Dr. Lisa Calderón
@lisafordenver.bsky.social
Lisa Calderón (she/her): Lifelong Denverite, educator, social justice warrior, green space protector, and former candidate for Denver Mayor. Find me at womenuprising.org preparing progressive women to transform Colorado politics.
🎉 It’s time to celebrate! Progressives had big wins across Colorado—we beat back dark money, MAGA Republicans and corporate Dems.
Join me on 11/12 to celebrate & support CD-1 candidate Melat Kiros, a bold fighter for the people!
RSVP: secure.actblue.com/donate/nov12mk
Join me on 11/12 to celebrate & support CD-1 candidate Melat Kiros, a bold fighter for the people!
RSVP: secure.actblue.com/donate/nov12mk
November 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
🎉 It’s time to celebrate! Progressives had big wins across Colorado—we beat back dark money, MAGA Republicans and corporate Dems.
Join me on 11/12 to celebrate & support CD-1 candidate Melat Kiros, a bold fighter for the people!
RSVP: secure.actblue.com/donate/nov12mk
Join me on 11/12 to celebrate & support CD-1 candidate Melat Kiros, a bold fighter for the people!
RSVP: secure.actblue.com/donate/nov12mk
Don't get it twisted. Denver residents voted to pass the bond package not because we like Mayor Mike Johnston, but because we love Denver.
Denver voters are generous and want much-needed improvements to our city.
It was not his comeback — it was voters cleaning up his mess.
Denver voters are generous and want much-needed improvements to our city.
It was not his comeback — it was voters cleaning up his mess.
Denver mayor declares victory on $950 million Vibrant Denver bond package
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston declared victory on all five ballot measures that make up the city’s $950 million Vibrant Denver bond Tuesday night, securing a win in an off-year election.
www.denverpost.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Don't get it twisted. Denver residents voted to pass the bond package not because we like Mayor Mike Johnston, but because we love Denver.
Denver voters are generous and want much-needed improvements to our city.
It was not his comeback — it was voters cleaning up his mess.
Denver voters are generous and want much-needed improvements to our city.
It was not his comeback — it was voters cleaning up his mess.
Councilman Kevin Flynn— a sponsor of 2G — said “so what?” to the flood of dark money backing it to defeat progressives in At-Large city council races.
Maybe corporate interests, Republicans and One Main Street buying Denver elections isn’t a big deal to him — but it is to voters.
Vote NO on 2G!
Maybe corporate interests, Republicans and One Main Street buying Denver elections isn’t a big deal to him — but it is to voters.
Vote NO on 2G!
Who’s funding the effort to change Denver’s at-large elections?
They've played a big role in other local elections.
denverite.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Councilman Kevin Flynn— a sponsor of 2G — said “so what?” to the flood of dark money backing it to defeat progressives in At-Large city council races.
Maybe corporate interests, Republicans and One Main Street buying Denver elections isn’t a big deal to him — but it is to voters.
Vote NO on 2G!
Maybe corporate interests, Republicans and One Main Street buying Denver elections isn’t a big deal to him — but it is to voters.
Vote NO on 2G!
Vote NO on 2G. It's a costly, unnecessary proposal to push out City Council At Large progressives, doubling campaign costs & dark-money influence.
Rushed through City Council by a single vote, 2G would make elections more expensive when Denver is facing budget cuts and layoffs.
Rushed through City Council by a single vote, 2G would make elections more expensive when Denver is facing budget cuts and layoffs.
October 30, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Vote NO on 2G. It's a costly, unnecessary proposal to push out City Council At Large progressives, doubling campaign costs & dark-money influence.
Rushed through City Council by a single vote, 2G would make elections more expensive when Denver is facing budget cuts and layoffs.
Rushed through City Council by a single vote, 2G would make elections more expensive when Denver is facing budget cuts and layoffs.
Measure 2G = More $$$, Less Fairness
2G would make it harder for grassroots progressives to run for At-Large Denver City Council — and easier for big-money candidates to win.
Our elections work. We don’t need more expensive, confusing & corporate races.
www.handsoffdenverelections.org
2G would make it harder for grassroots progressives to run for At-Large Denver City Council — and easier for big-money candidates to win.
Our elections work. We don’t need more expensive, confusing & corporate races.
www.handsoffdenverelections.org
October 25, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Measure 2G = More $$$, Less Fairness
2G would make it harder for grassroots progressives to run for At-Large Denver City Council — and easier for big-money candidates to win.
Our elections work. We don’t need more expensive, confusing & corporate races.
www.handsoffdenverelections.org
2G would make it harder for grassroots progressives to run for At-Large Denver City Council — and easier for big-money candidates to win.
Our elections work. We don’t need more expensive, confusing & corporate races.
www.handsoffdenverelections.org
Hundreds in Denver demanded turning off Flock cameras. Takeaways:
Mayor Johnston lied.
DPD Chief lied.
Flock lied.
They lied that mass surveillance data was safe from ICE & TX abortion trackers. It wasn't.
They lied they had safeguards. They didn't.
Our privacy & public trust isn't for sale.
Mayor Johnston lied.
DPD Chief lied.
Flock lied.
They lied that mass surveillance data was safe from ICE & TX abortion trackers. It wasn't.
They lied they had safeguards. They didn't.
Our privacy & public trust isn't for sale.
October 23, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Hundreds in Denver demanded turning off Flock cameras. Takeaways:
Mayor Johnston lied.
DPD Chief lied.
Flock lied.
They lied that mass surveillance data was safe from ICE & TX abortion trackers. It wasn't.
They lied they had safeguards. They didn't.
Our privacy & public trust isn't for sale.
Mayor Johnston lied.
DPD Chief lied.
Flock lied.
They lied that mass surveillance data was safe from ICE & TX abortion trackers. It wasn't.
They lied they had safeguards. They didn't.
Our privacy & public trust isn't for sale.
Here's our updated progressive voting guide! Thanks to the Colorado Working Families Party staff and State Committee Members for vetting these issues and candidates.
Big news: we’re proud to announce new endorsements for bold champions fighting for working people across Colorado.
Check out our full list of endorsements and make your plan to vote!
#copolitics
Check out our full list of endorsements and make your plan to vote!
#copolitics
October 22, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Here's our updated progressive voting guide! Thanks to the Colorado Working Families Party staff and State Committee Members for vetting these issues and candidates.
Reposted by Dr. Lisa Calderón
TONIGHT: Denver residents are uniting to call for real community safety, not more surveillance.
Join us at 6PM as we tell Mayor Johnston: End the Flock contract. Listen to the people.
Join us at 6PM as we tell Mayor Johnston: End the Flock contract. Listen to the people.
October 22, 2025 at 3:07 PM
TONIGHT: Denver residents are uniting to call for real community safety, not more surveillance.
Join us at 6PM as we tell Mayor Johnston: End the Flock contract. Listen to the people.
Join us at 6PM as we tell Mayor Johnston: End the Flock contract. Listen to the people.
Denver’s jails are in crisis. People are dying—2X as many before the pandemic.
Mayor Johnston increased policing to jail more people while cutting crime prevention jobs.
Instead of joining DPD to reduce oversight, the Sheriff should fix his own mess.
Mayor Johnston increased policing to jail more people while cutting crime prevention jobs.
Instead of joining DPD to reduce oversight, the Sheriff should fix his own mess.
The Denver Sheriff Department, which Sheriff Elias Diggins calls “the largest mental health provider in the city and county of Denver,” only has 67 percent of its deputy positions filled.
Denver jails are missing nearly a third of their staff. What went wrong?
The understaffing is putting deputies, civilian staff and inmates in danger, sheriff employees who have resigned say.
denverite.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Denver’s jails are in crisis. People are dying—2X as many before the pandemic.
Mayor Johnston increased policing to jail more people while cutting crime prevention jobs.
Instead of joining DPD to reduce oversight, the Sheriff should fix his own mess.
Mayor Johnston increased policing to jail more people while cutting crime prevention jobs.
Instead of joining DPD to reduce oversight, the Sheriff should fix his own mess.
Join me and Xóchitl 'Sochi' Gaytán - Denver School Board District 2 Director — a proven community grassroots champion for public schools, teachers and students.
We must do with people what billionaire-backed candidates do with money.
Plus we'll have a lot of fun!
We must do with people what billionaire-backed candidates do with money.
Plus we'll have a lot of fun!
October 20, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Join me and Xóchitl 'Sochi' Gaytán - Denver School Board District 2 Director — a proven community grassroots champion for public schools, teachers and students.
We must do with people what billionaire-backed candidates do with money.
Plus we'll have a lot of fun!
We must do with people what billionaire-backed candidates do with money.
Plus we'll have a lot of fun!
Reposted by Dr. Lisa Calderón
Rick Williams doesn’t just want your land acknowledgement.
His Cheyenne ancestors were pushed out of Colorado in the 1800s. Now he’s among the leaders of Colorado’s Indigenous land back movement
Hundreds of years after most of Colorado’s Indigenous tribes were forcibly removed from the state, a movement emerges to bring them home.
www.cpr.org
October 14, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Rick Williams doesn’t just want your land acknowledgement.
Reposted by Dr. Lisa Calderón
The roots of heavy industry stretch back more than a century in Elyria-Swansea.
Does the AI boom threaten local air quality? A north Denver neighborhood is about to find out
A new data center campus is currently under construction in Elyria-Swansea — a neighborhood already struggling with pollution from major highways and Colorado’s only oil and gas refinery.
www.cpr.org
October 16, 2025 at 2:58 PM
The roots of heavy industry stretch back more than a century in Elyria-Swansea.
📣 Tonight: Latino Community Forum on Police Discipline
While crime prevention programs are cut, DPD's budget keeps growing—& the Chief is trying to weaken civilian oversight through his new plan. With policing being militarized nationally, now is not the time to go backwards.
While crime prevention programs are cut, DPD's budget keeps growing—& the Chief is trying to weaken civilian oversight through his new plan. With policing being militarized nationally, now is not the time to go backwards.
October 13, 2025 at 5:53 PM
📣 Tonight: Latino Community Forum on Police Discipline
While crime prevention programs are cut, DPD's budget keeps growing—& the Chief is trying to weaken civilian oversight through his new plan. With policing being militarized nationally, now is not the time to go backwards.
While crime prevention programs are cut, DPD's budget keeps growing—& the Chief is trying to weaken civilian oversight through his new plan. With policing being militarized nationally, now is not the time to go backwards.
Reposted by Dr. Lisa Calderón
Our State Director, @wjhowell.bsky.social's, full statement on the legislative retreat that took place in Vail this past weekend:
#copolitics #coleg
#copolitics #coleg
October 11, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Our State Director, @wjhowell.bsky.social's, full statement on the legislative retreat that took place in Vail this past weekend:
#copolitics #coleg
#copolitics #coleg
Disillusioned with the Democratic Party? You’re not alone.
Meet Melat Kiros — daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, attorney, barista, scholar, & unapologetic progressive.
She’s taking on a 30-year incumbent to fight for working people in CD1
🗓️ Oct 16 — join us #MelatForCongress
Meet Melat Kiros — daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, attorney, barista, scholar, & unapologetic progressive.
She’s taking on a 30-year incumbent to fight for working people in CD1
🗓️ Oct 16 — join us #MelatForCongress
October 11, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Disillusioned with the Democratic Party? You’re not alone.
Meet Melat Kiros — daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, attorney, barista, scholar, & unapologetic progressive.
She’s taking on a 30-year incumbent to fight for working people in CD1
🗓️ Oct 16 — join us #MelatForCongress
Meet Melat Kiros — daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, attorney, barista, scholar, & unapologetic progressive.
She’s taking on a 30-year incumbent to fight for working people in CD1
🗓️ Oct 16 — join us #MelatForCongress
If Mayor Mike Johnston loves AI so much to replace Denver City workers, he should start with himself. 🤖
Here’s a list of things AI would handle better than Johnston:
Denver embraces AI as mayor tries to shrink government
The city is already using AI to cut its call center budget.
denverite.com
October 1, 2025 at 3:36 PM
If Mayor Mike Johnston loves AI so much to replace Denver City workers, he should start with himself. 🤖
Here’s a list of things AI would handle better than Johnston:
Join us this Wed 9/24 for my house party for our friend Amie Baca Oehlert, former head of Colorado Education Association & candidate in CD8—one of the most competitive seats in the country!
Let's send a teacher & labor leader to Congress to represent working people. RSVP bit.ly/924hp
Let's send a teacher & labor leader to Congress to represent working people. RSVP bit.ly/924hp
September 22, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Join us this Wed 9/24 for my house party for our friend Amie Baca Oehlert, former head of Colorado Education Association & candidate in CD8—one of the most competitive seats in the country!
Let's send a teacher & labor leader to Congress to represent working people. RSVP bit.ly/924hp
Let's send a teacher & labor leader to Congress to represent working people. RSVP bit.ly/924hp
Mayor Johnston is nominating an unqualified ally to run Denver’s most powerful safety agency with the largest budget.
Political cronyism erodes public trust when we need accountability most.
We need experienced, accountable leadership that protects our communities, civil liberties & tax dollars.
Political cronyism erodes public trust when we need accountability most.
We need experienced, accountable leadership that protects our communities, civil liberties & tax dollars.
Why City Council should reject the nomination of Al Gardner as Executive Director of Public Safety.
Denver Needs Experienced Public Safety Leadership, Not Political Appointments
Why City Council should reject the nomination of Al Gardner as Executive Director of Public Safety.
www.westword.com
September 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Mayor Johnston is nominating an unqualified ally to run Denver’s most powerful safety agency with the largest budget.
Political cronyism erodes public trust when we need accountability most.
We need experienced, accountable leadership that protects our communities, civil liberties & tax dollars.
Political cronyism erodes public trust when we need accountability most.
We need experienced, accountable leadership that protects our communities, civil liberties & tax dollars.
As the new Co-Chair of the Colorado Working Families Party, I'm excited for our progressive endorsements!
These powerhouse candidates made it through our competitive process & represent our values of advancing racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing & electoral action.
These powerhouse candidates made it through our competitive process & represent our values of advancing racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing & electoral action.
We’re proud to announce our endorsements for the November 2025 election! Here are the candidates and campaigns ready to fight for working families. Now, let’s get them elected.
#copolitics
#copolitics
September 21, 2025 at 5:16 PM
As the new Co-Chair of the Colorado Working Families Party, I'm excited for our progressive endorsements!
These powerhouse candidates made it through our competitive process & represent our values of advancing racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing & electoral action.
These powerhouse candidates made it through our competitive process & represent our values of advancing racial, social, and economic justice through grassroots organizing & electoral action.
Denver City workers are rising up & fighting back!
They're filing appeals, speaking out, and organizing after being unjustly targeted in mass layoffs under Mayor Mike Johnston.
This is just the beginning—and they’re not alone. We're meeting this week with even more of them. 1/
They're filing appeals, speaking out, and organizing after being unjustly targeted in mass layoffs under Mayor Mike Johnston.
This is just the beginning—and they’re not alone. We're meeting this week with even more of them. 1/
Ten former Denver city employees have filed appeals challenging their layoffs, according to documents obtained by The Denver Post.
Several said they thought they were retaliated against for speaking out against Mayor Mike Johnston.
Several said they thought they were retaliated against for speaking out against Mayor Mike Johnston.
Laid-off Denver city employees file appeals alleging discrimination
Several of the former city workers said they thought they were retaliated against for speaking out against Mayor Mike Johnston.
trib.al
September 9, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Denver City workers are rising up & fighting back!
They're filing appeals, speaking out, and organizing after being unjustly targeted in mass layoffs under Mayor Mike Johnston.
This is just the beginning—and they’re not alone. We're meeting this week with even more of them. 1/
They're filing appeals, speaking out, and organizing after being unjustly targeted in mass layoffs under Mayor Mike Johnston.
This is just the beginning—and they’re not alone. We're meeting this week with even more of them. 1/
Not surprised.
Colorado’s corporate Dems are boring & out of touch—propped up by billionaires as families face job losses, soaring rents, & rising costs—while remaining silent about genocide in Gaza.
We deserve better. We need fighters for working people. 🧵
Colorado’s corporate Dems are boring & out of touch—propped up by billionaires as families face job losses, soaring rents, & rising costs—while remaining silent about genocide in Gaza.
We deserve better. We need fighters for working people. 🧵
Colorado voters curdle on top Democrats — including Gov. Polis and U.S. senators — amid party’s slide trib.al/Uveprbl
Colorado voters curdle on top Democrats — including Gov. Polis and U.S. senators — amid party’s slide
“Although Colorado remains a blue state, the well-documented decline in the national Democratic Party’s image rating and brand is real and apparent among Colorado voters,” pollste…
trib.al
September 8, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Not surprised.
Colorado’s corporate Dems are boring & out of touch—propped up by billionaires as families face job losses, soaring rents, & rising costs—while remaining silent about genocide in Gaza.
We deserve better. We need fighters for working people. 🧵
Colorado’s corporate Dems are boring & out of touch—propped up by billionaires as families face job losses, soaring rents, & rising costs—while remaining silent about genocide in Gaza.
We deserve better. We need fighters for working people. 🧵
I'm old enough to remember when Mayor Johnston denied that Flock camera data is accessible to ICE for immigration enforcement purposes, stating the system was not designed to support such activities.
Either he was lying or completely clueless about DPD's data security failures.
Either he was lying or completely clueless about DPD's data security failures.
NEW: Denver has now cut off Loveland's access to its Flock automated license plate-reading camera data, a rep for the mayor's office says.
The move follows this @nexton9news.bsky.social
report, with records showing Loveland Police shares Flock data access with U.S. Border Patrol @kylec.bsky.social
The move follows this @nexton9news.bsky.social
report, with records showing Loveland Police shares Flock data access with U.S. Border Patrol @kylec.bsky.social
NEW: Records obtained by 9NEWS show Loveland Police have given the Border Patrol access to a network of license plate reading cameras in Colorado. @spencersoicher.bsky.social reports. #copolitics
August 17, 2025 at 2:31 AM
I'm old enough to remember when Mayor Johnston denied that Flock camera data is accessible to ICE for immigration enforcement purposes, stating the system was not designed to support such activities.
Either he was lying or completely clueless about DPD's data security failures.
Either he was lying or completely clueless about DPD's data security failures.
There's nothing "compassionate or competent" about forcing workers to pay the price for Johnston's overspending & mismanagement. He initially stripped away seniority as a factor in layoffs until unions protested.
The mayor's race starts next year. Voters will remember.
The mayor's race starts next year. Voters will remember.
COMMENTARY: Hundreds of Denverites may drop off their kids for the first day of school next Monday then lose their jobs hours later. The goal for the Mayor and his administration should be compassion and competence in handling these mass layoffs. #copolitics
August 13, 2025 at 3:30 PM
There's nothing "compassionate or competent" about forcing workers to pay the price for Johnston's overspending & mismanagement. He initially stripped away seniority as a factor in layoffs until unions protested.
The mayor's race starts next year. Voters will remember.
The mayor's race starts next year. Voters will remember.
Good riddance. A "nice guy" who covered up bad acts by top leaders.
With few exceptions, Denver’s safety managers have been products of cronyism and the Peter Principle.
The community has always had to fight for input and transparency in mayoral appointments—and we will again.
With few exceptions, Denver’s safety managers have been products of cronyism and the Peter Principle.
The community has always had to fight for input and transparency in mayoral appointments—and we will again.
Denver Public Safety Director Armando Saldate III has been named the new director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, according to the state’s Department of Public Safety. Saldate replaces interim director Rebecca Spiess, who has led the agency since Chris Schaefer retired in May.
Denver Public Safety head named new Colorado Bureau of Investigation director
Armando Saldate replaces interim director Rebecca Spiess, who has led the agency since former Director Chris Schaefer retired in May, according to a news release.
trib.al
July 27, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Good riddance. A "nice guy" who covered up bad acts by top leaders.
With few exceptions, Denver’s safety managers have been products of cronyism and the Peter Principle.
The community has always had to fight for input and transparency in mayoral appointments—and we will again.
With few exceptions, Denver’s safety managers have been products of cronyism and the Peter Principle.
The community has always had to fight for input and transparency in mayoral appointments—and we will again.
"Learned hopefulness" is a curious phrase to use when addressing Denver's budget crisis & economic distress.
When I worked with domestic violence survivors we used it to explain why abusive relationships persist, believing that things will get better. It's a form of gaslighting.
When I worked with domestic violence survivors we used it to explain why abusive relationships persist, believing that things will get better. It's a form of gaslighting.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston calls for “learned hopefulness” on homelessness, housing, other challenges https://trib.al/yPhGrfr
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston calls for “learned hopefulness” on homelessness, housing, other challenges
Mayor Mike Johnston urged Denverites to embrace a “learned hopefulness” as an antidote to the challenges Colorado’s largest city faces, including housing affordability and downtow…
trib.al
July 22, 2025 at 2:03 PM
"Learned hopefulness" is a curious phrase to use when addressing Denver's budget crisis & economic distress.
When I worked with domestic violence survivors we used it to explain why abusive relationships persist, believing that things will get better. It's a form of gaslighting.
When I worked with domestic violence survivors we used it to explain why abusive relationships persist, believing that things will get better. It's a form of gaslighting.