Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission

06/22/2026

A special thanks to council member Robert L Andrews!

06/17/2026

06/12/2026

PUBLIC STATEMENT

The Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission (CBCEC) will be releasing its official endorsements for the upcoming Primary Elections tomorrow.

We appreciate the community's engagement, patience, and commitment throughout this process. Our endorsement decisions reflect careful consideration of the candidates and issues that align with our mission of advancing civic participation, equity, accountability, and opportunities for Black communities across Colorado.

We encourage all eligible voters to stay informed, get involved, and participate in the electoral process.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the official endorsement announcement.



— Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission

06/05/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission (CBCEC) Endorses Six Candidates for Appointment to the Aurora Colfax Downtown Development Authority Board

The Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission (CBCEC) is proud to endorse the appointment of the following individuals to serve on the Aurora Colfax Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board:

Priscilla Montoya
Amanda Blaurock
Thoa Nguyen
Johnny Watson
Cynthia Moreno Romero
Katie Goldman

As Aurora embarks on a transformative effort to revitalize the East Colfax corridor, it is imperative that the inaugural DDA Board reflects the diversity, experience, and community-centered leadership necessary to guide this historic investment. CBCEC believes these six candidates collectively represent the strongest combination of expertise, vision, and commitment to the residents, businesses, and stakeholders of the Colfax community.

This recommended slate brings together a broad range of competencies critical to the success of the DDA, including:

Arts, culture, and placemaking expertise
Community and multicultural engagement
Small-business ownership and entrepreneurship
Government, governance, and public policy experience
Economic and neighborhood development
Cultural and community representation

Priscilla Montoya's leadership in arts and placemaking initiatives has demonstrated how creative investments can drive economic growth and community pride. Amanda Blaurock has built a legacy of empowering diverse communities, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities for immigrant and refugee populations throughout Aurora. Thoa Nguyen brings firsthand experience as a small business owner along the Colfax corridor and a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing local entrepreneurs.

Johnny Watson offers invaluable governance and public policy expertise gained through years of public service and leadership within the City of Aurora. Cynthia Moreno Romero provides a strong voice for culturally rooted entrepreneurship and neighborhood engagement, while Katie Goldman contributes a commitment to community wellness, economic vitality, and inclusive business development.

Together, these candidates embody the spirit and intent of the Colfax Community Vision and Action Plan. They represent a balance of perspectives that will help ensure revitalization efforts are equitable, community-driven, and focused on creating lasting opportunities for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

The Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission strongly encourages Aurora City Council and appointing authorities to select board members who possess not only technical expertise but also a demonstrated commitment to inclusive economic development, community engagement, and long-term stewardship of the Colfax corridor.

The future of East Colfax depends on leadership that understands its history, values its diversity, and is prepared to work collaboratively to build a safer, stronger, and more prosperous community. CBCEC believes these six candidates are uniquely positioned to help achieve that vision.

About CBCEC

The Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission (CBCEC) is dedicated to advancing civic participation, equitable public policy, economic opportunity, and community empowerment throughout Colorado. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, CBCEC works to strengthen communities and ensure that diverse voices are represented in public decision-making processes.

Media Contact:

Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission (CBCEC)
Sean Moore

06/02/2026

Good Morning Beautiful Black Community and Everyone else who loves Black People!

Aurora 2026 Budget break down!
Community Summary: Aurora's 2026 Budget Challenges and Opportunities

Aurora remains financially stable and continues investing in public safety, infrastructure, and community services. However, the city faces two major challenges:

Reduced Development Activity – Fewer homes, apartments, and commercial projects are being built, resulting in lower permit revenues and slower economic growth.
Slower Revenue Growth – City costs for employees, public safety, technology, and operations are rising faster than revenues.

These challenges can eventually impact city services, community programs, and future investments if not addressed.

What This Means for Residents

When development slows:

Fewer jobs are created.
Local businesses have fewer customers.
The city's tax base grows more slowly.
Less revenue is available for parks, roads, public safety, and community services.
The Solution

Aurora's path forward is not simply cutting services—it is growing the economy by:

Supporting small and local businesses.
Attracting new employers and investment.
Encouraging housing and commercial development.
Redeveloping underutilized commercial corridors.
Expanding opportunities for historically underserved businesses and communities.
Key Message

Aurora's challenge is not a crisis; it is a growth challenge. The city must focus on creating jobs, attracting investment, increasing development, and expanding economic opportunities so that revenues can keep pace with rising costs while maintaining the quality of life residents expect.

Bottom Line: Aurora's future success depends on growing its economy, strengthening local businesses, and ensuring that all neighborhoods benefit from that growth.

06/01/2026

Statement to the Black & POC Community of Aurora
On DDA Leadership, Representation, and Community Power

Black Aurora, listen — the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is not just another board or committee. The DDA is a powerful economic engine, and the decisions made inside that room will shape housing, business opportunity, redevelopment, wealth, and community stability for the next 30–50 years.

The DDA is vital, and it must be driven by the community, not by special interests, outsiders, or individuals disconnected from our lived experiences.

And here is the truth:

The DDA boundary is 80–90% People of Color—Black, Latino, immigrant, and refugee communities.

This is the heart of Aurora's diversity.
This is the cultural and economic engine of the East Side.
This is where the impact will be felt the most.

**Because this district is overwhelmingly POC, representation is not optional.

It is essential. It is justified. It is morally correct.**

We expect — and demand — that a person of color, a qualified member of the community, someone with real roots in the corridor, be appointed to the DDA Council.

Not as a symbolic gesture.
Not to check a box.
But because:

This is our neighborhood.

These are our small businesses.

Our families live here.

Our future is tied to what the DDA does next.

We must have a seat at the table where decisions are made.

The community deserves leadership that reflects its identity, understands its challenges, and is committed to equitable outcomes and transparent redevelopment.

The DDA will shape:

Who gets contracts

Who gets displaced

Who gets business support

Who benefits from new development

Who has access to opportunity

Who builds wealth

Representation matters — especially when billions in long-term redevelopment, equity, and economic justice are at stake.

Aurora’s DDA must be accountable to the community it serves.
And the community it serves is overwhelmingly people of color.

We are not asking.
We are stating a fact:

A qualified person of color must serve on the DDA Council — because the community deserves leadership that looks like Aurora, understands Aurora, and fights for Aurora.

This is about equity.
This is about fairness.
This is about the future of the East Side.
And this is about making sure our voices are not erased in the most important economic decision-making body in decades.

05/30/2026

I am proud to endorse Sarah Woodson for State Representative, House District 42.

“Sarah will effectively represent the interests of House District 42 at the State Capitol with professionalism, diplomacy, and a collaborative spirit. She understands the challenges facing working families and has the experience, vision, and determination to deliver meaningful results. A proven advocate for public safety, economic opportunity, and equity. Sarah is prepared to be a strong voice for Aurora & Colorado.” Commissioner Rhonda Fields

To learn more about Sarah's campaign and join her team, please visit:
https://www.woodsonforcolorado.com

05/20/2026

Colorado Black Community, City of Aurora inparticular— We Need to cut the "S**T" and Have an Honest Conversation.

For too long, we’ve been playing the role of political fools.

Republicans fight to take away our rights, while Democrats only remember us when election season comes around. Every cycle, we are promised change, equity, investment, and opportunity — and yet many of our communities are still struggling with poverty, displacement, violence, and lack of ownership.

How do we continue to have Black representation on city councils, boards, and commissions, but the only thing we seem to mobilize around is reacting after another police shooting?

Yes, police accountability matters.
Yes, justice matters.

But where is the fight for:

Economic mobility?
Black home ownership?
Business ownership?
Land ownership?
Access to capital?
Community development?
Workforce pipelines?
Real wealth-building opportunities?

We are still disproportionately broke, locked out of ownership, and being pushed out of neighborhoods we helped build. Housing prices are rising. Rent is crushing families. Our young people are struggling to see a future. Meanwhile, we keep showing up to meetings only after tragedy strikes.

We need to flood the chambers, not just for outrage — but for ownership.
We need to organize around economics.
We need policies that create Black wealth, not just symbolic gestures.
We need to demand investment in our communities before election season, not just campaign speeches after the fact.

If we do not build an economic base, we will always remain politically dependent and socially vulnerable.

The next phase of Black leadership in Colorado must be about power through ownership, economics, policy, and unity.

Enough reacting.
It’s time to build.

05/19/2026

Aurora City Council rushes to restrict police social media posts and mugshots:

Op-Ed Response from the Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission (CBCEC)

The Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission believes that transparency, accountability, and public trust are foundational to effective public safety. Recent actions by the Aurora City Council regarding communications from the Aurora Police Department have sparked passionate debate throughout our community, and understandably so.

At the heart of this discussion is not whether law enforcement should communicate with the public, they absolutely should. The question is whether those communications are factual, unbiased, professional, and consistent with the constitutional rights of all residents. Public safety agencies carry immense influence, and with that influence comes responsibility.

For far too long, communities of color, particularly Black residents, have experienced the harmful consequences of premature public narratives, selective disclosure, and commentary that can shape public opinion before facts are fully examined. The release of mugshots, criminal histories, and editorialized statements before due process has often contributed to racial bias, public stigmatization, and erosion of trust between communities and law enforcement.

The council’s decision to establish clearer communication standards should not be viewed as an attack on policing. It should be viewed as an effort to reinforce professionalism and restore credibility in moments when public confidence has been shaken. Transparency does not require speculation. Accountability does not silence law enforcement. Professionalism does not weaken public safety.

CBCEC supports policies that ensure factual communication while protecting constitutional rights and preserving the integrity of investigations and judicial proceedings. We also recognize the legitimate concerns raised by residents who fear reduced access to information during emergencies or critical incidents. Public safety agencies must still provide timely, accurate updates that keep communities informed and safe.

However, public communications from government agencies should never inflame division, perpetuate stereotypes, or prejudge individuals before the courts have spoken. When communication crosses from factual reporting into opinion or political advocacy, trust is compromised.

Colorado has seen painful examples where delayed transparency, inconsistent information, and emotionally charged public narratives surrounding officer-involved incidents created deeper wounds within communities already struggling with mistrust. Policies aimed at improving consistency and professionalism are not obstacles to public safety, they are investments in long-term community trust.

The Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission calls on all parties, city leadership, law enforcement, advocates, and residents, to move forward through dialogue rather than division. We encourage continued collaboration to ensure Aurora’s communication policies both protect public safety and uphold civil rights, dignity, and fairness for every resident.

Public trust is not built through fear or silence. It is built through truth, accountability, transparency, and respect for the people government is sworn to serve.