We were overwhelmed by the response to our call for your New Year's resolutions for our region. This word cloud of commonly reoccurring words from your submissions offer a glimpse into the varied, ambitious goals we have for this remarkable place.

Third Street SE in the heart of the New Bohemia neighborhood is a place to see and be seen. A place to browse locally owned shops for vintage furniture or high-end fashion or books. To meet over a cup of coffee, a beer or a meal. To experience artists’ installations or shop your way through the NewBo City Market — the latest jewel adding to the neighborhood’s vibrancy, novelty and diversity.

When a group of University of Iowa graduate students set out to work with the city of Cedar Rapids to address workforce retention, the group did not anticipate what would surface as one of the most critical issues — diversity.