We live in some very different and difficult times. Our landscape within the last few decades has changed beyond recognition. Some of us find ourselves yearning for the good old days, when you knew what was in front of you -- what was tangible. There were opportunities available for individuals, to properly care for themselves and their families.
People tended to speak clearly about what was on their mind, airing their frustrations or solutions. Accountability was a factor with elected officials and the voters.
Over the past twenty years, I have been privy to open and private dialogues with our elected and appointed officials. Elusive replies from these leaders have become the norm; I feel this is unacceptable. And so does my good friend Ken Padilla, who is one of ten candidates running for Denver’s District 1 council seat, vacated by former City Councilman Rick GarcÃa.
There is a prime pool of candidates participating in this election, but Ken’s life-long commitment on the forefront of our community stands out. The Denver attorney is well-known for offering his services – oftentimes pro-bono – to those in need, taking on challenging cases that required much sacrifice on his part.
I’ve never known a time when I couldn’t count on Ken, and I know many others that have that same faith in Ken; and should be openly standing by his side in this election endeavor.
His longtime activism has set him apart from other candidates. You always know where Ken stands. He is first in line to verbalize his stance, and there is no wavering or fence-riding – he takes the unpopular route despite its consequences.
His political activism runs deep in our community and he has never flown the banner of monetary opportunism. He is
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