Your Guide to the Action Outside the GOP Presidential Debate in Boulder

If you didn't score a ticket to tonight's Republican presidential debate, you're in good company: CNBC is only allowing 1,000 of the 11,000 seats at the University of Colorado's Coors Events Center to be filled. But if you're in Boulder, there will be plenty of action outside the arena. Here's our guide to just some of the events.

Our Future, Our Choice: March for Civic Engagement

Organizer: Fossil Free CU

When/Where/Why:
4 pm: Music, legal training, song training and festivities at the Bandshell in Boulder Central Park
5:30pm: Youth and student contingent meets at Central Park (Farmer's Market area) on Arapahoe Avenue and 13th Street to march together

Activists hope to draw nearly 10,000 participants with this march. From the organizer: “Nearly a year before the 2016 presidential election, young people and students are marching to urge candidates to listen to us instead of big money. The issues we care about are urgent and need immediate action: climate change, health care, economic, migrant and racial justice, affordable education, and rights for women, workers, and the LGBTQ community. These issues have not yet been addressed by most of the current candidates in a way that will overcome the disenfranchisement felt by the vast majority of youth and minority groups in our country today.”

Find more info here.


My Country, My Vote! Rally

Hosted by: America's Voice, Servicios de La Raza, CIRC Action Fund, Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy and Research Organization, Escuela Tlatelolco, Latino Victory Project, Mi Familia Vota, Pi Lambda, Chi Latina Sorority, SEIU Local 105

When/Where/Why
5 p.m. Farrand Field, CU Boulder Campus

“Join us on Wednesday, October 28 as thousands of Latino leaders and immigration reform supporters gather at the Farrand Field to both respond to the latest stream of anti-immigrant attacks from presidential candidates and launch 'My Country, My Vote,' an unprecedented 12-month voter registration campaign to mobilize Colorado’s Latino, immigrant and allied voters," says the organizers. In addition to demonstrating the political power of one of the nation’s fastest-growing demographics, leaders will also call on the next President and Congress to make passage of fair and comprehensive immigration reform a priority during the first 100 days of the next presidential term.

The event will feature top Latino and immigration leaders, including Katherine Archuleta, Latino Victory Project National Committee co-chair; Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union and longtime civil rights and labor activist; and Federico Pena, former Mayor of Denver and a former U.S. Secretary of both the Transportation and Energy departments.

Find more info here.

#KochPuppets

Hosted by: ProgressNOW Colorado

When/ Where/Why:
Noon to 4 p.m.: Puppets to appear in “Free Speech Zone” located at the University of Colorado’s Business Field
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Plane with aerial banners highlighting the Republican Party’s “Koch problem” will fly over Boulder and the presidential debate venue on the University of Colorado campus.

"As Republican candidates travel to Boulder, Colorado for this week’s presidential debate, ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest online progressive advocacy organization, is sending two giant 14-foot tall puppets into the streets to greet them," the organizer says. "The two puppets of Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio will take to the streets behind a #KochPuppets banner, with a message for everyone who sees them about the corrosive influence of money in politics. (See below for full schedule!) In particular, they will be focusing on the Koch brothers—Charles and David—who, according to the New York Times, plan to spend close to $900 million to influence the 2016 campaign." 

Find more info here.

#StudentVoicesCount #BeHeardTV Student Broadcast

Hosted by: A non-partisan national movement of CU students and supporters

When/Where/Why
3 to 6 p.m., BeHeard! TV

“We recognize the rights of the organizations involved to exclude students, but we believe they will realize such a course of action is not in their best interests," the organizers say. "We have partnered with BeHeard—a non-profit, non-partisan, unaffiliated, Millennial-run news network. We will have our own live broadcast during the debate, in which we will discuss the issues facing our generation and the nation. BeHeard will bring its mobile production vehicles from Carbondale, CO to a location near the debate. The discussion will be streamed live to the BE HEARD!TV YouTube channel enabling the nation and the world to view and to participate."

Find more info here.

withOUTboulder Rally

Hosted by: CO Cannabis Voters Group

When/Where/Why:
1 to 3 p.m., 2375 Canyon Boulevard

“The upcoming debate will focus on jobs and the economy," the organizer says. "Colorado's legal, regulated cannabis businesses are on track to ring up more than $1 billion in sales in 2015 alone. Yet these businesses still find themselves forced to operate without bank accounts and subject to crippling federal tax rates that can be double or triple those of any other business. Terrapin Care Station was recently issued a citation from the City of Boulder for sponsoring a booth at Boulder PrideFest and supporting Out Colorado. Join us on Wednesday to let people know that Boulder supports the Cannabis Community." 

Find more info here.