Candidates 2017: Tay Anderson for Denver School Board
Auontai (Tay) Anderson is the former Student Body President of Manual High School, having served three consecutive terms. He also served as Chair of the Colorado High School Democrats and he is the former State Central Committeeman for HD9. Tay has been passionate about his education since he walked through the doors of Manual High School. He started his high school journey at the same time as the new principal Nick Dawkins, and soon discovered that they shared like-minded visions about where they wanted the school to go. Together, Tay and Principal Dawkins worked to ensure Manual High’s success in every way possible.
Tay dedicates his time to the students of Denver Public Schools because he knows that every student is bigger than the narrative told about them. Giving students the opportunity to have experiences that could foster their potential became a priority for Tay. Working alongside three other students, he helped to secure a grant that arranged for three Manual students and one staff member to travel to Washington D.C. to explore historical landmarks and colleges. These efforts created a newfound enthusiasm among students. Longstanding educators have supported him, and one even told him, “Tay, you’ve single handedly increased the school spirit here at Manual and I’ve been here since we’ve reopened.” Tay helped rebuild and reinvigorate interest in student government, increasing participation from 3 students in 2014-2015 to over 50 students in the last two years. Tay is a proud Thunderbolt, working hard to follow in the steps of Mayor Wellington Webb and other great alumni.
Tay has been a member of the Manual Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps (J.R.O.T.C), and will be ending his position upon graduation. He has proudly served as the Command Sergeant Major of the 5th Battalion. He was part of the staff that earned Manual the “Honor Unit with Distinction Award” or the “Gold Star Award.” Tay worked to restore the J.R.O.T.C Honor Platoon, otherwise known as the step team. He is also the recipient of the Purple Heart Award, which is known as a National Leadership Award within the program.
Tay passionately believes in and participates in social activism. He has taken a stand to support women’s rights, black rights, Latinx rights, LGBTQ+ rights, Native rights, Muslim rights, and disabled persons’ rights. He has participated in numerous public demonstrations as well as conversations and meetings with school district and state leaders on social activism. Because of his commitment to and determination to raise awareness about these issues, Tay helped bring light to these important causes and has rallied his community to stand beside him and take action. These efforts have garnered vital attention through various media outlets such as The Huffington Post, Denver Channel, Chalkbeat, Fox 31 Denver, Channel 9, Channel 7, Denver Post, Denverite and many more.
https://www.tayanderson.org