CCG (Coloradans for the Common Good) and member institution GES (Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea) Coalition brought together over 100 community members on June 17th for a seminar to build a constituency of residents who are connected, informed, and engaged on how the City of Denver invests in their community.

The Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea neighborhoods are a historic, working-class area of North Denver that has undergone the displacement of many low-income communities of color in recent years. An oil refinery, a pet food processing plant, and major highway expansions have also turned GES into one of the most polluted regions in the country. Meanwhile, in this region and throughout Denver, city officials continue to use city resources to invest in sports arenas, hotels, and other tourist-oriented projects that have not proven to benefit the majority of residents.

CCG’s Public Investment for Public Good Seminar sparked a conversation on how public funds have impacted local communities and how local residents across Denver could become more involved in the investment decisions that affect their neighborhoods. The seminar featured a panel of speakers including Denver City Council Member at Large Sarah Parady, GES Community Investment Fund Project Manager Shannon Hoffman, and author of “Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State,” Samuel Stein. 

Participants split up into small groups to discuss their neighborhood experiences and what local investment for the common good would look like for them. They expressed interest in community land development for housing and neighborhoods, and economic development that leads to shared prosperity.

CCG Leaders made commitments to host civic academies to bring what they learned to their institutions and build a team to advance organizing around public investments that benefit community over private interest.

Click below for an image gallery from the seminar.

[Photo Credit: Anthony Maes, Photographer]