West Valley City Journal | August 2023

LONG-TIME WEST VALLEY CITY RESIDENT

JEANETTA WILLIAMS CARRIES ON AS PRESIDENT OF LOCAL NAACP BRANCH

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

For30 years she has been president of the Salt Lake branch of the NAACP. She has been at the forefront of issues affecting the local Black community, from police reforms to educational opportunities available to youth. She has received local and national recognition for her work and has rubbed shoulders with national and world leaders.

Jeanetta Williams has become synonymous with promoting the cause of and bettering the lives of Black residents and other minority communities in Utah and beyond.

Williams has done all this while calling West Valley City home since moving to Utah in 1988.

Her journey in civic engagement began in her hometown of the last 35 years when her interactions with city police on different issues led to her appointment to the West Valley City Professional Standards Review Board, a volunteer citizens panel that reviews police-related complaints, use of force occurrences, and vehicle pursuits. Williams served there for 20 years. She has also spent time on several other city committees.

Fostering relations with the city’s different ethnic communities to instill more harmony and reduce crime has been an emphasis of city government in light of it being one of perhaps the two most diverse in Utah, along with Salt Lake City. Williams feels that relations between police and those communities have improved over the years, as she has tried to get each side to better understand how they view each other and their respective challenges.

In her role as president of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch, she has reached out to law enforcement in part by recognizing top first responders during the organization’s annual Martin Lu-

ther King Jr. luncheon. “It has the police officers knowing that everybody’s not out there hating on the police,” Williams said. “We’re saying that we appreciate the work that you’re doing.”

The Black population of West Valley City stood at 2.5% of the city’s 140,000 residents, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. It was 1.1% in the 2000 Census. Overall, the minority population of West Valley City exceeds the number of white residents.

“I’ve seen a lot of things that the city is doing to become more inclusive,” she said, pointing to the construction of the Utah Cultural Celebration Center which, as its name implies, hosts a variety of programs and exhibits that highlight the various cultures that exist in West Valley City. Williams spearheaded the effort to name a section of 3100 South near the Cultural Center “Rosa Parks Drive.”

As for city government itself, “What I’d like to see is more diversity on the city council,” Williams said. Of its seven members, there is one Polynesian, an Asian, and a woman. “A lot of people just don’t want to run,” she admitted.

Still, Williams feels that Utah doesn’t entirely deserve the reputation it has among some from outside the state about its lack of diversity. “It’s gotten a lot better.”

Despite her long tenure and the controversies and criticisms of her leadership, Williams says she has no immediate plans to step back as president of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch, a position which she has held since January 1993. “As long as I feel that I have the energy and desire to do it, I will continue to do it. I don’t have a cutoff date.” l

Jeanetta Williams has been with the local NAACP branch since 1993. (Courtesy Jeanetta Williams)

Winter Olympian

Salsa Queen recognized

INTERMOUNTAIN MEDICAL CENTER:

WORLD-CLASS HEART CARE CLOSE TO HOME

We’re ranked as one of the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the country–located right here in the Salt Lake Valley.

Classes available at TOSH

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Getting

engaged in the political process can feel daunting.The idea of fundraising, staging a political campaign, marketing, canvassing and doing all the steps it takes to run for office often stops people from running before they even start. But Utah Women Run is a powerful advocate.

Hosted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics, Utah Women Run is a nonpartisan initiative designed to encourage, empower and train women so they can bring their voices to the political issues of the day. Whether that’s running for city council or serving on a board or commission, UWR offers programs to get women involved.

“One of the things that holds women back, and this is not anecdotal, this is research, is that women feel like they have to be overqualified before they run for office,” said Morgan Lyon Cotti, associate director at the Hinckley Institute and UWR board member. “We connect them through our alumni, we connect them with those women who have run for office so they can see what it looks like. They can see what other people have done and hopefully gain that confidence to run themselves.”

Founded in 2011 as Real Women Run, the organizers committed to help women engage in political and public life. More than 1,000 women have gone through the program, getting elected to school boards or government roles and creating a stronger voice for women at the political table.

One of those women is Sophia DiCaro, who now serves as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and works as a senior advisor to Gov. Spencer Cox. In 2014, DiCaro ran a successful campaign that earned her a seat in the Utah House of Representatives, serving West Valley City. She said going through the UWR training was beneficial to her, not just as a representative, but in her future roles, as well.

“Groups like Utah Women Run…are a great way to learn more about what a campaign entails or learn more about what the commitment might be. [A way] to get over that intimidation of the unknown would be to attend some of these trainings,” DiCaro said.

UWR amplifies women’s voices and helps them build platforms that allow those voices to be heard. Cotti has seen an increase in women running for local office, whether that’s a mayoral position or on the city council, and she sees them winning.

Jou r nals

The West Valley Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Cottonwood Heights.

For information about distribution please email hello@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Utah Women Run hosts socials, trainings and other events to encourage women to run for political office, serve on boards or help guide public policy. (Photo courtesy of UWR)

Many women start their political careers at the hyperlocal level before moving onto state or even national leadership positions. She said it’s gratifying to have a woman attend a UWR training, win an election and come back to teach other women how to do it.

“The research is absolutely solid that when we have more than one woman in a room, we have more thoughtful conversations which leads to better policy outcomes,” Cotti said. “It is in the benefit of everyone in our state to have more parity and more equity when it comes to women in political office.”

DiCaro emphasized that women can attend UWR training and never run for office. Using the skills taught in the

program can help women serve in many capacities and roles that help bring enlightened conversations and policy decisions. For more information, visit Utahwomenrun.org.

“It is such a rewarding opportunity to serve whether it be an elected office or an interest group or whatever that might be. It is so important to participate in the process,” she said. “It’s so easy to get involved to whatever degree people are willing and able. There are opportunities out there and groups out there that would love to help.”l

PUBLISHER

Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

EDITOR

Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES

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CIRCULATION

Lydia

PUBLISHER Designed,

WEST

Utah Women Run helps women occupy positions of leadership

Sen. Karen Kwan is still adjusting to that new title, following her quick shift from the state house earlier this year

Ofcourse, we are all familiar with the pejorative definition of a “Karen”—some highfalutin, self-centered person, who seems to enjoy making life difficult for others, for no particularly good reason.

But anyone who’s worked with Karen Kwan on Utah’s Capitol Hill—or with the Karen she replaced in the state senate last winter, Karen Mayne—will tell you, these two Karens aren’t, well, “Karens.”

In the world of Utah politics, Kwan and Mayne are the underprivileged, the underdogs. Sure, sure, for starters, they are female. But more significantly, Karen and Karen are Democrats.

“In the last (state legislative) session, there were 14 Democrats in the Utah House, along with 61 Republicans,” Kwan said. “In my new body, the State Senate, I was one of six Democrats, along with 23 Republicans.”

If ever a Karen deserved to act like a “Karen”—put upon and in an unfair, uphill position—it would seem Kwan had that right. But despite her undisputed position of political underprivilege, the freshman senator is proud of year one in her new post.

“Even though we are in the minority, Democrats still get things done in the legislature,” Kwan added. “I stick to fixing problems. I’ve always been able to work with Republicans. We’re able to find common ground. The number of bills you get passed on Capitol Hill does not reflect how hard you are working. A couple of the bills I was going to introduce never were, because the issues were taken care of in other ways.”

Kwan had just returned from a family vacation last winter, when her political world was turned upside down. Fellow Karen, Mayne, had just been reelected to the Utah Senate a couple of months earlier—but chose to retire from her post, for health reasons.

“Karen (Mayne) and I were both reelected in November; I was all set to go, in my House 31 position,” Kwan said. “Then, just after returning from our holiday trip, Karen announced her retirement. That led to a whirlwind special election. I was one of about nine people who entered the race and the only candidate who was a current member of the legislature.”

Kwan says about 60 Democratic Party delegates cast ballots in the election. The vote was non-binding, as Gov. Spencer Cox would appoint Mayne’s replacement. But everyone expected him to do what he did—appoint the leading vote-getter.

“My first session in the Utah House was in 2017, so I had plenty of experience there,” Kwan said. “But now, suddenly, I was shifting literally as this year’s session began. Even now, with the session over, I am still learning some of the differences between the house and senate. Honestly, I’m still learning my

By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com

exact senate district boundaries. It is, roughly, from 3500 South to 5400 South, and from the Jordan River to 5600 West. I know I used to have about 40,000 constituents (in House District 31), and I now have about 100,000 (Senate District 12) constituents.”

As she learned the ropes at the “other end” of the state capitol building last winter, Kwan says she had a lot of mentors who were happy to help her out. Atop that list was Taylorsville’s “other” state senator, Wayne Harper. Just like Kwan, he shifted to the senate after several years in the Utah House.

“I got along very well with Wayne when I was in the House and he was very gracious to work with in the Senate,” she added. “In general, I found the entire Senate to be very collegial. I don’t mean to bash the House but it always felt like a competition there. In the Senate, it feels more like we work together on policy.”

“Karen Kwan has been a good asset to both the House and Senate,” Harper said. “She works hard to represent her constituents. Sen. Mayne is a hard person to replace, but Karen is doing a good job.”

Harper is proud of the fact, state senate policy discussions include the entire body. In other words, those six Democrats—including Kwan—are not cast to the sideline.

“We respect each elected official and are willing to work together,” he said. “We look for what unites us. Karen (Kwan) has been at the table. She’s been talking. Sometimes I slipped and called her ‘Rep. Kwan.’ But she’s doing a good job for her district.”

Because Kwan was appointed by the governor following a special election, she must now face the general electorate next fall. And although state senators are normally elected into four-year terms, even if she’s

elected in 2024, Kwan will have to return to the ballot in November 2026. Only then would she be seated in the state senate for a full, four-year term.

“That part of it is like being in the House again—running every other year,” Kwan said. “I know the Republicans will be gunning for my seat, because I am new. But I believe my constituents will see what I am doing for them. I love being a senator. But I would return to the House in a minute, if Karen Mayne could still be here. I miss her hard work and energy, every day.”

Sen. Harper had equally complimentary things to say about his former colleague.

“Karen Mayne was a champion for the west side,” he said. “I had the privilege to work with her for many years. Every year, we sat down ahead of the upcoming session to chat one-on-one about what our priorities should be for the west side. Then we worked independently in our different caucuses to get those items covered. She knew her principles. But she could also work across the aisle to get things done.”

For the record, following Kwan’s special election to the senate, West Valley City resident Brett Garner won the special election and was appointed by Gov. Cox to fill her House 31 seat. He was one of the handful of opponents Kwan defeated for the senate post.

On his website, Garner reports, “I am a fifth-generation Utahn, descended from Utah pioneers. My wife Shannon teaches special education resource at Taylorsville High, her alma mater. I’ve worked to improve educational opportunities and fought against threats to our students’ success.”

Like Kwan, Garner will face the general electorate in 16 months.

After another couple of months of legis-

lative interim meetings, Kwan will return for her second Utah State Senate session. Mayne is expected to remain in retirement. And the rest of us will have to keep in mind, not all Karens are “Karens.” l

Karen Kwan has represented Taylorsville in the State Legislature since 2017. This past winter was her first on the senate side of the State Capitol building. (yahoo.com)

Sen. Karen Kwan was among the speakers at this year’s annual Utah Asian Festival. (Karen Kwan newsletter)

100 Companies Championing Women recognizes equitable policies and practices

In April, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity announced it had reached its goal of designating 100 Companies Championing Women, recognizing businesses in Utah with women-specific policies and practices that allow women to advance as leaders in their fields.

“These individuals and businesses represent the very best Utah has to offer,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, in a media release announcing the 100 companies. “They work tirelessly and continually step up to meet new challenges, and the results make our state a thriving place for women to do business.”

Whether it’s providing flexible schedules, part-time benefits, pay equity, leadership programs, child care support or family leave, these companies have forged a new direction in how women are hired, trained and supported in the workplace.

Salsa Queen in West Valley City (2550 Decker Lake Blvd.) was one business selected in the 100 Companies Championing Women. Maharba Zapata, who has legally changed her name to SalsaQueen, was a single mother, a talented chef and the mother of

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

seven children when she decided to turn her hobby into a career.

Her boyfriend, and now husband, Jim Birch, encouraged her to sell her delicious salsa as a way to bring in some extra income. It turned into a career Zapata never expected and her salsa can be found in grocery stores across the country. Now, she’s made it her mission to help women step into their roles as leaders.

“In our company, we want to promote the same way that Jim did for me. He believed in me, he gave me some wings to fly,” Zapata said. “Unfortunately, we don’t all have the same opportunity to have somebody that believes in us and because somebody believed in me, I want to give back to everybody else. They have that power within themselves, they just don’t know.”

Salsa Queen’s female employees are encouraged to take leadership positions, even when it’s uncomfortable. Zapata hopes to change the mindset that women are less important or less valuable than men in the workplace, and she has that discussion with the women themselves.

“I don’t know what it has to do with

being a woman but it’s almost in our genes to be doubtful and self conscious and put ourselves down and think we’re not good enough,” Zapata said. “I didn’t have a career, I didn’t have job experience, I didn’t even finish high school and I was able to become successful. I want to empower a woman to feel that same way and to be able to shine.”

Clearfield City was one of only two municipalities listed in the 100 Companies Championing Women. Along with St. George City, Clearfield was recognized for its flexible leave benefits, family-friendly schedules and women’s pay equality.

More than 170 women are employed at the city with two dozen in supervisory or management positions. Several women in the city have been invited by their supervisors to attend Clearfield’s leadership academy and tuition reimbursement is available to help women cover education costs.

After the city conducted a compensation study to ensure equitable pay based on position, not gender, city leaders implemented policies that were more family-friendly and flexible.

“We wanted to make sure women in the

workplace were taken care of and earning what they should,” said Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd. “Our council’s goal is to have a highly trained and motivated workforce, and that means all of them. It means doing what we can do to ensure that happens.”

Other businesses recognized as one of the 100 Companies Championing Women include Instructure (Cottonwood Heights), Booksmarts (Kaysville), CHG Healthcare (Midvale) and AVIVA (Millcreek).

With on-site child care, female representation in leadership positions, flexible schedules and generous family leave, the 100 Companies Championing Women set the stage for growth and equity. For a complete list of businesses, visit inutah.org/100-companies.

“Times are changing where women are becoming more powerful and more independent,” Zapata said. “For me, it’s about giving women a voice to create their own happiness, their own ending story, their own success.”l

The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity recognized 100 Utah businesses that provide flexible schedules, pay equity and leadership opportunities to help advance women. A list of the 100 Companies Championing Women can be found at inutah.org/100-companies. (Stock photo)

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Parker Lee carefully steered his truck up a steep rock formation. The vehicle’s big tires negotiated the incline until it reached the top. It could have been a scene at the annual Jeep Safari near Moab. Instead, the 14 year old from Sandy was guiding a remote-controlled truck up a nearly waist-high rock pile at a new RC rock crawler course at West Valley City’s Centennial Park.

It is the first known public course in Utah that provides remote-controlled vehicle enthusiasts a place to operate their battery-operated scale trucks in a miniature form of a realistic off-road environment rather than on lawns, driveways or streets.

The idea was hatched by West Valley City Parks and Recreation facility and member section supervisor Rhett Gardiner and camp coordinator Clayton Preston. “We researched and there wasn’t really anything in the state of Utah like that,” Gardiner said. “People using RCs are getting kicked out of skate parks. They can’t go here, they can’t go there.”

He and Preston brought the concept to the Parks and Recreation director Nancy Day, who gave it the green light. “At first we requested a small space that wasn’t getting used for programming or anything

Off-roading in West Valley City

By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

else,” Gardiner said. “It transformed to a much larger space.” The finished product covers about 4,500 square feet.

The crawler course was built with very little expense, using leftover rocks and dirt from other city projects and old tires and tree stumps. Volunteers “helped build it and shape it to what it is. There were a lot of hours donated by volunteers,” he said. Gardiner said they came from as far away as Orem and Eagle Mountain. One guy from Nevada even helped out while he was working here for a couple of weeks. “He was really stoked about it.”

Centerville mom Mitzi Gray made the not-so-short trip to check out the course. “It took us about 30 minutes to get here. They did a fantastic job. This is really cool,” she said. “My husband’s been into this for a while. I was like ‘Hey, you build me a crawler and I’ll crawl.’ My kid’s into it. So all of us do it.” She said it’s a hobby for all ages and abilities, as evidenced by the presence of kids, teens and adults at the new course.

Gray, a member of the Centerville Trails Committee, said the crawler course is an idea she wants to take back to her city as a possible recreation site. “This whole crawler thing has exploded. It keeps grow-

ing and growing,” she said.

Gardiner said the course is a gradual work in progress. “There’s always going to be things changing, and obstacles added to make it more of a draw and more creative” to keep people coming back.

A sign in front of the course lists the rules, including a 3 mph speed limit for crawlers and not moving rocks and other obstacles around. Rock crawlers can generally reach speeds of 10 to 20 mph, but some higher-end models can top out at 40 mph, according to horizonhobby.com.

The RC crawler course is located just southwest of the Centennial Park outdoor pool. It is within sight of the popular pickleball courts and skate park, which is being expanded to include an adjacent bike park.

Parker Lee, 14, of Sandy runs his remote-controlled truck at the new RC crawler course at Centennial Park in West Valley City. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

MARK NEVERS, OD Optometry

Dr. Nevers is originally from Oak Park, CA. After working the last 8 years in Spokane, WA, he now returns to Utah where he previously lived. Dr. Nevers is excited to be back in Utah and to help patients with their vision needs.

Dr. Nevers enjoys helping people with their vision needs so they can actively pursue what they love to do. He loves his patients and the time he can spend with them. He is kind and respectful and values the trust patients have in him to be their eye care provider.

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Rep. Spackman Moss breaks record with 23 years of service as a female legislator

Carol Spackman Moss has made history as Utah’s longest-serving female state legislator. Moss, who has served in the Utah House of Representatives for over 23 years, was first elected in 2000 and has been re-elected every two years since then.

Moss represents District 34, which covers East Murray, Holladay and Millcreek.

“I ran for office because I had a call from my cousin, then a legislator, who said I should run for office because my current representative was not a good advocate for public education,” Moss said. “At that time, I was in my 32nd year of teaching English at Olympus High, and I loved my job. I was, however, getting burned out from grading essays at night, on weekends, and on holidays, and I thought being a legislator might be something I would enjoy if I retired from teaching.

“Note that I started teaching at age 23 but couldn’t afford to retire in my 50s and give up my health insurance. I thought about it for a few days, talked with my family, had a few more legislators call to persuade me to run, and I decided that with all the students I had taught in my neighborhood and community, I had name recognition and thought I would have a pretty good shot at winning.”

In retrospect, Moss might agree that the more things change, the more they stay the same when she characterizes how the legislature has changed since she started.

“The changes I have seen over the years is that the work is more intense, more bills, more meetings, more special sessions. The session is the same 45 days, but the budget has more than doubled to this year’s 29-billion-dollar budget. More bills than ever are written, over a 1,000, this year, but we have the same amount of time to complete the budget. That means more speed, less scrutiny, longer hours, and more competition for funding,” Moss said.

However, one change this year concerns her more over past years.

“The biggest change, especially noticeable this year, is the partisan divide is much greater. When I first was elected, and for many years, the two parties competed, of course, and had some different political views, but this year, it is much more partisan with bills that come from outside organizations, far-right groups that want to restrict what and how teachers can teach, what books students can read, what parents can do in terms of medications for their children who have gender dysphoria, and what rights women have in regards to their reproductive healthcare to name a few.

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

“This session also saw bills combined that forced legislators to choose between something they dislike, like school vouchers, coupled with pay raises for teachers, HB 215, which started the session on an adversarial note,” Moss said.

For a Democrat in a super-majority Republican legislature, Moss has passed quite a bit of legislation. However, the one she most fondly remembers is paving the way for using Naloxone.

“It has also been gratifying to meet people who have benefitted from laws I have passed, whose lives were saved by Naloxone, the overdose reversal drug,” Moss said. “That has saved countless lives after I passed bills to allow police to carry it, local health clinics to dispense it, and now it can be purchased without a prescription from a pharmacy, usually covered by insurance.”

Her last few years in the legislature have been challenging, not due to partisan fights but because she lost her beloved husband, Bob.

“Sadly, my life has changed considerably in the past 18 months because of the death of my husband in July 2021,” Moss said. “I am fortunate that all three of my daughters, their husbands, and my grandchildren now live close by in Holladay, Millcreek and Murray. My daughters attend plays, book clubs, and political functions with me, events that my late husband Bob Moss always attended.”

Does she have any plans on retiring?

“Yes, of course, I plan on retiring. I will announce it when the time is right. Currently, I have another year and a half of my 12th term, and then I will decide. The filing deadline for the 2024 election is next year, the first week in January,” Moss said.

Moving into year 24 of her legislative service, there are things that drive her personally.

“My favorite part of being a legislator has been meeting many people from different backgrounds and professions.

I have gained enormous respect for state employees in all the capacities that make our state run effectively, from the folks at the DMV to UDOT, to employees at the state and local health departments, Refugee Services, Consumer Services Division, the State Board of Education, and more.

“I have also met constituents, thousands of them at their doors when I am campaigning, and at town halls, and other events I attend, from parades to arts festivals in the cities I represent,” Moss said. l

• Proven Experience: As a City Council Member for District 3, I bring experience, leadership, and a deep understanding of the issues impacting our community

• Community Collaboration: Committed to working closely with residents, businesses, and community organizations to develop solutions that benefit everyone

• Public Safety: Prioritizing the safety of our neighborhoods through increased police presence, crime prevention programs, and community engagement

• Transparent Governance: Promoting openness, accountability, and accessibility in local government to ensure that citizens' voices are heard and decisions are made with their best interests in mind

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss speaks at the Utah State Capitol about her Suicide Prevention in Correctional Facilities bill that passed this session. (Photo courtesy of Carol Spackman Moss)

Carr ying a legacy. And a new name.

Jordan Valley Medical Center - West Valley is now Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley West. We're honoring our namesake and honored to care for our community. Find us at five Holy Cross Hospital locations and more than 45 clinics along the Wasatch Front.

Holy Cross Hospital

Jordan Valley West

Formerly Jordan Valley Medical Center - West Valley

Nourishing her community, one lasagna at a time

Every week for the past two years, Deea Hobbs has taken hours to shop and cook lasagna from scratch.

She has perfected her original recipe and often, generously bakes homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies to the meal.

Then, she drops off the dinner to a stranger.

It’s called Lasagna Love.

While Hobbs didn’t come up with the concept to provide this meal service to people, she may have mastered it.

The founder is Rhiannon Menn, who, concerned about food insecurity in her Hawaiian community in 2020, started cooking and delivering homemade dishes to those in need. To her surprise, that snowballed; when others heard of her generosity, they asked if they could cook and deliver hot meals.

Those acts of kindness became a nonprofit, which has turned into a global phenomenon of people reaching out, serving each other. Now, more than 350,000 lasagnas have been served to more than 1.5 million people by more than 45,000 volunteers worldwide, according to the Lasagna Love website.

Hobbs, a Sandy realtor, learned about Lasagna Love from one of her clients, who also provides lasagna on a regular basis.

“It was COVID, and we stopped going to church, so I really missed connecting with people through service,” she said. “When one of my clients posted about it on Instagram, I thought that’s exactly what I need. It’s perfect for me. So, I signed up and started volunteering.”

And recruiting. Hobbs’ sister, in Jacksonville, Florida, and her niece, who lives in Oklahoma, also are part of the Lasagna Love team.

“I’m kind of obsessed with it. I’m always recruiting more people, finding new volunteers, and more people who need the lasagna. I’m now the local leader or the Lasagna Love boss for 10 counties in Utah,” she said.

Hobbs has encouraged people to pledge to spread the word. As a grassroots effort, “Lasagna Love weaves kindness into communities by simple acts of love and from one human to another,” Hobbs said.

On a regular basis, she will drive around to community refrigerators — those that sit in someone’s driveway as a spot to donate or for those who are in need, to get food — and put fliers up about how to sign up for Lasagna Love.

“Even though the pandemic is over, people still need food. The need is just not pandemic-related. I’ve delivered lasagna to people in tents, and I’ve delivered lasagna to mansions. There are no questions asked, no judgment. Sometimes you don’t know what their needs are. Sometimes their needs

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

are lasagna — and they have food in their fridge, but they just needed lasagna and that’s OK. Sometimes, people are desperate for food and lasagna is that needed meal and we’re happy to give them that. We don’t ask their situation or need. We’re just here to provide a meal and to serve. All they have to do is sign up and we’ll deliver them a lasagna,” Hobbs said.

Her fliers have a QR code so people can scan it or they can go to the website, www. lasagnalove.org/request/ and sign up or sign up someone else. By filling out a simple online form, available in English and Spanish, with name, address, phone number, number of adults and children, allergies, an option to share about themselves and agree to consent, it starts the process of pairing the requestee with a volunteer chef.

Hobbs has posted about Lasagna Love on Facebook groups and provided food pantries and service organizations cards about the meals. She’s reached out to families who have babies in the neonatal intensive care units or long-term facilities and to those who provide foster care. She has included cards when dropping off Toys for Tots donations during the holidays.

She has given the opportunity to help serve the community to others, including teaming up with a local Girl Scout troop to make lasagna this month.

“I love offering this as a source, one people can use, but also one for others to use as they serve. I love connecting with other nonprofits,” Hobbs said.

Her 30 volunteers — some working professionals, some retired — set their own schedules. Some may provide lasagna a couple times per week, others, monthly. They may only be able to drive within a 5-mile radius or they may be willing to drive 50 miles. If she doesn’t have someone in a remote area who requested it, she will reach out to churches, social and service organizations to ask for someone to volunteer. Some volunteers may be willing to bake a vegetarian or special order lasagna while others stick to traditional recipes.

“I’ve had people who sign up for lasagna and they live in the middle of nowhere, but they’re thinking it’s not going to happen. But it does; we really try,” she said. “It helps them, and I love how this has changed our volunteers. It has impacted me. It’s inspiring to help people. It’s a ‘pay it forward’ thing. It’s uplifting.”

Knowing her volunteers’ perimeters, Hobbs helps create weekly assignments to fill about 100 requests monthly in her region.

“It isn’t a big deal because it’s what I love. It’s the easiest volunteer gig if you like to cook and you can adjust your budget because it is all self-run. Nobody is giving me money to buy groceries for lasagna; it’s just

something I do. It fills the need for people who need lasagna and fills my need to serve people,” Hobbs said.

Volunteers generally reach out to those who request the lasagna within 24 hours to arrange a day and time for the delivery.

“We’ll ask, ‘Will somebody be available at that time to collect the lasagna?’ It’s contactless for the most part. But sometimes, people will come out when I arrive and they may be crying, hugging me, giving me cards. Or they’ll respond saying, ‘It’s the best lasagna I’ve ever had,’ or ‘I haven’t had a hot meal in a week.’ That is very sweet, but it’s not expected,” she said. “Sometimes, there will be people who I don’t meet, and I never hear from them again and that’s totally fine too. I’m not doing this for someone to show me gratitude. I’m just doing this because I want people to know that they’re

not alone. That is a message that I want to give them. I want people to know the world doesn’t suck. Maybe it will ease the burden for just one night and let them know somebody cares.”

Hobbs feels most at home in a kitchen.

“My kitchen has always been a safe place for me. It’s my favorite place. As a kid, I would get my mom’s cookbooks out and pour over them to find a recipe with ingredients we already had, and I would cook,” she said.

Hobbs said it stemmed from her upbringing.

“I was raised in Indiana by a single mom who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, but she always made sure that we were fed with good, homemade food. She inspired me to cook, but I also come from a long line of people who shared food

A Sandy woman, Deea Hobbs, has perfected her lasagna recipe while making dinner for people who sign up for the meal. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

and cooked. My mom would have every flat surface covered in trays of cookies to give to everyone. Every Valentine’s Day, she’d make the whole town heart-shaped cookies. We were at my grandma’s house for Sunday dinner with all my aunts, uncles, cousins — 30 of us, every single Sunday, and if somebody was new at church or was in need, they were invited to come over too. My mom, even though she didn’t have a lot of resources, she fed people. She credits God for everything, but that was her mission. She still does it and she’s 78. It’s a powerful lesson,” she said.

Now, Hobbs is sharing that same gift.

“Food is comfort and people need comfort and connection. I always felt safe when I had a warm, homemade meal that my mother prepared, and I want people to have that same feeling. I like to help people, and this is a great way to do it,” she said. “It helps me as I have a need to help people. It gets me outside of myself and helps me see different perspectives. It helps me be grateful for what I have.”

Some of Hobbs’ volunteers incorporate making lasagna into their work, such as an occupational therapist who prepares a lasagna each week with a patient so that it helps with their motor skills, she said.

Sandy resident Alex Mettler has made 27 deliveries since he joined during the pandemic. He often has his two children help him make the lasagna and they include a note, that lists the ingredients and is signed by each chef.

“Before this, I felt there were other things I could do to help the community besides being a teacher,” he said. “When a friend told me about this, I knew it was something I could easily do since I like to cook and it’s on my own time so I can make it work with my teaching schedule. I’ve made lasagna now so many times that I don’t look at a recipe and I’ve tweaked it to make it a little better each time.”

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Mettler said many of his deliveries are in Midvale by Hillcrest High, where he teaches.

“It makes me feel good that I can help somebody. When they text me or if I see them, they’re just appreciative; it feels good to help. I’ve dropped lasagnas off at motel rooms; when they open the door and I see there’s a family there, I know it must be tough,” he said. “For me, it’s worth it to help. I buy items in bulk from the big bags of cheese from Costco to the 30-pack of foil lasagna pans from Amazon, so it becomes more economical. I tell my students about it at the beginning of the year; cooking is one of my ways to handle stress, so it’s a bit selfish, but I enjoy doing it. “

Hobbs will often deliver lasagnas with her husband.

“He knows the kitchen is my sacred place, but together, we can deliver,” she said.

Often those deliveries result in connections with people.

“I’ve delivered to hotels downtown that serve as overflow for the shelters and I’ve delivered to a lady who was a double amputee and couldn’t get to work. A lot of people are just not able to prepare food at all and live on TV dinners and frozen meals. The people who don’t get hot food are excited and tell me, ‘I haven’t had lasagna for 20 years,’” Hobbs said. “I like connecting with people, but when I hear some of the sad stories, I’m heartbroken for them.”

She takes a day off work each week for Lasagna Love, to make and delivery the lasagnas.

“I have a garden with tomatoes, zucchini and basil plants so I can make fresh homemade sauce for the lasagna,” she said. “I love creating and sharing food.”

To top off the gift of lasagna, Hobbs will create a heart out of pepperoni slices or red peppers on the top of the meal.

“It is Lasagna Love, after all.” l

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Lasagna, with love, from Deea Hobbs may just be the nourishment several community members need. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

SLCC exercise science student Erin Jackson aiming to repeat speedskating gold medal at 2026 Olympics

Erin Jackson is the first Black American woman to win a winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport. She claimed the 500-meter speed skating gold at Beijing in 2022.

“It was a lot of shock, disbelief,” she remembered one year later. “It was surreal. I felt a lot of pride; I saw my dad’s face, then my coach, my teammates, those who supported me along the way. This was a group win, for sure.”

Jackson hopes to add another medal at the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Recently, she took one month off to recover from surgery.

“I get that itch to get out and do something. I’m being active by going for long walks and spending time on the bike. I’m taking it step by step,” she said. “I always tell people to take that first step right because if you think about your goals as these big long-term things like wanting to go to the Olympics that seems like an insurmountable goal. But when you just take that first step to what you’re trying to accomplish, then the next step comes a little easier. Then the next thing you’re snowballing into your goals.”

Jackson is an exercise science student at Salt Lake Community College.

At 30, she already has graduated with honors from the University of Florida’s materials science and engineering program and earned an associate degree from SLCC in computer science.

“I’m a naturally very lazy person. If I don’t have enough things to fill my day, I’ll just sit down and watch TV. I feel like keeping a few things on my plate helps me with time management,” she said. “My career goal is biomechanics; I want to work with prosthetics. I know a lot of Paralympians and I’m always asking questions, trying to figure out the ins and outs of their prosthetics and devices.”

Jackson, who was named United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year for Roller Sports in 2012 and 2013, followed a lot of skaters who transition to ice to pursue the Olympics. However, she needed some persuasion.

“I didn’t see that in my future. I always thought I’m happy on my skates, my inlines. I hate being cold. Why would I switch over to the ice? I was focused on getting my degree,” she said, remembering she shifted to ice when she was convinced she “could possibly go to the Olympics.”

With four months of speedskating experience on ice, Jackson qualified for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. In 2021, she became the first Black American woman to win the World Cup in the 500 meters. Her Olympic speed skating gold medal is

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

the first since Chris Witty in 1000 meters in 2002 and the first American woman to win the women’s 500 meters since Bonnie Blair in 1994.

The student-athlete was part of a keynote panel for the post-COVID-19 return of SLCC’s exercise science conference, sharing her insights with fitness instructors, personal trainers, students and other exercise enthusiasts.

“I don’t really like to eat my vegetables, but if I do, I just douse them in ranch,” Jackson told them. “Dr. Jen told me it doesn’t hurt to do that, just because you’re dousing them doesn’t negate the fact that you’re still getting your nutrients.”

Her diet and exercise are monitored by the U.S. speedskating team. Two members SLCC Assistant Professor “Dr. Jen” Day, a certified specialist in sports dietetics, and SLCC Associate Professor Carrie Needham, a doctorate who has worked in exercise science for more than 25 years — joined Jackson, describing how they support Olympic excellence.

Day traveled with the speedskating team and watched Jackson win her gold medal.

“It was a really cool moment,” she said. “I was crying and screaming. It felt Erin just brought the whole world together, and everyone celebrated with her. I’m very grateful to be a part of it. It’s probably one of the top 10 experiences of my whole life.”

Day said her role is to pair sports nutrition with the science of exercise physi-

ology and science of nutrition for the 20to 30-member speed skating team, ages 15 to 36, who not only practice on the ice, but often cross train, biking up Big Cottonwood Canyon in the summer.

“It’s a big difference in fueling needs if they’re out on the bike on a hot day in July compared to doing intervals in a cold, dry environment on ice. There’s a lot of education that goes into teaching them depending on their environment, what kind of training they’re doing, what phase of training there and what their nutrition needs are going to be,” she said.

Day provides healthy diet counseling individually as well as team talks.

“I’m teaching these athletes how to eat a baseline healthy diet,” she said, adding that the team also undergoes regular body composition testing, including girth measurements.

Jackson supports a healthy diet and proper training.

“I wasn’t the best athlete before I joined the skating team,” she said. “I relied mostly on talent so when I came out to Salt Lake City, the coach had all these different ideas about training such as warming up and cooling down. I said that I never warmed up and cooled down. My thoughts around exercise and training changed completely. Now, I’m one of those athletes who always asks a lot of questions. I learn why we’re doing certain things. That’s also why I’m pursuing this degree in exercise science; I feel as a top-level athlete,

it’s important to know the science behind what I’m doing every day. I’ve learned fueling can be one thing that people kind of overlook. When it comes to training and being a top-level athlete, people think that you win in the gym, but refueling is one of the most important things. Your muscles are still working and breaking down after training until you refuel them to repair the muscle fibers.”

Day shops and packs food for the athletes and monitors their supplements.

“It is important for them to have access to food that’s going to support their training and I don’t just willy-nilly get everyone on supplements. We supplement based on need,” she said. “I focus on food first. I’d rather them get their vitamin C from a whole orange because it contains carbohydrates, healthy fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants, right? All of these are perfectly packaged in a little health snack. Where if they take a vitamin C supplement, they’re only getting vitamin C. So, I have a food first approach always.”

By monitoring athletes, she has a better understanding of what is needed.

During the Olympic year, Day noticed Jackson was “getting tired all the time. She needed multiple naps a day. We did some blood work, and it wasn’t surprising to see that her iron levels had tanked.”

With a change of diet and supplements, she was able to increase her level and along with it, Jackson had improved energy.

Salt Lake Community College student and 2022 Olympic 500-meter speed skating gold medalist Erin Jackson shared her story with attendees at the school’s annual exercise science program conference. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Salt Lake Community College student Erin Jackson earned her Olympic gold medal following the nutrition and care of the school’s exercise science program. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“We have comprehensive labs so we can see all angles of what’s going on and we have a doctor that provides guidance for us,” Day said. “We work a lot with the physiology of exercise, so we understand what the body is going through when it’s stressed with exercise.”

Needham said that exercise science can support Olympians as well as any population since the concepts are the same.

“I look at how can we take that research and apply it in a real-world setting,” she said, saying it is the same whether it’s for somebody who has a chronic disease and needs to improve their lifestyle through an exercise program or if it’s “training for athletes so that they can improve their time by 1% to make it onto the podium. The job of the exercise or sports scientist is to answer questions from the coach or from the athlete. We can look at research and find answers. We can do testing and find those answers. But when we can answer the questions for the coach and the athletes, then we are giving them valuable information that they can use in their performance.”

Her programs are individualized, matching the physiological profile to the athlete.

“We have to know what that physiological profile looks like and the type of athlete they are. Do they have more fast twitch muscle fiber or slow twitch muscle

fiber? What are the demands of the sport? Is it more of an aerobic sport and they need to be able to do that for long periods of time? Or is it a more explosive sport and they need to have that quick, powerful movement,” she said, adding they run tests, including oxidavitve systems, lactate threshold and aerobic capacity. “That’s valuable information for coaches, for athletes, for a personal trainer, for an exercise therapist, to know what we’re doing is making a difference in that training.”

Jackson said she gives “a solid effort” when it comes to testing.

“Testing is really important because our sports scientists, they use this data to help me achieve my goals,” she said, adding that she also makes sure she gets plenty of rest, stretches and massages her muscles for the next training session. “I used to sleep five to six hours a night because of being a student and staying up late doing homework. I had to work on getting eight hours of sleep a night.”

As Jackson looks ahead to her skating career and the possibility of the Olympics returning to Utah, she’s pumped.

“I’m currently 30 years old and I want to skate forever, but that’s not feasible. I would love to have the Salt Lake Olympics in 2030 and be able to compete on home ice,” she said. “If it’s 2034, I’ll likely be on the sidelines, but I’ll be supporting Salt Lake’s Olympics 100%.” l

Women who work outside the home are supernatural shapeshifters. One minute they’re closing the deal on a $5-million property and the next minute they’re on the phone with their 5-year-old daughter who’s upset because the parakeet won’t talk to her.

I think we can agree women are in the workplace. I think we can agree most households need two incomes to afford the basics like food, shelter and Netflix. I think we can also agree that mothers take on the biggest load when it comes to child care. Well, our country’s child care system is failing women in a spectacular SpaceX explosion kind of way.

This disparity was highlighted during COVID, an infuriating pandemic where millions of women lost their jobs. As child care centers closed, women were usually the ones to step away from their careers to become full-time school teachers, nurses, referees, short-order cooks, video game experts and day drinkers.

Single mothers always draw the short straw when it comes to child care choices. If you’ve never been a single mom who has to decide between using a vacation day or leaving her sick 11 year old at home alone, consider yourself lucky.

Care.com reported on child care costs in the U.S., showing the average family

It Takes a Village

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spends 27% of their income on child care with the majority spending around $18,000 each year. Utah’s costs are a bit lower than the national average but we make up for that by having one bajillion children.

There are always people who say, “Women should be home raising their children. Problem solved.” Guess what? Problem not solved because most families need two incomes to get by, even adding in the cost of child care. When women choose to stay home, it takes a big bite out of the household income.

To combat this, parents work multiple jobs, alternate work schedules with a spouse or partner, rely on family members to babysit and hope their toddler becomes a child star to cover living expenses.

Employers, do you know how often moms worry about asking for time off to take kids to dentist appointments, doctor visits, parent-teacher conferences, lobot-

omies, etc.? It’s constant. There’ve been times when I was shamed by my boss because I needed to deal with a situation at home. That should never happen.

Women and families need child care support and it’s about damn time to get

creative.

Let’s start with free (or low-cost) onsite child care. Let’s throw in flexible and remote schedules that allow parents to be home after school. Let’s address the stupid 40-hour work week that’s not only a waste of time, but a drain on families.

Kim Kardashian pays each of her nannies (she has at least four on call 24/7) nearly $100,000 per year. She got it right. That’s what women should be paid for watching children because it’s mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting. But the average family can’t afford ONE nanny for even half that price.

And, yes, sometimes it’s the father who stays home with the kids (and they struggle, too) but the majority of child care responsibility is placed on mothers.

Mothers are expected to work competently at a full-time job and turn into Mary Poppins/Mrs. Doubtfire/Amelia Bedelia the minute they get home. We’re tired of shapeshifting. It’s making us cranky.

If employers want to hire shapeshifters, they’d better be prepared to offer flexibility, creativity and full value for that skill or we’ll take our talents and go home. And then nobody wins.