Known locally as the ACL, we are The Arc serving Boulder & Broomfield Counties. We are an independent advocacy organization with grassroots beginnings in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The ACL was founded in 1962 when a group of parents in Boulder, Colorado came together to speak up for their children with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD). These parents were responding to the denial of public education for their children and their concerns about people with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) routinely being sent to institutions where unimaginable abuse and neglect were occurring regularly.

Because of these parents and ACL’s advocacy, adults and children with IDD gained the right to public education and community-based supports. Those rights are now protected by law —but many barriers still remain. People with IDD often struggle to get the health care, housing, or job support they need.

In Colorado, systems designed to support people with IDD exist, but they are often complex, fragmented, and difficult to navigate. People with IDD and their families encounter long waits, unclear processes, uninformed professionals, and barriers that make it hard to access the services and opportunities they deserve both within systems and in our communities.

That’s where the ACL steps in. Our team walks beside people with IDD and their families as they make choices, solve problems, and claim their rights. Advocacy, to us, means more than offering guidance; it means partnership, respect, and persistence. We put people before systems so individuals can lead self-determined lives rooted in dignity and belonging.

 Our work happens on many levels:

• Individual Advocacy – One-on-one, rights-based advocacy for adults and children with IDD and their families.

• Group Advocacy – Identity-based groups where self-advocates find community, connection, and strength.

• Systems Advocacy – Policy and systems change informed by the voices and experiences of people with IDD and their families.

• Community Advocacy – Trainings, partnerships, and sponsorships that help community members and organizations become more inclusive and welcoming.

Our connection the Arc

We were incorporated as chapter 1188 of The Arc of the United States in 1964. We are the affiliated chapter of The Arc of the United States serving Boulder & Broomfield Counties in Colorado.

Our connection with arc thrift

The proceeds from sales at arc Thrift Stores directly support our advocacy efforts as one of the chapters of The Arc of Colorado. Thanks to this funding we are able to provide independent advocacy free-of-charge. This allows us to remain an independent voice for people with IDD.

Our Core Values

Approved by Chapters of The Arc, 9/28/21

Human Dignity

People with disabilities have human dignity. The lives of people with disabilities have value.

Personhood

People with disabilities have varying strengths, abilities, and interests. Each person is unique.

Choice

People with disabilities can make decisions about their lives. People with disabilities should be supported to do so as requested or needed.

Rights

People with disabilities have human and civil rights, which must be protected.

Community

People with disabilities are part of and contribute to the fabric of society. Everyone benefits when people with disabilities are present and participate.

Support

People with disabilities have differing support needs. Society must support people with disabilities to achieve their full potential. Society should also help families who provide support for loved ones with disabilities.

Equity

Society must remove barriers and correct injustices that limit opportunities for people with disabilities. Extra action is needed to help people with disabilities and their families, who face other forms of bias or discrimination.

Diversity

Human diversity is beautiful and powerful. We celebrate, honor, and seek to understand the differences in our identities and life experiences.

Our JEDI commitment

The ACL is committed to fostering Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in all aspects of our work. Our work is to advocate with and support people with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) at every intersection, ensuring they have equitable access to opportunities and a community where they are valued and empowered.  

Our Operational JEDI Framework serves as our guide, outlining our commitment to dismantling systemic barriers, embracing diverse perspectives, and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. This is a living document. It is a reflection of our ongoing, agile, and evolving commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, which we refer to affectionately as “JEDI.”