Black Iowa candidates need ‘donations, volunteers’ and voters to ‘come to the door,’ ahead of Nov. 7 election

Black candidates running in school board races and in a special election for a Des Moines city council seat, who face unique challenges in their campaigns, said they could use more help from the public as the election looms on Nov. 7. School board races have grown contentious and partisan as battles over book bans, racial equity and school choice have grabbed headlines and public attention. Seven candidates are vying for the Ward 1 seat in the Des Moines City Council race, after the controversial Aug. 31, resignation of Indira Scheumaker, who was the second Black woman and youngest person elected on the council.

Black Iowa News searched for and invited Black candidates it found to complete a short questionnaire about their campaigns (see questionnaire below). We heard from Black school board candidates in Clinton, Des Moines, Johnston and Southeast Polk, and a Des Moines City Council candidate. If you are a Black candidate, or if you know of other Black candidates not included in this story, please email their names to dana@blackiowanews.com. *This story was updated on Oct. 30. 

For more information about the regular city/school elections, visit the Iowa Secretary of State.

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Jason Benell

City Des Moines 

Political office you’re seeking: City Council, Ward 4, southeast Des Moines

Your occupation: Annuity operations

Your family: Wife Alyson, son Owen, daughter Olivia.

Top 3 issues:

• Economic justice
• Social justice
• Just and transparent governance

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Victoria Henderson Weber

City: Des Moines

Political office you’re seeking: District 3 director of Des Moines Public Schools

Your occupation: Public transportation and non-profit leadership

Your Family: My husband and I have three children; Allen (24), Alesha (22) and Langston (7). We are also foster parents and are currently caring for a 7-month-old.

Top 3 Issues:

· Equitable education: Fostering culturally relevant and student-centered learning environments for our students to thrive.

· Community-aligned engagement: Ensuring student outcomes resonate with the diverse values and aspirations of our community.

· Student outcomes focus: Ensuring the district-provided opportunities close the achievement gap for all students regardless of their zip code.

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Sheena James

City: Clinton

Political office you’re seeking: Clinton Community School Board

Your occupation: Athletic director at Prince of Peace Catholic School

Your family: No husband, no kids

Top 3 issues:

• Declining enrollment
• Recruiting and retaining quality educators
• The rising cost of education

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Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher

City: Johnston

Political office you’re seeking: Johnston School Board director

Incumbent: Yes

Your occupation: Consultant, MD Girls Consulting

Your family: Married with 3 Johnston graduates. Kitarrah 2017, Sierrah 2020 and Marandah 2021

Top 3 issues:

• Mental Health and safety of students
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 
• Educational opportunities that support diverse learners

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RJ Miller

City: Des Moines

Political office you’re seeking: Des Moines City Council, Ward 1

Your occupation: Executive director, Greater Opportunities Inc.

Your family: No answer

Top 3 issues: 

• Lower Property Taxes 
• Community Reinvestments
• Safe Neighborhoods 

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Kelly Simmons

City: Des Moines

Political office you’re seeking: Southeast Polk School Board

Your occupation: Executive officer with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Your family: I was born and raised in Ames and have three children, CJ (20), Olivia (19) and Corey (8). My father, Albert Garrison Sr. served in the Iowa House of Representatives for Black Hawk County and also served as a magistrate. I am a member of the Martin Family, (Archie & Nancy Martin) were my great-grandparents, and they have a residence hall at Iowa State University named for them for housing students of color when they were not allowed to stay in the dorms. My family knows what it means to serve.

Top 3 Issues:

• Student mental health
• Youth violence and bullying prevention
• Addressing the growth of the school district

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Lya Williams

City: Johnston

Political office you’re seeking: At large – Johnston School Board

Your occupation: Stay-at-home mom (former engineer)

Your family: Husband, Anthony, and Son, Amir

Top 3 issues: 

• STEM – Provide opportunities for students to pursue their interests, especially in STEM-related fields.
• Students – Students are our first and most important stakeholders. We need to be doing everything we can to create a safe environment where every student is prepared to succeed after graduation. That means treating every student with dignity regardless of race, class, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin or disability. 
• Equity – Equity in education means ensuring that students, teachers, faculty and parents have ALL the resources they need to succeed. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for Johnston Schools.

Black Iowa News Candidate Questionnaire📃

Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

What specifically motivated you to seek this position?

Jason Benell: “The lack of transparency and representation on the city council, specifically the incumbent’s reaction to constituents during the 2020 BLM protests. They do not live in the ward, nor did they seem interested in moving forward issues important to the community, particularly around social and economic justice.”

Victoria Henderson Weber: “I was asked to run by Black women that I respect. As a mother of a 2nd-grader and daughter of the East Side, I couldn’t ignore the call to ensure District 3 has an advocate. Only 13% of 8th-grade Black males are meeting math benchmarks, and 47% of 3rd-grade Black males are meeting reading benchmarks. Our kids deserve better, and I can help.”

Sheena James: “As a Clinton High School grad (class of ’03), former homecoming queen and member of the CHS Hall of Fame, I know the incredible things our school district and town have to offer. Our educators are top-notch, and our school district has many unique features offered to our students. The advancements with educational facilities, athletic facilities, vocational programs and school security are just a few things that should be highlighted to show the progress that is being made within our district. However, our enrollment numbers are declining at an alarming rate, and that is one of the main reasons I’m running for the school board.”

Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher:  “I have been on the board since 2019; We have made great progress, but there are many issues that still remain unresolved and need to be addressed. In particular, issues that affect students of color, immigrants, refugees, students with different abilities, LGBTQ students and others who identify in other minority populations. I started this journey to work on the mental health and bullying issues that were facing students in the district, and as my learning of issues grew, and as we continued to dig deeper into the data and stories of how students are and continue to be affected, I knew my work is not done.” 

RJ Miller: “I’m running for Des Moines City Council to give a voice to the hood, also known as the marginalized neighborhoods, because they have been neglected, unheard and starved of resources. We currently have a predominantly white city council that has money, and they are disconnected and don’t reflect the diversity of Des Moines, so it’s important for young Black men and women from the hood to see somebody who looks like them, who has overcome the obstacles of the hood, create positive changes.”

Kelly Simmons: “I am running because I am a special needs and mental health advocate with extensive experience in government funding and policy. I am also a Navy veteran. I have three children, CJ, Olivia, and Corey. I love this district, and Southeast Polk is a very special place. Southeast Polk pride is felt throughout the entire community. I believe in a community-based approach to education, and not one size fits all policies. I am a public school advocate with the experience to make a real impact in our district. I am running to ensure our children and families remain our priority and to make sure that all students are treated with dignity and respect in our district.”

Lya Williams: “I am running again because we are at a major crossroads for Johnston Schools (and Iowa as a whole.) It might seem hard to believe, but until the last couple of years, books, bathrooms, sports and DEI weren’t political. The vague state laws, laws the state refuses to clarify, have put a lot of those decisions in the hands of school boards. I want to make sure I have a seat and voice at the table to represent the voices that don’t often get heard. Within the Johnston district, Black and African students at Johnston are currently underachieving when compared to their peers. The data shows, quite starkly, that there is a huge gap between other student groups. Currently, we have a few far-right extreme candidates who don’t want to recognize race, even when presented with data that shows the underachievement in our underrepresented groups. We have to first address there is a problem, then we can move forward.”

What are the most pressing issues facing your constituency, and what steps will you take, if elected, to address the issues?

Jason Benell: “Underdevelopment. Ward 4 has been left behind when it comes to the development of the city of Des Moines. Ward 4 also has a large ESOL community and has limited access to resources and representation on the city council.”

Victoria Henderson Weber: “Systemic issues combined with lack of access and information. If elected, I will fight to ensure policy is established and administration is diversified in a manner that addresses systemic issues. I will engage with District 3 to ensure their voices are heard and they receive information and access to the resources needed to give children the opportunity to thrive. I will train others to help support this work and run for office.”

Sheena James: “I want to stop the mass exodus out of our district, keep our Clinton kids in Clinton schools, and attract kids we’ve lost to other districts to come back. I also want to be a voice for the demographic of our town that is not represented on our city council or school board. I am just a River Queen who bleeds red and black. I want our town and schools to get back to our former glory. Strong schools build strong communities, and I am committed to our community.” 

Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher: “This community and school district need to embrace the fact that Johnston is growing in its diversity and work together to support everyone in the district to have a sense of community and belonging. Currently, the district is very divided, and although it is perfectly okay for individuals to have differing beliefs, those beliefs should not hold our young people back from learning and being kind, successful human beings. I believe we need to continue to educate school staff and community members on internal bias and understanding and work on how as a collective, we can support students. This will take working to hire DEI staff and educators for diverse learners, working on programming that will support learning in alternative styles and continuous work on data collection and analysis.”

RJ Miller: ‘The most pressing issues from my observation and communication are lower property taxes, safety and lack of resources for the youth, food deserts and lack of jobs in Des Moines that pay a livable wage. If elected, I will partner with urban farmers to ensure certain neighborhoods have access to good food. I will propose incentives for big businesses to move to Des Moines to give residents jobs that pay a livable wage. I will also work with the city to start reinvesting in underserved neighborhoods, strengthening relationships with Des Moines Public Schools and increasing the number of licensed therapists to provide mental health resources.”

Kelly Simmons: “The most important issues impacting our district are our students’ mental health, bullying and lack of supportive resources. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the problem. In Iowa, intentional self-harm (suicide) was the second leading cause of death among youth 15-19. The statistics are alarming, and the accessibility of mental health services in this state is at a crisis level, with limited access and long waits to even be evaluated. The health and well-being of our students is my top priority. I have the knowledge to work at advocating for federal discretionary and competitive funding to expand and support this work so our district will have the resources to make this possible. I will also work to expand our community partnerships with educational and local area nonprofits that support education (particularly for our underrepresented youth), mental health support, mentoring and other supportive services for our students and families.”

Lya Williams: “The most pressing issue I am facing is that I have opponents who recently were endorsed by The Family Leader that compared homosexuality to slavery. I think voters really want someone who is not far right or far left, they want someone who is somewhere in the center. After our recent candidate forum, I did not hear my opponents acknowledge how they would address diversity and inclusion. Our community is currently at odds because there are so many who want Johnston to grow and evolve to serve the ever-growing diversity in the district. One of our candidates in 2021 used racial and homophobic slurs during a public school board meeting. Thanks to that, Johnston no longer allows public comment to be viewable via livestream. If I am elected, I believe we need to have a town hall meeting, where we address and discuss steps going forward collaboratively. We need to be able to show our future leaders (students) how to navigate conflict and work with people we may not always agree with. I believe I have the skills to achieve this goal.”

What unique challenges, such as fundraising, community support etc., have you encountered as a Black candidate, and how have you navigated it?

Jason Benell: “As a biracial person, it has provided some challenges when approaching some traditional donors and organizational structures for fundraising and volunteer opportunities.  Often there is an association with being a minority as automatically caring — or not caring —about particular issues within the community at large. I have navigated this with my progressive ideas and embracing of all communities rather than allowing myself to be cast into a particular mold by others.”

Victoria Henderson Weber: “I’ve found that our community isn’t familiar with navigating political processes. Black candidates need more than our vote, they need donations, volunteers, etc. If you see a candidate whose values you align with, ask them how you can help and follow through. Being a Black candidate from East Des Moines has been a lonely but fulfilling road. I’m fortunate to know other candidates with larger platforms who have been able to help me navigate the resources and people I don’t know.”

Sheena James: “I am completely overwhelmed and humbled by the outpour of support from my community. I honestly was not prepared for the reaction that I’ve been getting. It’s truly positive and very uplifting. The only issue I have is that I’m not a politician so I don’t really know how to campaign haha. I’m just being visible and having conversations with parents and educators and listening to what their concerns are.”

Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher: “Simply feeling safe in spaces is a concern for me. Walking up to people’s homes and knocking on their door, not knowing what might happen, is a scary reality for me. Putting up signs in my own yard that show support for Black and brown people, LGBTQ people, and others can bring vandalism and harm to my family or property. Speaking out in public forums can lead people to harass and cause issues for my family and I. Asking for campaign funding has been difficult, I feel like I have to jump through extra hoops or additional scrutiny when making an ask. As the first person of color ever elected to the Johnston School Board, it was never recognized or celebrated when, in all honesty was a huge step forward for this district.”

RJ Miller: “It is challenging competing with candidates who come from a more affluent background so they have more money and in some cases the support of businesses etc. I navigate by working with the money I have, and the money people donate and get out here and pound the pavement and work for the people.”

Kelly Simmons: “I am from Ames, born and raised, so I was luckily familiar with the Southeast Polk District before moving from Ames back in 2012. I was also immersed in special education in my district due to my oldest children’s autism. Southeast Polk is a very unique district because it includes both urban and rural children and families. People also have the misconception that Southeast Polk is a small district, but we are massive and serve more than 7,000 students covering 114 square miles in southern Polk County. In all honesty, I had problems even getting minority families to even come to the door and have a conversation with me on why they should support my campaign. I am also less known out here, outside of the special education community, so I had to work even that much harder on getting out and talking to people because I knew from the beginning that was the only way I was going to get elected. This race is too important for it to be a popularity contest. It is also too important to elect someone just because they graduated from Southeast Polk and are from the community. Throughout the course of this race, I have demonstrated repeatedly that I am running for very genuine reasons, and that I am also the most qualified candidate to serve on the school board.”

Lya Williams: “To avoid not having the finances to support my campaign strategy, I announced my candidacy in early March in order to get a jump start. Community support has been different because the focus is to truly campaign as nonpartisan as possible. Most people don’t realize that school board and city council elections are nonpartisan. The biggest unique challenge is door-knocking and finding volunteers to consistently show up. This time around, I am more known, and it has been rewarding to receive wonderful conversations and sometimes a hug. I do make sure that I am with someone else when I door knock for safety reasons.” 

How can the Black community better support your campaign?

Jason Benell: “The best way to support a campaign like mine is to engage voters, particularly younger voters. We do not want a generation of Black voters to miss their opportunity to shape future policy by being disengaged at the local level.  This is even more important when there are candidates of color running across all levels of government. I would love to see more voter engagement and informational drives in all communities as well as particularly Black communities.”

Victoria Henderson Weber: “In this moment? Donate. The key to ensuring our communities’ vision is represented is name recognition associated with values. Unfortunately, campaign literature/advertising requires money. No amount is too small, and it’s never too late. If you cannot donate, then volunteer, and get the word out so your friends and family know who to vote for on Nov. 7.”

Sheena James: “Get out and vote. That’s the number one thing the Black community can do to support my campaign. Go to the school board and city council meetings so you know what’s happening in your community.”

Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher: “The Black community should be rallying behind all candidates of color. There should be a recognized emphasis in this district on the growing diversity and how far we have come and how far we still need to go. We need to understand how to support each other and show each other kindness, compassion and support.”

RJ Miller: “The Black community can help by donating, door knocking or spreading the word, and most importantly voting on Nov. 7.”

Kelly Simmons: “The Black community can better support my campaign by showing up. They don’t even have to live in the district to support my campaign. Doing something as small as liking and sharing my social media posts, in addition to telling all of your friends about my campaign — is support. In addition, I can always use volunteers. I am a campaign and committee of one, so I am small but mighty with a very real chance of winning out here. The minority and underrepresented students have needed a voice on the board for a long time. As many doors as I have knocked on, I can’t reach all of those 114 square miles alone, so I need help with canvassing and/or walking in the parades. That is what we need to do in the Black community to better support our candidates — especially the community leaders.”

Lya Williams: “I think the Black community could better support my campaign by reaching out to see where they can help me. The suburban campaigns are different to navigate. I see more participation in the inner city of Des Moines than I do out here. If you see an ad or Facebook post, reshare and post it. I post different events where I am a speaker, and it is wonderful to see familiar faces in the audience. I think more of us need to be more involved so that we can continue to evolve in offices that more directly impact the laws that govern how we are treated in this state. If money is something that you don’t have to give, time works, too. Offer to help “meal train” for me and my family.”

For more information about all of the candidates in the above races:

• Polk County Auditor – City/School Election
• Clinton County Auditor – City/School Election