Member spotlight

greg wickenkamp
Johnson County

What got you involved with CCI? What keeps you engaged/motivated? Who are you fighting for?

"I was born in Cedar Rapids and have remained, for better or worse, a life-long Iowan. After working in nonprofits and as a public school teacher, I now find myself researching social movements and their repression. I’ve been a CCI member for years because it is one way to work for a better Iowa and a better world.

As an educator my work is driven by a desire to create a better future – a value CCI shares and acts on. As a student of history I know that creating a better future often comes through grassroots, organized struggle. CCI does this. The work done on environmental issues and racial justice make me proud to be a CCI member.

I’m especially excited that CCI is taking on a new initiative demanding honest, fully-funded, and equitable public schools. I’ve seen how a quality education can change the entire trajectory of a student’s life. And I’ve also seen how a lack of state support for honest education can warp curriculum and deprive students of the tools they need for a good life.

Those of us who want to see a robust public school system can find community and opportunity for collective action through CCI. If we want schools to be crucibles of democracy, we need to work together to make that happen. Thank you CCI for offering an opportunity to do just that!”