This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Opinion section. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent a reported news position. At Yellow Scene, opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud.

By Jacob Stevens

As a resident of Thornton, I have grown increasingly concerned with the decisions made by my Congressman, Gabe Evans, which seem misaligned with the needs of his constituents. My concern deepened when, despite protests and public opposition, it appeared Evans would vote to approve a House budget that would eliminate Medicaid benefits for millions of Americans—including 125,900 in his district—many of whom are disabled, elderly, or children.

This vote marked a turning point for me. Until then, I had been a passive participant, only voting during elections. I now find myself deeply concerned for the future of our community. I called Evans’ office to express my concerns, but my call was never returned. He then voted to approve the budget. In response, I joined the ongoing protests outside his office.

At my first protest, another resident invited me to join a District 8 chat, where we discussed the possibility of organizing a town hall for Mr. Evans—an event he had failed to hold. In conjunction with the town hall, we also organized a mutual aid resource fair and food drive to support those most affected by the policies Evans supports, such as cuts to health care and food assistance programs.

It was only after our first in-person meeting that we realized we should reach out to established organizations like Progress Now Colorado and Indivisible to see if they were already planning an event during the recess, as we could volunteer with them rather than have our inexperienced group plan the event. To our surprise, they offered their support in making our town hall vision a reality.

Let there be no question, Mr. Evans: though we received material support from other dedicated and concerned groups, this town hall began just three weeks ago when a business analyst, a public service worker, a non-profit event organizer, a human resources officer, and an art teacher—who had never met before—agreed that you were not representing them.

On March 12th, we personally delivered an invitation to Evans’ office for a town hall at the church next door on March 22nd. The day before the town hall, a representative from Evans’ office claimed no one had informed them of the event and that he could not attend with less than 24 hours notice. However, we received a handwritten receipt acknowledging the invitation from his staff at the time of delivery on March 12th at 2:50 PM.

Despite less notice than Mr. Evans, 350 community members attended the town hall. Our representative was not one of them. He may never fully understand the opportunity he missed. He could have heard the powerful stories of the people he is supposed to serve—stories filled with fear, frustration, and hope for a better future. These are the voices of the people you represent in Congress, Mr. Evans. You cannot represent them if you refuse to listen to them. They deserve to be heard.

We will not accept anything less than a genuine, in-person town hall open to the public, with no restrictions on who can speak. A virtual town hall (which has been promised but not delivered) with pre-screened participants does not meet the needs of the people.

Jacob Stevens
Community Advocate and Resident of Thornton, Colorado

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The post Where Was Gabe? A Town Hall Without a Congressman: Op-Ed appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
CONTACT: Sara Loflin, Executive Director at 303-349-1617 or sara@progressnowcolorado.org

DENVER: After vulnerable freshman Rep. Gabe Evans of Colorado cast a decisive vote tonight to pass House Speaker Mike Johnson’s devastating budget proposal that would force severe cuts to Medicaid and a host of other critical government services to extend tax breaks for people like Elon Musk, ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest multi-issue progressive advocacy organization, condemned Rep. Evans’ abandonment of over 100,000 of his constituents to curry favor with the political masters and donors of his party.

“Tonight, Gabe Evans gave the wrong answer to the most important question of his political career,” said ProgressNow Colorado executive director Sara Loflin. “Gabe Evans had a choice tonight, and instead of protecting the healthcare of the 125,900 seniors, children, and families in his district, he decided to join Elon Musk and Donald Trump–taking a chainsaw to the health care services his district relies on. The people of CD8 know now that Gabe Evans will choose to just go with Musk and Trump over the working people of his district when it matters most.”

“Gabe Evans’ vote tonight to slash Medicaid funding and countless other vital services Coloradans depend on is a defining moment in Evans’ short career in elected office,” said Loflin. “Evans represents one of the most economically and culturally diverse populations in Colorado, and Evans’ political vulnerability in a district drawn to be closely competitive affords him no margin for the colossal error he made tonight. Evans has inextricably tied himself to the Musk-Trump brand that is already sinking in the polls, and voters will remember that Gabe Evans chose to just go with it.”

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