Meet DeLano

My name is DeLano D. Cain-Watson, and I’m proud to live right here in Ward 1. I’m not a career politician — I’m your neighbor, your advocate, and someone who shows up for this community because I live in it, just like you.

As a first-generation college graduate with honors, I’ve worked hard my whole life. I went to Jefferson Middle School, spent part of my high school years at Hempstead, and graduated from the University of Dubuque, where I served three years as Vice President of the Student Government Association. I came back to Dubuque in 2020 and have been working on the ground ever since — both in public health and as a small business owner.

By day, I work as a Case Manager and Field Benefits Specialist at the Dubuque Visiting Nurse Association, where I connect people — including those living with HIV — to the medical and support care they need to live healthy, dignified, and fulfilling lives. I’ve seen firsthand how systems fail our most vulnerable neighbors, and I fight every day to help them navigate those barriers with compassion and respect.

By passion, I run my business, Eternau Wellness Co., which I founded five years ago to provide holistic healing, wellness services, and care rooted in equity. I also serve as President of Table for Us, a local nonprofit that centers the Black voice within the arts — from photography and graphic design to yoga, meditation, and all things mindfulness and creative expression. I’m proud to help create space where healing, culture, and visibility thrive. I also serve on two statewide advisory committees for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and was appointed by the Dubuque City Council to serve on the City of Dubuque’s Equity and Human Rights Commission, where I’ve worked to ensure every resident’s voice is valued, protected, and heard.

I'm running for City Council because it's time for a younger face that more accurately reflects the diverse faces of our Dubuque community. I bring experience that spans generations and systems — from healthcare to education, business to government — and I know how to listen, collaborate, and get things done.

I’m focused on the issues that actually matter to us:

• Being a City Council member who actually shows up for you — not just during election season, but year-round, meeting you right where you need support

• Keeping housing affordable and pushing back against never-ending tax increases,

• Making sure small businesses — especially those that qualify under SBA standards — can access real funding and grants,

• Reforming the college grant process so students not only attend school here, but stay here, thrive here, and build their lives here,

• Supporting local medical facilities so more specialists (psychiatrists, dermatologists, therapists) accept Medicaid and Medicare and open doors to the people who need them most.

I’m not here to protect the status quo. I’m here to lead with compassion, speak up when others stay quiet, and bring real solutions to the table. I love this city, and I believe we deserve a council that looks like us, listens to us, and works for all of us.