To my constituents of WL:
My name is Dana Dominguez, and for the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of serving you on the West Liberty City Council.
When I first took office, I learned quickly that public service often means fighting battles behind the scenes that few ever see. In 2022, when Escucha Mi Voz filled our council chambers to demand action, I didn’t just listen, I read every one of the 437 pages of the federal ARPA Final Rule myself. I needed to know why other cities were helping essential workers while we were told we couldn’t. When I stood up in that meeting and challenged that interpretation with facts straight from the rule, it turned the tide. Because of that persistence and the partnership of Father Guillermo Treviño at St. Joseph’s Church, our utility relief program was born. That program has since helped thousands of our residents keep their lights on and their homes warm when they needed it most.
One of my greatest strengths is connecting people and opportunities. When I heard about a potential partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense and a childcare company in Los Angeles, I didn’t think, “We’re too small for that.” I thought, “West Liberty should lead the way!”
That mindset helped us become part of a $9 million childcare grant, ensuring that National Guard and Reserve families across the country, including some right here at home, have free childcare when duty calls. That’s West Liberty’s spirit in action: small city, big heart, national impact.
When I joined council, the relationship between the Fire Department and the City was fractured. As chair of the taskforce that brought all sides to the table, I watched as conversations turned into collaboration. Today, we have progress and partnership instead of division. It's a reminder that in West Liberty, we can work through anything together.
I’ve also stood up for our residents in moments of crisis. When Pascual Pedro Pedro was unjustly detained by ICE, I was on the phone immediately with organizations like LULAC, Escucha Mi Voz, and with state and national advocates to ensure his case received attention. And I continue to speak out for him and others targeted by unjust immigration practices, because in West Liberty we fight for our own. If you come for one, you face us all.
Beyond City Hall, I’ve stayed deeply connected to our youth and our future. Through organizations I am apart of such as NALEO, LULAC, and Al Éxito, I’ve obtained knowledge, skills, and resources that have allowed me to give right back into our community. Every Wednesday, I’m at the middle school co-facilitating classes with bright-eyed students attending Al Exito, teaching them that they, too, can lead. I was one of them - a West Liberty Upward Bound kid who never imagined that one day I would be standing in the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes in Washington D.C., or serving on Iowa's first Latino-majority city council, but programs like those helped me believe I could, and now it’s my turn to help the next generation believe the same.
I also want to be clear about something important: I’m an Independent. My voter registration card says "No Party".
I work with allvotescountiowa.org to expand primary voting rights for Independents and third party voters and with RepresentUs.org to end corruption and strengthen transparency... starting right here in our own city. I’ve been that “squeaky wheel” in West Liberty government, pushing for clear policies, better communication, and a stronger foundation of trust. And yes, I’ll admit, I’ve been extra squeaky these past four years, because I care too much not to be.
When I said earlier this year I wouldn’t run again, I meant it at the time. But after conversations with my children, with countless residents who reached out, and after a national conference that opened my eyes to the resources we still haven’t tapped, I realized my work isn’t done.
I’m running again because West Liberty’s story isn’t finished, and neither is mine.
Together, we’ve made real progress. Together, we’ve built programs that lift families, protect neighbors, and inspire our kids. And together, we’ll keep proving that a small town with a big heart can make an impact that reaches far beyond its borders.
Thank you for believing in me, for holding me accountable, and I hope you will vote for me on November 4 so that I can continue to serve this place we all call home.
Yours in unity,
Dana Dominguez
#VivaWestLiberty!