Affordable housing, LGBTQ+ youth discrimination, and encounters with law enforcement are among the top issues
DENVER - ACLU of Colorado released a new report today, Expanding the Table for Justice, that sheds light on instances of reported discrimination of LGBTQ+ youth in school, barriers to reintegration for justice-impacted people, experiences with law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement that have undermined immigrants’ safety, and the ongoing struggle many communities face in accessing affordable housing.
While these were common concerns raised by communities across the state of Colorado, many more personal experiences were shared concerning important social issues disproportionately impacting Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and LGTBQ+ people. This report offers insight into what Colorado communities experience in their fight for justice.
“In order to advance social justice, those most impacted must have a seat at the table,” said Deborah Richardson, ACLU of Colorado Executive Director. “Only when we hear directly from our communities on how systems including; education, law enforcement, criminal justice, employment, and housing, have impacted them, can we create a strategic plan that will act as a roadmap toward advancing social change.”
Over the past year, ACLU of Colorado staff traveled across the state on the Expanding the Table for Justice (ETFJ) listening tour to learn more about the most important concerns facing Colorado communities. They met with community members, schools, community organizations, businesses, elected officials, and other local groups to answer two questions; what issues do you face in your community, and what needs to be done to address those issues?
Launched in June 2021 by Richardson, the listening tour intended to engage as trusted and collaborative partners with all communities whose rights are at stake under systemic oppression. This storytelling report summarizes the experiences reported by participants of the ETFJ tour. The listening sessions will inform how the ACLU of Colorado will approach its work.
Read the report on our website at: https://www.aclu-co.org/en/publications/etfj-report