Community leader, social justice reform advocate and state representative for House District 8, Leslie Herod, launched her campaign for Mayor of Denver. Herod vowed to refrain from a business-as-usual approach, and instead focus on bringing people together to meet today’s challenges and create real results.
“I’m running for mayor for a very simple reason — our city is struggling as it changes and I have the record of achievements and experience to chart a new path forward for Denver,” said Leslie Herod. “I’ve always put results over politics, bringing meaningful change for people. As Denver’s first female mayor, I will focus on addressing the day-to-day issues impacting our lives: affordable housing, safer streets for our families, and the homelessness crisis. Denver is ready for a mayor who will get things done; and I’m ready to meet that moment.”
Herod has dedicated her life to producing results on important issues to people throughout Colorado. After gathering mental health professionals and city officials together, she developed and successfully championed the Caring For Denver ballot initiative. Caring For Denver addresses mental health and substance misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery. Herod currently leads the organization and, in just a short period of time, $83 million has been distributed to 188 community organizations to get people the help they desperately need.
Working with both community members and law enforcement, Herod also launched a successful alternative policing program that deploys trained mental health workers and paramedics to respond to 911 calls involving mental health crises, homelessness and substance misuse. The program ensures that people receive the health care they need instead of entering the criminal justice system. Recent studies show that the program has had a positive effect on reducing crime rates in Denver.
“Leslie Herod has spent her entire career bringing groups of people together to collaborate and solve the most complex problems in our community. She creates real results and concrete change,” said Dottie Lamm, Leslie for Mayor treasurer and former first lady of Colorado. “Leslie is not a business as usual candidate. She is exactly what Denver needs now.”
From her early childhood, Herod learned the value of public service and sacrifice. Her mother was an officer in the Army Nurse Corps and raised Herod as a single parent on Army bases around the world. In grade school, she would meet the people that she would eventually call her bonus parents. Herod’s father was a law enforcement officer who further entrenched her belief that serving the public is a noble calling. Herod’s mother was an executive with a Colorado Springs utility company. All of her parents’ examples motivated Herod to run for office and help improve the lives of people in her community.
Having broken barriers by becoming the first LGBTQ+ Black woman elected to the Colorado General Assembly, Leslie set out with one goal in mind: bringing people together to get real results that improve the lives of people in her community. Now, Herod is ready to bring that same approach of putting results over politics to the Denver Mayor’s office.
“Denver is ready for change, and we are ready to tackle our toughest issues of homelessness, crime, and affordable housing. We will build the plans with the community to achieve results that improve the lives of everyone in our community. A path that ensures Denverites can afford housing. A path to make our transportation system quick, clean, affordable and safe. A path where anyone who is struggling can quickly get the help they need, and a path to keep our parks vibrant and safe for everyone,” said Herod..
Editor’s note: To learn more about Leslie’s vision for Denver, visit www.leslieformayor.com.
