Kelly’s Guiding Values
The issues facing Denver are serious and there are no simple solutions.
I have concrete ideas for action for each policy priority. But, ultimately, making progress on these issues requires values-driven leadership. These are the values that inform my leadership and will guide my administration in all our work to restore the Promise of Denver.
Collaboration
The public sector, private sector and non-profit sector all have significant and meaningful contributions to make in solving the major challenges of the day. The Mayor of Denver has a powerful platform from which she can marshal resources and align efforts. We cannot afford to waste time working at cross-purposes – we must be working together, asking ourselves: how can my efforts strengthen and support yours to ensure better outcomes for Denver? I have worked in and across the public, private and non-profit sectors. I have spent my career building trust and finding ways for people to work together. I’m the only candidate for Mayor with the diversity of personal and professional experience to make meaningful collaboration in this city possible.
Equity
We have been inequitable in our investments in the Denver community and, as a result, we have parts of this city that are thriving and parts that are suffering. We know it and we need to fix it. How and where we spend our time, political capital, and money in this city will impact quality of life and shape opportunity. We have an obligation to do better by our residents and an opportunity to strengthen all parts of our city. I will make equity a key priority in all my decision making.
Creativity & Innovation
Our challenges are not new challenges, but we need new thinking to solve them. We must be willing to learn from those who have had success in addressing them. We must bring voices with lived experience to the table to help us solve these challenges. My administration will invite creativity and innovation and pair it with data, tracking and evaluation so that we can move in real time to make smart choices, advancing solutions that work and letting go of those that don’t.
Courage
Finding solutions to the biggest issues that face us will require the next Mayor to make hard decisions. Decisions that strike the right balance between the rights of individuals and the needs of the community. I do not shy away from making hard choices. I have the experience and humility to recognize that I won’t always get those choices right, but I am committed to being honest, transparent, accountable and adaptive to change course as needed to fulfill the Promise of Denver.
Compassion & Optimism
Cities are made up of people and people are beautiful, complicated, gifted and flawed, all at the same time. We must recognize and celebrate our common humanity and promote our shared interest in each other’s success. I am running because I believe in the Promise of Denver for the benefit of all of Denver. I will bring a people-first, optimism to the job of leading this city forward.