Tucson, Arizona, was the 21st stop on our Listen to America road trip. We spoke to residents to find out what they love (and don’t!) about the city. Here’s what they had to say:

“One of the things I really appreciate about Tucson is the sense of community and social connections that I’ve experienced through my career as a firefighter/paramedic for Tucson. Actually, I’m the first woman firefighter in the history of the Tucson fire department.”

― Deanna Lewis, 55, graduate student/physician assistant

“I’m originally from Denver, Colorado ... I really liked Arizona so I wanted to stay. So, I chose U of A.”

― Brenden Harris, 19, student

“The heat is a challenge here ... Otherwise, I like the climate here.”

― Brenden Spangler, 18, student

“I really do love this city a lot. Partially because it is where I grew up, but I think there’s a lot of charm to it that a lot of people don’t quite see.”

― Brittany Taylor, 19, student

“Sometimes I feel safe. Sometimes I don’t. There are points in time when I’ll get scared when something happens ... I am hopeful. I hope that it gets better.”

― Abigail Williams, 19, student

“My husband and I were heading west in 1978 and ran out of gas here and stayed. We really do like it.”

― Dorothy Cook, 69, retired

“My family lives in Phoenix. I moved down here on campus so I’ve been here for about a month and a half.”

― Mckayla Smith, 18, student/barista

“I got here by accident, but I love it.”

― Alora Cohen, 26, behavioral health technician/certified recovery support specialist

“I’ve chosen to stay because I fell in love with the city. I love what I do for my job. I love the people. I love that every day I’m surrounded by people with like-minded ideals.”

― Cristina Siqueiros, 28, job coach/catering manager

“Fate brought me here ... I’ve had plenty of opportunities to leave ... I don’t want to leave. I think that Arizona is a great place to live. Tucson is my center of existence.”

― Robert Morris, 59, engineer

“It’s like being on vacation every day.”

― James Harrison, 61, engineer

“I have been here for 40 years ... It’s my home and I’m very proud of Tucson. Arizona’s a red state and Tucson’s a blue city. It’s a safe place for me to be able to express my opinions and live the life I value.”

― Claudia Oreck-Teplitsky, 60, educator