The ACLU of Colorado is excited to announce the hiring of Alejandra Garza de Gutierrez and Rebecca Curry, the latest staff members to join our fight for civil rights and civil liberties in Colorado.

Alejandra Garza is our new Field Coordinator.

Her main focus is developing and implementing strategic advocacy, education and mobilization campaigns while working with diverse organizations and individuals to further the ACLU mission. Before joining the ACLU of Colorado, Alejandra served as Communications Director for Denver Public Schools under Superintendent Michael Bennet and Communications Director for the Colorado Senate Majority. In addition, Alejandra is a former television news reporter and producer for NBC KOAA 5 in Southern Colorado and Telemundo KVDA 60 in San Antonio, Texas.

Becca Curry is our new Research and Policy Associate.

She previously served as the Director of Policy and Advocacy at the ACLU of Mississippi, focusing on police bodycams, LGBT student rights and Medicaid expansion. Becca graduated from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. A recipient of Loyola's Gillis Long Public Service Award, she volunteered with the ACLU of Louisiana, the Jefferson Parish Public Defender’s Office, and Loyola’s Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic. She also served as an overseas intern with International Bridges to Justice in Cambodia, focusing on the systemic issues of mass incarceration and torture of criminal detainees in rural prisons. Originally from Houston, TX, Becca received an undergraduate degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado. She enjoys teaching yoga and spending time with her dog Cleo.

DENVER – The City of Colorado Springs informed the ACLU of Colorado by letter last Friday that it is dismissing charges, vacating outstanding fines and sentencing requirements, and voiding warrants in 375 active panhandling-related cases.

The announcement was a response to an ACLU letter from September 15th informing the City that the police department, city attorney’s office, and Municipal Court had been illegally enforcing the City’s panhandling laws against homeless and impoverished people who had not violated those laws.

ACLU of Colorado Legal Director Mark Silverstein issued the following statement:
“We appreciate the City Attorney’s prompt, thorough, and positive response to the ACLU’s reporting that homeless and impoverished individuals had been inappropriately cited, prosecuted, and sentenced for violating panhandling laws that they didn’t actually violate.

“The City’s two panhandling ordinances specifically exempt individuals who engage in passive solicitation—meaning that people who merely display a sign inviting charity do not violate the ordinances.  Nevertheless, an ACLU investigation found that all three major arms of the Colorado Springs municipal justice system – police, prosecutors, and judges – had routinely enforced the ordinances against people who engage in only passive solicitation. The City’s practice had resulted in poor people being fined and imprisoned – for as much as 90 days - under circumstances that could not be legally or morally justified.

“In addition to re-training police, the City has appropriately taken corrective action with regard to hundreds of pending cases by quashing warrants, dismissing prosecutions, and vacating pending fines and sentences of probation.”

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