Citizens Project

Tebowmania and Religious Freedom

28th December, 2011

This column by Kristy Milligan appeared in The Gazette on 12/27/11.

Citizens Project, a local organization dedicated to promoting and protecting equality, diversity and religious freedom through the separation of church and state, supports Tim Tebow’s right to celebrate God in the end zone.

That’s the thing about the First Amendment. The free speech and exercise clauses protect every private citizen. Religious freedom means religious freedom.

Citizens Project also has no fundamental objection to students exercising their right to assemble, pray, or “Tebow” in the hallways of their public schools, assuming they comply with conduct codes and safety standards.

Amid all this “Tebowmania,” however, we must draw an important distinction between the First Amendment rights of individuals and the responsibilities of government. Tebow, fans and students enjoy the free exercise of religion, but teachers and coaches must, by virtue of their employment contract, adhere to the restrictions set forth in the clause prohibiting a government establishment of religion.  Those who fail to do so risk exposing the institutions they serve to expensive litigation, while simultaneously alienating the students entrusted to their care.

In 2011, Citizens Project received calls from concerned parents, students, and teachers in almost every school district in the Pikes Peak region who wanted more information about how to address issues pertaining to religious expression at their schools. We heard about religious-based bullying, teacher condemnation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students on the basis of biblical teaching, assemblies and ceremonies that integrated religious themes, administrative interference in student club activity, and, most recently, coaches organizing and leading students in Christian prayer.

These aren’t isolated incidents.  For every call we get, there are probably ten students who suffer silently to avoid drawing attention to themselves. After all, they just want to succeed in classes, participate in extracurricular activities, and advance through the public education system. Sometimes the people who contact us resist Citizens Project’s help in negotiating the grievance process or initiating an educational outreach to the affected schools. They don’t want to risk becoming pariahs. They just want someone to tell them, “It’s not okay when the person who assigns your grades or decides when you get to play your favorite sport makes prayer obligatory or singles you out.”  And it’s not.

Religious formation is not the province of a public school official, and objections to compulsory religion in classrooms transcend political differences.

At Citizens Project, we won’t rest until every student can excel in a religiously neutral academic or athletic environment that neither advances nor denigrates religion. We will continue to monitor our local schools for problems and work with the administration to ensure they’re in compliance with the law. We’ll take calls about church-state issues in schools and we’ll offer our support to all parties involved, because we know that violations are usually unintentional. We’ll continue to educate teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members at our annual Citizens’ Religious Freedom Institute and offer continuing education credit to teachers.

Above all, we will stand with our students to ensure they have every chance at success through an inclusive and affirming academic environment that allows them to be exactly who they are, whether that means abstaining from the pledge or “Tebowing” on their lunch break.

2011: The Year in Review

19th December, 2011

Thanks to Citizens Project’s inspired leadership, our volunteers, interns, collaborators, supporters and activists, 2011 was an incredible year! Below are just a few of the things we were able to accomplish with your help:

Awards

Citizens Project received several honors over the last year including: the Gay & Lesbian Fund Advancing Equality Award, “Ally of the Year” from the Colorado Springs Pride Center, and the “Steady and Strong for Diversity and Inclusion” award from the Colorado Springs Diversity Forum.

Events

Citizens Project events are more than fundraisers or friend-raisers; they’re community in action, bringing together people from across the region and across political and religious lines who share a few key values: equality, separation of church and state, diversity and civic engagement.

– More than 100 community members came out in sub-zero temperatures to honor local activist Mary Ellen McNally at Citizens Project’s 7th annual Divine Award Celebration.

- Four hundred attendees at our annual Creating  Community Breakfast joined together to raise $60,000 to increase Citizens Project’s impact in the community.

- Dozens of volunteers attended our twice-annual volunteer open house and staffed the Citizens Project booth at community events such as Everybody Welcome!, Juneteenth, Cinco de Mayo, and Pride Fest.

Collaboration

CP, in close collaboration with the Women’s Resource Agency, Inside/Out Youth Services and many more, worked to re-invigorate the Pikes Peak Equality Coalition, a group of local nonprofits dedicated to opportunity and access for all community members. Through our collective efforts, we made more than 3,000 contacts with voters in the general election cycle, reminding them to cast their ballots. In addition, CP was represented on the Public Affairs and Government Relations Committee of the Colorado Springs Diversity Forum, the Colorado Civic Engagement Roundtable, and the Safe Schools Coalition.  Citizens Project staff members Kristy Milligan and RoMa Johnson also  presented at events and classes statewide, including: Center for Nonprofit Excellence, UCCS, El Pomar, NAACP, and the Denver Mayor’s LGBT Commission. Citizens Project also donated 18 cubic feet of physical archive files to the Pikes Peak Library District’s Special Collections. The archives will be available to the the public and will be preserved for future generations.

Voter Education

2011 was an exciting year in local elections: from the April municipal election and subsequent mayoral runoff election, to the November general election, there were many candidates vying for the votes of Pikes Peak residents.  And Citizens Project continued our 19-year tradition of providing nonpartisan election education information for all local elections through well-attended Mayoral and City Council forums, and a School Board Candidate and ballot measure forum. In addition, we published two comprehensive candidate survey Voter Guides, one for the municipal election and one for the general election, which were distributed to more than 100,000 people in the Pikes Peak region through our website, a mailing to our supporters, and inclusion in the Colorado Springs Independent.

Promoting Dialogue & Awareness

Citizens Project distributed our electronic monthly Freedom Watch Online to more than 2,000 subscribers, providing them with in-depth analyses of local and national issues, opportunities to get involved, and more. Through our electronic Action Network, we sent 1,500 activists up-to-the-minute updates about pending legislation and electoral initiatives with information about how to make a positive impact on public policy.

Again this year, Citizens Project deployed an awareness campaign to stimulate conversation and tackle some of the most difficult issues facing our community. The campaign appeared in print, online, and on billboards, and it continues to create robust discussion on our blog.

CP also worked with a coalition of twenty five diverse faith and civic groups to present a special film screening to commemorate 9/11.

Creating Inclusive Learning Communities

Our second annual Citizens’ Religious Freedom Institute, a one-day seminar for teachers, administrators, students and community members on how the courts have interpreted church/state separation in public schools and how to promote religious freedom in the classroom, was well-attended and highly rated by participants. Many attendees received graduate credit or contact hours, and, as one participant said, it was a “very enjoyable, informative day.”

Again in 2011, Citizens Project mailed the Anti-Defamation League’s December Dilemma publication to 200 local schools, which contains information about inclusive holiday practices. This year we also worked with Inside/Out and the Safe @School Coalition to provide a primer on recently-passed HB1254, which expands protection from bullying to LGBT students. Additionally, we followed up with several high schools that held their graduation ceremonies at churches to help ensure future commencement celebrations that honor the unique faith traditions of all students, and comply with legal precedent regarding separation of church and state.

All of this was work to advance religious freedom, diversity, equality and civic engagement in the Pikes Peak region was possible because of the hundreds of active supporters, just like you, who gave time, money, energy and vision to help Citizens Project put our mission into motion. Thank you – and we’ll see you in 2012!

Citizens Project Heralded as Steady and Strong Champion of Diversity

24th October, 2011

The Colorado Springs Diversity Forum has honored Citizens Project with a Steady and Strong Award for Diversity and Inclusion.  This prestigious award is given to businesses and organizations in the Pikes Peak region that promote diversity and inclusion in both internal operations and external civic engagement. Citizens Project was chosen as a recipient because of its commitment to diversity training, education, and highly inclusive organizational policies and benefits.

“Receiving a Steady and Strong Award for Diversity and Inclusion award is a huge honor for us,” said Kristy Milligan, executive director of Citizens Project. “It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to best practices, public education and outreach. Diversity is more than a box you check. It’s not something you do once and then move on. It’s an ongoing commitment to ensuring that everyone has a voice.”

Citizens Project has been a voice of diversity and inclusion in Colorado Springs for 20 years. Milligan says the organization is dedicated to continuing to champion these values in the community. “No one is more committed to diversity and inclusion than the Citizens Project staff and board members,” she said. “These are the unsung heroes, the silent and steadfast champions who work tirelessly to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table.”

About Citizens Project: Citizens Project is a local grassroots organization dedicated to defending and promoting equality, religious freedom, and respect for diversity – the principles on which our nation was founded. We educate the community through our newsletter Freedom Watch and nonpartisan voter guides, we monitor local government and public schools to ensure that rights and freedoms are upheld, and we mobilize residents to make their voices heard.

Who is simply Divine? You tell us.

21st September, 2011

Nominate someone deserving for the 2012 Divine Award!

Citizens Project invites you to submit nominations for this prestigious award that recognizes a person in the Pikes Peak region who has worked tirelessly to create a vibrant democracy in which equal rights are protected, individual freedoms are secure, differences are respected and people fully participate in civic life.

Tell us in 300 words or fewer why your nominee should be recognized. Please provide specific information about your nominee’s roles in the community – both officially and informally – and how you believe your nominee has made a lasting impact on the community. Please include your name and daytime phone number with your nomination. Email nominations to info@CitizensProject.org by November 1.

The event will take place on February 2, 2012 at Stargazers Theater.

Previous recipients include: Mary Lou Makepeace, Dr. Jim White, Pam Jones and Juliet Draper (shared award), Lorne Kramer, Richard Skorman, John Weiss and Mary Ellen McNally.

Have you seen us?

21st April, 2011

Maybe you’ve seen them around town on bus shelters and benches or spied them online, on tv, or in the local newspapers–they are Citizens Project ads that ask four provocative questions:

-Should hate speech be protected speech?

-Think civil rights are a black and white issue?

-Is the religious right right, or do they have it all wrong?

-Is tolerance the new intolerance (or is it vice-versa)?

These ads are part of a multi-media campaign Citizens Project launched to help elevate awareness of and advance dialogue around our issues in the Pikes Peak region. The ads were developed by our stellar all-volunteer creative team and made possible through generous donations and YOUR support!

Want to do more to help spread the word? First, visit our website at: jointheconversationcs.com and make your voice heard in support of our shared values. Next, share the campaign with your friends! Invite them to join the conversation! There are no right or wrong responses and all opinions are valuable.

Thank you for making this awareness campaign possible! We look forward to seeing you around town!

Citizens Project Election Forum Recap

24th March, 2011

Citizens Project, along with the Colorado Springs Independent and KRDO, hosted two election forums this week for Colorado Springs Mayoral and City Council candidates. More than 250 community members attended these free events to meet and learn about the candidates before casting their ballots. If you missed the forums, it’s not too late to get the scoop!

• Check out KRCC’s Voting Guide, including audio of the debates
• Read John Hazlehurst’s recap of the Mayoral debate
• Watch a video about ”Reform Team’s” boycott of the City Council debate
• Check out Citizens Project’s Voter Guide

Citizens Project thanks our community sponsors and media panel: 9to5, National Association of Working Women – Colorado Chapter; Artemis Women; Colorado Springs Branch NAACP; Colorado Springs Independent; KRCC; League of Women Voters – Pikes Peak Region; Pikes Peak Equality Coalition; Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains; the Pride Center; The Gazette; and the Women’s Resource Agency

Citizens Project on Comcast Spotlight!

1st March, 2011

Citizens Project will be featured on Comcast Newsmakers in the month of March. Check out the video below to hear executive director Kristy Milligan talk about elections, diversity, and community!

Creating Community Breakfast 2010

4th June, 2010

We are delighted to report that this year’s Creating Community Breakfast has helped us raise almost $60,000 (not including the Gay & Lesbian Fund match) to help Citizens Project create the community we imagine. We had roughly 500 guests turn out in support of Citizens Project and the gifts collected yesterday morning exceeded our wildest expectations.

If you are interested in being a table captain at next year’s event, please email Kristy.

Here are some pictures from the event:

Citizens Project Welcomes Cameron Lucke

25th May, 2010

Citizens Project is excited to welcome Cameron Lucke as an intern for the summer!

Cameron just finished his junior year at Michigan State University, where he is majoring in Comparative Cultures and Politics.  After moving around a lot as a child, he now resides in Colorado Springs, and calls this city ‘home.’

Cameron is thrilled to be working for Citizens Project, and is excited for the many upcoming events during the summer.  Cameron will be contributing to Freedom Watch Online, as well as coordinating voter education and outreach, among other things.

Congratulate Cameron at luckecam@msu.edu!