Meet Rhiannon Wenning | Public School Teacher and Candidate for State Representative of House District 30

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rhiannon Wenning and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rhiannon, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
People like me are not supposed to run for office. I am a public school teacher who serves her community every day, and knows what challenges, issues, and barriers my students, colleagues, and community face every day. Yet, we have a State Legislature and political process that gatekeeps, is dysfunctional and bullies, and is bought and controlled by the wealthy, lobbyists, and special interests, I am told by society that I am grooming or indoctrinating my students because I celebrate and honor their authentic selves, their cultures, who they want to be, and who they are. I am given less resources and funding, not to mention more unfunded mandates or policy that has no accountability or teeth, by the State Legislature, and told to improve my students’ performance on racial and culturally biased state assessments or my school will be closed or taken over by the state. My students and families continue to struggle to find affordable housing, healthcare, childcare, and to be paid a living wage. My students continue to risk their health by breathing air and drinking water that is polluted or not clean, and I worry if they will even have access to water in 30 years.

All of these challenges that my students, colleagues, and community face give me the drive and strength to continue to fight for them and demand we do better for our residents of Colorado. I carry their stories and shared experiences with me, and they have given me the courage and resolve to run for State Representative of House District 30 and represent the very community where I have lived my entire life, the community I serve, and the community that raised me. This is why I believe it’s time that educators are in the places where education policy is being made. The Capitol is where I plan to tell my students, colleagues, and community’s stories, and do the work to make all of our lives better, more equitable, affordable, and sustainable.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My roots grow deep in HD 30. I grew up in this community and have been honored to live in and serve Lakewood and Edgewater my entire life. I skinned my knees learning how to ride a bike in the Jefferson Jr/Sr High School parking lot, my alma mater, and where I have been teaching for the past 23 years. I joined my first union at 16 in this community as a courtesy clerk at the old Albertsons beside Casa Bonita. As we are witnessing increased bullying, dysfunction, and gatekeeping at our Capitol, we deserve experienced leadership from someone who has a deep-rooted understanding of our needs. That is why I am running, our community deserves the people’s representative.

As an active union member in my teacher’s union in JeffCo Public Schools, I have represented and engaged my building members, enforced our collective bargaining agreement, became an organizer and activist, and increased my political participation. I was our building leader for the transition of Jefferson to a Community School model. We centered the needs of our families and brought in community services for our students and their families. This work required me to lead challenging conversations with our community, school leaders, and politicians to ensure we could come together on the common goal of centering the success of our students.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mother Juli, my first teacher, biggest cheerleader, and in my heart always and forever.

My best friends Rachel Hafer and Genevieve Bassett who always have my back, are my biggest supporters, and are my Aquarian-sisters.

To Team Wenning, I couldn’t do this without you, I appreciate all you do, and thank my guides and angels you are in my life.

Website: https://wenningforcolorado.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhiannonwenning/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RhiannonWenning

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wenningforcolorado