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The status quo isn’t working for most of us, and it’s time for a change. I am running for Mayor because transformational change requires transformational leadership.
I’m Dr. Nicole Speer: City Councilwoman, scientist, mom, businesswoman, union member, and champion of the people.
You elected me to City Council in 2021 with the goal of making Boulder a more welcoming and inclusive community.
Over the past two years I have:
helped seat a diverse group of leaders to our Boards and Commissions,
organized more people to vote in local elections, and
worked to make local government accessible to everyone.
We are making progress, and together we will create a city that works for everyone.
Why Mayor?
On November 7, Boulder voters will choose their first elected mayor. This change gives us the opportunity to vote for a mayor who brings fresh perspectives and 21st century leadership skills to help us make progress on the issues that are most important to our community: affordable housing, homelessness, the climate crisis, transportation, and mental illness and addiction.
As one of the most progressive cities in Colorado, we ought to have someone leading our city who represents the diverse interests of Boulder and is a reliable champion for the people.
I fight for the dignity of all people because I understand that our social and economic systems hold some of us back more than others. My core leadership value is inclusion: making sure many different voices are part of the decision-making process, especially the voices our organizations often exclude. Because when everyone feels safe and connected to the community, we all win.
Meet Nicole
As the child of an immigrant, I grew up between two worlds: My mother’s small, rural village in Luxembourg, and my father’s hometown of Portland, Oregon. My husband and I married while we were in graduate school in St. Louis, and we have lived in Boulder for 18 years. We share our 1500 square foot home with our two high school students, our two elderly rescue dogs, and a few hardy house plants.
I joined Boulder’s City Council in 2021, where I have worked to uphold our city’s commitments to climate action, racial equity, and creating a livable, vibrant and sustainable community. I am the Director of Research Services for CU’s brain imaging research facility in the Institute for Cognitive Science (ICS), where I have supervised a diverse team of scientists, students, and technologists for over 11 years.
I am a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, the NAACP Boulder County Branch, the Democratic Socialists of America, and my workers’ union, United Campus Workers Colorado. When I’m not trying to empower more people to advocate for themselves in our local government, you can find me supporting striking workers on a picket line, at a social justice-themed arts or cultural event, eating lunch at the Age Well center, bowling at The Connection, browsing the science fiction section of the library, or 2-stepping to The Reminders.
Issues
Homelessness, Housing and Wages
Everyone deserves secure shelter, clean air and water, healthy food, reliable electricity, affordable childcare, and safe transportation. When community members lack access to these basic needs, the whole community suffers. Effective solutions to homelessness require a holistic view of why families and individuals can’t afford rent, and why people who lose their housing may have nowhere to go. This means increasing services and housing options for families and individuals experiencing homelessness, and promoting worker rights, living wages, renter protections, accessible and affordable housing, and other strategies that prevent homelessness.
Climate, Energy and Safety
Safety in a climate crisis means ending our dependence on fossil fuels. It means ensuring everyone has affordable, energy-efficient housing and protection from extreme weather and bad air quality. It means more public transportation and safe, well-lit sidewalks and bike paths. It means helping local farmers supply healthy food to all who need it. It means creating an abundant tree canopy to cool our city, and landscapes to absorb excess water. And it means access to neighborhood centers, community gardens, and other public spaces that bring us together.
Mental Health and Addiction
A community that is equipped to support people struggling with mental illness and addiction provides access to culturally-competent therapists, counselors, and peer support. It provides transitional housing for the first months and years of treatment and recovery. It provides opportunities for people in treatment to learn or re-learn life skills, engage in meaningful activities, and live in supportive micro-communities. It provides 24/7 mental health first responders, and common sense gun regulation. And it focuses on ending systemic issues like poverty and racism that put people at higher risk for mental illness and addiction.
Workforce, Immigration and Aging
Our state’s population is in the midst of a major demographic shift. The number of adults over age 65 will nearly double in the next 30 years, while the number of children will remain the same. To prepare for the needs of our aging population, we will need more home aid and healthcare workers, better mobility services, and transportation and housing designed for universal accessibility. We will also need to ensure our city is attractive and affordable to the younger workers and immigrants who can keep our city’s businesses running.
“Let’s work together to create
a city that works for everyone.”
— Nicole