Fountain-Fort Carson School Board Member Shirley Martinez Appointed to Statewide Black History Advisory Committee

Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 (FFC8) is proud to announce that School Board Member Shirley Martinez has been selected by the Governor’s office to serve on the newly established Colorado Black Historical and Cultural Studies Advisory Committee. In a further testament to her leadership, Ms. Martinez has been named a Co-Chair of the 17-member committee.

Established by Colorado House Bill 25-1149, the committee is tasked with a vital mission: to preserve Black history and ensure its complex, factual narratives remain a permanent fixture in Colorado’s K-12 education system. The committee’s term began in March 2026 under the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).

“I want all our students to feel included in what they read and learn,” said Ms. Martinez. “I’m excited to represent FFC8, as one of the most diverse districts in the state, and to bring our community’s voice to this important statewide conversation.”

The primary goal of HB 25-1149 is to combat the removal of Black history from the public sphere and to provide school districts with the technical assistance needed to develop comprehensive curricula and training. For Ms. Martinez, the work is about filling in the "missing pieces" of the American story.

“It’s not all about enslavement,” Martinez emphasized. “There have been so many positive achievements accomplished by Black people in science, art, and early migration. I want students to get a holistic picture of Black history that provides a vision for the future, not just a look at the past.”

The committee consists of a diverse group of 17 individuals from across the state, including educators, librarians, historians, and community members. Together, they will work to feature Black achievements and foster cross-cultural understanding.

As a Co-Chair, Ms. Martinez is particularly focused on ensuring the committee’s work is practical and inclusive of local needs. She plans to advocate for a collaborative approach, stating that the committee must ask school districts what they need so that any future mandates are truly useful for teachers and students alike.

“I want students to know they are providing their own stories to Black history every day,” Martinez said. “By learning something new and seeing the full breadth of Black contributions to society, our students can better understand the world they are helping to build.”

The Black Historical and Cultural Studies Advisory Committee will provide recommendations for academic standards and develop a resource bank for Colorado educators. For more information on the committee’s mission and progress, visit the Colorado Department of Education website.

Shirley Martinez job shadows a building supervisor during lunch time at Patriot Elementary School. One of her favorite parts of the day was taking time to connect and chat with students.