James COleman

Senator James R. Coleman was born and raised in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver and is a resident of the district he so proudly represents: Senate District 33. Coleman served his first term in 2016, becoming the youngest elected to Colorado's state legislature. After serving 2 terms as the State Representative of House District 7, he went on to win his election to the Senate District 33 seat in November 2020. Senator Coleman currently serves as the Senate President Pro Tem, Chair of the Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee and Vice Chair of the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jail Standards. He also serves on the Senate Appropriations and Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committees, as well as the Legislative Council.

Throughout his years in the Colorado General Assembly, Senator Coleman has energetically sponsored bills to better fund and resource schools, protect workers' and veterans' rights, bolster small businesses, create opportunities for and pathways to higher education, increase health coverage and mental/behavioral health supports, direct criminal justice reforms, and preserve our environment. His groundbreaking legislation is anchored not only in advocacy for the Black community, but also, in his three legislative priorities: eliminating the Black wealth gap, decreasing prison recidivism, and ending youth violence.

When not in the Capitol, Coleman serves as Executive Director of FaithBridge Colorado, a local nonprofit quarterbacking education policy and advocacy efforts to improve K-12 education across the state of Colorado. Additionally, he serves as CEO of Black Capital Foundation, a business that raises, invests, stewards, and expands capital into Black-owned businesses in Colorado. Coleman is also CoFounder and Director of Chance Sports, a scholarship organization providing assistance to Colorado youth from low-income families in order to access competitive sports programs and learn leadership and team-building skills that will benefit them both on and off the athletic field.

Coleman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, with a minor in Business Administration, from Oral Roberts University. Coleman met his wife, Shayna Coleman, in the 8th grade and they are the proud parents of twins, James Jr. and Naomi.