Diana Romero Campbell is a lifelong Denverite -- specifically a Southeast Denverite. She grew up in the area, spent two years in the Peace Corps and then returned to Denver to work in the nonprofit world, most recently running Scholars Unlimited, an organization that provides literacy after-school programs for youth.
She's raising her kids in the district she grew up in, where her mother still lives and where her family helped integrate the neighborhood.
"For me, this is home," she said.
Romero Campbell is running for District 4 with the endorsement of Councilmember Kendra Black, the incumbent representative not to seeking a third term. Most other Council races -- especially the ones without incumbents running -- are pretty crowded this year. Romero Campbell's facing off against Tony Pigford, who unsuccessfully ran for an at-large seat in 2019.
In this spring's race, many candidates for Council are focusing predominantly on city wide issues. But Romero Campbell is focused on advocating for Southeast Denver -- something that earned her Black's endorsement.
"When I'm talking to my neighbors, we're concerned about... things that are a very Southeast Denver perspective and lens," Romero Campbell said. "Everybody gets caught up in Denver and downtown, and these are important things that need to be addressed."
Romero Campbell said downtown does need revitalization, but adds that the focus means "Southeast Denver, we often get overlooked and forgotten."
Black mentioned a handful of projects in the works in Southeast Denver, such as a skatepark, that she wants to make sure don't get delayed with a new mayor and many new councilmembers come the spring. She said she likes that Romero Campbell has lived in the district her entire life, and that she's focused on the district, while Pigford has previously run at-large. Black and Romero Campbell have also worked together on community projects in the district.
"I ran in 2015 to advocate for this district because it's a part of the city that if no one is advocating for. It is completely forgotten by our leaders downtown," Black said. "The person I want to represent me, because this person will be my councilperson, I want them to continue with that."
Romero Campbell has her own big dreams for the district, too. She'd like to see another rec center, more housing and development that takes advantage of the light rail lines that go to Southeast Denver and better affordability, so anyone who wants to put down roots is able to.
Romero Campbell also wants to focus on public safety, protecting parks and open space and providing more support for seniors.
On her website, Romero Campbell says that "defunding the police is not a solution," but that she wants to work with law enforcement while growing co-responder programs. She's less clear on her approach to homelessness. "There are different stages of homelessness and Diana is committed to coming up with different solutions for each," she wrote on her website.
Romero Campbell is against Denver Deserves Sidewalks, the ballot initiative that passed last fall raising taxes on homeowners to repair sidewalks in the city. The amount homeowners pay is based on how much their property faces a street, which could lead to high costs for more suburban-like homes.
"Diana is against the recent sidewalk ordinance as it places an undue burden on Southeast Denver residents to pay for the improvement of all of our sidewalks," she wrote on her website. "She plans on addressing this, if elected."
For Romero Campbell, her time on the campaign trail has made the district she grew up in almost feel like a small town itself.
"I'm knocking on doors of former teachers, I'm knocking on doors of people that I went to high school with," she said. "It's about thinking for a vision of and representing Southeast Denver. That's why I'm in it."
