On March 6th, 2020, Colorado became the fifth state in the country to ban hair discrimination through the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Care Act of 2020 ( “CROWN Act”). On September 4th, the act went into effect. The text of the law expands anti-racism discrimination by including an individuals’ “hair texture, hair type, or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.”

On Wednesday, September 17th, six community organizers were arrested on felony charges in Denver, Colorado. The six – Lillian Rose House, Joel Prentice Northam, Eliza Lucero, Trey Anthony Quinn, John Russel Ruch, and Terrance Terrell Roberts – were arrested in connection for their involvement in protests in Aurora, Colorado, the city where Elijah McClain was killed over one year ago.

On June 1, 2020, Caring for Denver, a nonprofit funded through a passed ballot initiative, launched a project designed to provide alternatives to police officers during a non-criminal situation. The Support Team Assisted Response (“STAR”) Van provides assistance to emergency calls that do not require a police presence by rerouting 911 calls.