February 16, 2021 03:39 PM UTC

What you can do to fight for progress this week (February 16)

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• by: ProgressNow Colorado

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Today, the Colorado General Assembly got back to business after taking five weeks off to keep safe during the worst of the pandemic. Now it’s time to get to work one of the most ambitious agendas Colorado’s progressive majority has embarked on in decades:

• A new billion-dollar coronavirus economic relief package
• Strong new legislation to combat gun violence, including safe storage of guns and a requirement that stolen guns be reported to police
• A “Colorado Option” for health coverage to bring down costs and improve care
• Protecting public health workers who have faced threats for doing their jobs
• Justice for survivors of childhood sexual abuse
• Making Colorado’s troubled unemployment insurance system work for everyone

This is the agenda that Colorado voters mandated last November, along with implementing Colorado’s groundbreaking new paid family leave system and protecting the state from painful budget cuts thanks to forthcoming emergency federal aid from the Biden administration. Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said of his ambitious agenda, our progressive leadership in Colorado are ready to answer the charge: “make me do it!” [1]

That’s where you come in. For the next few months, legislators will debate bills at the Colorado state capitol in Denver that are in many ways more relevant to our daily lives than what goes on in Washington. Each week we’ll have opportunities both virtual and (hopefully) in person where you’ll have the chance to testify and otherwise support our progressive agenda.

Let’s get to work! Here are a couple of ways to fight for progress for the week of February 16:

Colorado Sierra Club: Advocacy Workshop Series: Power-Mapping and Identifying Your Target

Have you ever wondered how campaigns or causes identify their target? Who are the decision-makers that hold power? What influences them? What even IS “power-mapping”? If you’ve ever asked these questions, we have a training for you! Join us for the 8th installment of the Colorado Sierra Club Advocacy Workshop Series, where Beyond Coal Organizer Sarah Snead will be giving a run-down of how to “power-map” and identify your target.

Tuesday, February 17 at 5:30pm

Click here to RSVP.

The Black Lives Matter 5280 Compass Awards

Join us this Friday to celebrate our first #BLM5280 Compass Awards. Recipients include: Millete Birhanemaskel, Neha Mahajan , the Denver Black Educators Caucus and Chrysalis House, Inc.

When: Friday, February 19 at 6:00pm

Click here to RSVP.

Also, take note of these great events coming up in the next few weeks:

Women’s Lobby of Colorado: 2021 Legislative Session Kick-Off

Join us *virtually* for the beginning of session kick-off! We will come together as community to prepare for a session of advocating for gender equity.

When: Wednesday, February 24 at 5:15pm

Click here to RSVP.

9to5 Colorado: Housing Justice Lobby Day

Join us for our virtual Lobby Day to support Housing Justice! Lobby Day is one of the most important chances during the legislative session for 9to5 Colorado and our members to push for our values to be represented in policy decisions and become law. We will be speaking about the Rental Late Fee Bill that we are leading and ways to get involved with the legislative process. Together, we will discuss actions that we can all take to apply pressure to the legislature and make sure that our communities’ struggles are recognized.

When: Wednesday, February 24 at 6:00pm

Click here to RSVP.

*VIRTUAL* Colorado Reproductive Freedom Lobby Day

Join the Colorado Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Coalition as we host our first ever *VIRTUAL* lobby day at the state capitol. We will hear from story-tellers and activists in our movement followed by a lobby training. We will then join breakout rooms to meet with legislators. The event will conclude with a very special guest!

Wednesday, March 24 at 9:00am

Click here to RSVP.

Thanks again for all your help. If you have an event you’d like to see promoted in our weekly action alerts, send an email to info@progressnowcolorado.org with a link to the details. We’ll see you next week with more ways to fight for progress.