Miriam Peña

Miriam considers herself blessed to earn a living fighting for progressive change in Colorado as an Executive Director at the Colorado Progressive Coalition and Colorado Progressive Action. In this role Miriam works with a courageous staff and membership of 24,000 giant killers across the State who fight corporate giants, speak truth to power through community organizing, and hold elected officials accountable. Born in Mexico in the dangerous border city of Juarez, Miriam was raised in Denver’s Cole/5 Points neighborhood, coming to Colorado when she was 6 months old. She became the first in her family to attend college earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver having studied Public Policy and Communications.  When Miriam isn’t protesting Big Banks or Police Brutality, you can find her spending time with family and friends, drinking wine, or pretending to be an avid runner. Earlier this year, Miriam was featured in the Westword. Check out the link below to read more! http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/01/miriam_pena_colorado_progressive_coalition.php

Miguel Baca Barragan

Miguel Baca Barragan, a Colorado native, has an eclectic background that ranges from multi-media productions to non-profit development to educating at-risk kids. As a young man, Miguel started an audio and video production company that focused on finding Latino talent and producing positive images of Latinos in the media. Later he worked as a Correctional Officer for the Arizona Department of Corrections. He served as an officer on the yard and as a training officer in the Academy. Miguel’s goal was to train fellow officers to “not hold your badge above your head -- it is using your head that will keep you safe and going home at the end of your shift.” In addition, Miguel has an extensive multistate background working with non-profits that focus on health, at-risk youth, education and social justice. This includes working with the St. John’s Community Center in San Francisco’s Mission District to the National Children’s Defense Fund to the Latin American Research and Service Agency (LARASA). As the Program Director of the LARASA Learning Centers, Miguel directed the operations of six online learning centers in three different at-risk neighborhoods in the Denver metropolitan area. He assisted students and their families in accessing needed public service programs. Miguel has received training in Public Healthcare Coverage options that include federal and state programs, is a healthcare navigator and a Certified Fundraising Executive International with Metasoft Online Continuing Education Point.