We at the ACLU of Colorado would like to honor long-time ACLU supporter and former leader of the ACLU Colorado Springs Chapter, William R. "Bill" Hochman who passed away in Colorado Springs at 97 years of age on March 23, 2019.
Bill had a passion for teaching American history and the classics. He loved teaching about the Bill of Rights, civil liberties, and constitutional principles. A long-time teacher and organizer of Colorado College's Freedom and Authority program, he also founded a program on war and peace studies and was a frequent speaker at local civic and bar association gatherings.
He won numerous prizes for his teaching and service to the Colorado College. A former student honored Bill by establishing the William R. Hochman Endowed Professorship of History. Bill was still giving guest lectures at Colorado College this fall and just weeks before his death, he spoke to a packed seminar sponsored by the Colorado Springs World Affairs Council. His talk, like so many others, earned him a standing ovation.
In lieu of flowers, and in honor of one of Bill's favorite pastimes, donations can be made in Bill's memory to the Intramural Sports fund at Colorado College. Gifts can be made at www.coloradocollege.edu/give or mailed to Colorado College, P.O. Box 1117, Colorado Springs, CO 80901. Please reference "IM Sports" with your gift.

We at the ACLU of Colorado are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and Board member, Carrie Ann Lucas, who died Sunday at the age of 47. Carrie Ann was a teacher, an ordained minister and an attorney who championed representation for parents with disabilities. Her fierce advocacy for disability justice and health care reform had impact across Colorado and nationwide, and her personal life exemplified her values. While living with a severe neuromuscular disease she adopted four children who also had disabilities, and she made sure that they were not only educated and included in their communities, but also loved, respected, and supported as individuals.

Carrie Ann came to the ACLU at the recommendation of long-time national ACLU Board member Tim Fox at the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC). Carrie Ann had a powerful history of activism with multiple organizations, as an advocate and legal assistant for the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, founder of Disabled Parents Rights, and most recently as Staff Attorney and Case Strategies Director for the Colorado Office of Respondent Parents Counsel. She was an advocate for Not Dead Yet and ADAPT, and she gained national attention during ADAPT’s sit in at Senator Cory Gardner’s office, helping turn public opinion against repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Last year, Carrie Ann was a leader in the passage of House Bill 18-1104, which changed Colorado law to ensure that disability was no longer a reason to remove a child from the home. Carrie Ann was a Chancellor’s Scholar at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and she was a recipient of the Equal Justice Works fellowship, the Petra Foundation fellowship, and the Intersectionality Award recipient from CREEC.

As an ACLU board member, Carrie Ann brought her lived experience and a passion for justice that enhanced our own awareness and commitment to disability rights. Other civil liberties issues intersect with disability rights in complex ways, and Carrie Ann brought important insight in those cases. Access issues are everywhere for people with disabilities, and nowhere more so than in the criminal justice system, where a high percentage of people in prisons and jails have some type of disability, but access and adequate care are rare.  The ACLU of Colorado was proud to win curative treatment for hepatitis C for all prisoners, not just those who had reached a point of severe physical damage. Carrie Ann's own struggle to receive comprehensive healthcare reminds us of how deep the consequences can be of inadequate access and opportunity. We deeply miss Carrie Ann, and will honor her legacy by continuing to support the causes to which she dedicated her life.

 
 

Hi ACLU Members and Activists,
Due to serious concerns about the weather and out of an abundance of caution, we are rescheduling lobby day to April 3^rd at 8:00 a.m. at The First Baptist. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.
Please join us on Wednesday, April 3 for ACLU at the Capitol, a day of advocacy and action. ACLU of Colorado has an ambitious legislative agenda this year, and we need your help to make it happen.
Meet with your lawmakers and encourage them to improve our criminal system, pass comprehensive sex ed, and make Colorado a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees.
We’ll provide breakfast in the morning and a full training on how to talk to legislators about our priority bills. Then, we’ll team up and head over to the Capitol for lobbying meetings. Afterwards, we’ll meet back for lunch and a recap of the day.
Talking directly with legislators is one of the most important ways for us to win on our issues and to build up long-term champions for civil rights and civil liberties in the Colorado legislature.
You must register to attend: https://go.peoplepower.org/event/action_attend/18416?nr=1&akid=.3331.huJQWf

Travel stipends may be available, email Delana at [email protected]
Thank you for your advocacy!