Emerge Colorado, the organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, grew its footprint again on Tuesday with eight more of its alumni winning their races.

“We had the most diverse set of alumnae candidates running in our history,” said Michal Rosenoer, Emerge’s executive director, who won a seat on the Edgewater City Council in Jefferson County Tuesday. “When diverse women run and win, the whole community benefits. And Emerge women are building an infrastructure across Colorado that will benefit Democrats in elections in 2020, too.

“We couldn’t be more proud of all of our candidates who ran in 2019. We are excited to see the positive change they create in cities and school boards for years to come.”

Emerge graduates who will soon be taking office include:

• Susie Hidalgo-Fahring, the first-ever Latina to serve on the Longmont City Council.
• Margaret Wright, the first black woman in recent history to serve on the Pueblo Public School Board of Education.
• Jennifer Allen-Thomas, the first-ever black woman to serve on the Commerce City Council.
• Rosenoer, the only openly LGBTQ person on the Edgewater City Council
• Adrienne Christy, elected to the Telluride Town Council.
• Julia Marvin, elected to the Thornton City Council.
• Anita Seitz, elected to the Westminster City Council.
• Dana Gutwein, elected to the Lakewood City Council.

Emerge Colorado said Tuesday’s winners, collectively, were 38% are women of color and 75% were first-time candidates.

They join more than 300 alumnae who have won 88% of their races for office in Colorado, including 15 statehouse races.