ONE COLORADO EDUCATION FUND

ONE COLORADO (OCEF) WAS ALERTED TO A CHANGE IN CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO'S INTERNAL GENDER AFFIRMING CARE POLICIES, PREVENTING YOUNG ADULTS FROM RECEIVING MEDICAL CARE. IN RESPONSE, OCEF ENGAGED IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS, AND COALITION BUILDING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROVIDERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS, RESULTING IN A LETTER REQUESTING A CHANGE IN POLICY AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY. A PUBLIC LETTER, SIGNED BY NEARLY 1000 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WAS SENT EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERNS. CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL EXPRESSED ITS COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE SERVICES THROUGH THE TRUE CLINIC AND PARTICIPATING IN ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH OCEF'S PROVIDER COALITION. IN 5 WEEKS, OCEF VISITED 14 CITIES: COLORADO SPRINGS, FORT COLLINS, SALIDA, GUNNISON, MONTROSE, GRAND JUNCTION, GLENWOOD SPRINGS, EDWARDS, PUEBLO, BOULDER, LONGMONT, GREELEY, AURORA, AND DENVER DURING A STATEWIDE TOUR. OCEF ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE AND PROVIDED LGBTQ+ COLORADANS AND THEIR FAMILIES EDUCATION REGARDING THE RISK TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN THE STATE OF COLORADO AND TO LEARN FROM COMMUNITY REGARDING CONCERNS ABOUT THE INCREASED ANTI-LGBTQ+ ATTACKS, ESPECIALLY ON THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY. FOLLOWING THE SCOTUS DECISION IN 303 CREATIVE LLC VS ELENIS WHICH RULED THAT ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IS PROTECTED SPEECH UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, OCEF HOSTED A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH AG WEISER AT THE CARR JUDICIAL BUILDING; WHICH INCLUDED FAITH LEADERS, BUSINESS LEADER, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AN OVER 50 LOCAL AND NATIONAL PRESS MEMBERS. OCEF HEALTH EQUITY TEAM WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE POLICY & FINANCING TO ALIGN MEDICAID POLICY WITH CURRENT WPATH BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTHCARE TO REDUCE BARRIERS IN ACCESSING CARE. THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT'S HEALTH EQUITY COMMISSION APPROVED THE OCEF'S HEALTH EQUITY TEAM RECOMMENDED SOGI DATA SET TO IMPLEMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS ACROSS THE STATE OF COLORADO. OCEF COLLABORATED WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDER TO PRODUCE A VOTER GUIDE AND GOTV CAMPAIGN ON EDUCATING COMMUNITY IN ADVOCATING FOR PRO-JUSTICE/PRO-EQUALITY SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES. OCEF YOUTH AND SCHOOLS PROGRAM HOSTED THEIR IN-PERSON QUEER YOUTH SUMMIT. OCEF ATTENDED OVER 25 PRIDES THROUGHOUT COLORADO. OCEF STAFF AND BOARD FINALIZED THE STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH WAS INTRODUCED IN 2022 AND BEGAN IMPLEMENTING THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2023. OCEF FINISHED A REBRANDING PROCESS AND LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE.