It has been one year since the launch of our three-year strategic framework, The Road Ahead. Since our launch, the ACLU of Colorado has worked diligently within our three core issue areas to make sure that Colorado can be the most just and equitable state in the country. In this newsletter, you will learn more about how we protected Coloradans’ right to freedom of expression after holding the Woodland Park School District accountable for violating the Constitutional rights of a resident whose speech district leadership didn’t agree with, how we are fighting to protect the First Amendment rights of activists who were unlawfully targeted by police in Colorado Springs in our Armendariz v. City of Colorado Springs case and how we put an end racial gerrymandering in El Paso County as part of our efforts for systemic equality in Colorado. This is only the beginning of our work on The Road Ahead.

In this edition:

Deborah Richardson standing in front of a light brown brick wall, wearing a red jacket, arms crossed
One Year on the Road Ahead


As I look ahead to my third year serving as Executive Director of the ACLU of Colorado, I reflect on our many accomplishments during my tenure.


Privacy and Liberty:

Selfie photo of Logan Ruths, smiling, wearing sunglasses in front of a pond with a flag pole on the other side of the water
Holding the Woodland Park School District Accountable


Colorado’s school boards’ decisions on policy, curriculum and budget have crucial impacts on students’ abilities to learn, grow, and flourish. With this power comes the ability to cause students harm.

Look Ahead: FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS TO PRIVACY

Biometric data is our most personal — and vulnerable — data. We use it to open our phones, pay for our groceries, monitor our heart rates and learn more about our ancestry and familial connections. This technology has made our lives easier, but without proper regulation, this convenience comes at a severe cost.


Smart Justice:

Photo of three of the plaintiffs in the case Armendariz and Chinook Center v. City of Colorado Springs, et al.
Protecting Freedom of Speech


In August 2023, the ACLU of Colorado sued the CSPD and the FBI on behalf of the Chinook Center, a non-profit organization that serves as a hub for progressive activism in Colorado Springs, and Jacqueline “Jax” Armendariz Unzueta, an activist and Chinook Center volunteer.

Look Ahead: Efforts in Durango

Building on our Expanding the Table for Justice listening tour, we are diligently working to build connections with and increase our presence in Durango and La Plata County.


Systemic Equality:

Ending Racial Gerrymandering in El Paso County

Colorado’s reputation as having some of the strongest voting laws in the country is well-deserved. However, this reputation can obscure the barriers and threats that historically disenfranchised voters continue to face.

Look Ahead: PEAK Week

As the 2024 legislative session draws near, we are gearing up for our biggest community event of the year: PEAK Week.

Date

Thursday, November 30, 2023 - 9:00am

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BRIGHTON, Colo. — The jury deliberating the fate of the third Aurora police officer involved in the death of Elijah McClain has reached a verdict. Jurors acquitted Aurora officer Nathan Woodyard of manslaughter and a lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.   

The following statement can be attributed to ACLU of Colorado Executive Director, Deborah Richardson.  

“The ACLU of Colorado is disheartened by the acquittal of Officer Nathan Woodyard. He, officer Randy Roedema and former officer Jason Rosenblatt had no grounds to stop Elijah McClain in the first place. Their actions that night to use excessive force instead of simply talking to Elijah and allowing him to finish his walk home directly led to his death. Officers Woodyard and Roedema and former officer Rosenblatt all need to be held accountable for more. This egregious use of deadly force by Aurora Police is unacceptable, outrageous, and intolerable.  

“Elijah McClain’s mother, Sheneen, has endured insurmountable pain since the loss of her son at the hands of Aurora police in 2019. The verdict yesterday, and the previous verdicts in October, do not bring the justice Sheneen and Elijah’s family deserve. These verdicts do not help them find peace in a world without their beloved brother and son. He should still be alive today. The arc of the moral universe has been far too long and painful for him, his family, and his community. We all continue to grieve.  

“Just as people organized, protested en masse and held firm in their outrage while demanding accountability, we will build on those efforts to make Colorado a state free from police violence and terror. This moment demands it.”  

Elijah McClain was a 23-year-old young Black man, a massage therapist and gifted violinist. On August 24, 2019, he was stopped by Aurora police on his walk home from the convenience store. Officers then tackled him, restrained him and directed first responders to administer an overdose of ketamine, ultimately leading to his death a few days later. 

Date

Thursday, October 12, 2023 - 9:30pm

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