It's a pretty humbling experience to watch your mom vote for you on the ballot. I'm grateful to everyone who supports this campaign, but especially my mom! Here's what she has to say in voting for this campaign:

"Shawna is someone who always gets things done. She's passionate for the right things, and cares a lot - a lot more than I ever did! I'm proud to vote for her because she really cares about the people who live in Arvada District 2 and will make the whole city better." - Pam

My brother is my first best friend and the hardest person to get to register to vote! We haven't always seen eye to eye on things, so making sure I had a platform he'd be impressed with was important to me! Here's what he says:

"My older sister Shawna is pretty smart about making sure stuff doesn't suck. It takes a lot of work, research, and talking to people to be decent in government, and I'm glad she's running for city council because she's good at that. Thanks for stepping up Shawna, I sure did not want to do it." - Stephen

Nick's support through every moment of this campaign means more to me than he'll ever know. He knew that people would believe in this campaign even though I've never run for office before, and is always there to make sure the kids are taken care of while I go to yet another campaign event or canvass for one more hour. Thank you Nick, I love you!

"Being in Colorado for quite some time I'm relieved to support someone who can deliver results on affordable housing and safety for our family and for everyone's family. When she told me she wanted to run, I told her she had to, that we could have a wedding and she could run a campaign. Seeing all the people that have come out to help her makes me feel great about Arvada. Thanks to this city for supporting my wife and this campaign for all of us!" - Nick

Usually when people find out I’m on city council, I get an earful about our national politics. There is a lot of understandable fear and anger out there. Federal budgets being slashed. Income disparity between the wealthy and middle class. The increasing divisiveness between political factions. These problems are so big and seem so intractable so people ask me, why serve in government?

I share their concerns. At the same time, it's been heartening to listen to thousands of Arvadans talk about what really matters to them.

Together, we can do something to make affordable and attainable housing a reality for those of us cramped together living with our parents and children, or downsize into a place that's safe. By building an active 55+ community, we can affect the existing housing supply in Arvada and bring in more families to reverse the trend of schools closing.

Together, we can increase our public safety through smart road design that slows cars down, protects kids walking to school and bicyclists. We can ease the burden off our understaffed police force by increasing our first responders program and shifting tasks like traffic accident investigation to civilians.

Together we can create a climate plan that addresses our crumbling infrastructure and ensure it's climate resilient to fires and floods with funds from the inflation reduction act. We can improve our roads and traffic lights to be on par with the cities surrounding us and mitigate the pollution that is more prevalent in District 2 than anywhere else in Arvada.

Together, we can invest in our local small businesses and make it easier for people to get a start here in Arvada by rebating municipal sales tax, instituting franchise fees, and supporting our Chamber of Commerce. We can diversify the sources of funding the city gets by working with the smart plans from the Arvada Economic Development Association.

Together, we can help homeless Arvadans by weaving together the many services offered by non-profits, Jefferson County, the Veteran's Administration, various housing authorities, state and federal aid. As leaders we can never turn our backs on our fellow Arvadans, and must robustly support solutions while enforcing norms of respect and safety.

Together, we can fight for competitive pay and benefits for our workers, like when I joined the picket line for Kaiser workers, or King Soopers workers, or UAW workers like my friend Albert here in this picture.

Anytime you start to feel a little hopeless about national politics, reach out to your neighbor, and get involved with your city. It's been such a uplifting journey for me to realize that while the news can seem grim, our neighbors care about each other and are working together to keep this city a great place to live.

Thanks to everyone's well wishes while Nick and I had our wedding in upstate New York this past week. We gathered with our family and friends to celebrate our love and life together. While most of Nick's family is from this area, my family is from Colorado and traveled for a wonderful day of celebration.

Our first date was in Olde Town Arvada, and our first kiss was outside of the Arvada Flour Mill. As we raise our kids together at our home near 72nd and Carr, we are so grateful to this place where we fell in love and the kind community that surrounds our family. Our Arvada roots grow deeper every day.

Chip Ambrose a few days after he was adopted

My kids wanted to adopt a dog, but they are very busy with school and work and visiting with friends. We relented under one rule: that this dog be THEIR dog, and that they take care of him. We then met Chip at a Pups n' Pints event, and fell in love with how he decides to pancake on the ground when not being immediately petted. After adopting him, our daughter started to refer to Chip as her son, because she is responsible for walking, feeding, training, and keeping him happy at home. Occasionally, I do babysit Chip while my kids go out. And the first time, it was quite a jolt to hear my daughter say "Be good to Grandma!" to Chip on her way out. I looked around for my mother, who is I think of these days as Grandma. Then it dawned on me.

Grandma. That's...me?

There are many joys and touchstone moments in parenting, and much sooner than I had thought, becoming a grandparent is in front of me. While it's with the family dog and tongue in cheek now, in 10 years or so, it's a real possibility. Which makes me think, what kind of Arvada will we have for our grandchildren? I became a city council member for my children, and for all of our children and grand children.

Our Arvadan future has many beautiful maintained parks and trails for Chip to enjoy his whole life; and a robust safety net through collaborating with multiple entities like non-profits, other municipalities and counties, and state and federal funds. The Arvada of the future should have a much higher proportion of people who live and work in Arvada as housing is affordable and more mid-size businesses are enmeshed in communities like Five Points. In the future, I see an Arvada that has built more 55+/65+ communities for seniors; that has a thriving local business core that has helped it weather national economic events; that is climate resilient and climate ready. This future Arvada has a great school system because the city supports strong public education with transportation, smart growth that ensures families can live near their school of choice, and a great local economy that attracts top talent.

Our future Arvada has a commitment to diversity and inclusion and everyone who wants to live here is able to do so.

In 2021, if you had shown me this picture of our family laughing and hugging each other in front of the giant sunflower patch in our yard, I would have burst into tears. Then, I didn't know if my daughter would make it.

She was suffering from the onset of a severe mental illness that came close to claiming her life. Our understanding of mental health and the latest development of how to treat these illnesses is always evolving. Which means that there are a lot of misunderstandings. I didn't know how people would react to her very public crisis as we sought help. Eventually, we found residential treatment, and she made a full recovery.

To prepare for her arrival back home, I made plans to sell our house and leave Arvada. I grew up on military bases in the 80's. In those times and places, when people learn someone was suffering from mental illness, the best thing to do was for that person to leave. Start over. Afresh start where no one knew how you couldn't just "tough it out."

But my daughter rebuffed this idea. "I can go back to school mom, it'll be fine," she said with confidence. And she was right. Her friends, our neighbors, teachers, and social service workers all embraced her return to Arvada. Her re-entry wasn't without speed bumps, but it's been beyond my wildest dreams to experience how our community rallied around our family, accepted my child, and welcomed her home with open arms.

While she was in treatment, I spent time planting wildflowers, hoping they'd bloom by the time she got back, and impress whoever bought the house from us. But we are able to stay home and enjoy the flowers planted, and have our family photos taken in front of this beautiful landscape because of this community's support.

Arvada gives so much to my family, through the hard times and the good, and I'm running for office to benefit Arvada the way our community has benefited my family - the way it can benefit all of our families - with understanding, inclusivity, care, grace, and an eye towards a prosperous future.

If you or a loved one struggle with mental illness, reach out. Get immediate, confidential help here: https://www.jcmh.org/emergency-crisis-services/

I enlisted in the Army in 2001 at a Nuclear Biological Chemical Weapons Specialist. Since it was in the National Guard, I could go to college at the same time. I worked for a non-profit while attending college called Hand of Hope, where we offered assistance to the unhoused by working with supermarkets to take food donations and give it to the people who needed it the most.

In college, I attained a certification in non-profit management demonstrating excellence in fundraising, budgeting, strategic planning, human resources, operations, volunteer programs, and service effectiveness. My major was in political science because I knew that NGO's had a positive affect on government and studied the intersections of government and non-profits.

I worked for a fundraising consulting firm, Paul J. Strawhecker and then for Woodmen of the World, a non-profit membership based life insurance society. During this time I felt called to ministry and began working on my Master's of Divinity. I served on multiple non-profit boards for veteran, poverty, and voting right causes during this time. I also worked for Church of the Larger Fellowship.

Moving to Denver after my enlistment period concluded, my first job in the area was as the communications and political director for Padres & Jóvenes Unidos, now Moviemiento Poder. I then was called to a congregation in Carbondale Colorado where we worked with the undocumented community to provide basic protections from federal government over reach. Working at the intersection of faith and politics, I was tapped to be the national faith engagement director for the Pete Buttigieg campaign, and then the western states director.

I then worked with Election Defenders, using my military, faith, and government experience to bring together clergy and veterans to defend polling locations from white supremacists. This program helped over 2 million voters stay safe at the polls, and trained thousands of voter protection volunteers.

Today, I work for the Rainforest Action Network on the climate and energy program, working with corporations to listen to those voices on the frontlines who are experiencing the most harm from climate disaster. Our organization works with corporations to ensure they have the very best climate plans that make real change. I am also a union member of CWA 9415.

In the 20 years I have worked for non-profits, unions, and the military, I have done everything from basic volunteering to building a national program that helped millions in under 6 months. My experience means I'm truly equipped to bring our community together to win the progress we need for all of our families.

My family and I chose to move here in 2013 after my military service. My children, Rose and Rex, enrolled in Hackberry Elementary school, and I got to know the town through its vibrant parks, friendly people, and being involved in the JeffCo school board recall effort.

Then, I served a congregation in Carbondale, Colorado for a few years before working nationally on the Pete Buttigieg presidential campaign. As the pandemic hit and the campaign wrapped, I came back to Arvada and have worked full time remotely for worthy causes.​​

Even as I've lived all over the world and across this nation, Arvada is my home. I met the love of my life, Nick Ambrose, on a date at The Schoolhouse in Olde Town Arvada. Our marriage date was this August!

My kids love growing up here. My daughter is attending community college locally, and my son works at King Soopers. While he doesn't know what he wants to do yet, my daughter is certain she'll be a Psychiatric Nurse that works with adults in mental crisis.

Be sure to reach out and tell me your Colorado story - I'd love to know how you came to live in this wonderful city!

​

Honesty

​

Honesty is critical. I've been a community leader for years, and I've seen how political opportunism ruins communities. My run isn't about my career or scratching the back of some corporate interest. It's about service to you, and honoring the service of council members who are building a terrific city for all of us. It's about our future, in which we are all able to live and thrive in our hometown. Bayard Rustin said "The function of a religious society is to speak truth to power" - and that's my mantra for service and my life.

Ethical

You need someone that you can trust to do the right thing, even when you're not looking. The rigorous training I've had as a community minister and leader shows an unwavering commitment to our shared values and principles. Doing the right thing isn't always easy, but it's the most rewarding way to make decisions that are the best for our city in the long-term. It also means having honest conversations and inclusive processes to move at the speed of trust. This is a characteristic you know I'll employ with everything I do to represent you.

Experienced

​

My style of servant leadership is effective at enacting progress. This quality was evident when I was a nuclear, chemical, and biological chemical weapons specialist in the military. It was clear when we won campaigns for school breakfast with Padres y Jóvenes Unidos in Denver. Or when our community in Carbondale came together to protect undocumented people. It's why I was offered the position of National Faith Engagement Advisor for Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign (the first woman to hold such a position). My experience in mobilizing thousands of volunteers to help millions of voters at the polls and working with corporations to develop better climate policy is what Arvada needs - someone who knows how to unite businesses, neighborhoods, and elected officials under a common vision for a better life - and to make it happen.