Below the Median Income

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction and Lesley Payne * 7:33 Davonte: RunDSM * 18:49 Marlú Abarca: Office of Latino Affairs & Des Moines Public Library * 35:00 Morgan Nicole: #PaintitBlack at Drake UniversityTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction * 2:12 Evelyn: Dress fo Success Des Moines * 8:36 Madison DeShay-Duncan: Community Legacy Matters The Center Street Story: An Urban Renewal Retrospective * 16:52 Anthony San: RunDSM * 23:17 Matthea: National Alliance on Mental IllnessTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction * 2: 13 Q: Dress for Success Des Moines * 10:30 Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel: One Iowa * 30:00 Miavlaig: RunDSMTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction * 2:12 Delia: Dress for Success Des Moines * 10:35 Manisha Paudel: Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission * 19:22 Champagne: RunDSM * 33:35 Dawn Martinez Oropeza: Al Éxito & Showing Up for Racial JusticeTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story of where they travel.Introduction * 2:12 Nancy Mwirotsi: PI515 * 9:32 Richard Duncan: Community Legacy Matters The Center Street Story: An Urban Renewal Retrospective * 20:29 Tira: Broadlawns Medical Center * 35:05 Courtney Smith: RunDSMTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction * 2:11 Leah: RunDSM * 12:12 DeLayne Carrington: Wildwood Hills Ranch of Iowa * 21:43 Will Keeps: Starts Right Here * tbd Sonia Reyes: Office of Latino Affairs & Iowa Queer Communities of ColorTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

Lesley Payne interviews Dawn Martinez Oropeza, the Executive Director of Al Éxito, which means “to success”. The organization provides programming to youth in Des Moines and nine other cities in Iowa. They develop Latino/a students’ leadership potential through civic engagement, college preparation, career development, family support, and celebration of culture.

Lesley Payne interviews Morgan Nicole about moving to Des Moines, Iowa to attend Drake University. The University was founded in 1881 to provide a learning environment open to all without distinction of gender, religion or race.#paintitblack Twitter Facebook Instagram

Lesley Payne interviews Miavliag about growing up in the Des Moines metro area. She participated in Movement515. The program is offered to students in Des Moines Public Schools. Students and mentors attempt to slow down the world and investigate themselves. They work toward becoming change agents, shedding light on the impact human emotion and connection brings to the global community. Movement515 is an urban arts community where, twice a week, students and mentors come together to create spoken word poetry.

Lesley Payne interviews Champagne about growing up in Des Moines, IA and finding poetry. She works with Movement515, as a mentor. The program is offered to students in Des Moines Public Schools. Students and mentors attempt to slow down the world and investigate themselves. They work toward becoming change agents, shedding light on the impact human emotion and connection brings to the global community. Movement515 is an urban arts community where, twice a week, students and mentors come together to create spoken word poetry.

Lesley Payne interviews Will Keeps about moving to Des Moines, Iowa and starting a movement. He founded Starts Right Here to make change for youth so they wouldn’t go through life without feeling cared for, loved, or being in a home where they don’t feel safe. Will found that his true God given abilities were helping others and empowering them to go down a better path…one he wishes he had the opportunity to go down when he was younger. He is actively working in his community as a mentor, activist, motivational speaker, and using his voice to write and produce songs as a way to reach out to children.

Lesley Payne interviews Courtney Smith about growing up in Iowa and working with Movement515 as a mentor. Movement515 is a program offered to students in Des Moines Public Schools. Students and mentors attempt to slow down the world and investigate themselves. They work toward becoming change agents, shedding light on the impact human emotion and connection brings to the global community. Movement515 is an urban arts community where, twice a week, students and mentors come together to create spoken word poetry.

Lesley Payne interviews Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel about growing up in Iowa and working in Des Moines. He is the Executive Director of One Iowa. The organization advances, empowers, and improves the lives of LGBTQ Iowans statewide.

Lesley Payne interviews Tira about working in Des Moines. Tira is the Government Programs Coordinator at Broadlawns Medical Center. The organization has a longstanding history of attending to the medical needs of Polk County residents. With its origins dating back to 1903, the hospital was established to provide medical care for the indigent, and the same mission of service drives the hospital today. New programs, new services, and advanced medical expertise are constantly being added and updated to meet the evolving needs of Polk County for the highest quality healthcare.

Lesley Payne interviews Matthea about her life. Matthea is a Support Group Facilitator and Trainer for the State of Iowa with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The mental health organization is dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental illness. The staff and volunteers work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.

Lesley Payne interviews Montesha about her involvement with Movement515, a program offered to students in Des Moines Public Schools. Students and mentors attempt to slow down the world and investigate themselves. They work toward becoming change agents, shedding light on the impact human emotion and connection brings to the global community. Movement515 is an urban arts community where, twice a week, students and mentors come together to create spoken word poetry.

Lesley Payne interviews DeLayne Carrington about her life. DeLayne is the Event Director at Wildwood Hills Ranch of Iowa. The organization exists to transform lives and strengthen communities. The staff believes Iowa’s kids don’t have to fall through the cracks. They help close the gaps, changing cycles of dysfunction and impoverishment by offering healing, hope and God’s unconditional love to Iowa’s at-risk kids.

Lesley Payne interviews Anthony San about growing up in Des Moines, IA. He works with Turnaround Arts: Des Moines and RunDSM to share his break dancing skills with the students in Des Moines Public Schools. The organizations use arts education as a tool to help create improved conditions for learning in some of the most challenged schools in the city. Thank you for joining me Anthony.

Lesley Payne interviews Marlú Abarca about coming to Iowa and working as the Vice Chair of the Latino Affairs Commission, a part of the Office of Latino Affairs, which streamlines access to services offered by the State of Iowa. The commission is made up of seven Governor-appointed community members who volunteer their time to represent the Latino community in Iowa. During the week, you might find Marlú working as a Bilingual Services Library Assistant in the Des Moines Public Libraries. Through her position, she ensures that the Library is a welcoming environment that engages the community, celebrates culture, and promotes literacy.

Lesley Payne interviews Manisha Paudel about her position as Equity Coordinator for the Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission. The mission of the organization is to advance justice, promote equality and ensure the protection of human rights for all people in Des Moines through investigation, education, advocacy and community engagement. The Commission is charged with providing a "Public Service" to the community and is supported as part of City Government. They are an Impartial Investigative Agency, which seeks to determine through investigation, if a person was treated unfairly in violation of the City Code they enforce. The organization is community driven. They want to see and hear you at events. You can check their website for the most up-to-date information. If you have questions, send them to humanrights@dmgov.org

Lesley Payne interviews Richard Duncan. In 1996, he politely informed his wife, Madison DeShay-Duncan, about growing up in a predominantly African American neighborhood of Des Moines located around Center Street. After additional research about the area, Madison was inspired to found Community Legacy Matters Incorporated. The focus is to research and develop creative and innovative educational resources that preserve, promote and educate the public on the history of Iowa’s culturally significant but historically underrepresented communities. One of those educational resources is a documentary titled “The Center Street Story: An Urban Renewal Retrospective.” Richard Duncan is the narrator and Center Street Historian for the project. Through the voices of former business owners and residents, the documentary tells of the rise and fall of the historic “Center Street” community & African American business district that existed for more than five decades prior to being destroyed as a result of the 1950s Oakridge Urban Renewal Project.

Lesley Payne interviews Madison DeShay-Duncan. She founded Community Legacy Matters Incorporated to research and develop creative and innovative educational resources that preserve, promote and educate the public on the history of Iowa’s culturally significant but historically underrepresented communities. One of those projects is a documentary titled “The Center Street Story: An Urban Renewal Retrospective.” Through the voices of former business owners and residents, the documentary tells the history of the rise and fall of the historic “Center Street” community & African American business district that existed for more than five decades prior to being destroyed as a result of the 1950s Oakridge Urban Renewal Project.

Lesley Payne interviews Joshua V. Barr Esq. about growing up in South Carolina and moving to Des Moines, Iowa. Joshua is the Director of the Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission. The mission of the organization is to advance justice, promote equality and ensure the protection of human rights for all people in Des Moines through investigation, education, advocacy and community engagement. The Commission is charged with providing a "Public Service" to the community and is supported as part of City Government. They are an Impartial Investigative Agency, which seeks to determine through investigation, if a person was treated unfairly in violation of the City Code they enforce. The organization is community driven. They want to see and hear you at events. You can click the link to their website for the most up-to-date information. If you have questions you can send them to humanrights@dmgov.org.

Lesley Payne interviews Davonte about living in Des Moines. Davonte participated in Movement515, a program offered to students in Des Moines Public Schools. Students and mentors attempt to slow down the world and investigate themselves. They work toward becoming change agents, shedding light on the impact human emotion and connection brings to the global community. Movement515 is an urban arts community where, twice a week, students and mentors come together to create spoken word poetry.

Lesley Payne interviews Leah about being back in Des Moines. Leah participated in Movement515, a program offered to students in Des Moines Public Schools. Students and mentors attempt to slow down the world and investigate themselves. They work toward becoming change agents, shedding light on the impact human emotion and connection brings to the global community. Movement515 is an urban arts community where, twice a week, students and mentors come together to create spoken word poetry.

Lesley Payne interviews Nancy Mwirotsi about places she goes and founding the non-profit organization PI515. The mission of the organization is to challenge, inspire and teach technology skills to students with potential, empowering refugee and underserved youth to achieve success garner influence and gain stability in their families and communities.

Lesley Payne interviews Delia about what is important to her. Delia talks about her involvement with Narcotics Anonymous; also know as NA. It is a nonprofit organization for people that had drugs become a major problem. They are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean.Delia is also a member of the Professional Women’s Group; also know as PWG. The group provides practical information and inspiration to achieve self-defined success in career and in life. It is a program offered to clients of the non-profit organization Dress for Success Des Moines.

Lesley Payne interviews Q about what is important to her and the business planning assistance she received from the non-profit organization Iowa Center for Economic Success (ICEC).ICEC referred Q as a client to the non-profit organization Dress for Success Des Moines. Q shares her experience as a member of their Professional Women’s Group; also know as PWG. The group provides practical information and inspiration to achieve self-defined success in career and in life.

Lesley Payne interviews Sharon about her life. Sharon shares her experience as member of the Professional Women’s Group; also know as PWG. The group provides practical information and inspiration to achieve self-defined success in career and in life. It is a program offered to clients of the non-profit organization Dress for Success Des Moines.

Lesley Payne interviews Evelyn about how she found Des Moines, Iowa. Evelyn shares her experience with the Professional Women’s Group; also know as PWG. The group provides practical information and inspiration to achieve self-defined success in career and in life. It is a program offered to clients of the non-profit organization Dress for Success Des Moines.

This is the audio component of an on-going project. The interviews are being shared as a podcast, so they are not an unheard story in a gallery setting. Lesley Payne begins the project by following the saying: “don’t ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself”.