The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING EMILY LANG, KRISTOPHER ROLLINS, LEAH WAUGHTAL-MAGIERA, AND
JALESHA JOHNSON AS IOWANS OF THE WEEK
______
HON. CYNTHIA AXNE
of iowa
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Emily Lang and Kristopher Rollins, the cofounders of RunDSM, as well as Leah Waughtal-
Magiera and Jalesha Johnson as Iowans of the Week. April is National Poetry Month, and Emily and Kristopher have given students in the Des Moines Public Schools system an opportunity to express and better themselves through poetry, spoken word, and open mic through their programs at RunDSM.
RunDSM provides marginalized students access to a culturally conscious curriculum, urban art forms, and opportunities for student-
centered community activism through the different programs they offer such as ``Movement 515,'' ``Urban Leadership Summit,'' and ``Minorities on the Move.'' Through Emily and Kristopher's leadership, they have been able to create a representative, culturally conscious climate within Des Moines Public Schools.
When Emily and Kristopher first came to the Des Moines Public Schools system, they had no idea what their experience would evolve into. Ten years later they have built a coalition of hundreds of students who have been impacted by RunDSM. The program was so inspiring for Leah and Jalesha they decided to come back and help run the program and turn it into what it is today. Students say that RunDSM has been a medium to discover and express their voices.
National Poetry Month is a great opportunity to highlight some of the incredibly talented and creative minds in Iowa. Emily, Kristopher, Leah, Jalesha, and everyone at RunDSM truly inspire students to find their voices and show them how powerful it can be. I will continue to fight in Congress for programs like RunDSM and advocates like Emily and Kristopher who invest in our students and make them better people through poetry. It is my honor to recognize them as Iowans of the Week.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 83
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
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