Building the American Dream with Isaac Carr | Rock Island Line Podcast

In this episode of Rock Island Line, I sit down with Isaac Carr, Citizenship Director at the Quad City Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR). Isaac shares his journey to Rock Island and the powerful personal and professional experiences that led him to support immigrants and refugees in building new lives here in the Quad Cities.

Together, we explore:

🔹 What it means to make a home in Rock Island

🔹 The mental and emotional toll of navigating federal immigration policy

🔹 How local efforts can create a truly welcoming community

🔹 The resilience, strength, and stories of immigrants and refugees

🔹 What building your own version of the “American Dream” really looks like

Whether you're an advocate, a neighbor, or someone simply curious about how immigration shapes our region, this conversation offers insight, hope, and a call to community.

📍 Recorded at the Rock Island Line community podcast studio in Rock Island, IL – a place where stories matter and belonging is possible.

🎧 Subscribe to the Rock Island Line podcast for more conversations that celebrate our city and its people. #RockIslandLine #QCAIR #ImmigrantVoices #RefugeeStories #AmericanDream #RockIslandIL #QuadCities #CommunityVoices #ImmigrationPolicy #WelcomeHome

In this episode of Rock Island Line, I sit down with Rev. Laura Evans Mahn — founder of Nest Café, Rock Island’s “pay-what-you-can” restaurant that’s redefining how a city can come together around a meal.

Laura shares her journey to Rock Island at age 34, how she unexpectedly fell in love with the city, and the powerful ideas that gave birth to Nest Café. We explore the philosophy behind Nest — not just feeding people, but nourishing communities.

Together, we talk about:

🍲 The dignity of shared meals

🤝 The importance of breaking down the “helper” vs. “helped” divide

🏥 The potential of food as medicine within the healthcare system

🌱 What it takes to sustainably feed a community — and why it matters Nest Café isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a movement rooted in love, equity, and the power of showing up for one another.

🎧 Listen in for an inspiring conversation about food, faith, and what happens when we build tables big enough for everyone.

Lots of shout outs in this episode, including Jerry Jones, Diann Gano, Clara Caldwell, Katie Thompson, St. John's Lutheran church, and more! 

Check out www.nestcafeqc.org to learn more about Nest.

Check out www.rockislandline.com to learn more about the work I'm doing at Rock Island Line.

This episode is dedicated in loving memory to Clara Jane Caldwell (1929-2022)

Today's episode covers the July 14, 2025 Rock Island City Council meeting - a complex meeting that covered a lot of ground. You can view the agenda and watch the City Council meeting through the City of Rock Island website. Express episodes bring you the highlights in case you don't have time to watch the 2 hour 25 minute meeting yourself :)

Visit www.rockislandline.com to learn more about all the cool things Rock Island Line is doing/planning/manifesting. 

In this episode, Annika sits down with Adam Peters, Director of Operations at Clock, Inc., an LGBTQ+ community center based in Rock Island, Illinois. Adam shares his personal connection to Rock Island and the powerful, affirming work Clock is doing to support LGBTQ+ individuals across the region.

We dive into big questions and urgent topics, including:

🏳️‍🌈 The core values of freedom and belonging

⚖️ Harmful policy changes in Iowa threatening LGBTQ+ well-being

🏙️ Why it matters for cities to be actively affirming, not just tolerant

💼 How cities can approach affirming economic development

💬 And yes… somehow, we spend a little too much time talking about truck nuts

Whether you’re a Rock Island local or just care about how cities can show up for their communities, this one’s for you.

🔗 Learn more about Clock, Inc.: https://www.clockinc.org

🎧 Subscribe for more Rock Island Line episodes

💬 Leave a comment — we’d love to hear your thoughts!

OTHER LINKS THAT GIVE CONTEXT TO THE EPISODE:

Find out what you value by doing the values sort here: https://www.think2perform.com/values/

The complicated history of Thomas Jefferson: https://www.history.com/articles/declaration-of-independence-deleted-anti-slavery-clause-jefferson

A little background on truck nuts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truck_nuts

#RockIslandLine #ClockInc #LGBTQRights #AdamPeters #RockIslandIL #LocalPodcast #AffirmingCommunities #IowaPolicy #QueerJoy #MidwestVoices

In today's episode, Annika interviews Thurgood Brooks. You have probably heard his name if you pay any attention to Rock Island politics and leadership. Annika and Thurgood discuss the generations that came to Rock Island before him, how faith, athletics, and politics shaped his upbringing, how he sets out, not to "help" people in Rock Island, but to set up systems and make connections that create an environment where residents can help themselves, and his plans to continue serving Rock Island County in the best way he can. 

To learn more about the Rock Island Line podcast, head over to www.rockislandline.com. Through the website, you can read articles addressing local topics and find out about upcoming events. 

Music credits: Intro and Outro music: Epidemic Sound- "Different Times" by Jett Everill. 

In this episode of Rock Island Line, we sit down with Dylan Parker, Fifth Ward Alderman and the longest-serving—and youngest—member of the Rock Island City Council. Dylan moved to Rock Island from Davenport in 2011, drawn by the city’s historic charm and tight-knit neighborhoods. Now serving his third term, he brings a deep commitment to egalitarianism and democratic socialism to his work in local government.

We talk about what he's learned on council, how his values shape the decisions he makes, and what he envisions for the future of Rock Island. From the structure of council meetings and infrastructure to economic opportunity and civic engagement, Dylan shares a thoughtful perspective on where we’ve been—and where we’re going.

To learn more about the city, visit the city's website at https://www.rigov.org/

To learn more about Rock Island Line, to donate, or to participate in the evolution of this community project, please visit www.rockislandline.com

Music credits: Intro & Outro music: Epidemic Sound - "Different Times" by Jett Everill. 

Express Episodes cover important city meetings in, hopefully, 5 minutes or less. This episode covers the 6.23.25 Rock Island City Council meeting. You can watch the meeting HERE. 

Visit www.rockislandline.com to learn more about all the cool things going on at Rock Island Line. 

In this episode of Rock Island Line, I sit down with Mark Poulos, 6th Ward Alderman of Rock Island.

Mark shares his life story—growing up in poverty in Rock Island, serving in the military during the Vietnam War, and spending 33 years on the Rock Island police force. We also dig into one of the biggest issues facing Illinois cities today: the rising costs of police pensions. It’s a candid and thoughtful conversation about public service, fiscal responsibility, and the future of our community.

🎵 Music Credits: Intro & outro music: Epidemic Sound — "Different Times" by Jett Everill

Visit us at rockislandline.com — where you can listen to more episodes, read articles, and support this project. If you like what we’re doing, please consider making a donation and sharing the show with a friend!

Please enjoy this conversation with Jenni Swanson, 4th ward alderwoman of Rock Island, IL. 

Jenni and I discuss her relocation to Rock Island, what she loves about the city and how she sees Rock Island's identity, the most common reasons residents reach out, the downtown redevelopment, projects going on in the 4th ward, the controversy surrounding the Milan Bottms, ARPA funding, and what she views as the biggest strenths and challenges facing the city. 

We discussed the See, Click, Fix feature the city offers. If you have any issues that need attention, check out the See, Click, Fix function here: 

https://seeclickfix.com/rock-island

Music: 

Intro train horn: Robert Mitchell's Love Letter to the Midwest clip from YouTube

Intro/outro music: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/IFrcTbuFH1/

If you like Rock Island Line and want to support the work we do, please visit www.rockislandline.com and consider donating! 

We love you, Rock Island!!

Your update on what went down at the Rock Island City Council meeting on June 9th, 2025 in under 5 minutes. Watch the full meeting here.