Shontel M. Lewis
@Shontel4Council
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Denver City Councilwoman - District 8 | Leader in Transportation, Housing & Health Equity | Born & Raised in Denver | Bold Vision & Real Progress for D8❤️
Denver, CO
Joined April 2018
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Last Seen Profiles
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We cannot accept good enough as enough. Rebuilding Denver as a city that is accessible and equitable for all will take a willingness to try new things, to drive policy from diverse backgrounds, to think differently. It takes courage.
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This is the point. We shouldn’t wait for people to die or be infected. I think we are also well past the point of containment.
#shutitdown
I feel strongly that we should be reducing RTD services significantly and eventually shutting down for a period of time.
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Never will I tell people how to protest nor how to show up... telling anyone how to deal with their pain isn’t in my warehouse. Nope.
I am encouraging every elected official in our city – legislators, city council, school board and our clergy and civic leaders – to make clear in statements today that anarchy and vandalism dressed up as a protest will not be tolerated in Denver.
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Y’all remember when I asked RTD to incrementally reduce service and shutdown to limit spread. Several Directors spoke about how that would be terrible for those that rely on transit. RTD shuts down due to protestors and not one mention from directors.
#Hypocrites
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My uncle died of COVID last night. I feel rage for my cousins.
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I'm in the Parks & Recreation presentation for Mayor Johnston's 2024 Denver City Budget.
Pickleball is allocated $2,000,000.
Please, remember to speak up LOUDLY for the things you want to see in the city. It can work.
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A third of pedestrian deaths in Colorado occur at intersections. I plan to study banning turns on red in the City of Denver to keep those walking, rolling, and riding more safe.
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Proud to be the first OPENLY Black LGBT+ Womxn on City Council, acknowledging the courage of those that served before me in a different context. HAPPY pride! 🌈 IYKYK
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We concluded our March and the
@DenverPolice
kidnapped one of the Black men protecting black women.
@MayorHancock
why are you men doing this. We were peacefully gathered. March for Black Women
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This is literally all my heart desires. More public transit less cars, especially with one damn person per vehicle. Meanwhile we are spending top dollar to expand highways and questioning if transit is a good investment. 🙃
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I have a lot of love & respect for
@pweiser
but we have to give credit where credit is due. The legislation concerning qualified immunity in CO was carried by a brilliant queer Black Womyn Representative
@leslieherod
.
@CNN
you should interview her to learn how SHE got it done.
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Last night the
@RideRTD
Board voted unanimously to have public comment at ALL committee meetings! Y’all have NO idea how much this means to me for YOU! 🖤🙌🏾
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Pulled ahead and ready for what’s next. Let’s gooooooooooooo 🙌🏾💪🏾🙌🏾
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I am committed to DEI 🚩— nominates an all white middle aged executive committee. 😬. Remember when I said the 9 minutes of silence for
#GeorgeFloyd
was performative. There you have it.
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Our Chair started our board meeting with a moment of silence for
#GeorgeFlyod
. Same Chair that cut service into downtown preventing folks from taking public transit to the
#GeorgeFloydProtests
here in Denver. Symbols vs System. At least they
#saidhisname
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People OVER politics, propaganda, property, process, protocol... and Polis.
Just as we all condemn inexcusable acts of terror against a family-owned restaurant, acts of criminal terrorism are just as wrong against corporate chains and public buildings. An attack against any of our lives and property is an attack against all of our lives and property.
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I am an elected official and my existence is a protest. I attend protest. I stand in protest. PASS IT ON
I am an elected official and I protest.
PASS IT ON
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School administrators should respect their students’ rights to peacefully assemble and express their opinion on their own campus.
The camp at Auraria is clean, safe, and respectful and should be allowed to remain while collaborative conversations continue to be held.
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Hey
@DenverPolice
why did you kidnap our friend. He was protecting our March. Lead by Black women.
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We ended this same meeting w/ my asking that we divest funds from security & police contracts. Response from a Director “I don’t see color and we should all treat each other like humans and white people get killed by police”.
#Violence
Our Chair started our board meeting with a moment of silence for
#GeorgeFlyod
. Same Chair that cut service into downtown preventing folks from taking public transit to the
#GeorgeFloydProtests
here in Denver. Symbols vs System. At least they
#saidhisname
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Students should be free to express their first amendment rights on their campuses without harassment or harm from the state.
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I don’t know how much gas cost. Because busssssssssssessssss beep beep
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Such nonsense. We have folks that are unhoused in need of resources/service and yet our leadership response is armed militarized Officers to sweep our neighbors. Sure that’ll fix the problem.
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Y’all know I love me some multimodal transit that gets folk out of their cars and around with some fun. I’d say the smile that’s still glued to my face says it all: we need more. We need interconnected & protected lanes citywide to make these options safer and more accessible.
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Keep paying attention. I am not alone anymore. There are more voices and eyes on this injustice that is so illogical that power is the only excuse. Pat attention to the direction of this conversation, I beg of you.
Colorado Gov Jared Polis's $4 billion transportation funding proposal includes money for highway widening and none for the state's largest transit agency, Denver RTD.
And he's parading it under the banner of emissions reduction and better air quality.
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My social housing study budget amendment passes as veto-proof with 10 votes in favor.
Excited that we’re taking steps toward new solutions to the housing crisis in the Mile High!
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I was born and raised in Colorado and have literally been on buses since I was an infant. We didn’t have a car growing up. We had our first working car when I was in the middle school. It were my love for transit came. I started navigating the system at age 5 alone.
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I went from homeless to leading programs for the unhoused. I went from a DPS student to a leader in DPS. I went from dependent on transit to RTD director. Now, I’m running for City Council to ensure the community that invested in me has the resources we all need to thrive.
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I don’t know who needs to hear this but I am giving away a car & need your help. Help me find a deserving human. I was a teen mom, single mom, survived bankruptcy & the death of my spouse. You know someone of the verge of transformation. Share!
@TayAndersonCO
@CandiCdeBacaD9
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Close to 900k humans in the US have died from COVID. In CO 11k have died. When we talk about getting back to normal & a worker shortage in the same discussion— Or when we don’t. I’m perplexed. Define normal? Then tell me, normal for who?
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Black folks are literally watching lynchings, black bodies being brutalized & expected to go to work, telework, teleschool, parent, spouse, care for parents, risk COVID, send emails — pretend we are okay & this is all apart of the “strong Black [insert] narrative.
#JacobBlake
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BIPOC folks. If you can avoid downtown tonight. Please do. We need in this realm. We need you in this fight. Besides — I trust that you can identify a trap
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How loud must one yell to get through to folks like this — these lies literally put Black Women and Black Men at risk to death. This is racist at best.
Yesterday Republican Douglas County Commissioner
@LoraThomasCO
posted on her Facebook that I “led recent violent riots in Denver.”
I don’t lead riots — I lead protests that are protected under the first amendment of the constitution Republicans claim to love. — (THREAD)
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Denver is working hard to meet the needs of refugees and migrants finding themselves rebuilding their lives from our town. Right now it is *work* which they are asking for, something we need the federal government to expedite and enable. I’m pushing from my position for it.
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What if this pandemic was our opportunity at liberation, justice & fairness— balancing our world. What if equity is on the other side, & we can’t get there b/c we let the same people lead. What if we are wasting a pandemic, failing by forcing normalcy & rejecting change?
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Park Hill Golf Course: Several constitutents inquired about WHY I gave “permission” to our unhoused neighbors to take refuge on a RTD owned parcel. 1. My permission wasn’t sought 2. I support our unhoused folks 3. Questions are good conversation starters. 1/2
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At-Large Councilmember Sarah Parady and District 8 Councilmember Shontel Lewis introduced new legislation to the Budget and Policy Committee that would raise the threshold for opening warming centers and banning sweeps from 20 degrees to 32 degrees.
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Good morning beautiful people and lovers of multimodal options! Just a quick PSA that 7 yes SEVEN
@RideRTD
Board seats are up for re-election. Districts B, C, J, K, L, N & O. If you LOVE our planet and want to make change. Runnnnnnn! Retweet to spread the word. 💃🏾
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I promise I will get back to everyone. I am teaching this morning. Promise you will hear from me. I am not ignoring any of you beauties. Love you much and real big.
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Just curious as why one would need to show their boarding pass when arriving on the
@RideRTD
Aline in order to access the airport? I never seen this when parking or taking a shared ride. Anyone experience this?
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Anyone want to meet in December and have a discussion about TABOR? By discussion I mean I want to figure out just how to tackle this issue and take action. — Spoiler, my angle is increasing transit dollars and expanding transit service. 🤗
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I second this motion. We have a motion on table. Any opposed (we don’t care)? The ayes have it, the motion carries.
@Trevornoah
and the
@TheDailyShow
please contact
@elisabeth
directly to move forward with scheduling as recommended. Thank you. I moved to adjourn this meeting. ✌🏾
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Of you truly desire to protect Black Women. Protect Black lives. Change your habits and form new ones that bring about justice daily. Not just went our lives become hashtags but when you see it in your workplace. Say something. Don’t look away.
Here’s
@Shontel4RTD
calling on white people who’ve come to show their support to continue the message beyond protest:
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Everybody needs restrooms, providing them in easy-to-find places with little threshold for use has to happen.
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At this point, I am comfortable with shifting to calling out bs and hypocrisy. No matter how unpopular it makes me. Most visionaries walk alone and that is the fear of the status quo — change. Redistribution of power.
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Hey
@DenverPolice
you can’t expect peace when you are violent! You can expect peace when you are violent. This. Is. Violence.
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Depressing. The focus on the freedom of those caged and not the fact that those cages are congregate is just sad.
@GovofCO
This isn’t progressive. Don’t betray us.
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It is true. I nominated myself. I know I am the leadership this agency needs— even if they don’t know it yet.
.
@Shontel4RTD
of Denver has nominated herself. She's pushed RTD board's DEI efforts, has advocated for free fares and improving working conditions, and says the agency is too focused on finishing FasTracks.
Follow along here:
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I’ll be working hard for this one. She is a bad ass abolitionist! She was biten by a dog while knocking doors for me AND tried to keep walking! AND she protected the dog afterwards while she was bleeding. Take my money
@elisabeth
and my time!
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The importance of dispatching a team trained to addresses crisis. A man experiencing homeless needs a bed, a meal, services, compassion, support. What he got — violence and charges. This is why I am pushing to ensure our RTD patrons in crisis get HELP not HARM.
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What’s an alternative to saying “Colorado Native”? I am learning to adjust my language but need some help please.
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I could not be more pleased and thrilled to support THE
@elisabeth
. Her courage is beyond words. Her spirit is beyond this realm. Her commitment to humanity is often beyond our visions and our understanding. I love her love. She is power.
#Courage
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Ever wondered what your directors do when they don't want to hear from their constituents? They forward them to me -- because I listen.
#dobetter
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Tonight officially concluded my service on the
@RideRTD
Board. I am forever grateful for your trust to serve. It has been a pleasure and an honor.
@RuschaWrites
now takes the reigns for District B. Lead with love, data and fiery passion. 🫶🏾💞
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"...the average monthly rent in Denver was $2,105, or 30% for someone making $84,000, a salary more than double Denver’s minimum wage."
We need social housing in Denver.
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Tonight
@DenCityCouncil
voted to extend Mayor
@MikeJohnstonCO
's Continuing Emergency Resolution for the Unhoused.
Now, I call on my colleagues to lead, not in rhetoric but in action, to address this citywide issue with a citywide solution.
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After today. I will have more time to bring more attention to the egregious actions of
@GovofCO
Polis using his power to reject science & betray our trust, denying early vaccine access to those in congregate settings including jails/prisons & our unhoused.
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Imagine being told your entire childhood that your neighborhood, and thus your neighbors, were the “ghetto” then getting elected and realizing politics is the real ghetto.
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“[Councilwoman] Lewis said she often hears from her constituents on how to make streets safer. She's had conversations with other cities about banning turns on red lights and also spoke with coalitions across Denver about the idea.”
Denver councilwoman proposes no turns on red after deadliest year of pedestrian and cyclist accidents
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@CutThePlastic
@nbminor
@sarahparady
I absolutamente oppose this and I believe we should always prioritize the investment of our dollars in multimodal options. It’s wild that we are still expanding roads in 2023 but especially when there is a train RIGHT there!
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My love for my community, for our people is boundless. I love deep. I love hard. I care to the point of burden and pain. Watching
@GovofCO
harm so many communities with his harmful policies warrants righteous rage.
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I’ve advocated and fought for months for unsheltered residents in District 8 to be treated with compassion and dignity. This morning we helped move our largest encampment in to the newly opened 4040 site, so much love and joy shared with folks. Works not over, let’s keep going.
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Last night I told y’all to build new habits, build your racial justice muscle. Here is your chance allies. Email the editor. Let the
@denverpost
know that this kind of irresponsible reporting and use of the photo of a Black Woman calling for peaceful protest is not only dangerous
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🙄. Right now I am trying to figure out how to make my dressing taste like my Moms. She keep saying “just come over & let’s make it together, I saw
@MayorHancock
traveled & you ain’t as important as him.” 😂😂 I mean. I guess she’s right lmaooo 🌒
#ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies
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As a Mom of a beautiful black boy artist. Doubling down doesn’t do anything for me AND my son is alive. Arrest the COPS.
Tomorrow is exactly one year since the tragic death of Elijah McClain. Together we not only remember and celebrate the life of
#ElijahMcClain
, but redouble our efforts for justice and an end to systemic racism in his name
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You asked. We delivered. This is on the agenda for October 20, the board will have to vote if we will offer Free Rides on Election Day! I am hopeful!
Should RTD offer free rides to the polls on all of our system on Election Day?
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Twitter literally sends me the best followers. These are my words from 2018 during my election, when some thought my criminal background should disqualify me to serve. I love y’all. 🖤🙌🏾😭💪🏾✊🏾.
@Shontel4RTD
“Now, over a decade later, I am a stronger and more compassionate person because I know firsthand the trauma that can come from economic insecurity and the stigma associated with seeking mental health care and being in the criminal justice system.” We stan.
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We are discussing a fare increase for budgetary planning. I do not support the proposal today or tomorrow. We are running Saturday/Sunday service and have the nerve to ask our lowest income riders for more money. Somebody get God on the line to make it make sense.
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Ridiculously proud to be in the company of a visionary like
@elisabeth
Waking up daily with a vision in a visionless world is exhausting. I love y’all but it’s exhausting to be seen as crazy because the old “that’s they way it’s been done” get in the way of true progress.
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I’m proud of my colleagues on Council tonight for unanimously supporting the city’s efforts to open housing resources citywide to address the unsheltered homelessness crisis.
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This is what leadership looks like. Thank you
@District4Denver
Councilwoman Diana Romero Campbell for working so hard to collaborate as a city to solve our citywide housing crisis.
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This is racism.
If you’re not outraged, you aren’t paying attention.
Note: the “stolen vehicle” they were looking for was a motorcycle, not a SUV.
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A reminder. When people don’t engage in a process it isn’t because they don’t care. Life is full of pressing issues. We should ask what we’ve done to ensure accessibility?
#copolitics
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St*pleton is in my district and I am certainly in support of this name change. It has been a long time coming.
Why does Denver still honor a former KKK leader with a neighborhood?
I am calling on city officials to publicly denounce the name “Stapleton” and urge their neighborhood association to change the name!
cc:
@MayorHancock
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True, I’ve been unhelpful. 1. Not my District. 2. Not a Fire Marshall. 3. Not sure what I would report. 4. Thoughts and prayers are hollow without policy change 5. Sign up for rider alerts
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Let me be absolutely clear: the solution is funding. Our state’s public transportation system is one of the most drastically underfunded in the country.
The issue’s plaguing RTD are financial, not structural. What’s the issue this bill is trying to solve?
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On Tuesday, I announced expanding mental health supports and divesting in our security contracts. I’ve drafted a resolution and asked on Tuesday for other director support.
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Folx argue our siblings experiencing homelessness don’t pay $$ for shelter. I reject that. $$ paid for mortgage/rent payment is crumbs compared to the price our siblings pay in physical, systemic, emotional and generational tax.
@CandiCdeBacaD9
@TayAndersonCO
Let’s dig.
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Unpopular opinion. To be clear. You don’t arrive at a 166 million dollar budget deficit from 6 months of COVID.
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8 years of catching the ride to my flight, rather than driving. The A Line needs improvements, but I'm grateful to have it as an option in my travels.
#DidYouKnow
🤔 8 years ago today, the A Line opened!
The 23-mile commuter rail line connects Denver Union Station to Denver International Airport at speeds of up to 79 mph, expanding the region’s access. Tell us what you love about the A Line in the comments below!
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This is certainly my story. Many think I am a felony, I am not, but I have no problem owing my truth & telling my story — if it was one as a felon. No shame. People will lie & tell you that “you paid your debt to society” you don’t & the most liberating is not giving a... [....]
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Defeats the purpose of regionalism if those with means can have a public tantrum to get their way. Dare I be the first to say — maybe it is time we break up with Boulder?
#copolitics
#breakupwithBoulder
NEW: Looks like Boulder County will get that $34M in federal relief $ originally destined for RTD.
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Whew chillllleeee. I was just “called out” by a Director because I am live-streaming our board meeting. She is concerned about transparency. 🤦🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️
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Y'all I have to share -- I'm disappointed that rent control didn't pass.
The question is not rent control or not, but how we use tools like rent control, the creation of community-owned housing, strategic upzoning, and more to reach the goal of rent stabilization.
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We’ve arrived. I left the house at 7:25 am on the 73 to the Aline. I am here. At 8:19 am. One bus. One train. A car lite lifestyle is possible (more enjoyable with sidewalks).
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Move along to where? Even “soft sweeps” are a traumatizing moment for people already experiencing the emotional instability from continued forced relocations.
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I know the counting of votes & waking up to what feels like a repeat of yesterday is anxiety inducing. For BIPOC folx, this is our existence, everyday. While
@JoeBiden
is our President. It doesn’t change the politicizing of BIPOC lives. 45 supporters don’t disappear.
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Hear me out. Pickleball after school programs with snacks, homework help and extend hours for working parents?
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I have no expectation that our unhoused neighbors are seeking permission to survive & most certainly not from me. When people are experiencing homelessness, they have nowhere to go. We will see a lot more of this & pray one day it isn’t you.
#compassion
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Funding for
@VisionZeroDen
will continue in 2023 with unanimous support from the City Council.
Thank you to my co-sponsors on this amendment, Councilwoman Parady and Councilmen
@DenverPerfect10
&
@DarrellBWatson
for their support in this push.
Still at the dais doing work.
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I am proud of the collaborative work from this Council today. We worked together to break a cycle of continuing concern by our constituents across the city and, by being bold and willing to think differently, today we’ve created real change for our city. The work will continue.
Just now,
@DenCityCouncil
unanimously approved a budget amendment that will direct nearly $30M to stop evictions. That means 5-6K households won’t be displaced in 2024.
Huge thanks to all the advocates who worked on this.
@COCommonGood
@TogetherCO
@denvermetroTU
@CoEvictionDef
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I’m proud to see Mayor
@MikeJohnstonCO
walk his talk and share in the moment of relief felt by our neighbors as they learned they wouldn’t be further traumatized by a violent displacement. We can do better, and this week: we are and we did.
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If you aren’t careful you might believe that the most pressing issue and/or only issue to solve in our community is the PHGC and 2 O. My friends, let’s expand our dialogue. Please. When are finally going to talk about Denver Health?
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My heart is filled with so much gratitude this morning. This campaign was and is grounded in community, humanity and love. And this is a win for the community. Thank you. I love y’all.
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A question was raised last night at the premier of
#RunningwithmyGirls
as to if we’d do it all again. While I haven’t had many policy wins & most days it blows. It isn’t about what I can pass but what I can prevent. What issues I can raise. What dialogue I can create.
#KeepGoing
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Boulder has a guaranteed income project, unconditional for two years. That’s all.
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@elisabeth
I actually feel this pain deeply. I’ve been “buying/leasing a car” for like 4 years lol. I am really hoping that in the next few years we’ve made so much movement at RTD with our leg folx that no one has to experience this heartbreak (both financial/environmental). On we press.
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You love to see it.
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I have an emotion about dragging luggage through the snow to catch the 73 on Quebec. It was a temporary inconvenience (& calorie burner) but I am like how does someone w/ a mobility device do this. I mean — I was literally walking in the streets at times because…what?
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