The newly-invigorated and organized independent/progressive coalition of Colorado Springs won astounding victories in this year’s municipal contests with the elections of Richard Skorman and Yolanda Avila, and the re-election of Jill Gaebler, to City Council districts 3, 4, and 5 respectively. Unite Colorado Springs and other allied organizations mobilized our supporters behind these candidates and proved definitively that dark money and corporate-funded special interests can be defeated with dedicated boots-on-the ground grassroots organizing focused on the interests of the people above all else.
Despite running against one of the most well-funded slates of City Council candidates in the history of this city, each of our endorsed candidates won the trust of the people of their districts and will undoubtedly be the advocates City Council has desperately needed for so long.
The results of this election represent nothing short of a sea change in Colorado Springs politics, but it is up to all of us who poured our hearts and souls into this election to maintain this momentum and ensure that this isn’t just a snapshot in time but rather the beginning of something profound in the Pikes Peak region. These victories cannot allow us to become complacent – rather, they should serve as proof to all progressive and independent-minded folks in this region, who have felt demoralized and ignored by the establishment for so long, that when we unite as a cohesive coalition, we can accomplish an enormous amount.
We must continue to organize, educate, reach out, petition, community-build, write, vote, and take direct action when necessary to affect the real, substantive change needed to move this community in a positive, progressive direction. Although Colorado Springs is a great place to work and live, there are many issues facing our region that we desperately need to address including sustainable economic development, providing accessible city-wide affordable housing, solving our homelessness epidemic, strengthening public education, addressing our mental health crisis, encouraging economic revitalization, and much more.
In order to achieve these goals, we must harness the same energy that propelled us to this electoral victory into a force that can maintain pressure on our elected officials to both fulfill their campaign promises and listen to the concerns of the community as a whole when shaping policy, including the concerns expressed by Unite Colorado Springs’ supporters and allies.
Today, celebrate. Tomorrow, rededicate yourself to this revolution and help us pave the ground work for future victory. Onward!