DES MOINES, IA – Indira Sheumaker, community organizer & lifelong Des Moines resident, is running for election to the Des Moines City Council to represent Ward 1. Indira was born and raised in Ward 1 and has worked in city government spaces since she was 16 including the parks, the community centers, and the Franklin Ave. library. Indira began organizing in her community in Summer 2020 and has continued to focus on the action and inaction of the City Government.
“Through this work, I have seen how the City Council acts as a barrier to meaningful, necessary change, and as antagonists to the people they claim to represent. I am running to break down barriers and to give the people a voice in their government.” Sheumaker said.
Vanessa Marcano-Kelly, 1st Ward resident, is one of the early supporters of Sheumaker “I admire how she has stood up to make important demands for the Des Moines city council to put people and community before private interests and how she advocates for need to allocate more funds towards initiatives that build a stronger social safety net and solidarity for people in our cities.” Marcano-Kelly said.
“Indira truly cares about Des Moines and unlike the current Des Moines city council she actually wants input from the community. Since the summer, she has essentially already been doing the job. She, with the help of other activists, researches what she can about the agenda, communicates this info to the people, and addresses these items to the council at council meetings and other work sessions. She knows what she’s talking about and does what nobody on council is really willing to do–challenge the corporate and personal interests that seem to be driving city council votes.” said Alejandro Murguia-Ortiz Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice Activist in Des Moines.
“While the council has continued to do what they can to silence the community, Indira wants to create an infrastructure that gives everyone a voice in the decisions that affect them. She hopes to build people’s councils in her ward as a way to not only give a voice to each person but will completely replace the decision-making structure that exists in Des Moines today. Indira really is the candidate of the people.” Murguia-Ortiz added.
According to a press release sent by her campaign Indira is running on the following issues:
- Strong Communities Make Police Obsolete: Indira supports investing in policies that address harm and strengthen communities rather than attempting to solve social problems with criminalization. We must Defund the Police for Safety and Justice.
- Housing & Neighborhoods; From Surviving to Thriving: Indira is committed to building communities that can grow and thrive by occupying unused housing and eliminating urban food deserts. Accessible Food and Housing Builds Stable Communities.
- Healthy Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future: Des Moines must invest in public transit and the municipalization of utilities to build public infrastructure that makes our lives easier and safer. Municipal Utilities are Cheaper and Faster.
- A People’s Government Against Corporate Greed: The City Government prioritizes corporate interests and those with money. Indira will build a government that gives decision making power to the people. Redirect Power, Redistribute Funds.
Election Day is November 2
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