Over the past few months, one of the newest additions to The Center on Colfax’s team has put their heart into renewing a program that is becoming increasingly important as some businesses roll back their LGBTQ+ protections and supports.
Since beginning their job as Director of Education and Training in August of 2024, Liz Elsen (they/she) has been coaching local businesses and leading trainings on how to better understand and support the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado.
In January, The Center hosted a kickoff to the Range Business Partner Program, marking the start of the new year and the refreshed vision for the program. Business partners and community members alike joined together to share a warm evening of connection, learning, and support, complete with a customizable hot chocolate bar created by Liz. Check out our Flickr for photos of all the fun!
Liz comes to work every day with a smile on their face and an attitude that says they’re ready to make a change. We had the opportunity to sit down with Liz and gain some insight into Range Education and what they hope their work can bring to The Center and the community.
Q: What aspirations do you have for Range Education?
A: [I hope that] people will be able to learn about how to best support LGBTQ+ folks. Certainly, there are a lot of people who have the will to do it, but I want to make sure everyone has the skill to do it. I want folks to leave every training and workshop with a whole toolbox of skills and ideas and tangible takeaways to make whatever organization they’re a part of better and stronger and more affirming for queer and trans people.
Q: What growth have you already witnessed in the Range program since you began?
A: I have seen an influx of people who want to volunteer with The Center and be part of a group volunteering opportunity. I’m excited to give them options of ways to support The Center and help support their organizations - like a pride trivia day, packaging supplies for unhoused folks, or even joining our Business Partner Program. I see a lot of growth in the way that I’m working with clients to create specific opportunities for them based on their organization’s needs.
Q: How do you feel the revitalization of Range will benefit the LGBTQ+ community?
A: I am extremely excited to get the opportunity to work with all of the different programs that are already an amazing part of The Center. I’ve been creating handouts for tabling opportunities, serving on committees to support other programs, and I’m excited to launch a new tier of our Business Partner Program that is collaborative with Denver Pride! Email me to find out more. Wink!
Q: What connection have you made that’s the most exciting so far?
A: Sherwin Williams. Every training and workshop I do is a wonderful opportunity for collaboration. I really enjoyed working with Sherwin Williams team to help their leadership navigate LGBTQ+ best practices. I worked with their Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG) to write scenarios that were specific to the unique challenges that their industry was facing. I also got to use a lot of puns about paint, which was fun. They laughed at all my bad jokes.
Q: What experiences in your past jobs do you feel have prepared you the most for this position?
A: I worked at an LGBTQ+ center and women’s center for the last 12 years of my life, so I know first-hand what younger generations of folks are asking for and hoping for their future, which gives me perspective about how to best support Gen Z coworkers, customers, consumers, students, and youth that we want to make a better place for.
Liz signed off by reminding us of why they do the work they do. With a smile and a wry look on their face, they shared their parting words: “After all, we can all do better!”
As a member of The OutPouring, your monthly contributions are helping to revitalize Range Education. With your support, Liz has been able to provide scholarships to organizations who are seeking Range’s services but may not have the funding for training in their budgets. Your help makes sure that Liz and Range Education can continue to create workplaces that are more accepting, understanding, and aware of the struggles that their LGBTQ+ employees and consumers may face.