The People Who Shaped Me — and Why I’m Running

Built on Faith. Rooted in Family. Fighting for Colorado.

I was raised by a family of farmers, veterans, faith leaders, and working parents who taught me that community matters, that service is a responsibility, and that you don’t walk away when things get hard.

Those lessons guide every decision I make as a mother, an advocate, and a candidate for Governor of Colorado.

My Mom: Tanya Lynn Parker

My mom, Tanya, was a marriage counselor, a preacher’s wife, a music minister, and a devoted mother and grandmother.

She earned her master’s degree and worked with families through some of the hardest moments of their lives, including her work with Focus on the Family. She believed deeply that people deserved compassion, dignity, and real support, especially when they were struggling.

In 2022, she passed away from cancer. She worked almost until the very end, not because she had to, but because helping others was who she was. Her faith and her commitment to service continue to shape how I show up in the world.

She taught me that every family deserves care, regardless of where they work, and that no one should be forced to give everything they have just to survive.

My Grandmother: May “Dale” Heriford

My grandmother was the quiet backbone of our family and one of my greatest role models.

She was a preacher’s wife who lived her faith through daily acts of love, steadiness, and perseverance. She held generations together, often without recognition, and showed me that strength doesn’t always need to be loud.

She battled cancer and passed away in 2016, surrounded by the family she helped build and sustain.

My Grandfather: Edgar “Ed” Lee Broesder

My grandfather on my father’s side was a farmer and a proud U.S. Army veteran.

He worked for Roadway for 35 years, then another 18 years at Walmart, even serving as a greeter later in life because he loved being part of his community.

He was happiest on his farm: caring for his cows, taking his grandkids to the sale barn, and teaching us the values of hard work, responsibility, and stewardship.

He taught me something simple that I still believe deeply: When you take care of the land, the land takes care of you.

Service and Sacrifice

Military service runs deep in my family.

My father is a veteran.
Several of my uncles served our country.
I was born in a military base hospital and raised to respect the sacrifices that service demands.

Supporting veterans isn’t symbolic to me. It means real access to care, meaningful work, and communities that don’t abandon people once the uniform comes off.

Being a Mother

I am a single mom raising my daughter in a world that feels increasingly unstable.

I was raised in a conservative family, grounded in faith, discipline, and resilience. While I don’t share all of their political views, I understand their values and I believe dignity and humanity must be protected for everyone, across differences.

My childhood wasn’t easy, but it was full of grit and love. It taught me how to stand up for myself and others, how to keep going when things are hard, and how to fight for what’s right even when it costs something.

Those lessons shape how I lead.

The Family Today and Why This Matters

Today, my father is my only living parent. He lives near my sister in Texas and still represents the values that built our family: hard work, patriotism, and commitment to community.

My family’s story isn’t unique.

It mirrors families across Colorado:

Farmers fighting to keep their land
Veterans needing care and opportunity
Single parents doing their best to raise children in uncertain times
Families facing cancer and health crises without nearby hospitals or support

I’m running for Governor because I’ve lived these realities and I know what’s at stake.

This campaign is about honoring that legacy by building a Colorado where families aren’t left behind, where land and care stay local, and where people are treated with dignity.

That’s the Colorado I believe in.

And that’s the one I’m fighting for.

Who is Carmen Broesder

Carmen Broesder is a mother, engineer, nonprofit founder, LLC co-owner, and disability rights advocate with a track record of standing up for rural families and civil rights.

She has challenged harmful federal policies, fought cases through the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and engaged in direct action and legal advocacy to protect access to healthcare, housing, and basic human dignity.

As the founder of a nonprofit organization and a co-owner of a community-focused land and housing company, Carmen has helped build cooperative, farmer-owned models for housing, healthcare, and agriculture.

These real-world projects have shown what works and where state systems fail. She is running for governor to keep rural hospitals open, protect family farms, and position Colorado as the heart of a new, locally controlled interstate trade network that keeps land, resources, and decision-making in the hands of the people who live here.

From Idaho to Colorado: Choosing Freedom, Building the Future

In 2024, I moved my family from Idaho to Colorado and one of the very first things I did was register, vote, and commit to this state as our long-term home.

I came to Colorado to give my children a better future, and because I had watched my home state unravel under policies that put ideology ahead of people. I saw hospitals close, rural families forced to travel hours for emergency care, and communities hollowed out by decisions made far from the people they affected.

I’ve seen what happens when government overreach replaces good governance, when neighbors are wrongfully detained, mothers are denied critical healthcare, and entire towns are treated as expendable. I left Idaho because I refused to raise my family under that kind of system.

Today, I see early warning signs of the same failures appearing here. And I know from experience what happens if leaders wait too long to act.

That is why I am running for governor:

to protect Colorado from the kind of institutional collapse I witnessed firsthand, to keep rural hospitals open, to preserve family farms, and to defend the freedoms and local control that brought so many of us to this state in the first place.

Professional Highlights

Challenged harmful federal policies and extremist legislation that threatened vulnerable families and civil rights.
Publicly opposed dangerous laws, including forced-birth legislation and policies contributing to rural hospital closures.
Witnessed and documented wrongful detentions at public demonstrations, including events involving armed groups, advocating for civil liberties and due process.
Fought legal battles in Idaho and before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to protect access to healthcare and defend the rights of mothers and children.
Founded Unity Harbour, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting housing stability, healthcare access, and disaster relief for rural and marginalized communities.
Co-owns SkyStone Vale, a community-focused LLC building farmer-owned land and housing cooperatives that keep resources locally controlled.
Built Freedom Village, a sustainable, cooperative land project in Colorado focused on housing stability and community resilience.
Autistic advocate and author, writing to educate, inform, and empower communities through lived experience and policy analysis.
Network Operations Center Engineer and Certified Wireless Network Technician with professional experience in critical infrastructure systems.