In north-central Lincoln, along the southern end of the 27th Street viaduct, construction crews have begun the work of grading a long strip of grassy land, turning up the rich black dirt and bringing the future into focus.

The dirt — and what it will become — is Rhonda Mattingly’s dream, her vision of the future for the nonprofit she runs coming into view after nearly eight years of work, of bureaucracy and delays and a pandemic.

“There were many times where I was just so exhausted and I thought — roadblock after roadblock after roadblock — is this going to happen?” she said. “But I stayed true to believing it would. God planted the dream in my heart for a reason, and he's connected me with the people he's connected me to for a reason. So I have to stay true to that, right?”

The dream:

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