Co-facilitator · May 2026 · UCCS · Civic Canopy Summit 2026
Patrick and Shirley Peel co-facilitated a play station session at the Civic Canopy Summit at UCCS, themed Reviving Democracy, Reclaiming Civics.
The session was built around a simple but pointed observation: cities across the country are shifting left, not because conservative values are unwelcome, but because conservatives often don’t show up, don’t relate to newcomers, and don’t do the hard work of building understanding across difference. Colorado Springs sits at that crossroads. So does Fort Collins. So does most of America’s suburban sprawl.
Shirley modeled what it looks like to do it differently, sitting in rooms where she was outnumbered, talking about fiscal responsibility, safe streets, and collaborative engagement, and winning voters from all walks of life by leading with listening.
The session used a value card activity drawn from Shirley’s mayoral platform: ten priorities including fiscal responsibility, housing attainability, government transparency, and community safety, asking participants to rank what resonated, compare with their neighbors, and ask whether these values are really as partisan as they seem. The goal wasn’t persuasion. It was genuine curiosity.
Patrick McCabe 