News-Gazette, Town Hall #12: Move to Urbana Joined Community
Urbana, IL (News-Gazette)—With just a week to go until the primary, it’s getting personal time with the six candidates in contested races in Urbana. In Part 12 of our “Your Questions, Their Answers” series, resident GIOVANNA DIBENEDETTO asks the two Democrats running for mayor: When did you move to Urbana and why did you move here? What community organizations and/or projects have you been involved in since moving here and how will you continue to promote the objectives of them if elected on Feb. 25?
“My husband and I have lived in Urbana and been involved in our community for over a decade.
“Before moving here, we lived in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. When my husband got a job at the University of Illinois Foundation, he worked here during the week and sent me pictures of locally made scones, pizza and other Urbana delights. He kept suggesting I visit for a long weekend. When he brought his bike down, I knew things were serious.
“When I visited, I fell in love with the brick streets, towering trees and bike- and walk-friendly neighborhoods.
“In 2014, we rented on Main Street near downtown and saved for a 670-square-foot home off Washington by Huaraches Moroleon. I began working at the University of Illinois in 2017, and in 2020, we purchased a three-bedroom house a few blocks from Carle Park.
“In 2015, I founded projects like Imbibe Urbana, Urbana First Fridays and the Mistletoe Market, which brought thousands to our downtown to support local businesses and create community connections and engagement.
“In 2020, during COVID, I started the Urbana Amble Front Yard and Garden Tour to bring people from all backgrounds together to look at and share how to grow things such as food in your front yard, interactive art projects, landscaping designs and native plants.
“I’ve served on the Urbana Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission since 2016, gaining insights into city operations, budgeting, policy-making and the challenges facing youth and marginalized communities. This experience has allowed me to collaborate with city staff and make meaningful contributions to the operation of our city’s infrastructure by helping to bring in millions of dollars of grants to improve our streets.
“My passion for elevating our teens’ voices and starting a teen council led me to join the Urbana High School PTSA. I want to collaborate with Urbana School District leadership and use my experiences and connections from working at the University of Illinois to help our schools thrive.
“I want Urbana to be a place where everyone feels safe, housing is affordable and we are connected as a community. I look forward to moving Urbana forward.”
—ANNIE ADAMS
