About Ivette

Ivette Muhammad is a lifelong advocate for families, a proven nonprofit leader, and a candidate for Iowa House District 33 who believes leadership should be rooted in service, accountability, and opportunity. 

Raised in circumstances that required resilience and determination, Ivette learned early what it means to work hard, overcome obstacles, and rely on community to move forward. Those early lessons shaped her values and her commitment to making sure others have access to the same opportunities that helped her succeed. As a mother who raised eight children, she understands firsthand the challenges working families face — balancing finances, prioritizing education, and striving to create stable, safe environments for their children. 

For more than twenty years, Ivette has worked on the front lines of community service. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Creative Visions Human Development Institute, where she has played a central role in expanding programs, securing grant funding, and strengthening services that support individuals and families across Des Moines. Through her leadership, Creative Visions has increased its capacity to serve residents by developing sustainable programs, building community partnerships, and directing resources to those most in need. 

Ivette has helped lead initiatives that provide food and essential supplies to families, support victims of crime, assist individuals transitioning from incarceration, and invest in youth through prevention and intervention programs. Her work has shown her that public safety is not just about enforcement — it is about prevention, opportunity, stability, and strong community connections. 

Education has been a defining force in Ivette’s life. While education opened doors for her, she also recognizes that education alone is not enough. She believes strongly in strong schools that create opportunity — schools that prepare students not only academically, but also with practical skills like financial literacy, critical thinking, and workforce readiness. Ivette believes every child deserves a clear path to success, whether that path leads to college, a trade, or entrepreneurship. 

Her campaign is grounded in a simple but powerful framework: Awareness, Connectivity, and Access. 

Awareness means ensuring residents understand how government decisions affect their daily lives and why civic participation matters. 

Connectivity means building strong relationships between communities and the resources available to them. 

Access means ensuring families have real access to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and safe neighborhoods. 

Ivette is running for Iowa House District 33 because she believes the community deserves leadership that listens, shows up, and delivers results. She believes in smart public safety that focuses on prevention and accountability, strong schools that prepare students for the future, and economic policies that support working families and small businesses. 

She is proud to stand on the shoulders of leaders who have served the district with integrity and dedication, including former State Representative and longtime mentor Ako Abdul-Samad and current Representative Ruth Ann Gaines, whose career as an educator and public servant has made a lasting impact on the community. 

Ivette Muhammad is running not for a title, but to serve. She believes in building bridges, strengthening neighborhoods, and creating opportunities that allow families to thrive. Her commitment is to lead with integrity, compassion, and results — and to ensure that District 33 always has a strong and trusted voice at the State Capitol.