Focusing on What Matters and What Drives Us

Hello Progressives! I am Claire and what bring me to this Initiative are the values we share, that formed for me through my upbringing. I come from a family of severe mental illness, and began my story unhoused. I went through the System, lived in many different households of varying cultures/religions, and was eventually adopted with a family where I met my three sisters, whose parents had been deported to El Salvador. I used the System through grants  and scholarships to get to school, the only way I saw out of my situation and to upward mobility, where I majored in environmental studies and policy.  I hope sharing this little about me shares how so much of what drives me lies in direct experience with or lack thereof in housing, healthcare, mental institutions, juvenile care, immigration, environmental justice. Today I am running my first campaign, working to flip a conservative slate in Westminster. For more on me or this race, find it here https://www.claireforcouncil.com/

I'd like to focus this space here on sharing a couple worthwhile organizations that I have spent my time with, and hope to eventually learn of many more from you, to encourage us to get out in the community and spend our time where it really matters.

I have volunteered with the Action Center, organizing and distributing school supplies such as pens, pencils, notebooks, backpacks, and more to families in need before the schoolyear begins, and donating to Action Center's food and clothing drives, as well as using them as a resource for these supplies when I come across a family in need. They are one of the few places available where supplies are completely free. I highly recommend donating your time or supplies to them and their drives. https://theactioncenter.org/

I have worked with PSR Colorado, and fantastic organization working for the public health and environmental safety of our communities. Physicians for Social Responsibility partners with doctors, scientists, and allies to work toward sensible environmental regulation, and pulling back the veil on "green-washing" of legislation. Once on Council, I hope to partner with PSR Colorado from the other side, utilizing their resources toward building out fully fleshed climate action plan, and partnering on electrification and anti-fracking efforts. https://www.psrcolorado.org/

Thank you for spending a moment with me to focus on what matters, and what drives us to do the work we do.