Colorado Immunization Advocates (CIA, formerly Colorado Parents for Vaccinated Communities) is a nonprofit organization of
Colorado parents & concerned citizens who support pro-science vaccine policy
for the safety of our children and the community.
Colorado parents & concerned citizens who support pro-science vaccine policy
for the safety of our children and the community.
We think it’s important for parents to tell each other their stories and share with neighbors, school and childcare leaders, and decision-makers why they vaccinate -- or, in some cases, why community vaccination rates are vital to the health of someone they love.
CIA works to maintain and strengthen public health policy to keep our children and our community healthy and protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. State vaccine policies have a clear impact on vaccination rates, which in turn impact the likelihood of a disease outbreak. By speaking clearly about our desire for strong pro-health vaccine policy, we can ensure that Colorado’s laws are not weakened by the spread of unscientific misinformation about vaccines.
We will be more successful if we all work together. By joining our group, you become part of a network of diverse, pro-science Coloradans. You can help us decide how to share our message. Send us a note and let us know what's important to you!
CIA works to maintain and strengthen public health policy to keep our children and our community healthy and protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. State vaccine policies have a clear impact on vaccination rates, which in turn impact the likelihood of a disease outbreak. By speaking clearly about our desire for strong pro-health vaccine policy, we can ensure that Colorado’s laws are not weakened by the spread of unscientific misinformation about vaccines.
We will be more successful if we all work together. By joining our group, you become part of a network of diverse, pro-science Coloradans. You can help us decide how to share our message. Send us a note and let us know what's important to you!
Board of directors
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Aimee is a mom of 2 human teenagers and 2 dogs. She loves to kickbox, practice tae kwon do, and talk about science.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy? A: I think it is important to advocate for common-sense pro-vaccine policy that will keep all of us in our interconnected communities within Colorado - and all around the globe - healthy. Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy? A: When everyone gets vaccinated, we protect vulnerable people in our communities (think babies too young for some vaccines or cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy) from getting sick. We all need to know that vaccines work with the immune system to keep us protected from disease. Q: What is your favorite thing about our pro-vaccine community? A: Everyone in the pro-vaccine community thinks of their community as an interconnected whole and works hard to protect every member from infectious disease. |
Grace is the mother of a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. She loves hiking, biking, and road trips.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: I chose to speak up when I realized that my young children were unsafe attending many daycares and schools in Colorado because of our low immunization rates. I would like my children to understand how amazing science and vaccines are, and for them to feel safe from preventable diseases while in school.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: I wish that others understood that the policy we support is not going to take away their right to choose to vaccinate their own children or not. There is no such thing as mandatory or forced vaccinations!
Q: What is your favorite thing about our pro-vaccine community?
A: I love how the majority of Coloradans are so science-minded and love vaccines as much I do! We have such a strong and supportive community of families that believe in science and public health.
Sarah is a software engineer, mom of 2, and she loves handicrafts.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: I moved from Oklahoma to Colorado when my first child was entering kindergarten and I was encouraged to sign a form exempting him from all immunizations- even though he was fully vaccinated I was shocked and disappointed to see that public health policy made it preferable for parents and schools to opt out of such an important step in preventing illness and death.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: I would like the general public to know how important their voice is in public policy. Policymakers take public comments because they want to hear from their community and I want the community to be empowered to speak out for vaccines.
Q: What is your favorite thing about our pro-vaccine community?
A: I love how diverse our pro vaccine community is. There are so many different perspectives represented in these committee meetings and public hearings, which helps make more robust policies.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: I moved from Oklahoma to Colorado when my first child was entering kindergarten and I was encouraged to sign a form exempting him from all immunizations- even though he was fully vaccinated I was shocked and disappointed to see that public health policy made it preferable for parents and schools to opt out of such an important step in preventing illness and death.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: I would like the general public to know how important their voice is in public policy. Policymakers take public comments because they want to hear from their community and I want the community to be empowered to speak out for vaccines.
Q: What is your favorite thing about our pro-vaccine community?
A: I love how diverse our pro vaccine community is. There are so many different perspectives represented in these committee meetings and public hearings, which helps make more robust policies.
Suzie is a social worker and mom of 2 who loves being active and spending time with her family.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: I have always been pro-science and interested in healthcare policy, but the birth of my children inspired me to be more vocally pro-vaccine because I want to ensure they are growing up in a healthy, safe community.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: We are all interconnected when it comes to vaccine policy. Getting vaccinated not only protects you. It protects our most vulnerable and helps our communities remain strong so we can all thrive.
Q: What is your favorite thing about our pro-vaccine community?
A: I'm a layperson with a passion for vaccines, disease prevention, and community health. I am not an expert in vaccine science, yet the pro-vaccine community has welcomed me with open arms. I appreciate that my contributions are appreciated and my lived experiences are valued.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: I have always been pro-science and interested in healthcare policy, but the birth of my children inspired me to be more vocally pro-vaccine because I want to ensure they are growing up in a healthy, safe community.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: We are all interconnected when it comes to vaccine policy. Getting vaccinated not only protects you. It protects our most vulnerable and helps our communities remain strong so we can all thrive.
Q: What is your favorite thing about our pro-vaccine community?
A: I'm a layperson with a passion for vaccines, disease prevention, and community health. I am not an expert in vaccine science, yet the pro-vaccine community has welcomed me with open arms. I appreciate that my contributions are appreciated and my lived experiences are valued.
Policy director
Sundari is the mother of a daughter (9) and a son (4). She loves cooking, trail running, and snuggling her chickens and dwarf goats.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: When I had my first child I was uncertain about vaccines, but after asking questions of my pediatrician learning more I understood how vital they were as part of preventative health care. I became disturbed by the proliferation of dangerous misinformation that proliferates online about the safety and importance of vaccines. While it's true that people are bound to hold differing opinions, I believe that it's critically important that we base our public health policy on science -- not fear -- and so I decided to start speaking up.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: That, unfortunately, the vast majority of what they read about it online is wrong. A common tactic of those who oppose vaccines is to take a simple, common-sense policy and distort what it does so that it sounds as scary as possible. There's a lot of nuance in these discussions about vaccines, but when one person's decision has the potential to impact the health and safety of someone else, it becomes something that we have to set guidelines on for everyone's protection.
Q: What is your favorite thing about the pro-vaccine community?
A: I am constantly impressed by the passion and intelligence of the pro-vaccine advocates I've had the privilege to work with over the last many years. They are motivated not just by concern for the safety of their own families, but because they care about the safety of their whole community.
Q: Why did you decide to speak up for pro-vaccine policy?
A: When I had my first child I was uncertain about vaccines, but after asking questions of my pediatrician learning more I understood how vital they were as part of preventative health care. I became disturbed by the proliferation of dangerous misinformation that proliferates online about the safety and importance of vaccines. While it's true that people are bound to hold differing opinions, I believe that it's critically important that we base our public health policy on science -- not fear -- and so I decided to start speaking up.
Q: What do you wish the general public knew about vaccine policy?
A: That, unfortunately, the vast majority of what they read about it online is wrong. A common tactic of those who oppose vaccines is to take a simple, common-sense policy and distort what it does so that it sounds as scary as possible. There's a lot of nuance in these discussions about vaccines, but when one person's decision has the potential to impact the health and safety of someone else, it becomes something that we have to set guidelines on for everyone's protection.
Q: What is your favorite thing about the pro-vaccine community?
A: I am constantly impressed by the passion and intelligence of the pro-vaccine advocates I've had the privilege to work with over the last many years. They are motivated not just by concern for the safety of their own families, but because they care about the safety of their whole community.
Contact us at info@coimmunizationadvocates.org OR click here to join our network!