Cheers to Democracy is an exciting benefit event that promotes advancing women’s rights and legal reform. Come join us for a night of comedy, libations, a silent auction, and lively conversation on October 9th, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Town Hall Collaborative located at 525 Santa Fe Drive in Denver on Thursday, September 12, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $70, law students and paralegal students are $40, and legislator tickets are free of charge. The evening will be emceed by Cori Stewart and Sarah Parady and includes a panel discussion featuring Dani Newsom, Wanda James, Elizabeth Velasco, and Jenny Wilford. This is a great opportunity to see how the CWBA celebrates its work on public policy and the tremendous impact it continues to have on the Colorado community by advocating for the interests of women and children.
The 1891 is proud to present the following introductions to let you get to know the emcees and panelists better.
Cori Stewart - Emcee
Stewart a CWBA member, lawyer, and stand-up comedienne. She’s a national touring comic whose silly, smart jokes are heavily influenced by her experiences as an attorney and single mother. She has performed at comedy clubs and festivals across the country, but she is most excited to perform for you!
Sarah Parady - Emcee
Sarah Parady is a CWBA Past President and a Denver City Council Member At-Large. A trusted advocate for economic justice and workers’ rights, her drive to serve on Denver City Council comes from her belief that when we invest in each other, we all win. Aside from her work, Sarah participates in mutual aid groups, shows up on picket lines, and mentors a broad range of young people.
Dani Newsum – Panelist
Dani Newsum is a former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and Labor and current Director of Strategic Partnerships with Cobalt. Dani has served as communications and development director for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Colorado during 2002-2003. Prior to joining the Center, she directed communications for the Colorado Democratic Party and served as media director for the senate Democrats in the Colorado General Assembly. During the 1990s, she hosted an award-winning radio talk show on Denver’s KOA and KHOW radio stations.
Wanda James - Panelist
Wanda James is the first black woman elected to the University of Colorado Board of Regents in over 44 years and serves in Colorado’s First Congressional District. She’s past president of the National Women’s Political Caucus and has served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Colorado Tourism Board; a member of the CU Alumni Board; a graduate of the inaugural class of the Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute at the University of Southern California, and a Junior League of Los Angeles Board Fellow. In 2009, James and her husband became the first African Americans to own a cannabis company in America.
Elizabeth Velasco - Panelist
Elizabeth Velasco is the first Mexican-born state representative in Colorado, the first Latina legislator from the western slope, and the first open LGBTQ legislator in western Colorado. She knows first-hand the realities that working families face and supports affordable housing, language access, community resiliency, and access to clean air and clean water. Elizabeth is a member of the Energy and Environment committee and prime sponsor of the Water Quality in Mobile Home Parks bill. In addition, she has run several bills to improve wildfire resiliency and is chair of the Wildfire Matters Interim Committee.
Jenny Wilford - Panelist
Jenny Wilford is a Colorado State Representative and former Mayor Pro Tem of the Northglenn City Council who has spent her career standing up for working families and advocating for clean air and water. Her accomplishments include helping to pass one of the state’s most generous municipal paid family leave programs, investing in critical city infrastructure, and supporting small businesses through the pandemic. She supports affordable and senior housing options and led the charge to building the state's first all-electric city hall.
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To register, please visit https://cwba.org/Cheers-to-Democracy/Registration-Link
We look forward to seeing you there tonight!
Publication author
Maria L. Brooks is our favorite Denver Broncos fan. She’s a certified paralegal since 2003 and is a CWBA member at the allied professional level. She currently works remotely part-time as an executive assistant for a cannabis attorney in California, and full time as a legal assistant for Icenogle, Seaver, Pogue in the Denver Tech Center where the attorneys on staff serve as general counsel for over 200 cities, towns, districts, and highway authorities across the state of Colorado. Maria is a captain of multitasking, scheduling wizard, and workflow guru with over 20 years of experience in the legal field. When not playing fantasy football, she enjoys spending her time volunteering as a sponsor at local churches in the Aurora area to help young women recover from drug and alcohol addiction.