A season for new leadership in Cedar Rapids

Leadership matters, especially in times of crisis and in times of seismic change. As two people who grew up here, and spent our adult lives working and raising two now adult children here, we call Cedar Rapids our home place. We have always felt that Cedar Rapids has provided us with many opportunities, and has been a great place to live. We feel fortunate that one of our two children has stayed to make his own home here.

We have found over the years our fellow Cedar Rapidians to be fair minded, resilient and proud of their hometown. Yet, since the devastating derecho this past August, occurring during this unprecedented COVID pandemic, we have experienced a profound shift in our optimism about the future of this community. We have had many conversations with each other, friends and others in this community who care deeply about its future, of what Cedar Rapids looks like in 10 years. And, the concern being expressed is universal. It is just not about losing our trees, but about losing a sense of a community that is progressing, one that is providing a multitude of opportunities to work and play, one that is meeting the needs of its diverse citizenry, and one that is truly a welcoming place for all people to come and make our beloved city their home place too.

This uneasy feeling is really a call to change our course, and we believe one that every Cedar Rapidian must answer, but it takes inspired leadership to create that spark and vision of what that future looks like and can be. That is why we are supporting Tiffany O'Donnell, and ask you to support her too, to become the next mayor of Cedar Rapids.

Tiffany brings the enthusiasm and energy we need to push Cedar Rapids forward. Tiffany has proved she knows how to lead, transforming Women Lead Change into a nationally known women's leadership organization through her vision of what could be, and using her creativity, smarts and people-first leadership style, coupled with hard work, to make it so. She understands that while the mayor is indeed one among many council people, the role of mayor is not just about governing, it is much more. It is about creating that spark, painting the vision, instilling the inspiration for every Cedar Rapidian, that we can do better, that we can be better, and that we must do these things in order to thrive, not just survive, in this dynamic world where change only comes faster.

Tiffany believes that leadership fundamentally is about not only saying yes, we need change, but to put this thought into real action to make that change happen, not from the sidelines, but out front, taking on the uncomfortable issues and being a fierce advocate for Cedar Rapids. She believes in Cedar Rapids, loves this community and is willing to fight for a brighter future for all of us. Join us in supporting Tiffany and working together to create the Cedar Rapids we all can be proud to call our home place.

Gilda and Barry Boyer live in Cedar Rapids.

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