| Born and raised in a Black family in the American South, Elisabeth grew up surrounded by love, but also pain. Elisabeth's mother died of breast cancer at age 33, when Elisabeth was just 9. Her father, now retired, was a 29-year AFA-CWA union member. Elisabeth attended a dozen schools before 12th grade when she became a single parent herself at age 16.
After graduating early from high school, with a newborn baby often on her hip, Elisabeth worked dozens of jobs to make ends meets--she nannied, provided in-home child and adult care, was a bank teller, insurance underwriter, delivered phone books, worked at multiple call centers, and was a patient care coordinator at a free health clinic.
Elisabeth has worked and volunteered on many issue-based and candidate campaigns since childhood. Video of her at age 12 debating the death penalty, and letters to the editor she wrote at age 14, foreshadowed the activist she would become. She's worked for Democrats in 4 states, including as a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate and a field organizer for Colorado Democratic Party working to re-elect President Barack Obama in 2012.
Migration is a human right, and like so many of our neighbors Elisabeth moved her young family west to Colorado to pursue opportunity. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, her first job in Colorado was with the Colorado State Public Defender. After a brief challenging period of housing insecurity, during which her family lived in a coworker's basement and in motels, Elisabeth, her son, and their ancient dog Carter eventually made their home in Denver, where her son graduated as a scholar and athlete from Denver East High School. |