ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Our faith compels us to create a moral and communal economy where decisions about material goods are always made based on the inherent
value of human beings.
We envision an economy that honors the infinite value of every person, not the profit margins of corporations or the wealth of a few.
In a just economy, all people can develop to their full, powerful potential, contribute through meaningful work, and access the resources they need to thrive. But today, this vision is out of reach for far too many.
Our current economic systems reward billionaires and corporations while everyday workers struggle to make ends meet. Too many people work full-time yet remain one emergency away from crisis, as decision-making power over our livelihoods is concentrated in the hands of a wealthy few who use their influence to shape laws for their own gain.
We must come together to rewrite the rules of our economy so resources are shared justly, work is valued fairly, and communities, not corporations, hold the power to shape our future. Together Colorado leaders are organizing workers, faith communities, and allies across the state to strengthen collective bargaining rights, expand economic security, and build a democracy where all of us have a real say.
Join us to ensure every person has the economic foundation they need not just to survive, but to thrive.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE CAMPAIGNS
Update: On November 6, 2018, Colorado voted yes on Proposition 111 to cap predatory payday lending interest rates and fees.
We want to thank Together Colorado Board Members Rev. Dr. Anne Rice-Jones and Frank Tapy and Together Colorado Leader Shirley Richard for your leadership on Proposition 111. Rev. Dr. Anne, Shirley, and Frank all spent countless hours organizing to pass Proposition 111 by doing signature gathering, community and faith leader outreach, speaking engagements, literature drops, canvassing, and fundraising. Rev. Dr. Anne Rice-Jones and Frank Tapy also represented Together Colorado on Proposition 111’s Steering Committee.
Payday loans disproportionately affect vulnerable Coloradans, particularly minority neighborhoods, which are home to more payday lending stores even after accounting for income, age, and gender.
The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) finds areas with over 50 percent black and Latino residents are seven times more likely to have a payday store than predominantly white areas (less than 10 percent black and Latino).
These loans had an average effective interest rate of 129 percent in 2016.
The Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act
Coloradans shouldn't have to choose between work and caring for an ill family member, yet 88% of workers don’t have paid family leave. We must fight to place human dignity at the center of public life in Colorado.
During the 2019 legislative session, Together Colorado is supported the Family & Medical Leave Insurance Act for All Coloradans. This bill would have created a statewide family and medical leave insurance (FAMLI) program to provide partial wage-replacement benefits to an eligible individual who takes leave from work to care for a new child, a family member with a serious health condition, or who is unable to work due to the individual's own serious longer-term health issue.
The 2019 bill was converted to a study. Together Colorado will continue to organize to pass paid family and medical leave in 2020.
Work Here, Thrive Here: Local Minimum Wage Option for Colorado Cities passed in 2019!
Colorado became the first state to legislatively remove the preemption law that prohibited cities from raising their minimum wages above the state level. Now, cities can raise their wages to a level needed for communities to thrive.
The earth is sacred. We must live in balance with all of creation, using only what we need, and recognizing that there is enough for all.
We desire a merciful, rehabilitative justice system that maintains the hope and human dignity of every person.