Frederick Newell, executive director and founder of Dream City, received the Lifetime Achievement Award Feb. 7 during the Heritage Legacy Awards at the I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa Celebration Day.
The event was held at Horizons Events Center in Clive.
Dream City, located at 611 Southgate Ave. in Iowa City, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting the surrounding community through engagement and advocacy efforts with youth, families and entrepreneurs.
In a newsletter following the event, Mr. Newell said the recognition marks ongoing work rather than a conclusion.
“For Dream City, this season is about clarity, not expansion for expansion’s sake,” Mr. Newell wrote. “It is about strengthening systems, deepening impact, and protecting the people who do the work. It is about building an institution that lasts – one that serves with integrity, accountability, and care.”
Mr. Newell founded Dream City in 2006 to serve children, youth and families. He also serves as pastor of Purpose Place Church and works within the Iowa City Community School District.
I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa is an annual celebration highlighting African American arts, culture and contributions through education and preservation programs. The organization was founded in 1998 following a PBS challenge for communities to develop programs connecting with the network’s “I’ll Make Me a World” miniseries.
The organization’s first event in January 1999 at the State Historical Building drew more than 1,000 attendees. The celebration has since expanded to two days of programming that serves as Iowa’s kickoff to Black History Month.
Mr. Newell acknowledged that his journey has never been a solo endeavor.
“God has been the source of my strength through every season. When the vision felt bigger than my capacity, when the work felt heavier than my shoulders, and when the noise was louder than the truth, my faith sustained me. Since 2006, every step has been covered by grace,” he wrote, thanking his family and community for their ongoing support.
