A group of Black elected officials and leaders condemned recent efforts to dismantle practices and programs related to supporting marginalized groups in Colorado, reaffirming their commitment to furthering DEI in the state as the federal government rails against such efforts.
“It is crucial that we confront the harsh realities that persist in treatment of Black individuals,” state Rep. Regina English, a Colorado Springs Democrat, said during a press conference Friday at the state Capitol. “I want to send a clear message to Donald Trump and any other universities, colleges and organizations that will follow his lead — that we will not stand by and allow you to dismiss the voices of Black people.”
She was joined by other elected officials including state Senate President James Coleman, a Denver Democrat, state Rep. Junie Joseph, a Boulder Democrat, University of Colorado Regent Wanda James and former Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll.
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Since returning to office this year, President Donald Trump has led a far-reaching effort to eliminate programs that support DEI — the abbreviation for diversity, equity and inclusion — including pulling hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding from schools and signing executive orders banning DEI-related work in the government.
“DEI is not just a slogan. It is a commitment to ensuring that every person, no matter their background, has a fair chance to contribute, to succeed and to belong,” Joseph said.
English and others specifically pointed to the University of Denver’s move in August to roll back DEI initiatives, including certain scholarships, spaces designed for specific identity groups and DEI training. The change followed a U.S. Department of Justice memo that defined DEI work as unlawful discrimination at schools, like DU, that receive federal funding. The university had not received direct outreach from the Trump administration about its DEI programming.
DEI is not just a slogan. It is a commitment to ensuring that every person, no matter their background, has a fair chance to contribute, to succeed and to belong.
– State Rep. Junie Joseph
The university maintains that it still has systems in place to foster a welcoming environment for all of its students and faculties.
“The work of fostering inclusion at colleges and universities has never been more complex or more vital than it is currently,” the school’s Vice Chancellor of Community Support and Engagement Christopher Whitt wrote in an opinion piece published by the Denver Post last week. “While the changes we have made at DU have not been easy, we are dedicated to continuing to partner with members of our community as the division thoughtfully forges a new path forward for inclusiveness for every student, faculty, and staff member.”
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Other Colorado colleges also made changes in response to pressure from the Trump administration and new federal guidelines this year, such as changing language on websites and renaming offices.
“When institutions like DU bow down without being asked to, it sends a message,” said Alli Jackson, a DU alum who was recently elected to Aurora’s city council. “DEI is about inclusion. It is not about exclusion, and a lot of our population needs to be re-educated on that.”
English sponsored a successful bill during this year’s regular legislative session for the state to adopt education standards for Black history in public schools. She said she plans to introduce legislation related to Black maternal health next year, though the framework is still being worked out with stakeholders. She said she wants the messaging and education around the topic to be more comprehensive for health workers.
The Legislature should also “make sure that we are creating inclusive policies, policies that don’t have unintended consequences, especially if they’re not policies that are being run by people of color,” English said.
Additionally, a panel created by the Legislature in 2024 is overseeing a comprehensive study on how systemic racial discrimination in Colorado has impacted Black Coloradans.
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