Running with My Girls

Tired of watching local government ignore their communities’ interests, five diverse female activists run for municipal office in Denver - one of the U.S.’s fastest gentrifying cities. A story about an engaged community outrunning the deep pockets of the political establishment, RUNNING WITH MY GIRLS demonstrates that building a new kind of political power is not just aspirational but possible.

Tired of watching local government ignore their communities’ interests, five diverse female activists run for municipal office in Denver - one of the U.S.’s fastest gentrifying cities. A story about an engaged community outrunning the deep pockets of the political establishment, RUNNING WITH MY GIRLS demonstrates that building a new kind of political power is not just aspirational but possible.

Rebekah Henderson, the filmmaker of RUNNING WITH MY GIRLS, opens up about her life as a woman of mixed race and reveals her voter story - from lack of knowledge about local elections to voting based on political and racial identity. But the "good citizen" and Denver resident wonders if identity politics is the way to vote. Is it enough that someone in political office only looks like you?

Once considered an affordable American city, Denver is losing the housing war - home ownership and renting - to gentrification. Districts of the Colorado capital are seeing a surge of development and rising prices and taxes, pushing out long-time residents and business owners for the more affluent especially in Black and Brown neighborhoods.

Election campaigning is a dog eat dog world. But what happens when candidates, albeit in separate races, work together to uplift and support each other? Candi CdeBaca, Lisa Calderón, Shayla Richard, Veronica Barela and Shontel Lewis show the residents of Denver the power of a collective when it comes to local politics.

Shayla Richard, a candidate for Denver's City Council District 11, talks about the important civic duty of voting and why citizens must go to the polls if they want to be heard. Richard says that "savvy" politicians target underserved communities, and make decisions for their own benefit and against the best interests of their constituents.

Shontel M. Lewis, the director of Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD), talks about her position on how and why she votes for the city's residents. As a representative of the community, Lewis believes in finding solutions that do not harm those who have been marginalized even if unfavorable with her colleagues. She also shares why women of color should run for political office.