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?

Below the Median Income

Installation Audio Components: Interstate 35

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?

Installation Audio Components: Interstate 235

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?

Installation Audio Components: Indianola Ave-State Highway 415

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?

Installation Audio Components: Douglas Ave-U.S. Highway 6

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?

Installation Audio Components: University Ave-State Highway 163

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?

Installation Audio Component: First ave

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.

Day 26: Dawn Martinez Oropeza

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

Day 25: Morgan Nicole

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.

Day 24: Miavliag

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.

Day 23: Champagne

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.

Day 22: Will Keeps

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.

Day 21: Courtney Smith

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.

Day 20: Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel

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.

Day 18: Matthea

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.

Day 17: Montesha

Below the Median Income is an on-going project about the area people travel in. The audio component is being made available as it evolves.

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Below the Median Income

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