It is with deep gratitude and humility that I address you in my last month as President of this esteemed organization. APABA has been a central focus for me over the past year, and I have done my best to serve its members to the best of my ability. As I end my tenure, I look back at all the amazing things that our organization has accomplished. In truth, I cannot take any credit for those accomplishments; I merely tried my best to keep up as our prolific board members and general membership came together to accomplish great things for the legal profession and for our community.
I am looking forward to beginning my new role as Immediate Past President and as a board member for the organization. I am proud to announce that our new leader of the organization will be Deborah Yim, the founder and managing partner at Primera Law Group. Deborah is an unstoppable force of progress and I have no doubt that APABA will take off under her leadership.
APABA is the organization where I turn to find professional development, community involvement, and friendship. I am proud of the work I have done for this organization and I look forward to many more years working with this inspiring network of gifted attorneys. Thanks so much to all of you for an amazing year!
Please see below for information on important topics and upcoming events. And as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or comments: blake.gansborg@nelsonmullins.com, (303)583-9914.
APABA Members are invited to join the law students and other members at the reception at Sheridan Ross following the walking tour. Please CLICK HERE to RSVP.
FREE CLE TO APABA MEMBERS: Race in Courtroom & Cultural Competency
Please save the date for the following CBA Labor & Employment section program (jointly sponsored with APABA), our first event to kick off APA Heritage month:
April 28, 2023
8:45 – 9:45
Race in the Courtroom and Cultural Competency
Presented by Prof. Aya Gruber, University of Colorado Law School, and Prof. Tom Romero, University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Submitted for 1 EDI Credit
CBA has kindly offered to make this event free for APABA members (likely to be hybrid) and there will be a discount for APABA members to attend the entire Labor & Employment Law conference on Apr 27-28. https://cle.cobar.org/Seminars/Event-Info/sessionaltcd/EM042723L. The entire conference will be at the CBA.
Roadways to the Bench: Who Me? A Bankruptcy or Magistrate Judge?
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEES ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BANKRUPTCY SYSTEM AND MAGISTRATE JUDGES SYSTEM AND THE FACULTY OF FEDERAL ADVOCATES
PRESENTS
"ROADWAYS TO THE BENCH: WHO ME? A BANKRUPTCY OR MAGISTRATE JUDGE?"
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2023
2:30 - 5:00 P.M.
ALFRED A. ARRAJ FEDERAL COURTHOUSE
901 19TH STREET, DENVER
IN PERSON ONLY
To further the goal of casting a wide net to attract the broadest possible pool of qualified applicants to serve as federal judges, the Judicial Conference Committees on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System and Magistrate Judges System present their national diversity event: "Roadways to the Bench: Who Me? A Bankruptcy or Magistrate Judge?"
The program will begin with a panel discussion among distinguished judges, which will be live-streamed to the Arraj Courthouse and other locations across the country from Washington, D.C. Attendees will then enjoy an hour of rotating roundtables with local district, bankruptcy and magistrate judges, who will discuss their path to the bench and the importance of diversity in the judiciary and the bar.
The following judges are scheduled to participate in this program: U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado:
Chief Judge Philip A. Brimmer
Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson
Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello
District Judge Daniel D. Domenico
Senior Judge William J. Martinez
Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak
Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell
Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado:
Chief Judge Kimberley H. Tyson
Judge Thomas B. McNamara
Judge Michael E. Romero
The event is free of charge but registration is required. Registration is limited due to space constraints.
A reception will immediately follow the local roundtable discussions.
PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITY TO COLORADO STATE COURT JUDGES
The DCJA/CCJA and Bar Leaders Webinar on Diversity and Justice Planning Committee provides occasional presentations to the District and County Court judges across the state. They started due to the George Floyd protests, and the idea is to present DEI issues to the judges and provide diversity bars their time with the judges. People get to say what they want to judges (even if that’s not what they want to hear) and judges are given an opportunity to speak their mind without fear of being recorded.
The committee is open to topics and asked APABA's membership to raise issues that they feel are important. We can convey these messages to the committee, or even provide a platform for our members to present to the judges. If there are any issues that you would wish to raise with Colorado's district and county court judges, please reach out to us at apabacolorado@gmail.com.
Volunteer with BIA
Benefits in Action (BIA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our diverse community with a focus on the elderly and underserved to improve their understanding, access, and utilization of food- and health-related benefits to enhance food security, health, and well-being.
On February 4, 2023, Benefits In Action, CHBA, and APABA joined forces to offer a free legal clinic.Volunteers play a critical role in achieving the Benefits in Action mission. Our team includes VISTA members, SHIP (Medicare) volunteers, volunteers from Boomers Leading Change, and a network of other talented and passionate individuals.
As an official NAPABA affiliate, APABA of Colorado is able to offer a free NAPABA membership. To activate or renew a NAPABA membership, please click here to visit the NAPABA membership page and enter "20APABACO23" as the code where applicable. Please do not share this code with non-APABA members.
APABA JOB POSTINGS
APABA maintains a current list of legal job openings in Colorado - please CLICK HERE to stay on top of new career opportunities. Here's a sampling of some of the recent posting to our site:
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Vacancy Announcement (Subchapter V Trustee for The Office of the US Trustee - CO/WY
United States Department of Justice, Office of the United States Trustee, is looking for applicants to serve as Subchapter V Trustees. Selected candidates will be appointed Subchapter V Trustee on a case-by-case basis to administer cases filed under the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (Subchapter V) in the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Districts of Colorado and Wyoming, as well as in nearby Districts or Divisions, as appropriate. Our office is currently seeking diverse candidates with business, managerial, consulting, mediation, and/or operational experience.
As usual, our prolific membership has made the past month an eventful one. Partnering with the Asian Pacific Development Center and the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network, our members assembled dozens of gift baskets to support refugee families and help them celebrate the Lunar New Year. Thanks very much to those of you who donated your time and efforts to helping these families.
Our members also joined together in solidarity on February 8 at the Denver Botanic Gardens to honor the victims of the tragic shootings at Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay. A strings trio, led by Joy Yamaguchi, played classical music throughout the event. Organizers Sara Moore and Joie Ha welcomed guests and said aloud the names of the victims, followed by holding a moment of silence. Mr. Jia An Zhu and Ms. He Fang Zong performed Jiao Ji Wu, a Chinese Blues Ballroom Dance, in memory of the Asian seniors at Star Dance Studio in Monterey Park. Afterward, attendees were invited to learn the ballroom dance with them as they provided simple instructions on how to do the four-step dance (and spin/twirl).
In honor of Black History Month, APABA's members partnered with the Sam Cary Bar Association this month for a coalition building event and panel discussion. Special thanks to our moderators, Tiera Brown and Harry Budisidharta, and our incredible speakers, Minister Lauren Jonson, Anna Lodge, Howard Chou, and Derek Okubo. The event was a great success and in important step forward to uniting our Black and Asian communities in Colorado. Thanks very much to those of you who were able to join us.
Please see below for more information and other important topics and events. And as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or comments: blake.gansborg@nelsonmullins.com, (303)583-9914.
On January 23, 2023, Senadora Julie Gonzales invited APA leaders and organizations to celebrate Lunar New Year with the Senate of Colorado Legislature. Thank you Senator Julie Gonzales for the invitation!
Free Tickets to Dragon Boat Film Festival Showing March 10, 2023 at 7pm at Sie FilmCenter - H2 - Maglione Theater
APABA is sponsoring the Dragon Boat Film Festival Showing of Big Fight in Little Chinatown on March 10, 2023 at 7PM. After the film, there will be a Q&A session with the director, moderated by Deborah Yim.
We have 10 tickets that we are giving to our members. If you would like tickets to this event please email blake.gansborg@nelsonmullins.com.
Roadways to the Bench: Who Me? A Bankruptcy or Magistrate Judge?
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEES ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BANKRUPTCY SYSTEM AND MAGISTRATE JUDGES SYSTEM AND THE FACULTY OF FEDERAL ADVOCATES
PRESENTS
"ROADWAYS TO THE BENCH: WHO ME? A BANKRUPTCY OR MAGISTRATE JUDGE?"
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2023
2:30 - 5:00 P.M.
ALFRED A. ARRAJ FEDERAL COURTHOUSE
901 19TH STREET, DENVER
IN PERSON ONLY
To further the goal of casting a wide net to attract the broadest possible pool of qualified applicants to serve as federal judges, the Judicial Conference Committees on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System and Magistrate Judges System present their national diversity event: "Roadways to the Bench: Who Me? A Bankruptcy or Magistrate Judge?"
The program will begin with a panel discussion among distinguished judges, which will be live-streamed to the Arraj Courthouse and other locations across the country from Washington, D.C. Attendees will then enjoy an hour of rotating roundtables with local district, bankruptcy and magistrate judges, who will discuss their path to the bench and the importance of diversity in the judiciary and the bar.
The following judges are scheduled to participate in this program: U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado:
Chief Judge Philip A. Brimmer
Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson
Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello
District Judge Daniel D. Domenico
Senior Judge William J. Martinez
Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak
Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell
Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado:
Chief Judge Kimberley H. Tyson
Judge Thomas B. McNamara
Judge Michael E. Romero
The event is free of charge but registration is required. Registration is limited due to space constraints.
A reception will immediately follow the local roundtable discussions.
Colorado Bar Association Strategic Planning Focus Group
The CBA asked APABA to participate in a focus group to get our opinions/perspectives on the following areas:
Bar association programs
Member demographics and climate
Communication delivery and technology
Sustainability and partnerships
APABA is scheduling a meeting on these issues in March and would appreciate our members' involvement. If you would like to participate, please email dyim@primeralaw.com.
PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITY TO COLORADO STATE COURT JUDGES
The DCJA/CCJA and Bar Leaders Webinar on Diversity and Justice Planning Committee provides occasional presentations to the District and County Court judges across the state. They started due to the George Floyd protests, and the idea is to present DEI issues to the judges and provide diversity bars their time with the judges. People get to say what they want to judges (even if that’s not what they want to hear) and judges are given an opportunity to speak their mind without fear of being recorded.
The committee is open to topics and asked APABA's membership to raise issues that they feel are important. We can convey these messages to the committee, or even provide a platform for our members to present to the judges. If there are any issues that you would wish to raise with Colorado's district and county court judges, please reach out to us at apabacolorado@gmail.com.
Denver Bar Association - Denver At-Large City Council Candidate Forum & Reception
March 8 | 4:00 PM | DBA Offices
Moderated by DBA President Ruchi Kapoor
Join the DBA as it hosts an open-forum discussion with the at-large city council candidates running for office in the 2023 Denver election. Hear candidates' thoughts on local issues and learn how those issues impact us as lawyers. Please submit any questions you have for candidates in advance. A reception will follow the forum.
Benefits in Action (BIA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our diverse community with a focus on the elderly and underserved to improve their understanding, access, and utilization of food- and health-related benefits to enhance food security, health, and well-being.
On February 4, 2023, Benefits In Action, CHBA, and APABA joined forces to offer a free legal clinic.Volunteers play a critical role in achieving the Benefits in Action mission. Our team includes VISTA members, SHIP (Medicare) volunteers, volunteers from Boomers Leading Change, and a network of other talented and passionate individuals.
As an official NAPABA affiliate, APABA of Colorado is able to offer a free NAPABA membership. To activate or renew a NAPABA membership, please click here to visit the NAPABA membership page and enter "20APABACO23" as the code where applicable. Please do not share this code with non-APABA members.
APABA JOB POSTINGS
APABA maintains a current list of legal job openings in Colorado - please CLICK HERE to stay on top of new career opportunities. Here's a sampling of some of the recent posting to our site:
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Assistant or Associate Professor of the Practice of Law
A national leader in experiential and interdisciplinary legal education, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most innovative and ascendant law schools. Located in one of the nation’s most dynamic and beautiful cities, the Sturm College of Law features an outstanding and diverse student body, an internationally respected faculty of scholar-teachers, a highly expert and collaborative staff, and roughly 17,000 alumni who have achieved careers of distinction in law, business, government, public interest, and other professional domains.
Position Summary
A cornerstone of the law school’s experiential learning program is its innovative, nationally recognized, and highly popular Externship Program, which provides students with hands-on experience in a variety of non-profit, governmental, and for-profit practice settings. In collaboration with the Director of the Externship Program, the successful faculty candidate(s) will (1) collaborate with the Director, the Dean, and Assistant Director of Career Development Opportunities, and faculty members to strategically identify new externship opportunities, including in emerging legal sectors; (2) assist students in identifying and selecting externship opportunities that advance their professional objectives; (3) engage with employers regarding programmatic requirements; and (4) advise students on ways to navigate their workplaces, strengthen their professional capacities, and beneficially shape their professional identities and ethical foundations. We seek to hire one or more full- or part-time faculty members to teach in the Program, beginning in April 2023. Subject to the circumstances of the successful candidate(s), positions are likely to be structured on either a full- or part-time basis, making the role potentially compatible with other professional commitments or other obligations.
Essential Functions
Collaborate with the Director, the Dean, and Assistant Director of Career Development Opportunities, and faculty members to strategically identify new externship opportunities, including in emerging legal sectors.
Advise students in identifying and selecting externship placements that advance their professional goals.
Foster professional self-reflection and identity formation by students, in both individual and group settings.
Assist students in navigating professional matters arising in the workplace, including ethical issues.
Engage with employers regarding programmatic expectations, including workloads, training programs, and student evaluations.
Collaborate with faculty and staff in the Externship Program to advance programmatic goals.
At Nutrien, our Purpose is to grow our world from the ground up and we do so with safety and integrity as our core values. Nothing is more important than sending our people home safe, every day.
Nutrien is a leading provider of agricultural products, services, and solutions. With approximately 23,000 employees world-wide, we are the largest producer of potash (by capacity) and one of the world’s largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate. We also operate a leading agriculture retail network that services over 500,000 growers.
We harvest the best. Diverse views and experience make us strong. We look for people who have a safety-first mindset, who are collaborative team players, who deliver on their commitments, who are innovators in search of a better way, and who believe in inclusion.
Working at Nutrien will provide you an opportunity to help us Feed the Future, and grow your career.
Reports to the Assistant General Counsel, Retail North America.
What you will do:
Lead a team of attorneys, paralegals, and contracts professionals to provide practical, timely, strategic, and high-quality legal advice on a wide range of supply chain and operations issues, such as those related to transportation, distribution, logistics, procurement and contracts management, and real estate
Exercise business judgment alongside legal advice
Provide extensive legal support for the strategic review, drafting, and negotiating of wide variety of complex agreements and other commercial documents, including distribution, supply, transportation, and storage agreements
Support the development and delivery of training materials and other communications to increase employee understanding of the legal aspects of Company policies, procedures, and processes
Identify and facilitate adoption of process improvements and best practices within the Supply Chain & Operations team and across the Retail North America legal team, including through the creation and implementation of new technologies, templates, and playbooks
Provide ownership and oversight for the department's contracts management system, helping to facilitate continued adoption and improved functionality
Collaborate with the Business Unit, IT, HR, Operations, Procurement, and other functions to develop strategies for providing legal support, including identifying specific legal requirements relative to such teams' activities and advising on opportunities and legal risks to successfully facilitate their initiatives
Anticipate potential legal issues within the organization with respect to the North America Retail business unit’s plan and implementation
Work collaboratively with a broad range of people and cultures throughout the organization to develop and maintain meaningful working relationships across the North America Retail business unit and its related functional areas to enable a business partner-oriented approach
Retain, supervise, and direct outside counsel effectively and efficiently manage legal expenses consistent with the overall legal budget
Leverage technology to enable to the right people to do the right work in the right way
Travel within North America and potentially abroad as necessary for occasional meetings and other work
The best way to keep up with all APABA activities and events is to follow us on Facebook.
January 22 marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit in the lunar calendar, and sets off a days-long celebration recognized as a holiday in numerous Asian countries and around the world. That holiday, also known as the Spring Festival, has many myths surrounding its celebrations. According to one legend, there was a monster named Nian (年) that would come about every New Year’s Eve and force people to hide in their homes. One day, a young boy was brave enough to fight Nian off using firecrackers. The next day, people celebrated their survival by setting off even more firecrackers. Today, fireworks remain an important part of the annual celebrations to drive away evil.
This important holiday is also marked by family reunions. Generations of family members will travel long distances to come together and share food (typically, dumplings), play games, and reconnect with one another. Elders will bestow kind blessings and encouragements on the younger generations and give away crisp new bills in red envelopes to the children. Some industrious children will visit as many elders as possible to compete to see who made the most money at the end of the day. There are many variations on the traditions that each household and community will celebrate – the one thing they all have in common is reuniting friends and family to take a break from everyday life and prepare for the year ahead.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or comments: blake.gansborg@nelsonmullins.com, (303)583-9914.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION 5K/1K FUN RUN FUNDRAISER
Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the Law Support Access to Justice and Metro Volunteer Lawyers 5k/1k Fun Run/Walk April 30, 2022 Westlands Park in Greenwood Village Registration and check-in begins 8:00 a.m.
PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITY TO COLORADO STATE COURT JUDGES
The DCJA/CCJA and Bar Leaders Webinar on Diversity and Justice Planning Committee provides occasional presentations to the District and County Court judges across the state. They started due to the George Floyd protests, and the idea is to present DEI issues to the judges and provide diversity bars their time with the judges. People get to say what they want to judges (even if that’s not what they want to hear) and judges are given an opportunity to speak their mind without fear of being recorded.
The committee is open to topics and asked APABA's membership to raise issues that they feel are important. We can convey these messages to the committee, or even provide a platform for our members to present to the judges. If there are any issues that you would wish to raise with Colorado's district and county court judges, please reach out to us at apabacolorado@gmail.com.
COLORADO BAR ASSOCIATION - STRATEGIC PLANNING FOCUS GROUP
As part of the Colorado Bar Association's strategic planning process it is seeking to engage with the diversity bar associations to gather information on the ways in which the CBA can continue to strategically support these organizations and their members. The CBA would like to invite APABA's membership to participate in a focus group to share feedback and insights with CBA staff and leadership. We anticipate these focus groups to last 30 to 60 minutes and provide APABA's members with a significant voice in the CBA's strategic planning process. If you are interested in participating in a focus group with the CBA, please email blake.gansborg@nelsonmullins.com.
APABA Colorado Newsletter
November 2022
President's Message
APABA friends,
I sincerely hope all of you had a restful Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family. The holiday season is an important time to reconnect with the people who matter most to us, reflect and express gratitude for the experiences of the past year, and to reset and contemplate our hopes for the year ahead.
I am hopeful that APABA can help you with making those important connections and having those experiences that matter most to us and our community. As one opportunity, APABA is co-hosting a holiday gift bag drive and holiday party on December 7th. Please click this link to register for the APABA holiday party and see below for additional details.
On a somber note, I want to personally extend my condolences and support for the people impacted by the Club Q shooting earlier this month. This tragic act of violence has shaken our community. It is moments like this that can also bring us closer as a community. I would encourage you to read the statement issued by the Colorado LGBT Bar Association (linked here) which APABA also supports and stands behind. I would also encourage you to review the links below to donate if you are able:
My door is always open – please don’t hesitate to call (303-583-9914), email (blake.gansborg@nelsonmullins.com), text (404-308-0531), or come up and chat with me at one of APABA's several in-person events throughout the year. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
Blake Gansborg
APABA President
Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
APABA NEWS
As an official NAPABA affiliate, APABA of Colorado is able to offer a free NAPABA membership. To activate or renew a NAPABA membership, please click here to visit the NAPABA membership page and enter "APABACO22 " as the code where applicable. Please do not share this code with non-APABA members.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
APABA is constantly updating its job posting bulletin on its website. You can access these opportunities at any time on our website: here's the link. Below are a few recent opportunities.
Assistant United States Attorney,Civil Division,Denver
Job description:The U.S. Attorney's Office is accepting applications for the position of an Assistant United States Attorney to serve in the Civil Division. The attorney must be devoted to justice, excellence, fairness, and representing the public. The attorney will have the opportunity to represent the United States and its agencies and employees in court. This work will include representing the United States and its agencies in civil cases across a broad range of practice areas, as well as in civil investigations of corporations and individuals who commit fraud against the government, harm government property, violate federal laws that protect individuals' civil rights, or violate other federal laws designed to protect the public. The work of the Civil Division is described at https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/civil-division.
Salary information: As noted in the announcement,Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $72, 995 to $176, 200 which includes 28.10% locality pay.
Benefits: As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. See Learn more about federal benefits and Review our benefits
Contact information at the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
Jharline Sotelo-Rivera (she/her)
Human Resources Specialist
United States Attorney’s Office | District of Colorado
REPORTS TO:CBA-CLE Program Director and Legal Education Director
HIRING RANGE: $65,000 - $70,000 (pay is commensurate with experience and education)
EMPLOYMENT TYPE:Full Time
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
JOB LOCATION:1290 Broadway, Ste. 1700, Denver, Colorado 80203 (Must be able to reliably commute to this location for in-office days)
WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Currently this position is a hybrid position, requiring in-person two to three days a week (on average), with the flexibility to work remotely the remainder of the week. Some evenings, weekends, and regional travel are required.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position has no supervisory responsibilities
How to apply: Please email your resume and cover letter to rvilla@cobar.org
Position Summary:
CBA-CLE (the non-profit, educational arm of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations) is hiring an enthusiastic Program Attorney to plan, design, organize, and carry out continuing legal education programs.
Duties & Responsibilities:
1. Research program ideas and develop top-quality CLE programs in various practice areas
2. Work with planning committees to create curriculums, plan agendas, find faculty, write course descriptions, and assist with networking events
3. Coordinate with team members on program marketing, sponsorship, AV/technology, and logistics
4. Take a leadership role in running and monitoring programs
5. Maintain and grow strong relationships with faculty members, CBA Sections and Committees, and the legal community
6. Provide ongoing all-hands support for team-wide projects
7. Report to Program Director on program development, execution, and efficacy
8. Exercise your creativity to educate, serve, and better our legal community
Qualifications/Training/Education Requirements:
A JD degree from an accredited law school
A minimum of 4 years’ legal experience
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to exercise professional demeanor and a high level of customer service
Ability to engage and support volunteers
Ability to negotiate and manage the needs of different stakeholders
Ability to multitask, prioritize, and meet deadlines in a detail-oriented, fast-paced environment
Established technology skills – proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (365 preferred) and Zoom
Preferred Experience:
Experience with teaching or curriculum development for adult learners
Experience with virtual learning
Experience in programming and/or project management
Experience with virtual event platforms
The best way to keep up with all APABA activities and events is to follow us on Facebook.
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Denver Bar Association - Denver At-Large City Council Candidate Forum & Reception
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