Arapahoe Community College ends partnership with Able Shepherd

Arapahoe Community College on Sept. 1 ended its partnership with “tactical training” organization Able Shepherd, which had organized an anti-LGBTQ protest six days earlier.

ACC cut ties with Able Shepherd after Colorado Community Media questioned the partnership.

During Castle Rock PrideFest on Aug. 26, protesters delayed the start of a “G-rated” drag show at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Approximately 75 men — wearing matching shirts reading “Stand To Protect Children” — blocked the stage, postponing the beginning of the show by about a half-hour.

Able Shepherd — a tactical security training organization headquartered in Centennial — was responsible for organizing the protest. According to emails obtained by Colorado Community Media, Able Shepherd’s organization of the protest included details all the way down to what time to arrive, talking points for the protest, and the coordination of matching T-shirts.

“You know the hate is there,” said Bluebell Tweddle, a queer ACC student who attended PrideFest. “But you don’t realize how bad it is until you are witness to it … In a way it was traumatic.”

Until Sept. 1, Able Shepherd was listed as a business and community partner with ACC, as part of the Littleton-based school’s workforce and community programs. This means that when companies or organizations approached ACC for training, ACC would be able to contract out the training to a partner offering it, with Able Shepherd as one of the options.

“(ACC) is supposed to be a super inclusive and supportive environment,” Tweddle said.  “Hearing that my school, which is supposed to be a safe place for me, is partnered with this hate group is super harmful to me and other queer students who have found a safe place at ACC.”

However, in the wake of the PrideFest protest and questions about the relationship, ACC has ended its partnership with Able Shepherd. Cheryl Calhoun, the provost and vice president of instruction at ACC, said the partnership had  been established in 2021, but had never been utilized. 

Calhoun said she could not speak to the establishment of the relationship between ACC and Able Shepherd, so it is unclear which organization initiated the partnership. 

On Sept. 1, Julie Beggs — ACC’s dean of workforce and community programs — sent Able Shepherd founder and Castle Rock resident Jimmy Graham an email announcing the college would be ceasing the existing partnership. The email did not explicitly state that the partnership was ending because of Able Shepherd’s involvement in the PrideFest protest. 

Instead, the email said that ACC was reviewing its relationships with organizations in their contract training area and as a result would be ending collaboration with Able Shepherd. The email then emphasized ACC’s commitment to equity. 

“At ACC, it is our mission to provide innovative and responsive educational opportunities and workforce training in an accessible, inclusive environment,” the email read. “ACC welcomes, accepts, and values the diverse identities and experiences of its students, employees, and those who live and work in our communities.”

ACC is the first organization to end its partnership with Able Shepherd following the protest. According to 9News, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office canceled an event with the group, but declined to state whether it was cutting ties permanently. 

“(ACC) immediately started the process of affirming that our values for diversity and inclusion, not only applied to us, but apply with the various different organizations that we work with to provide education to that community and reaffirmed our commitment to our diversity, equity and inclusion,” Calhoun said. 

Colorado Community Media has reached out to Able Shepherd and will update this story if the group responds.