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Alesia “Elsa” Negusiea is a housing organizer at the East Colfax Community Collective, drawing inspiration from her mother’s journey and the community’s resilience against shared challenges. With a background in advocating for families in Denver Public Schools, she prioritizes inclusivity and equity, ensuring every community member receives necessary services at EC3.
Elsa champions language justice, amplifying voices of the community and values EC3’s approach of nurturing community leadership. She treasures the multilingual environment and the daily pursuit of justice, considering EC3 not just an organization but a family.
Brendan Greene is a Co-Founder of the EC3 who was raised in the East Colfax Corridor who has built his career around creating grassroots models of community-centered decision making.
Brendan graduated with a degree in Latin American and Latino Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz and received a Masters in Public Affairs from the Lyndon Byron Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin.
Trained as an organizer in the farm worker movement as the National Boycott Director for the United Farm Workers in California (2000-2004) and the Farm Labor Organizing Committee in North Carolina and Monterrey Mexico (2004-2007), Brendan brings more than 24 years of community organizing experience that focuses on challenging power to create space where impacted leadership is respected and in control of decision-making power over campaigns and policies.
Carson joined the EC3 team in 2023 with a background in urban planning, housing policy, and real estate, as well as experience with a variety of local organizing efforts centered on housing justice. Carson brings both a passion for housing justice and expertise in affordable housing to EC3.
Through his professional and organizing work, Carson has recognized the central role of stable, dignified housing in community health and is committed to creating durable housing solutions while building community power.
Daniela Hernandez is a Housing Organizer with the East Colfax Community Collective, passionate about helping others and serving communities in need. She is happily married and has four beautiful children. Originally from California, she holds associate degrees in Science for Medical Administation and as a Medical Assistant. Growing up in a low-income household and her medical background instilled in her a deep care for others. She is proud to share her passion in combating against injustice in the community with her amazing colleagues in EC3.
Don Deih, serves as a Housing Navigator at EC3. Originally from Myanmar (Burma) and joining EC3 in July of 2023, Don Deih is driven by a deep passion for aiding individuals and families, ensuring their housing stability and fostering community connections. Witnessing the profound impact of preventing displacement fuels Don Deih’s commitment to her work.
With a solid background in office management and a strong tie to the Burmese community, Don Deih is focused on expanding her reach within East Colfax. She is determined to utilize her expertise to empower and serve the Burmese community, striving to make a meaningful difference in the lives in the East Colfax community.
Emily Goodman is a Colorado native, spending her childhood enjoying the diverse and beautiful atmosphere of Denver, including East Colfax. Through Emily’s personal experience with housing instability, she understands the importance of affordable housing, which fuels her excitement to be part of our community’s advocacy working to create a sustainable and equitable future for all that call East Colfax home.
Gina Millan is an immigrant from Morelos, Mexico, who moved to this country in 1998 and joined the East Colfax Community Collective as a business organizer in August 2024. She became involved in the social justice movement in 2007 after witnessing abuses against the immigrant community. She graduated with a degree in Computer Science in Mexico.
At EC3, Gina found a community she wants to work with because it reminds her of the challenging first 10 years she lived in Aurora. During that time, she did not find any help or know of any organization that would fight for immigrants and refugees.
Helen Tekle, born in Ethiopia, resettled in the United States as a refugee at age 12, settling in East Colfax, Colorado. She attended Regis University, earning a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management.
With a background in marketing, she serves as Community Representative at Garden Plaza of Aurora and Outreach Manager at the African Community Center. Co-founder of Taste of Ethiopia, she hosts a Denver Day event with 15,000 attendees and leads a youth cultural dance group. In her free time, Helen enjoys family moments with her three children.
Mahder Ferede is a seasoned community leader with over ten years of experience in driving positive change. Specializing in business, event management, leadership development, and youth empowerment, she is dedicated to empowering individuals and supporting community success. With a background in Business and Marketing, Mahder is excited to bring her expertise to the East Colfax Community Collective. Her passion for community-driven initiatives and unwavering commitment adds value to the community.
Mohammad Shafiq Nickzad is a seasoned Operations Manager with extensive experience in nonprofit management, currently based in Chantilly VA. He is fluent in multiple languages and brings a unique multicultural perspective to his roles. As the former Country Director for Women for Women International in Kabul, Afghanistan, he oversaw operations, human resources, and finances, managing a team of over 150 staff members. Mr. Nickzad holds a BA in Administration & Management and is known for his strong leadership, communication skills, and commitment to justice advocacy. Currently he is working as Operation Director of East Colfax Community Collective
Nadeen M Ibrahim joined EC3 in 2021, and has more than a decade of community organizing experience, largely in the Muslim community and its intersections. Her passion for community organizing is driven by her immigrant, Palestinian, Muslim, and rural identities.
Nadeen holds a Bachelor of Science in public health from the University of Colorado – Denver and a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Oxford, England. Her passion for organizing has always aimed to better understand and recognize social determinants of health, especially around housing, in hopes of driving policy change.
Nate Kassa is a community organizer with the East Colfax Community Collective. He began organizing in East Colfax after he saw the neighborhood he grew up in increasingly struggling against gentrification and how the ultra-wealthy and powerful preyed on the increasing poverty and hardship in the community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wanting to fight for systematic change in the economy and housing system and to build a movement that could turn the tides of displacement, Nate became a tenant organizer fighting against gentrification by building collective tenant power. He studied Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Colorado Denver, earning a certificate in Geographic Information Science.
Olivia Sanders joined the East Colfax Community Collective as a Community Organizer in July 2023. Olivia is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and discovered her passion for social justice and community organizing throughout her time in high school and college. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Louisiana State University and a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and Policy Practice from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work.
Alex represents housing authorities and nonprofits that develop and operate affordable housing throughout Colorado. He volunteers for various legal aid organizations and political campaigns and serves on an advisory committee to Mayor Michael Hancock. He previously served as the Chair of the Denver Bar Association’s Access to Justice Committee and President of The Conflict Center’s Board of Directors. Before attending law school, Alex earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, where his research was funded by the Rotary Foundation.
Alex is passionate about community economic development, individual dignity, and social and economic justice.
Amber is an eighteen-year Human Resources professional with a special talent for inspiring transformational and inclusive cultures. A champion for diversity within teams, Amber is driven to make organizations the premier employer choice for highly skilled, principled and growth-mindset candidates. Exceptionally adept in forming and empowering teams to not only find professional success, but translating the same growth into an overall wellness in life. With a penchant for growing leadership confidence in maturing managers.
As a founder of “The 2nd Page,” a career counseling organization geared towards assisting those formally incarcerated, underserved and with immigrant status; Amber has seen firsthand the impact of gentrification and misplacement of viable housing and places of business. Once a member of a family who owned a business in Five Points, Amber understands the impact of removing family based businesses from neighborhoods where community and a sense of “belonging” is key to success and security of all.
My family hails from New Orleans, Louisiana. Both of my parents and sister were born there. We also have an older brother. They are children of an Air Force Senior msgt. We’re from Victorville, California originally, but lived in Louisiana, Germany, Minnesota and Denver which ultimately brought me to the East Colfax Community.
I graduated from Smoky Hill High School, attended Northeastern Junior College as well as Pickens Technical College in Aurora, CO.
I’ve been a Barber Hairstylist in the East Colfax Community for over 20 years and that career brought me back full circle to the same college I attended. I was the evening Hair Instructor for 7 years where I also served on the Barber Board at Pickens Technical College. Through all this I’ve always been a staple in the East Colfax community as Owner and Operator of Precision Kutz and Stylze. It’s a Community I’m really proud to be a part of. The true fabric of this community is the diversity it displays on a daily basis and there is no street like Colfax in the US.
(Spanish)
Mahlet has over 15 years of business management experience across multiple industries including technology, education, and healthcare. She is currently a Senior Consultant in social impact program development. Mahlet holds an MBA in Finance, Accounting, and International Business from Regis University and a BA in Economics from Colorado State University.
She is the Co-founder and former treasurer of a philanthropic giving circle affecting change for marginalized women and girls and a graduate of Chamber Connect, a program of the Urban Leadership Foundation. Mahlet spent 6 years in the community and is an advocate of preserving the vibrant culture of the East Colfax neighborhood.
Having come from generations of
entrepreneurs, Mahlet is very passionate about and excited for the opportunity to continue amplifying and supporting community-owned small businesses.
(Amharic)
Like many in the community, Nebiyu is passionate about East Colfax, where he has served the community in different capacities for two decades; including being a proud co-founder of the East Colfax Community Collective (ECCC).
Nebiyu is a Senior Business Operations Leader at Verizon Business Group, a division of Verizon Communications that provides services and products for enterprise and government clients around the world. In addition to his leadership role in Global Operations, Nebiyu is an active contributor to Verizon’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, where he actively volunteers and facilitates activities to give back to society through Digital Inclusion, Climate Protection, and Human Prosperity.
Nebiyu has the passion to help his community locally and globally through organizing and policy advocacy to improve conditions for immigrant and underserved minority groups. As a native of Ethiopia, Nebiyu emphasizes the rich cultural landscape of his community as co-founder of the Taste of Ethiopia Festival; one of Denver’s largest summer festivals. Nebiyu is also a proud member of “Denver’s 100 Men Who Cook” where he volunteers as a Chef to help raise education funds for local African-American youth.
Nebiyu is also co-founder of the Ethiopian American Development council that works to advance the human rights, political, educational, social, and economic interests of Ethiopian-Americans and Ethiopians. Nebiyu also serves in several community advisory roles, including Governor Jared Polis’ Community Engagement Team, Congressman Joe Neguse’s Immigration Stakeholders team and the Community Police Advisory Team (CPAT) for Aurora Chief of Police Vanessa Wilson; where he contributes in the effort to improve police-community relations.
For his contribution to the community; Nebiyu was awarded the “African Americans Who Make a Difference” award in 2019 from the Denver Urban Spectrum; a Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress in 2018, and a “Life Time Achievement” award in 2017 from the East Colfax St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
