One Colorado

One Colorado, the leading political advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ Coloradans and their families, is mobilizing with fierce determination and strong coalition in response to what Executive Director Nadine Bridges, MSW, describes as a tumultuous climate. Bridges provides a clear-eyed look at the current state of the organization, both the unique challenges it faces and the successes achieved through collective action.

The current year has been defined by extreme challenges, primarily stemming from what Bridges calls “the chaos that this administration has caused.” She explains that this chaos is manifested through direct attacks on the community’s infrastructure and rights.

 “They’re attacking our financial infrastructures, which are deeply impacting the way hospital systems are providing gender-affirming care, especially for youth and young adults,” Bridges states. “We have many families seeking sanctuary and then finding out that the healthcare that they may be seeking is not guaranteed.” 

Compounding the political stress is a significant financial strain on the broader LGBTQ+ advocacy movement. Bridges reports, “I think the funding for LGBTQ+ organizations in general is down, if I remember correctly, like 35% of giving nationally is down, and so people are scared financially, and that certainly impacts the work in general, how we do the work capacity and just the stress overall.” 

The work is also deeply personal for the staff. “At One Colorado, the majority of our staff are trans, nonbinary and gender-expansive, and it’s our lived experience for many of the staff, and it’s hard to carry that, and do our best work. It’s very difficult to separate out the two, our personal identities from the work, and yet we try to compartmentalize as much as possible so that we can do the best work possible for the community.”

To counteract the despair, One Colorado focuses on action and self-care. “We’re really leading into this idea that action is the antidote to despair, like hope to action,” Bridges says. The organization is leaning into the courage found within its community and among allies. “What I know to be true is that there are a lot of courageous people in our community, courageous allies, providers, family members, and so we’re very much so leading into that; people want to be involved. They do not want our freedoms to be taken away, and we’re seeing this on an intersectional level with immigrant rights and reproductive rights groups, and that keeps us going.”

One Colorado has seen tangible successes born from this commitment. “Our Lobby Day last year, we had over 400 people that attended our Lobby Day, representing every part of the state. I imagine that our lobby day is going to be just as big this year,” Bridges notes. 

The organization is also preparing for legislative battles. “Folks are dialed in to paying attention to see where these extremists are leaning in for anti-trans initiatives and holding them accountable the best way we can.” They are bolstered by state leaders, including the Attorney General, who has been active in pushing back against these anti-trans efforts. 

Central to the sustainability of the work is a focus on well-being. “We know that we have to take care of ourselves,” says Nadine, announcing that she herself is taking advantage of a much needed step back from the work. “I’ll be going on sabbatical at the end of next week (as of October 17) for three months to take care of myself, after five years of everything from the pandemic to Club Q to the first administration, and now the administration again.” 

“For any leader to step away is hard,” Bridges admits. “I believe in the leadership of my team, my entire team, and their passion for the work and the support of the board. And I know that if I don’t do this, I will not be any good for any service to our community.”

For those who wish to support One Colorado, the opportunities are abundant and varied, extending well beyond financial contributions. “There’s so many ways to take action for One Colorado,” Bridges says, listing options such as the Change Maker Cohort, the Health Equity Leadership Council, the GSA Leadership Council, joining the Freedom for All education efforts, becoming a lobby leader, or participating in Lobby Day. 

“As much as, of course, we would love a donation, whether it’s $5, $20 or $10,000, the reality is that people-power is just as important, and we need both in our community. We need our unlikely allies to speak up.”  The organization also hosts educational events, including know your rights and LGBTQ+ one-on-one trainings to engage the community. 

The long-term goals for One Colorado are focused on stability and growth, which Bridges summarizes as “educate, advocate, advance, and protect.” A core strategy is to use storytelling to connect with the wider public: “We want to make sure that we are really building on storytelling to, you know, change hearts and minds.We know that in Colorado and our communities, we love our freedom, and these attacks that are happening at all levels, it is an attack on our freedom, and that’s unacceptable, and we want to be able to make sure that people are vocal about their values and they’re just leaning in. And we’re going to create the tools and the avenues for that to happen.”

Bridges shares a story about an “unlikely ally” to illustrate the heart of the fight. During a legislative session, a mother from the suburbs who did not have a personal connection to trans issues testified against an anti-trans bill. “She said something like, ‘I didn’t even know anything about trans issues. I don’t even think I know anybody who’s trans. And I come from the suburbs, and I listened to this training, and I thought, like, why wouldn’t I want to speak up about the rights of community? And why would anybody in Colorado, especially, elected officials, support anything that will cause harm?’ 

“This is about the respect and love of the human condition. It’s about understanding humanity, and whether you understand community or all of the issues, when it comes down to the core, no one should be discriminated against. There shouldn’t be harm caused to the community, just because you don’t understand. We have a duty to ensure that no one has to go back into the closet, that we can all live our lives authentically, and that means everyone needs to be involved,” Bridges concludes. She affirms that One Colorado stands united with its partners. “We’re all in it together, and we’re going to continue to do what we need to do to protect the community.”