The next steps for Western Colorado Alliance – Mesa County

The next steps for Western Colorado Alliance – Mesa County

The time you spent responding to our recent survey regarding how American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds should be spent in the Grand Valley was instrumental in helping us identify current needs in our city. THANK YOU! We look forward to sharing the results with the ARPA Committee, which is currently working to determine where to allocate funding for our community. 

While we don’t have a direct say in what happens with that pot of funding, I wanted to let you know what next steps our Alliance is planning to take over the summer, and invite you to participate! 

Our community hasn’t been immune to the deep divisions felt across the nation as a result of polarizing politics and the pandemic. This summer we are looking to cross barriers and build connections with our neighbors. We want to discover what issues are impacting us the most at home and with our families, and refocus the conversation on collective community needs. We plan to do this through in-person conversation, and by asking questions — really listening to our friends and neighbors’ different experiences.

In order to do this, it’s going to take a community effort. If you are interested in learning or sharing about the issues that impact you the most, I would welcome an opportunity to sit down with you over coffee to learn more and introduce myself and our organization.

Or if you’d like to participate in a small meeting to hear more about the work we are planning to do you can join us on June 1 at 5:30 pm in the KAFM Radio Room (1310 Ute Avenue). 

Please email me with any questions at maria@westerncoloradoalliance.org or give me a call at (970) 256-7650 ext. 109.

About the author

María Luiza Peréz Chavéz (who sometimes goes by Mary) works closely with the Western Colorado Alliance of Mesa County affiliate group. María is fluent in both English and Spanish and sometimes works as a skilled interpreter. But her love for language goes beyond just English and Spanish; currently, she is also studying French and Japanese! One day, she hopes to attend law school as an avenue to help those in need. Even with her busy schedule, María’s priority is her family. As the eldest of seven children, she has always felt the need to support her parents in any way she can. And somehow, she still finds time to read, swim, listen to music, watch movies, draw, play video games, and hang out with friends!

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