New Iowa City neighborhood association focused on aiding immigrants

IOWA CITY — When Mohamed Joreya first moved from Sudan to the United States, he lived in Denver and then New York City. But friends who had settled in Iowa City told him he should move here.

“It’s easy to live here,” said Joreya, who moved to Iowa City in 2012. “It’s not crowded like the big city.”

Joreya lives on Westwinds Drive, a short walk from two grocery stores — Fareway and El-Salaam International grocery — a pharmacy, coffee shop, restaurants, and West High School. The area also has several bus stops to go to downtown Iowa City or other parts of town.

The Pheasant Ridge Neighborhood Center is the hub for the neighborhood that includes immigrants from Sudan, Congo, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon, among other places, Joreya said.

But there was one thing the neighborhood didn’t have — an organization in which neighbors could work together toward common goals. So they created the Wonderful Westside Neighborhood Association.

“Our goal was to have neighborhood safety, celebrate diversity, and support new people coming to Iowa,” said Joreya, the new group’s president. “We will work together to improve economic and social well-being, increase a sense of belonging and help people make connections with resources.”

The boundaries of the neighborhood are Melrose Avenue on the north, Mormon Trek Boulevard on the east, Willow Creek on the south and Westwinds Drive on the west.

One of the things that makes the Wonderful Westside association different from a lot of neighborhood groups is that it also includes Christ the King Lutheran Church, whose leaders and members are prepared to support the group’s mission.

The association also has partnered with the University of Iowa’s Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities and a class taught by Professors Loyce Arthur and Travis Kraus. The class merges 17 students from social sciences and theater to explore how arts and culture contribute to community planning and identity, equitable development and economic inclusion, according to an Iowa City report in a Feb. 8 news release.

“Recognizing the importance of healthy and connected neighborhoods are key components to the city’s strategic plan, city neighborhood outreach efforts have focused on elevating the voices of community members who had not previously been represented through an official neighborhood capacity,” according to an Iowa City report.

The association plans to hold its first communitywide event outdoors this spring or summer, Joreya said. Representatives from the church and UI attended a February planning meeting to help determine ways they can support the Wonderful Westside, he said.

Iowa City has so much to offer residents, Joreya said.

He lives here with his wife, Hagir Malik, who teaches at the neighborhood center, three sons and a daughter. Joreya, who earned an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management from Kirkwood Community College, now is an adviser in English Language Arts at Kirkwood in Iowa City.

“We have a very nice community here,” he said.

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