V’s passion for environment, equity takes off

October 16, 2022

V, Emmons, and Celso look for bugs under a rock in a stream near the Fixmer-Oraiz home in Iowa City on Oct. 5. Natalie said despite V’s chaotic schedule, they always make time for their children. “As busy as V gets with work and this campaign, V puts it all aside,” Natalie said. “V will always make time for dinner, for play, for bath time.”

V studied environment and watershed planning in college. Their passion for the environment and planning led them to start Astig Planning, a planning service striving for healthy ecosystems and equity through advocacy.

V types on their computer in their office space at Astig Planning, a planning service striving for healthy ecosystems and equity through advocacy, in Iowa City on Sept. 16. V started AStig Planning in February 2019. Now, the planning firm operates in the South District on Keokuk Street, near communities V hopes to help through planning. “In the face of climate change impacts, people who are under-resourced or underestimated are going to be impacted, more so than those that are not,” V said. “So how do we plan for those folks to be successful in life to have dignity and respect and care and all the things that they need?” (Grace Smith)

After working in engineering and planning firms for a few years, V realized there were no planning firms that addressed climate change and social justice nearby, so they started one in Iowa City in February 2019.

“How do we plan for those folks to be successful in life, to have dignity and respect and care and all the things that they need?” V said.

Astig Planning started at Merge Downtown — a coworking space in Iowa City, where V’s business found numerous connections and attention, being across from Iowa City Area Development staff members. Now, the planning firm operates in the South District on Keokuk Street, near communities V hopes to help through planning.

V’s passion for helping marginalized communities continued through their position as vice president of Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, an organization that commits itself to help create affordable and fair housing for all Johnson County communities.

V said, if elected onto the board, they will continue pushing for inclusivity through affordable housing.

“Having clean water matters, having access to public education and health care, those things matter,” V said.

Sara Barron, executive director of the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition for five years, also cares about inclusivity in the county, which is why she stepped into the role of V’s campaign manager before their official announcement came out in February.

Infographic by Ryan Hansen/The Daily Iowan

Barron said before the candidacy announcement, V made a list of people they wanted to let know of their candidacy, and Barron was on that list. Barron asked to help out with their campaign right away.

“I think they are an absolutely fantastic leader with the skills and temperament that we desperately need in all levels of government,” Barron said.

V throws a piece of cardboard into a recycling bin at a recycling center in Iowa City on Oct. 15. V studied the environment and watershed planning in college and is very passionate about improving the environment. From fall 2011 to August 2012, V went to the Philippines on a Fulbright scholarship, which focused on climate change impacts on bamboo farmers. (Grace Smith)

Barron said the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition doesn’t endorse specific candidates and works with everyone who’s running for office and holds elected office to ensure they understand the importance of affordable housing.

Barron and V met while V served on the city of Iowa City’s Housing and Community Development Commission, whose members are appointed by the City Council. Barron saw the passion V put toward the city’s social services and knew she wanted them on the coalition’s team.

When V’s term ended around April 2020, Barron asked V to join the team. Now, the two work closely campaigning and attending events such as the Johnson County Democrats Fall Barbecue.

Barron said working with V on their campaign has been nothing but joyful, and she admires V’s commitment to showing up to events, despite their already full schedule with a family and running their business.

“When V comes to talk to your group, or when V knocks on your door, they aren’t just there to talk about themselves and their campaign,” Barron said. “They’re there to hear about what’s important to you. And that ability to listen and convene people and make space for people to share what’s important to them is really powerful.”