Wayne Ford, a pioneering Iowa elected official and nonprofit leader who has dedicated his life to improving the lives of Iowa’s diverse population, announced today that he will donate his historical papers and materials to Drake University. As an Iowa state representative from 1996 to 2010 representing House District 71 in Des Moines, Ford introduced more than 1,400 bills and amendments, including first-in-the-nation legislation that required lawmakers to draft minority impact statements before they can vote on any new criminal laws. He founded and served for 32 years as executive director of Urban Dreams, a nonprofit organization that advocates for improving life in poor and minority neighborhoods. With fellow community activist Mary Campos, Ford founded the Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum, the nation’s oldest presidential candidate forum dedicated to issues of concern to Latinos and African-Americans.