EN
Last year, we asked a simple question:
What kind of Colorado do you want to live in 50 years from now?
From Durango to Sterling, from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins, thousands of Coloradans came together to imagine a future worth working toward. People envisioned protected access to the outdoors, affordable high-speed rail connecting communities across the state, thriving local economies, and a future where technology serves the public good instead of the other way around.
For a few hours, people stopped reacting to the latest headline and started imagining what comes next.
And honestly, it felt refreshing.
Because right now, many of us are tired.
We’re tired of the endless news cycle. Tired of feeling like every conversation turns into an argument. Tired of being told we’re hopelessly divided. Tired of wondering whether anyone in power is actually listening.
When that frustration turns into cynicism, it’s easy to stop believing that our voices matter.
Vision 2076 starts from a different assumption: that they do.
Today, we’re excited to launch the next phase of Vision 2076 with a new online platform that allows anyone in Colorado to participate, wherever they are and whenever inspiration strikes.
Whether you’re young or old, rural or urban, a lifelong Coloradan or new arrival, your perspective belongs in the conversation. The future of Colorado shouldn’t be imagined by only a handful of people. It should reflect the experiences, hopes, and ideas of people from every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, income level, ability, faith tradition, and community across our state. The platform works in multiple languages so more people can participate and share their ideas for Colorado’s future.
And maybe the most important thing we’ve learned through this project is that people aren’t nearly as far apart as we’re often told.
It’s easy to assume we know what someone believes because of where they live, how they vote, or what community they’re from. It’s easy to hear “Montrose” or “Denver” and think you already know the story.
But when people start talking about the future they want for their children, their communities, and their neighbors, something interesting happens.
The similarities start to outweigh the differences.
People want safe communities. Good jobs. Affordable housing. Strong schools. Clean air and water. The opportunity to build a good life and pass something better on to the next generation.
The details may differ, but the aspirations are often remarkably similar.
That’s why Vision 2076 isn’t about debating policy proposals. It’s about identifying our North Star.
Before we can decide how to get somewhere, we have to decide where we’re trying to go.
Too often, public conversations begin and end with policy fights. We argue about solutions without first talking about the future we’re trying to build together. Vision 2076 creates space for a different kind of conversation, one focused on possibility instead of division.
Maybe you’ll discover that your neighbor’s hopes aren’t so different from your own.
Maybe you’ll encounter an idea you never considered before. Maybe you’ll help build a bridge where one didn’t exist. Or maybe you’ll simply take five minutes to imagine a future that’s bigger than today’s headlines. Whatever you envision, we want to hear it.
Visit vision2076.org to share your vision for Colorado’s future, explore ideas from people across the state, and help shape a conversation about where we want Colorado to be in 2076.
The future belongs to all of us. Let’s imagine it together.
