(DENVER) — Colorado Representative Shannon Bird, House District 29, was honored last week with an award from the White Rose Society. The White Rose Society honors and thanks the non-Jews who have become beacons of hope for the Jewish people by recognizing those who make a difference through their actions.
Rep. Bird has been a steadfast ally of the Jewish Community for years, but even more so since October 7th. She is the Chair of the Joint Budget Committee, and this year led the charge to secure $2M of additional funding for the Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program, funding which is more important than ever given the increased security needs of Jewish organizations. Her allyship has also included: refusing pressure to sign on to a legislative ceasefire resolution, educating her Democratic colleagues about the current progressive anti-Israel narrative, being willing to sponsor a bipartisan pro-Israel resolution, and publicly speaking up on the House floor in support of Israel and the Jewish community.
The name “The White Rose Society” pays homage to the White Rose, a non-Jewish resistance group founded by students at the University of Munich in 1942. In those most perilous of times, the group took an audacious and heroic stand against injustices toward the Jewish people during World War II. The White Rose Society called on their fellow students and the German public to take action to decry Nazi crimes and resist the Nazi state.
“The legacy of the White Rose reminds us to break the silence and boldly stand up for freedom and against evil and prejudice anywhere,” said JEWISHcolorado and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) volunteer Matt Most. “The White Rose Society fosters unity among all who are willing to stand on the right side of history. As the list of recipients grows, may others seek to emulate their acts of friendship and moral courage.”