Wear Purple today !!!

On October 20th we will wear purple to bring awareness to, and put an end to intolerance in honor of the 6 boys who commited suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse at home and in schools. Purple represents spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that's exactly what we would like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality. Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your parents, friends, co-workers, neighbors and schools.

Rest in Peace:
Tyler Clementi
Seth Walsh
Justin Aaberg
Raymond Chase
Asher Brown
Billy Lucas
Zach Harrington
and all other victims of homophobia

Trick or Vote!!!

On Halloween Day, New Era Colorado will be hosting a get out the vote event they call "Trick or Vote." It is the one time of the year that people expect to open their doors to strangers. What better opportunity to get the message out about voting and making sure the Amendments 60,61,62 and 63 and Prop 101 don't pass than to go out and trick or vote. New Era is looking for volunteers and if you canvass with them you get a ticket to a wicked party afterwards featuring DJ Z-Trip. All of the information is in http://trickorvote.org/denver or you can RSVP on facebook by searching: trick or vote 2010 w/DJ Z-Trip

Please Welcome new Colorado Intern Jenny Weyel

Jenny Weyel recently moved to Denver from Berlin, Germany, where she completed her M.A. in Political Science with a thesis on the U.S. prison system. In Berlin she has done solidarity work with detained immigrants pending deportation, and in Denver she currently interns with the Colorado Progressive Coalition (CPC), where she worked on a bill against racial profiling that became Colorado law this summer. In her free time, she tutors residents at a halfway house, plays soccer, and enjoys hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

Jenny will be working on a variety of issues with the Colorado team, including Election Connection work and paid sick days small business organizing. To contact Jenny, email jennyw@9to5.org.

Please Welcome Colorado ARRA and Paid Sick Days Organizer Margaret Gomez

Margaret (Maggie) Gomez, originally from Wisconsin, joined the 9to5 Colorado team in late August as a graduate from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. With a demonstrated passion for social justice, Maggie has most recently been fighting for human rights and the advancement of historically marginalized communities in institutions of higher education and with local area non-profit organizations. With a critical lens of oppression and politics Maggie is an exciting new addition to the Denver chapter.

Maggie is working both on our American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) work and on our paid sick days small business organizing! To get in touch with Maggie, email maggie@9to5.org

Please Welcome Colorado Organizer Margarita Gomez

Margarita (Maggie) joined the Colorado 9to5 team as a Colorado Organizer in late August. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She moved to Denver to attend graduate school in 2008. Maggie started her activist work during undergrad as an intern with the California Faculty Association working on keeping higher education affordable and accessible for all Californians. She also did an internship with Project WISE working on pay-day lending and financial empowerment information among low-income women. She is really excited to be part of such a great organization!

Maggie is mostly working on our Election Connection work this fall - helping to get out the vote and ensure we protect our communities from harmful ballot initiatives! To get in touch with her, email margarita@9to5.org

The Bad 3: In Plain English

This is a great short video explaining three initiatives that will be in the November ballot. As the title so clearly puts it, it explains it in plain English. Please remember to vote November 2nd. These three initiatives will severely cripple the state of Colorado if they pass. Thank you The Bell Policy Center and the Progress Now Colorado for creating this video. If this video inspires you to do more, 9to5 is still looking for canvassers to help make sure that these bad initiatives as well as 62 and 63 don't pass this election. You can check out the job description in our website: http://9to5.org/about/jobs

Welcome 9to5 Colorado's New ARRA Organizer: Jenny Santos!

9to5 Colorado Organizer Jenny Santos was born in Los Angeles to Mexican parents -- Severa Casillas of La Noria de Molinos, Zacatecas and Juan Santos Acosta of El Refugio, Aguascalientes, México.

She comes to 9to5 with an open heart to help protect women’s rights in the workplace and to help bring economic justice to all people. Jenny’s desire to help struggling families comes from her own experiences. Her mother relocated to Denver, CO in the 1980s and suffered social and economic hardship as a recent immigrant. As early as age 5, Jenny was conscious that her purpose in life was to protect her people and the Earth from oppressive powers through the strength of God. She has worked to create systemic change to empower communities of color and believes that the people directly impacted by issues should be leading the efforts to create social justice.

Six years ago, Jenny and Michael Miera founded La Raza Youth Leadership, a program that empowers Latino youth to continue their education and build leadership skills. She is on the board of COLOR, (Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights) an organization for Latinas and their families focused on providing education and advocacy for reproductive rights and quality healthcare. Jenny is also a danzante with Grupo Tlaloc Danza Azteca and believes in preserving the cultural traditions of her ancestors.

As a new organizer leading 9to5’s ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) efforts, Jenny will work to ensure that ARRA information reaches all communities and that women and people of color are well-represented in efforts to make ARRA and the new economy more inclusive.

Jenny can be reached at jenny [@] 9to5 [dot] org or (303) 628-0925.