Working in journalism and nonprofit communications, I’ve spent my career asking individuals to share their personal stories. While I’ve tried to approach these conversations with respect and care, I’ve only recently begun to fully appreciate the relationship building that’s required to honor their voice.
The 2020 legislative session will be my eighth legislative session as a child advocate. The eighth year I will go to the state capitol and work to ensure that children are a top priority for Iowa policymakers. This year is the first year that my advocacy efforts have transitioned from ideological to personal.
It’s New Year’s resolution time, when we think about eating healthier, exercising more, being a bit kinder or less stressed, and generally looking at self-improvement. And yet, a voice keeps saying, “Take a skip day from healthy eating. You don’t have time for the gym today.” What you may not realize is that voice is often coming from your neighborhood, streets, and community.
As I embark on the second cohort of Mid-Iowa Health Foundation’s HealthConnect Fellowship, I reflect back on moments in my career journey that have been pivotal for me. Moments that have given me the courage to do new things, courage to continue forward when challenges arise, and courage to take a new direction. Here are three of my most pivotal moments.
Educated and empowered moms are key to saving babies. As we become aware of the powerful work of Iowa ACES 360 and a pilot at Broadlawns in conjunction with EveryStep, we want to study whether our stillbirth prevention tools, like the free Count the Kicks app, can play a role in reducing adverse childhood experiences.
Remarks shared by Kayla Powell at the HealthConnect Fellowship Celebration on November 18, 2019. Kayla shares her story of growing up in the foster care system and challenges all of us to do better for Iowa's children.
