square International in West Des Moines.

Yan often serves as what he calls “a culture mediator,” assisting in education, business, and cultural understanding. “I help people communicate and understand why people think differently or have different approaches. We believe that understanding is the key for a long time. I believe in that,” said Yan. Yan’s efforts span the globe, building business and educational partnerships in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Korea, Kazakhstan, and South Africa.

Over the years, Yan has received awards and recognitions from local, state, national, and international leaders, most notably, induction into the Iowa Hall of Fame located at the State Historical Society Museum. He was a founding board member of the Iowa Asian Alliance and has been the President/Executive Director of the Chinese Association of Iowa since 2003.

As Executive Director of the Chinese Association of Iowa, he is a powerful influence and voice in the Chinese community. He established local Chinese cultural and business programs, organized community participation in various events around Iowa, and recruited several non-Chinese members to the association. The Chinese Association of Iowa meets throughout the year, with members ranging from youth to adults.

The Chinese New Year Celebration is the association's biggest event. This year, it was held at Waukee High School on Saturday, February 1^st. The new year festivities are open to the public and include a Chinese luncheon, cultural exhibits, music, dancing, martial arts demonstrations, and a traditional lion dance. There is also an economic, cultural, and educational forum and the Iowa Chinese Achievement Awards Ceremony, which recognizes leaders in the community. “We think a lot of those awards because we believe in our recipients and their recognition in all parts of society. We want to hear their voice,” explained Yan.

Hilda Wolle, former President of the association, states that the primary goal of the Chinese Association of Iowa is to bring awareness of the Chinese living in Iowa and to participate in community events. “We try to be a part of other Asian groups’ celebrations and to help and volunteer our time. We truly believe that when we live in a community, we not only take but also make contributions,” explained Wolle.

Yan feels that different cultural backgrounds, languages, and beliefs are crucial to bringing people together. He works tirelessly to bring awareness and support to the local and statewide Chinese community on the issues of immigration, diversity, culture, community, youth, economic development, and international partnerships.

I’m a proud member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Please check out our work here.