Graciela “Chela” Garcia Irlando is a mom, community leader, and policy advocate running for theColorado State Senate to represent working families and multigenerational communities across Senate District 34.

Chela and her husband are proud to be raising their two young children in the Barnum community. Their lives are deeply rooted in the neighborhoods that make up the district—from school drop-offs in Baker to summer bike rides around Sloan’s Lake, Sunday morning strolls to the panadería, and community celebrations in Westwood and Sunnyside. For Chela, life in this district—its prosperity and its challenges—is not abstract; it is deeply personal.

Her decision to run is grounded in lived experience and a lifelong commitment to public service. Chela understands what it takes to deliver for Colorado families, because she has walked alongside them—as a neighbor, a mother, and a movement leader. Her story is shaped by her family’s journey across borders in pursuit of a better future, and by firsthand experience with the impacts of broken immigration and carceral systems.

Chela has worked in and for this community—waiting tables at small local restaurants, launching the first summer camp in Westwood, and volunteering in after-school programs in North Denver. She has spent more than a decade leading in Colorado’s nonprofit, environmental, and civic sectors. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition, and previously held leadership roles at the Hispanic Access Foundation, Latino Outdoors, and the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus. Whether supporting youth and families, organizing community-based campaigns, or managing boardrooms, Chela’s work has always centered on justice, dignity, and service to others.

She comes from a proud legacy of service-minded leaders. Her mother is a nationally recognized expert in police accountability, and her grandmother served as chief of staff for LAUSD, the second largest school district in the country. Her father’s journey from a rancho in Mexico to Stanford University instilled in her the resilience and determination she brings to her work today.

A proud graduate of Lakewood High School and a two-time alumna of the University of Colorado, Chela holds a B.A. in International Affairs and Ethnic Studies and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on policy and planning. Her academic and professional paths reflect her lifelong dedication to justice, sustainability, and inclusive community building.

Chela is running for State Senate to fight for affordable housing, immigrant justice, labor rights, health care and reproductive justice, climate action and environmental justice, a strong social safety net, and a democracy where every voice is heard. She’s ready to bring her values, experience, and vision to the Colorado State Capitol—and to help build a future where all families can thrive.