Citizens Project

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 stands with NAACP to defend the right to vote

17th December, 2011

We thank the NAACP and our statewide and national partners who are defending the right to vote for underserved and disenfranchised communities.

Colorado Springs Tribute to Gay & Lesbian Fund

12th December, 2011

Thanks to Culture Cast, KRCC and Rocky Mountain PBS for this amazing video tribute to the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado. And, of course, thank you Gay & Lesbian Fund!

Colorado 2011 Election Recap

2nd November, 2011

More than 116,775 voters in El Paso County, Colorado turned out in the 2011 coordinated election on November 1, 2011, and the votes are in! Below, you’ll find the results for some of the top races in the region.

Colorado Springs School District 11 School Board:
Bob Null
Janet Tanner
Elaine Naleski
Nora Brown

Academy School District 20 School Board:
Glenn Strebe
Tracey Johnson

Falcon School District 49:
Charles Iron
Marie LaVere-Wright
Joan Johnson *2-year term

Proposition 103: This measure, which would have raised taxes to fund public education, failed by 63.9% statewide.
Measure 2B – Memorial Health System: This measure, which revokes Colorado Springs City Council’s ability to levy a tax in the event of a deficit at Memorial Health System, passed with 60.52% of the vote.

Check other election results at the El Paso County Clerk & Recorder’s website.

No matter how your issues and candidates fared, thank you for taking the time to get educated and make your voice heard at the ballot box, and thank you for supporting Citizens Project’s Election Education Forum, our Voter Guide, and our GOTV work. We’ll see you before the next election!

Freedom Watch Voter Guide Available NOW!

20th October, 2011

Your vote is your voice.

Voting is more than a right; it’s a responsibility. When you make educated choices at the ballot box, you’re investing in your community and holding your leaders accountable.

That’s why, for the last 19 years, Citizens Project has produced nonpartisan publications and events for all local elections: to arm you with the information you need to make educated decisions that shape your community.

Thanks to the Pikes Peak Equality Coalition, collaborators, volunteers, donors, and readers like you, Citizens Project is proud to present our 2011 Freedom Watch Voter Guide for school board elections and city and state ballot measures. We hope you’ll use it to inform your decisions in the 2011 general election.

And if you’re still not sure, or if you haven’t received your ballot, check out our election page for all the information you need to make your voice heard.

Make a difference! Get Out The Vote!

18th September, 2011

GOTV Phone banking, food, and fun!!

Our Postcard writing night was a great success thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers! Join Citizens Project at our next GOTV event!

Make sure your neighbors get involved in the upcoming general election, and make your voice heard!

Thursday, October 13 and 20, 2011, 5-9pm
Location TBD

Volunteers asked to stay for at least 2 hour shifts and are welcome to stay for the entire night. We need a minimum of ten volunteers to make it happen!

There will be games, music, refreshments, and fun throughout the night, also prizes for the person who brings the most friends.

RSVP to kristy@citizensproject.org

To learn more about the upcoming election, visit our election page here.

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!

Election Roundup

7th April, 2011

Congratulations, Colorado Springs, on standing up and making your voice heard in the April 5 Municipal Election: more than 91,000  individuals cast their vote before or on election day for an impressive 62.5% turnout. Whether your favorite candidate won or lost, turnout of this magnitude is a definite victory for Colorado Springs!

Despite an overnight vote-counting hiatus, unofficial results are now available at the City Clerk’s website, and we have the skinny right here.

Citizens Project congratulates all the candidates on successful campaigns! Your newly elected City Council members include (in descending order of votes, then by district):
Jan Martin
Merv Bennett
Val Snider
Brandy Williams
Tim Leigh

Angela Dougan – District 2
Lisa Czelatdko – District 3

Ballot issues 1A and 1B also passed, creating new districts in 2013 and allowing the strong mayor to attend Council meetings.

However, one seat is still up for grabs. Who will be Colorado Springs’ first Strong Mayor in over 80 years? Regulations require a runoff election between the top two candidates in the event neither candidate secures more than 50% of the vote. That means that Colorado Springs will get to choose between candidates Steve Bach and Richard Skorman in another all-mail election on May 17, 2011.

So what’s next? Citizens Project is working on a supplemental voter guide for the runoff election, and we will hold an election forum for the two candidates on April 26, 2011. Details are below.

Decision 2011: Strong Mayor Debate

Presented by Citizens Project, the Colorado Springs Independent, and KRDO
Tuesday, April 26
6:30-8:00pm
Stargazers Theatre, 10 Parkside Dr, 80910
Free and open to the public, simulcast on krdo.com

Didn’t vote in the municipal election? You can still vote in the runoff! Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard!

Do you know who you’re voting for?

29th March, 2011

Citizens Project supports youth efforts to engage voters! Fransiska, a Colorado College student, developed the following application to match voters up with Colorado Springs Mayoral candidates. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Colorado Springs Municipal Election ballots must be postmarked by THIS FRIDAY, April 1, or delivered in person by Tuesday, April 5.

Do you know who you are voting for??

Use this survey to help narrow down the 7 Mayoral Candidates!!