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Dream City: How Fred Newell built a hub of fatherhood, faith and community in Iowa City
After arriving in Iowa City as a young, single father nearly 20 years ago, Newell has dedicated himself to being a source of support and encouragement for others
Sep. 7, 2025 5:30 am
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IOWA CITY — What began as a small support group for fathers and a handful of boys in 2012 has transformed into one of Iowa City’s most ambitious community centers, thanks to the vision of Fred Newell.
Newell, a University of Iowa graduate and social worker, is the executive director of Dream City, a nonprofit rooted in fatherhood, mentorship and opportunity. For him, the work is personal.
“I was a single father when I came to the University of Iowa,” Newell said. “My son went to every class with me. I never really found support outside of the campus community. That shaped my passion. I knew other men were raising children alone, too.”
A personal journey grounded in fatherhood
Raised in Chicago in a two-parent household, Newell said he always understood the importance of family. But becoming a father as a teenager deepened that lesson. He arrived in Iowa City in 2006 with his young son in tow, determined to finish college.
He recalls nearly giving up his sophomore year.
“I had the drop slip in my hand,” he said, remembering a low point when the challenges of parenting, coursework and isolation felt overwhelming. But his professor, Sara Sanders, stopped him.
“She told me she believed in me. That moment changed my life. I finished because I had my son depending on me.”
That persistence — balancing fatherhood, work and study — shaped his philosophy. Dream City’s motto today reflects that: fatherhood is 24/7.
Dream City’s origin and evolution
Dream City was never supposed to be a full-fledged organization. At first, Newell thought it would serve as a referral resource. But by that first summer, 64 boys and 10 fathers were showing up.
“When I tried to refer people to other services, I realized they didn’t exist,” Newell said. “So we had to build them.”
In 2012, Sanders helped him formally create a nonprofit. What followed was steady growth: working out of a donated home for year, moving to a nearby building for less than six months, and then, in 2014, a church bought a building and Dream City moved in as partners. Ten years later, Dream City would buy and renovate that very building into a permanent home.
Renovation and funding
The renovation was possible through a large investment by the city into the nonprofit. In 2023, Iowa City awarded Dream City $3 million as part of its inclusive economic development initiative.
“We were in tears when we got that news,” Newell said. The funds covered acquisition, construction, and programming. Working with Hodge Construction and Slingshot Architecture, Dream City completed a seven-month overhaul of the facility, with a grand opening Aug. 24.
The new space represents faith and perseverance, Newell said.
“People always asked, did I think we will be here in this position? And I used to say, ‘No,’ but I had to remember, I've always asked God to open a door for us to” have a place of their own and to “do what I know that we have been called to do.”
Angie Jordan, Marlén Mendoza and Tasha Lard played a pivotal role in Dream City's success by partnering with Newell in 2021 to create the diversity market during the pandemic.
The initiative provided vital support to entrepreneurs who were struggling due to the slowdown in the economy, Newell said. Their collaboration helped the diversity market outgrow its original space, leading to a move to a larger venue and increased visibility.
In 2023, their ongoing partnership enabled them to work with the city of Iowa City to secure funding instrumental in Dream City's growth and the renovation of its current facility. Their efforts and continued involvement were celebrated at the grand opening, underscoring their lasting impact on the organization’s success.
A hub for community impact
The renovated Dream City building now houses classrooms, a podcast studio, a commercial kitchen, event spaces and micro-retail space for entrepreneurs. One of its first tenants is a barbershop, Fade Factory, run by longtime barber Richard Burdine.
“For us, this space is comfortable because it’s in the community,” Burdine said. “People can walk here. A haircut builds self-esteem. And Dream City makes it easier to build our clientele, with support and resources right upstairs.”
The center also includes an auditorium where groups like Iowa City Community Theatre and FilmScene are already booking events. Kirkwood Community College has begun hosting ESL classes, and the space is open to neighborhood associations and local nonprofits.
“This isn’t just a building,” Newell said, it’s a place where families grow, entrepreneurs thrive and young people dream.
Programs that matter
Dream City’s heartbeat still is fatherhood and youth. The Fatherhood Academy works with dads of all backgrounds, encouraging them to show up consistently in their children’s lives.
“We don’t call fathers out, we call them up,” Newell said.
Youth programs include after-school mentoring, performing arts and leadership development. Dream City also offers entrepreneurial support through its Impact Builders Hub, providing mentorship, workshops and partnerships with groups like NewBoCo.
Newell said the center expected to serve about 15 entrepreneurs its first year. It has already supported more than 100.
Stories of transformation
The impact is visible in success stories. At Dream City’s grand opening, former participants like Davonte Foster returned to thank Newell.
Foster moved from Chicago to Iowa City at age 10, and was grieving the loss of his grandmother and adjusting to a new city without a father figure in his life. That changed when he met Newell, then a young father who would later go on to establish Dream City.
Foster, now 25, recalls the day a friend introduced him to Newell.
“It was my first time seeing a successful Black man that was similar to myself, that comes from similar circumstances to myself,” he said. “That was huge.”
For Foster and a circle of boys facing absent fathers, Newell became a mentor, “a father figure and big brother” who gave his time, attention and guidance.
“Superheroes aren’t real, but Fred is probably the closest thing to a superhero that I’ve ever seen,” Foster said.
He said Newell’s influence, through Dream City, helped him avoid negative paths that many from his background faced, including committing crimes, getting arrested and spending time in prison. Instead, Newell and Dream City taught him how to be a responsible adult, and showed him that there are positive alternatives and opportunities in life.
Today, Foster is a father himself, crediting the lessons he learned through Newell and Dream City for shaping how he approaches parenting.
“It taught me how to be a man. It taught me how to be a father to my son,” he said. “Now, it made me want to be the best father that I can be to my child, and keep him away from the things that Dream City kept me away from. You know, it just showed me that there's more to life than” jail or prison.
Foster said the impact of Dream City extends far beyond his own story.
“The impact it has on kids is real,” he said. “… So if there's kids out there that's looking for a place, that's looking for an escape from their circumstances, that's looking for the positive male figures, positive role models. I mean, come find” Dream City.
Looking ahead
Dream City’s future includes expanding its performing arts academy, growing entrepreneurial programs and creating more micro-retail opportunities. The commercial kitchen will host classes, catering businesses and food vendors.
Newell sees the center as a local hub and incubator for others in the community.
“Not only do we want to do the best job we can do, we want to make this available so that others will have an opportunity to build something similar for the work that they do in this community,” he said.
But at the core, Dream City remains about family.
“I just believe that every child deserves to be raised in a home that allows for them to dream and believe,” Newell said. “And oftentimes, in our community, there are lots of single mothers raising their children and doing an amazing job. So we always salute them, always give them credit for what they're doing, but they shouldn't have to do it by themselves.”
A family effort
Newell is quick to share credit. His wife, Tianna, and their eight children remain his greatest inspiration. His daughter even launched a towel service inside the building. His oldest son, once the toddler who sat through lectures at Iowa, now works as a youth program coordinator and is training to be a firefighter.
He said he couldn’t do what he does if not for his family.
“My wife shares me with this community,” Newell said. “… So just big shout out to Tianna, to my children for allowing me to always kind of multitask in so many different arenas and spaces, because without them, again, I'm not the man who I am today.”
A new chapter
For Newell, the grand opening marked more than a ribbon cutting — it is a new beginning.
“This is a new chapter for Dream City,” he said.
The new space gives the community confidence that the organization is able to back up its words and commitments with action, Newell said — offerings a space where children, parents and families can come together, ask questions, share life and grow.
While that’s always been part of Dream City’s mission, “now we have a space that's completely ours,” Newell said. “We no longer have to ask people for permission,” and have the freedom and space to do the work they’ve always dreamed of and create something truly impactful.
Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com
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