Speakers and Distinguished Guests

Keynote Speaker - hosted by Rep. Jason Crow

Congressman (MD08) 

Jamie Raskin

Congressman Jamie Raskin is the U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District. He serves as the Ranking Member on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. 

He served as the Lead House Manager in the second Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, which ended with a 57-43 vote to convict the president for inciting a violent insurrection against the government to overthrow the 2020 presidential election. Raskin also served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and served three terms on the House Judiciary, Oversight and Administration Committees. He served two terms on the Rules Committee. 

Prior to Congress, Raskin was a three-term State Senator in Maryland and a professor of constitutional law for more than a quarter-century at American University Washington College of Law. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he served as an Editor of the Harvard Law Review. He has authored several books, including We the Students, the Washington Post best-seller Overruling Democracy: The Supreme Court versus the American People, and the New York Times number #1 best-seller Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth and the Trials of American Democracy (2022)



Speakers & Panelists

Jason Crow

US Representative CD-6

Jason is hosting our keynote speaker, Representative Jamie Raskin, as well as providing us with an important update about the latest development in Washington, DC.

Morgan Carroll

Past Chair, CO Democratic Party
Firsts Panel Moderator

As a past member of the CO House of Representatives and past chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, Morgan will be moderating our Firsts Panel for our tribute to Pat Schroeder.

Iman Jodeh

CO Representative HD41
Firsts Panel

The first muslim woman elected to the CO House, Iman passed landmark legislation around housing, healthcare, and immigration.

Joan Lopez

Arapahoe County Clerk
Firsts Panel

As the first Latina Clerk in Arapahoe County, Joan and her team have won three national awards for keeping our elections secure and accessible, made DMV operations efficient, and modernized our record-keeping.

David Ortiz

CO Representative HD38
Firsts Panel

A combat veteran and the first mobility challenged individual elected to the CO State House, David works tirelessly to make Colorado accessible for all.


Naquetta Ricks

CO Representative HD40
Firsts Panel

Naquetta, the first immigrant from Africa to serve in the CO House, has been working to improve her community by helping build economic knowledge, capacity and attainability for all.


Leslie Summey

Arapahoe Co. Commissioner D4
Firsts Panel

Leslie Summey is a veteran of the US Navy, a retired Army spouse, and the first African American to sit on the Arapahoe County Commission.