Thank you for joining us for the 2024 Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All event, during the Outside Festival in Denver, on Thursday, May 30! 


Since 2018, Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All, has brought together over 50 Colorado and national conservation organizations, outdoor industry companies, and diverse community leaders as hosts to honor the intersection of outdoor recreation and conservation, celebrate the ways we already work together, challenge ourselves to do more, and acknowledge how equitable policies are critical to our long term success.
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We have come together to foster and maintain the integral roles that conservation, climate change mitigation, sound public lands policies, and equity play in supporting a successful outdoor industry.

HONOREES

Governor PoLis

GOVERNOR POLIS FOR THE CREATION OF THE LANDMARK CLIMATE RESILIENT WILDLIFE AND LAND FUND AND FOR EXPANDING THE IMPORTANT CONSERVATION EASEMENT TAX CREDIT PROGRAM
Governor Jared Polis is an entrepreneur, education leader, and public servant. After launching several successful companies, Governor Polis committed himself to making sure other Coloradans had the opportunity to pursue their dreams through founding schools for at-risk students and new immigrants and started nonprofits to help veterans. Prior to serving as Governor, Polis served on the State Board of Education and represented Colorado's 2nd Congressional district.
​Thanks to groups like Colorado Public Interest Research Group, Colorado Sierra Club, Conservation Colorado, Earthjustice, Earthworks, GreenLatinos, Healthy Air and Water Colorado, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, and Western Resource Advocates who rolled up their sleeves to work together to achieve this historic victory for Colorado's air, lands and communities. Along with Boulder County, CC4CA, Womxn From the Mountain, and countless other groups for being tireless advocates to make real progress for our communities by cleaning up our air, conserving our public lands, and making a historic investment in transit.

CHEYENNE & ARAPAHo TRIBES

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes for their leadership on the renaming of Mt. Blue Sky
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Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Cheyenne Cultural Representative Chester Whiteman

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Arapaho Cultural Representative Fred Mosqueda
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​From the March 3, 2023 CHEYENNE & ARAPAHO TRIBAL TRIBUNE: On Nov. 17, 2022, the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board voted unanimously to rename Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky. Mount Blue Sky’s name was submitted by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Blue Sky is a name for the Arapaho People, and the name of the Cheyennes’ renewal ceremony.

​The 14,625-foot mountain was named for the former Colorado Territorial Governor John Evans. Evans was in office during the unprovoked Sand Creek Massacre by U.S. Army troops. Hundreds of Cheyenne and Arapaho citizens, primarily women, children and elders, were slaughtered. The surprise early morning attack was led by Col. John M. Chivington. Native Americans have worked for decades to petition the state of Colorado to rename Mount Evans.

About the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board
The 13-member advisory board was formed by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis in July 2020. The purpose of the Board is to help review and vet proposals for geographic and place name changes and new names for the entire state and make recommendations in a timely manner to the governor.

About the Sand Creek Massacre 
At daybreak on Nov. 29, 1864, a force of some 600 troops under the command of Colonel Chivington, mostly volunteers, who were nicknamed the “Bloodless Third” regiment, attacked the quiet camps of the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The tribes used driftwood and underbrush as a defense while others crawled into pits dug along the banks of Sand Creek. Big Head, Howling Wolf, Spotted Horse, and other small groups of warriors fought the troops in several desperate struggles near the creek. By afternoon approximately 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens lay dead, the majority of them women and children.

Its aftermath included congressional investigations, public outcry as well as staunch defenders, reprisals, and the removal of a colonel and the resignation of former Colorado Governor John Evans.

Sand Creek also gave rise to a new generation of federal Indian policies and new treaties at the Little Arkansas and Medicine Lodge as well as the next generation of fighters and fights: Beecher Island, The Washita, Summit Springs.
“Since 1895 when this majestic mountain was named after the second territorial Governor, John Evans, Cheyenne and Arapaho people have had a constant reminder of a dark segment of our tribal history. A reminder of what one person had accomplished by his reluctance to do the duty of his post. Genocide and removal of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people from their homelands. Now we have a Governor who has taken the initiative to do his duty and recommend the renaming of this fabled mountain on the front range of the Rockies, homelands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho. Thank you, Governor Polis, for your recommendation on the renaming to Mount Blue Sky. A name that brings joy and honor to the Cheyenne and Arapaho people, of a ceremony for all living things, and a name of the people whose homelands this mountain overlooks. Mount Blue Sky is for everyone.” Arapaho Cultural Leader Fred Mosqueda

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Emcee - Conor Hall
​Director, Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office

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Conor hails from the mountains of Southwestern Colorado. He attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana where he served as the Co-President of the Student Government and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Politics. He set multiple fundraising records working in Texas for the Obama campaign during the 2008 election cycle, and has experience in community outreach and international comparative climate policy. 

In 2015, Conor joined Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper’s Office of Community Partnerships as the Manager of Special Initiatives, working to support Colorado’s most vulnerable citizens and to manage a diverse portfolio of projects including the Governor’s Clergy Council, the Governor’s Executive Internship Program, and important pieces of the 100 million dollar Colorado Pedals Project. Conor went on to serve as the Director of Advance and Special Advisor to the Governor and finished the Administration as the Director of External Affairs and Senior Advisor to the Governor, staffing him at all external events and meetings, managing relationships around the state and country, and advising on all speeches, political and communications strategy and a multitude of policy decisions. After closing out the Governor’s final term, Conor served as a Senior Advisor on Climate and Conservation on Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign. From 2019–2022, Conor served as the Director of Conservation Strategies, Policy and Advocacy in the West for the Trust for Public Land (TPL) working to create billions of dollars in public funding for conservation. He still serves as a Vice President on the TPL Action Fund board. 

 In early 2022, Conor was appointed by Governor Polis to lead the Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry which aids and advocates for  a $63 billion dollar industry that supports over half a million Colorado jobs.

Conor is an avid outdoorsman and loves to escape to the mountains to snowboard, hike, mountain bike, rock climb, SUP, and Kayak. He is a cancer survivor who proudly serves on the non-profit First Descents Alumni Advisory Board and mentors other young people battling cancer. He also serves as a board member for the national anti-bullying non-profit Stand for Courage, civic engagement organization Better together Denver, the statewide leadership development group Civico,  the Colorado Outdoor Equity Fund, the Colorado Outdoor Partnership executive committee and Colorado Parks and Wildlife regional partnerships grant program. He is a 2019 McKinsey Academy Leadership Fellow.

Musicians

ADRIAN GARCIA

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Adrian Garcia is a dedicated music and entertainment professional and the driving force behind “FamBAM Productions” ( Family Building A Movement) where they are building community through music, art, and entrepreneurship by utilizing each others networks to build each other up. 

Under his leadership, FamBAM Productions has carved out a significant presence in the music and entertainment industry, known for its innovative events and unwavering commitment to the community. FamBAM Productions excels in organizing a variety of events, from high-energy concerts to unique silent discos, creating inclusive experiences for diverse audiences. The company is particularly noted for its work with the Colorado Autism Society and other organizations, providing tailored entertainment for individuals with autism and special needs. These events, such as silent discos, offer a welcoming environment where everyone can enjoy the joy of music. 

 Adrian and FamBAM Productions are also celebrated for their community service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they played a crucial role in feeding 650,000 people, an effort that earned them the Everyday Hero Award from the city of Aurora. Their dedication to community welfare is further reflected in their charity events and workshops aimed at supporting and inspiring the next generation. 

 In addition to their community efforts, FamBAM Productions is committed to elevating local artists. By providing platforms for emerging talent to showcase their skills, the company fosters a vibrant local music scene and helps artists gain the recognition they deserve. Through a blend of entertainment excellence and heartfelt community service, Adrian Garcia and FamBAM Productions continue to make a lasting impact in the music industry and beyond.

Denver Singers

The Denver Singers are a Native American drum and dancing group started in the 1970s that is composed of many different tribes and is now in their 2nd and 3rd generations of singers.

SponsorS

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SEe more from past years' events below

2023

2021

​2020

​​2019

2018

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