As a U.S. Navy veteran, I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States for every citizen, regardless of race, origin, or creed. Today, I stand with a fellow veteran and public servant, Regent Wanda L. James, a courageous Black woman who has dared to speak with the honesty and conviction our moment demands.

Regent James publicly raised concerns about racially insensitive imagery used in CU’s “Tea on THC” campaign. These images depicted dark-skinned Black characters alongside stereotypes of laziness and poor academic performance. Her feedback was grounded in her elected role as a representative of Colorado’s Congressional District 1 and her lived experience and cultural fluency. She spoke tactfully and clearly, offering insight that peers, lacking cultural proximity, did not recognize as harmful.

Yet, on July 2, the CU Board of Regents voted 7–1 to censure her. This was not a deliberative process; it was a calculated effort to disregard the informed feedback of a Black woman who addressed a harmful portrayal within a university initiative. Her critique led to the campaign’s images being removed, proving she was right. And instead of accountability or dialogue, she was punished.

On July 13, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser publicly condemned the censure, stating that it violated Regent James’ First Amendment rights and undermined the representation of CD1. His words were unequivocal:

 “The CU Board of Regents’ policy as applied to the speech of elected regents must be consistent with the protection of the right to free expression.”

(Wanda holds the CU buffalo, symbolizing the institution she was elected to serve. Phil wears a shirt that says “We’re the People,” reminding us that leadership must answer to the public, not suppress it)

Yet, CU President Todd Saliman has remained silent. Since Regent James first raised her concerns, there is still no statement, no defense of democratic principles, no acknowledgment of the harm inflicted.

This silence speaks volumes. It signals complicity. It signals cowardice.

Wanda James was elected to serve as a CU Regent for Colorado’s First Congressional District, a role that carries the responsibility of shaping university policy, ensuring equity across its campuses, and offering programmatic oversight rooted in the lived experiences of the communities she represents. She did her job! She reviewed a university initiative, identified racial harm, and offered culturally informed feedback. The university removed the offensive imagery, confirming she was right. And yet, for fulfilling her duty, the Board of Regents censured her, violating her First Amendment rights and denying the constituents of CD1 their duly elected voice in university governance.

Our Demands

We call on the University of Colorado Board of Regents to:

- Immediately rescind the censure of Regent Wanda L. James
- Restore her full rights, responsibilities, and privileges as an elected official
- Issue a formal public apology that acknowledges the racial and ethical harm caused
- Publish that apology prominently on the CU Regents’ official website and communications channels
- Launch a comprehensive review to address systemic harm within CU’s governance, culture, and administration

Wanda James embodies the kind of integrity and fortitude we should uplift, not suppress. Her fight to hold the university accountable is not just hers; it is ours. Because when institutions silence dissent, they silence democracy.

So we take a stand, not just for Wanda James, but for every student, every faculty member, every voter who believes in justice over intimidation, inclusion over exclusion, and truth over fear.

Sign this petition. Let your voice join hers. Because in the arc of justice, silence is not an option, and courage must never be punished.