About

Sade Cooper | sade@chicdenver.org

Co-Founder
Chief Executive Officer

​”Our duties naturally emerge from such fundamental relations as our families, neighborhood, workplaces, our state or nation. Make it your regular habit to consider your roles-parent, child, neighbor, citizen, leader -and the natural duties that arise from them. Once you know who you are and to whom you are linked, you will know what to do.” (Epictetus)

I credit this core philosophy when leading and serving others. My roles, past experiences, relationships with others and connection to my community, are the leading factors to my innate responsibility to do the work I do.

​”To start something is to change everything” – Sadé Cooper

Hilari Smith | hilari@chicdenver.org

Co-Founder
Chief Operations Officer

​Being taught the importance of family and community relations at a young age, I know the positive affects of being surrounded with love and support in your life, and the difference it can make without it. I believe we often forget we have all been blessed with a superpower, which is the ability to Love. My personal commitment to invest back into my community and the women and girls who mirror who I am stems from my inherited responsibility to love.

​”It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” – Audre Lorde

Katherine Casey, ED.L.D. | katherine@chicdenver.org

Chief Stratagy Officer

​All young people are intelligent, creative, and filled with potential. After fifteen years in public education, I believe deeply in the power of our youth and the urgency of the work we must do to make our communities safe, equitable, and sustainable. With faith in children and refusing to accept inequality as a given, I commit to supporting allied efforts that enable educational, social, and economic justice. I believe that WE are the ones we have been waiting for: the change we need will come from the collective passion, wisdom, and capacity that exists within our communities.

​”Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” – Fannie Lou Hamer

Director of Workforce

Every woman has insight and wisdom that needs to be heard. As women, we come from a place of compassion, intelligence and grace AND we are not run by our ego’s. Women have been and continue to be silenced, marginalized and oppressed by men, society and systems. We know our worth and are coming into our power as daughters, mothers, sisters, friends and colleagues. CHIC is changing the narrative and creating power, opportunity and wealth in the lives of girls & women. I could not be more honored to be part of this team of women who are working and living tirelessly to empower and support all of us.

“I raise up my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard…..We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” –Malala Yousafzai

Sheriece Hurd sheriece@chicdenver.org

Re-Entry Specialist

Dedication can become transformational when you are willing to follow your passion. I finally have the opportunity to help amend women’s lives from unfortunate circumstances and inequities that have limited their opportunities to success. As a result of following my passion I am happy to be a part of a team that is solution based, giving hope to those who may have lost it, and believeing in dreams that with support and resouces can easily become real.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”

-Mahatma Gandhi II

Noel Emerson noel@chicdenver.org

Re-Entry Elementary Coordinator

You’ve got a friend in me! After working in education for 12 years I have a strong belief that every child needs someone in their life that will be their biggest cheerleader, supporter and caring person they can depend on. That’s my life long commitment to the families, students and community that I serve.

Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection

-Rita F Pierson

How We Work – CHIC Values and Working Commitments

Invest in women – We believe that investing in the health, wealth, and wellbeing of women strengthens families and communities.

Support families – We believe in wrapping supports around the families of the women we serve.

Mentor mind, body, and spirit – We believe in healthy living, health relationships, and healthy decision-making.

Develop positive identity – We believe in personal and collective pride, efficacy, and power.

Cultivate capital – We believe that connections between families, institutions, and service providers strengthens the social fabric in our communities.

Innovate – We believe that we must adapt to fill unmet needs, find unrealized opportunities, and better serve our changing community.