Crystal Murillo (she, her) serves as the Deputy Director for Colorado People’s Alliance and also as the Ward 1, Aurora City Council Member. She grew up in Aurora, Colorado, where she and her brother were raised by a Mexican immigrant single mother. Crystal was the first in her family to graduate from high school and college, earning a Bachelors in International Business from the University of Denver in 2015
Crystal began her political career at 23 years old when she made the bold decision to run for office. In 2017 she was elected to Aurora City Council, becoming the first Latina and youngest person ever elected to that body. She was successfully re-elected in 2021. Crystal is also appointed to the State Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) to center youth lived experience in the criminal legal system. She has also served in various leadership roles and committees including as Co-Chair of RTD Accountability Committee and Chair of the Housing, Neighborhood Services and Redevelopment Committee. She led the effort to develop Aurora’s first strategic housing plan to preserve and expand the affordable housing stock and will continue to push for more equitable growth and development throughout the City.
Aurora is the third largest city in Colorado of 400,000 people and home to a vibrant and diverse community of people. Crystal is committed to be an advocate for her community and helping others become change-makers in a way that honors her Mexican-American heritage. “I am looking forward to building deeper relationships across leaders in the movement and to co-create ideas on how we balance the many interests to move towards a shared vision.”