A Partnership in Community-Driven Action

The Partnership for Community Action (PfCA) is a grassroots movement building a vibrant, inclusive community for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in rural Colorado. We create safe, affirming spaces, provide essential support and resources, and advocate for systemic change, fostering identity, cultivating belonging, and empowering a resilient future for all.

 

The Partnership for Community Action (PfCA) is a grassroots movement building a vibrant community for 2SLGBTQIA+ and Gender-diverse people in rural Colorado. Since 2015, we have been creating safe, affirming spaces, coordinating events and educational opportunities, and providing essential support, resources, and advocacy to strengthen identity, cultivate belonging, and empower a resilient, inclusive future.

As a project of the Trailhead Institute, a 501(c)(3) organization, PfCA operates with a robust administrative framework, allowing us to focus on our core mission. Our work is deeply rooted in the community, informed by direct input from 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and adults, local assessments, and trusted data. We are driven by an unwavering commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), ensuring all our efforts challenge systemic inequities and foster truly welcoming environments.

At our heart, PfCA serves as a vital resource for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and allies across rural Colorado. We bring our mission to life through distinct areas of focus, which we call our Pillars of Care.

Mark Monroe and Jimmy Sellars, Photo by Michael Hanson @mhansonphoto for Sunset Magazine.

Our Leadership Team

PfCA's dedicated team, supported by passionate volunteers, collectively brings the organization's mission to life every day, contributing diverse abilities to a shared vision.

Jimmy Sellars (they/them)
Vision & Community Partnership Lead

Jimmy (they/them) co-creates PfCA's strategic direction and passionately advocates for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in rural Colorado, directly partnering to amplify youth and queer voices. Their deep expertise in anti-racist leadership and community organizing (honed through rigorous training programs) is foundational to fostering community-shaped initiatives and collaborative change. Jimmy contributes to key statewide and local coalitions, championing comprehensive sexual education and serving as a Fund Advisor for the Arkansas River Valley 2SLGBTQIA+ Fund, enabling strategic resource allocation for a more just and safe community. They also bring a rich background from the arts, having founded Sellars Project Space in Denver and exhibited internationally.

Mark Monroe (all pronouns)
Operations & Programs Lead

Mark (all pronouns) ensures PfCA's communications and programming flow smoothly and effectively, supporting the logistical needs of all initiatives from YAS! Club to Community Care Hubs. Their work directly contributes to PfCA's accessibility and responsiveness to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, translating the shared vision into impactful, on-the-ground support. Mark's background in the arts includes exhibiting and curating at Core New Art Space in Denver, and a vibrant presence as drag performer Margot Anthony, using artistry for community engagement.

Our Shared Journey & Collaborative Impact

PfCA was formed to unite the community through powerful partnerships, solving difficult problems together. The foundation of these collaborations is the enduring dedication of Jimmy and Mark to each other and their shared future.

Jimmy and Mark's partnership extends beyond PfCA's formal structure, rooted in a shared commitment to building inclusive community in rural Colorado. Together, they seamlessly transitioned their advocacy from Denver to Salida in 2015. They immediately co-organized the first-ever Ark Valley Pride in Chaffee County in 2016, a landmark event that sparked vital local Gay-Straight Alliances and 2SLGBTQIA+ parent support groups. Their collaborative spirit introduced an after-school arts program (The Design Collective) that ultimately led to the YAS! (Your Authentic Self) Club. They also became trainers of "Safe Zone" programs, educating over 20 other trainers who have now reached more than 7,500 people in workplaces and municipalities.

PfCA also engages in critical collaborations with key local partners to address community needs comprehensively:

  • Arkansas River Valley 2SLGBTQIA+ Fund: PfCA has proudly partnered with the Chaffee County Community Foundation to establish the Arkansas River Valley 2SLGBTQIA+ Fund. This new initiative, inspired by PfCA's work, promotes equity and belonging, offering financial support, technical assistance, and programs to foster affirming environments for the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Jimmy serves as a Fund Advisor, guiding resource allocation.

  • Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) - We Are Chaffee's Future: PfCA proudly collaborates with CCPH's "We Are Chaffee Program" on "We Are Chaffee's Future," a vital initiative focused on amplifying youth voices and ensuring their perspectives actively shape community development and health outcomes.

  • Chaffee County Harm Reduction Coalition - GetTestedChaffee.com: Our partnership with the Chaffee County Harm Reduction Coalition is instrumental in creating and promoting "GetTestedChaffee.com," a crucial resource dedicated to increasing accessible sexual health care, especially for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

  • Good Business Colorado - Queer Business Alliance: PfCA has a long-standing partnership with Good Business Colorado, collaborating to cultivate an inclusive business community. This includes the formation of a Queer Business Alliance, which is currently on hiatus due to a leadership change at Good Business Colorado but is actively preparing to reactivate. It integrates PfCA's "Safe Space" program to train businesses in enhancing equity and inclusivity practices.

  • Local Faith Leaders Coalition: Jimmy founded and directs a coalition of local faith leaders, fostering ongoing dialogues on making faith spaces more inclusive for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and promoting accurate portrayals of faith histories. This coalition has been on hiatus due to Jimmy's illness last fall and is expected to resume in the fall of 2025.

PfCA itself was established in 2015 with a broader community mission of belonging. However, facing discrimination that limited its work within the queer community, PfCA adjusted its mission in 2020. It now explicitly builds critical, life-saving community for the thousands of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the area.

The impact of the PfCA’s work on the local community was recognized when Mark & Jimmy were jointly named Chaffee County Volunteers of the Year. PfCA was further honored as the Chaffee County Community Foundation's Organization of the Year, a testament to the PfCA’s sustained, collective vision for a thriving, equitable community.