Support Doug's Quest for Equality and Justice

We fight!

When the world is actively trying to eradicate us?

We fight by electing candidates that best represent their communities each election cycle to serve Our communities!

Yet, do you even know what it takes to get elected? How to sign up? Where to sign up?

Then there’s fundraising and all the complex rules that go with it. How do you figure out how many people to have on staff to help answer questions and distribute information? Or preparing for the haters because the candidate is Queer? Or has a disability?

Do I have these answers? Not yet. However, I have the opportunity to gain this knowledge and more.

My name is Doug and I am a professional Volunteer, who loves to garden, as it feeds my Soul. Over the years I have learned that gardening and creating art are the two spaces and places where I can deal and heal. As I have healed from various challenges related to living with Spina Bifida and being queer, I have learned to advocate and model that when some of the most vulnerable people in our community have a place at the table to participate, lead and co-create, then we have a diverse, healthy, and supportive community.

Over the past several years I have focused my attention on food justice, as food is our first medicine. This has allowed me the opportunities to serve as Co-Chair of the Denver Sustainable Food Policy Council, served on the Nourish Colorado Double Up advisory committee, be a facilitator for Foods in Communities, served as board President of Denver Food Rescue, serve as the disabilities coordinator for Denver Pride and serve as a garden leader for two gardens.

One of the gardens is located at the project-based apartment complex, where I live. The community-based approach has built a Garden Club at the apartment complex that has provided over 250 pounds of organically grown produce to the neighbors since 2020.

In 2020 our world shifted with the pandemic. My neighbors and I who already have a series of complex health and transportation challenges to access food were further isolating. The food that was grown in our garden not only provided fresh produce, it also was a space for people to enjoy nature while remaining socially distant.

Additionally, I have had the privilege of collaborating on behalf of the Garden Club with GoFarm Colorado, a local non-profit who works with Colorado farmers to bring in Colorado grown produce during the summer with their mobile produce truck “Chuck”. When the Chuck pulls up to the curbside right out front, our neighbors have a larger selection of produce that are yummy and supports our Colorado farming communities.

Access to Chuck the truck has saved lives. In 2021 one of our neighbors informed us that had the GoFarm produce truck and the food from the garden had not been available they would have not had access to food. Most of the food pantries and food banks during the pandemic shutdown or had to go to a drive-through style which meant anyone that did not have transportation was unable to access food.

It is the building and maintenance of these spaces and relationships that nourishes our communities soul, which in turn nourishes mine.

Through this work, I’ve met others like me, queer, disabled and passionate. I’m convinced if more of us were in office, we could spread community care to other parts of the city and state. I'm asking for your help to fundraise money to attend the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute Candidate & Campaign Training in September in Los Angeles. The training will provide a comprehensive, non-partisan simulation to understand campaign best practices for any present or future LGBTQ+ candidates, campaign staff, and community leaders. Trainees learn the necessary skills and strategies by engaging in tough, realistic campaign exercises and working with peers to develop a plan to run for office and win.

If you are interested in more information about the candidate and campaign training program please check out. https://victoryinstitute.org/event/2025-los-angeles-ca-candidate-campaign-training/

With this knowledge I will not only be able to assess my capacity to potentially run for an elected position but also how to help others who do. Regardless if I ultimately choose to run for an elected position or not, all of the knowledge gained with the networks built will give me a solid foundation to make better educated decisions so I can serve my communities to ensure that we have liberty and justice for all.

However, as you might be aware, people on disability do not have an abundance of access to the funds we need to make those dreams come true. If you want to see more people with lived experience enter into public office, to have a seat at tables making decisions about our lives, I hope you’ll consider supporting this quest of mine.

What will the funds be used for?

1. Registration for the training and wheelchair accessible room. ($400)

2. Transportation including airfare and Wheelchair accessible ground transportation to and from hotel/airport. ($500)

3. Food AND Incidentals outside of the training ($150)

4. Care for Molly, my Service dog who's in training and is Not ready to fly. ($150) Molly will be staying with neighbors so that she is at home and not in a kennel. Also boarding at a kennel is going to be too costly.

Total $1200

It will take a community to make this quest a possibility.

Ways to help?

Donating $$ to the GoFundMe.

The bigger the donation the quicker we will reach our goal. However, A $5 is also a very valuable donation, as I understand that it may be the one little treat you are not getting for yourself. I know what that sacrifice means. Thank you!

Airline points you are willing to donate for airfare?

It will take a community to make this quest a possibility. Please, share this with Everyone!!!

We must fight and be the change we want in the world. Not only do we fight for today, we must fight for a world our next seven generations will be able to thrive in and not just survive.