Tigrai Community of Colorado

The first mass exodus of Tigrayan-Ethiopians occurred in the 1970s-1980s because of genocide, manmade famine, extreme violence and marginalization by the Ethiopian federal government. Many of those refugees were resettled in Colorado – making the state the largest concentration of Tigrayan-Ethiopians, estimated at half of the 70,000 people in the local community.

The Tigray-Ethiopian Community Association was founded in 1993 to support Tigrayans who were lost in an unfamiliar country and culture. The first generation Tigrayans faced language, culture and discriminatory issues that made it difficult to reestablish their lives. Tigrayans formed the community association to support their social, education and economic needs. The organization plays a significant role with Tigrayan children and young adults who struggle navigating two worlds simultaneously. These children often found themselves stuck in the criminal justice system with no advocates, in school systems with no support and easily falling prey to drugs and other violence.

Today, this minority ethnic group remains under genocide in their homeland where Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have said Tigrayans are being “ethnically cleansed” and experiencing “crimes against humanity” and “manmade starvation” at the hands of the Ethiopian government. Food and medicine is systemically denied until today as you are reading this.

The Community Association uplifts and supports the Tigrayan community by hosting Camp Tigrai for youth ages 15-24 focusing on identity building and mental health. The association hosts Ashenda Festival highlighting and Black women and girls in a day-long celebration highlighting business, leadership, culture and dance. The association hosts Tarek Time with elders to pass on oral traditions and encourage pride and connect multiple generations. There are several monthly ongoing programs and workshop all contributing to health of the Tigrayan Colorado community.