Happy May CoCEAL Comunidad (Community),

As the trees and flowers begin to blossom, this is transition period for many and it represents what this time often feels like. We are nearing the end of the semester in a flash and graduation is right around the corner. This opens an opportunity for reflection and expressing gratitude to our higher education professionals, educators, and most importantly, our students.

For CoCEAL, our board is working on implementing structural changes to ensure the organization can continue as a pillar in the community and beyond its board members. We have been working on improving our communications end of CoCEAL so we can consistently engage with our community and members online.

This semester has not been easy and on an individual level, I hope you all spend time to rest and pour back into your cups in ways that re-ground you with your community.

For further information and updates about the work CoCEAL is engaging in, please continue reading our noticias (newsletter) to stay connected with us!

Sinceramente (Sincerely),

Vanessa Torres

Communications Director

Colorado Coalition of Educational Advancement of Latinos

CoCEAL

vanessa.torres@coceal.org

She/Her/Ella

Great news, comunidad! We did it. Thriving Bill, HB26-1006 has officially passed and is now making its way to Governor Polis’ desk.

This would not have been possible without the incredible support and leadership of the bill sponsors, Representative Velasco, Representative Martinez, and Senator Roberts. But just as importantly, this bill would never have gained the momentum it did without the work of Colorado Mountain College and Yesenia Silva Estrada.

Yesenia has truly been a guiding light throughout this entire process. She helped bring the team together, educated and informed stakeholders across the state, and continued pushing this work forward every step of the way. We want to give a huge shoutout to her for all of her hard work and dedication, along with a big thank you to Colorado Mountain College for their leadership and support.

This bill is going to do some incredible things for students across Colorado. First, Colorado is now the first state in the nation to pass legislation like this, giving students the ability to make college decisions based on actual student success data rather than institutions simply claiming they are serving institutions based on enrollment numbers alone. Schools will now have to demonstrate through measurable outcomes that they are truly helping students thrive in areas such as supporting low-income students, first-generation students, and other historically underserved communities.

That matters because students deserve transparency and the ability to make informed choices about their higher education journey. Too often, students choose institutions that may not fully support their success, which can lead to transferring schools, spending additional money, losing time, and creating barriers to graduation. When students are able to make the right choice the first time, it can dramatically improve their likelihood of graduating while also reducing financial strain.

We are excited to see this bill implemented and hope it serves as a guiding light for students and institutions across Colorado.

Thank you all for your continued support throughout this process. And this is not the end. We will continue fighting for Colorado students, continue introducing new legislation, and continue making sure students remain at the forefront of policy advocacy and higher education reform.

Karl Diaz-Sanders

CoCEAL President

Colorado Coalition of Educational Advancement of Latinos

CoCEAL

KARL.DIAZ-SANDERS@UCDENVER.EDU

He/Him/His

We want to extend a huge congratulations to all the graduates from the Class of 2026!

To all the graduates, we hope you feel accomplished for your hard work up to this point especially as many of us may be first generation, experienced challenging periods or transitions, and held multiple responsibilities throughout their time at school.

In this next chapter as you move to the next stepping stone in your personal life and career, look back on your journey thus far and feel proud of yourself for this amazing milestone!