Des Moines Community Impact & Relations

Paint Your Passion and help contribute to the vibrancy and strength of our City!

This immersive, community-centered art experience is rooted in creativity, self-expression and community building will be led by local artist, Demri Haven (Tangible Lotus). Des Moines residents of all skill levels are encouraged to sign up.

When: Saturday, June 6, 4 - 6:30 p.m.
Where: Drake Park Enclosed Shelter (2300 Drake Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311)
Register at DSM.city/ImpactEvents. Registration will close once we reach our capacity.

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2nd annual ECBO Small Business Connect event, hosted in partnership with RIAS and the City of Des Moines - Small Business Support Center! 💫 This special networking event was an opportunity for current and aspiring small business owners from all backgrounds to connect with each other and build community, share ideas and resources, and collectively celebrate wins. 👏

Learn more about upcoming events like this at DSM.city/ImpactEvents and be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter at DSM.city/CommunityImpact.

The Des Moines Human Rights Commission will be meeting on Thursday, May 28 at 4:30 p.m. at the T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building - City Hall (1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309). The meeting will be held in meeting room 2W78, on the 2nd floor, behind the information/security desk.
View the agenda here: https://bit.ly/DMHRC_Agendas

🌟Joining us at City Hall for the meeting?
Parking is available in the 1200 Mulberry Parking garage (entrance at 13th and Mulberry). Skywalk access to the building is available from the third floor of the parking garage.
Metered parking is available around the building, and bike parking is available near the Locust Street entrance. Public transportation is available via DART. Visit the link above to learn more.
Enter through the Locust Street entrance or use the skywalk and follow posted signage.

Congratulations to the EngageDSM: Resident Academy Spring 2026 Cohort! 🎓️ The group celebrated the conclusion of their 6-week program at City Hall last week alongside friends, family, elected officials, and city staff.

These residents from across Des Moines have expressed their appreciation for the program as they learned even more about how the City operates, services and resources it provides, and how residents can meaningfully engage to positively impact their community. Thank you for your dedication to becoming a more engaged resident!

We look forward to welcoming Cohort #4 in September 2026 - Applications for the next cohort will open on June 15. 🎉

Paint Your Passion and help contribute to the vibrancy and strength of our City!

This immersive, community-centered art experience, rooted in creativity, self-expression and community building, will be led by local artist, Demri Haven (Tangible Lotus). Des Moines residents of all skill levels are encouraged to sign up.

When: Saturday, June 6, 4 - 6:30 p.m.
Where: Drake Park Enclosed Shelter (2300 Drake Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311)
Register at DSM.city/ImpactEvents. Registration will close once we reach our capacity.

The Des Moines Youth Advisory Board will be meeting on Tuesday, May 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building - City Hall (1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309). The meeting will be held in meeting room 2W78, on the 2nd floor, behind the information/security desk.

The agenda will be available to view here: https://bit.ly/YAB_Agendas

🌟Joining us at City Hall for the meeting?
Free parking is available in the 1200 Mulberry Parking garage (entrance at 13th and Mulberry) until March 15. Skywalk access to the building is available from the third floor of the parking garage.
Metered parking is available around the building, and bike parking is available near the Locust Street entrance. Public transportation is available via DART. Visit the link above to learn more.
Enter through the Locust Street entrance or use the skywalk and follow posted signage.

There's still time to register for the ECBO Small Business Connect event on Monday! This event is perfect for:

- Current and aspiring small business owners from all backgrounds who want to connect with each other, share insights, and build community
- Supporters and partners of local small businesses
- Ethnic community-based organizations

📆 Monday, May 18, 2026, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
📍 City Hall, 1st floor - room 1E50 (1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309)
🔗 Register at https://ECBO_Business_Connect.eventbrite.com

Interested in having an informational table at the event? Sign up your organization/business at https://bit.ly/Info_Table_Sign-Up or contact Holly at [email protected] for more details!

to the Youth Experience Simulation on April 24, where the Des Moines Youth Advisory Board led an engaging simulation designed to provide adult participants with a firsthand experience of the daily struggles and decisions that our youth navigate.
The primary goal of this annual event is to enhance empathy and understanding among service providers about the unique challenges faced by the youth in our city.

When asked how participating in the Youth Experience Simulation will impact their future decisions, here is how a couple participants responded:

- "I work with first-generation high school and college students, so learning about difficulties that they may encounter will better prepare me to provide guidance and mentorship."

- "It will help my organization think about the ways we can better serve our community through collaboration and communication. We are thinking about ways to remove barriers to accessing our services."

Thank you to everyone to attended, and to the Youth Advisory Board for facilitating this important community event!