On Sunday, September 22, 2024, Together Colorado hosted its 2024 People’s Assembly at Shorter Community AME Church in Denver, bringing together hundreds of participants from across the state. Faith and community leaders from diverse traditions came together to discuss critical issues, ballot measures for the upcoming election, and to chart a vision for the next 3-5 years of community organizing.
"Today, in 2024, it is crucial that we come together as a community, because there are forces trying to divide us, making us fear each other based on the language we speak, the color of our skin, or how we worship," said Sharon Battle, Together Colorado Board President. "Our many faith traditions call us to action to build the Beloved Community we want for all children of God. Our fight is to remain united in love for each other, without exception."
The keynote speaker for the event was Reverend Michael-Ray Mathews, a nationally recognized multi-faith leader and former Deputy Director of Faith in Action. Throughout his career, Mathews has led numerous successful campaigns driving multi-faith justice initiatives. He currently serves as a senior fellow for religious affairs with People for the American Way and the American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley.
“We imagined how our organizing was an effort to move from Empire to Beloved Community, from human hierarchy to human dignity, from economic and ecological scarcity to abundance, and from hyper-individualism and isolation to belonging to community,” said Reverend Mathews.
Together Colorado has a long history of mobilizing faith communities to address critical social issues. Founded in 1984, the organization held its first member assembly that year, marking the beginning of its commitment to grassroots organizing. In 2024, Together Colorado united to reaffirm its vision for a multiracial democracy, rooted in justice and collective action. Faith and community leaders led discussions on key issues and ballot measures for the upcoming election, as well as on how to strengthen the organization’s impact through continued organizing.
Reverend Janel Apps Ramsey, addressing the assembly, shared a personal reflection: "I traded in a false sense of security and all the right answers for a faith that is wide and deep. I’m always discovering new ways to appreciate how others see the world. I can hold what matters to me, while joining hands with my interfaith sisters and brothers. This not only deepens our faith but reinforces the very pillars that our democracy was built on."