Bruce Teague, 42, is running for City Council because he wants to do something more for the people of Iowa City.

“I’ve been in Iowa City for 25 years, and this would just be one more way of serving the community,” Teague said.

Teague moved to Iowa City when he was in high school. He moved alone, without parents, and found a family in the community.

“This city has raised me. I worked at Iowa City Hospice when I was 19 years old, so I worked with families in the community at such a young age,” he said. “Going to high school here and meeting local families, that made a huge difference in my ability to fall in love with this city.”

Since then, he has attended Kirkwood Community College and the University of Iowa, volunteered with United Action for Youth, and opened a small business.

Teague currently staffs 83 people in his business, Caring Hands & More, which provides in-home services for residents of the Iowa City area. He said that while he is proud to be a business owner and provide people with incomes, he recognizes the importance of repairing relationships between local businesses and the City Council.

“We need to look at relationships that have been … hurt by the city of Iowa City,” he said. “I do believe that we have some relationship issues that need to be worked on. We have to remember that Iowa City is why a lot of these people are around this community.”

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Teague said that a way to mend fences is to reach out to them and invite them to make their voices heard.

Teague said he believes transportation is a key element of community involvement, especially for students.

He noted transportation is a unique challenge for second- and third-shift workers, who are unable to use public transport to get to and from their jobs. Teague hopes to expand the hours of operation of the city bus system.

Affordable housing is a frequently discussed issue in Iowa City, and Teague believes that the way to approach it is recognizing it must change.

“There are students, either single students or students with families, who need affordable housing,” he said. “I think that the current model of how we do affordable units is not sustainable. I think that we need to look at sustainable models.”

Teague emphasized his dedication to underrepresented communities in Iowa City, such as people of lower socioeconomic status and undocumented immigrants. He said that his background has given him a greater understanding of the experiences of minority groups. 

“I’m really diverse. I don’t know if you know this, but I’m black,” Teague joked.  “So I do have this minority experience. I am also a gay man, so I know what it is to live in groups where your voice is silenced.”

He believes his experience has uniquely prepared him for interactions with all different types of people and to understand and advocate for the people of Iowa City.

“My lived experience really will remain with me when I am sitting there making decisions for Iowa City,” Teague said.